Sustainable Agriculture - An Overview
Reviewed October 28, 2007
While the term “sustainable agriculture” is not clearly defined, most definitions include four basic goals: adequate food and fiber production; sound environmental stewardship; economic viability; and development of strong rural communities. Sustainable agriculture may be understood as a process of striking a balance among these goals, viewing them as complementary rather than competing.
Federal law defines “sustainable agriculture” as
an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term
(A) satisfy human food and fiber needs;
(B) enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends;
(C) make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;
(D) sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and
(E) enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.
7 U.S.C. § 3103(18)
While the general goals of sustainable agriculture may be generally agreed upon, “[h]ow producers reach those goals is as different as prairie flowers dotting a Midwest landscape. … There are thousands of ways to farm more sustainably.” Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (“SARE”), Exploring Sustainability in Agriculture. When farmers attempt to determine whether a practice is sustainable, the USDA-supported ATTRA-National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (“ATTRA”) advises them to evaluate five aspects of their operations:
Marketing: Consideration of market alternatives, profit sources, and value-added products (e.g., through diversified enterprises, direct marketing, and on-farm processing);
Soil Quality: Building soil structure and fertility (e.g., through reduced use of synthetic fertilizers and increased on-farm nutrient cycling);
Water Quality: Protecting water quality on and beyond the farm (e.g., through soil conservation practices that prevent run-off and erosion);
Pest Management: Managing pests with minimal pesticides (e.g., by managing pest-predator balances on the farm); and
Biodiversity: Maximizing on-farm biodiversity (e.g., by integrating crop and livestock production).
See ATTRA, Sustainable Agriculture: An Introduction.
The federal legal and regulatory structure relating to sustainable agriculture is minimal; what government involvement does exist is divided among numerous federal agencies and government-supported organizations. USDA sponsors three organizations that provide sustainable agriculture research, education, and information to farmers, researchers, educators and consumers: SARE, which provides grants for innovative sustainable agriculture projects and research; ATTRA, which answers questions about specific farming practices and approaches; and the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (“AFSIC”), which provides information on sustainable agriculture from the National Agricultural Library.
SARE, the primary source of government support for sustainable agriculture, was first authorized by the 1985 Food Security Act. In 1990, the Food Agriculture, Conservation and Trade (FACT) Act of 1990 substantially amended the program and changed the program’s name from Low-Input Sustainable Agriculture (LISA) to Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education, recognizing the broad scope and goals of sustainable agriculture. The statute authorizing SARE, 7 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq., requires the participation of several USDA agencies through participation on four Regional Administrative Councils. Those agencies include the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. See 7 U.S.C. § 5812. The USDA council on Small Farms also deals with regulatory issues related to sustainable agriculture. The SARE statute authorizes a federal-state matching grant program for approved state plans to develop and support sustainable agriculture, 7 U.S.C. § 5813, but few state plans have been implemented.
Certain federal agriculture and conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Security Program, are obviously geared to improve environmental stewardship of farmland and other natural resources. Nearly every federal program relating to agriculture, however, may be evaluated based on its effect on sustainable agriculture—for example, some commentators have argued that the structure of federal commodity programs encourages certain production decisions, such as specialization and intensification, that are viewed as inconsistent with the goals of sustainability.
For information on a closely related topic, visit the National Organic Program Reading Room.