Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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duction with higher yields and less fossil fuel input, compared with con-
ventional production. While indicating some of the important variables in
comparing farming systems, this study omits many important geographic
considerations such as location, soil type, crop rotation, and specific man-
agement techniques, which could be added to tailor such a model to a given
location.
Also dealing with energy use, a hypothetical model of fossil fuel use on
conventional and organic farms was developed in Denmark (Dalgaard et
al. 2001). Both the direct (fuels, electricity) and indirect (fertilizers, pesti-
cides, machinery, import of fodder) on-farm energy use were simulated.
The model indicated that energy use was lower on organic farms, making
this system more energy efficient (both for crop and livestock production).
Various scenarios were created: differing levels of imported fodder, pro-
duction of pigs (lower efficiency), and production of cattle (higher energy
efficiency). Overall, there was a relationship between lower energy use and
lower yield. Energy use and per unit crops and animals produced was con-
sistently lower in the scenarios for organic farming, which implies greater
sustainability. This study only considered energy use in production of the
crops - not transporting the crops after harvest, which would add another
dimension to the issue of energy use.
Using data from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service's Sustainable
Agricultural Demonstration site in Beltsville, Maryland, researchers created
a model to simulate sixty years of cropping (Lu et al. 2003). Six types of
grain cropping systems weremodeled, including a two-year organic rotation
(which is very uncommon in certified organic production) and a three-year
rotation (this and a four-year rotation aremore common in certified organic
production). The organic systems had lower profit variability, low erosion
risks, and no risk of herbicide contamination compared with conventional
methods. Overall, this simulation model indicates that organic methods
may be quite good for farmers seeking to avoid economic and agrichemical
risk.
Another study that presented a model, as well as describing more theo-
retical aspects of the organic/conventional comparison, was conducted in
Greece (Tzouvelekas et al. 2001). Here the technical efficiency of approxi-
mately eighty-five pairs of organic and conventional olive farms was assessed
by statistically estimating efficiency in the production of one kilogram of
olive oil. The factors considered were percent of land in production, labor,
input costs, and other costs. Also the inefficiency effects model was based on
family labor percentage, farm size, capital inputs, and environmental vari-
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