By Brian Carnell

Wednesday, June 26, 2002

Ronald Bailey took a look at the inconvenient parts of a Swiss study that the media largely covered as offering proof that organic farming was viable and efficient. A close look at the study, however, finds that it is neither.

First, it is important to note that organic crops are not efficient at all when it comes to land use. The crop yields the Swiss researchers found were significantly lower for organic crops than for intensive modern farming. Bailey notes that the study found that organic "cereal crop yields in Europe typically are 60 to 70% of those under conventional management."

This simply confirms what has been obvious for a long time -- any wholesale switch away from intensive farming to organic farming would mean converting massive amounts of land to agricultural purposes.

The Swiss researchers maintain, however, that organic farming is more energy efficient. Their study claims that organic farms use only half the energy that conventional farms do. The difference is mainly due to the use of fertilizers and pesticides in intensive agriculture. By the time that the higher crop yields of intensive farming is factored in, though, this 50 percent energy savings is lowered to 19 percent.

But does organic farming really save energy? Not according to Bailey,

Secondly, the researchers declare that they found nutrients "in the organic systems to be 34 to 51% lower than in conventional systems, whereas mean crop yield was only 20% lower over a period of 21 years." But -- to ask the organic advocates' own question -- is organic agriculture sustainable over the long run? Again, the fine print says no. As their research confirms, organic farming is mining the soil of its vital minerals, particularly phosphorus and potassium. Eventually, as these minerals are used up, organic crop production will fall below its already low level. Conventional farming, on the other hand, restores mineral balance through fertilization.

So much for sustainable agriculture.

Source:

Organic Alchemy: Organic farming could kill billions of people. Ronald Bailey, Reason, June 5, 2002.

Discuss (0 Replies) | Printer Friendly