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Monday, November 14, 2005

Organic farming uses more land and does not leach less nitrate into waters

A review of farming performance in practice shows that for the same crop yield, organic farming requires more land than is needed conventional farming with synthetic fertiliser.

Surprisingly, with certain organic farming approaches, leaching of nitrogen and phosphate into run-off water (the cause of unwanted water eutrophication) is reported in this article as being greater than conventional farming.

This environmental disadvantage of organic farming becomes obvious when leaching is expressed per unit hectare or unit of crop nitrogen produced, and farms using the same level of nitrogen input are compared.

Nutrient Exclusivity in Organic Farming. Does It Offer Advantages?
By H. Kirchmann and M.H. Ryan
Article Summary:
The following aims are associated with organic farming: to produce healthier foods, to be environmentally friendly, and to be more sustainable. Organic principles are applied in the belief that they are the best way to achieve these aims. However, a critical analysis of organic fertilization practices does not support this belief.

Better Crops/Vol. 89 (2005, No. 1) page 24


See
The Full Monty on Global Land Use.
Further Swedish studies demonstrating that conventional farning with a fall cover crop allows better leaching management that organics and gives better yields.


See also

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:14 PM

    I've been looking for a paper that provides a straight forward quantitive comparison of yield in conventional versus organic systems - thanks. Jen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5:21 AM

    "with certain organic farming approaches, leaching of nitrogen and phosphate into run-off water. . ."

    What are these "certain organic farming approaches?"

    What is the source of the leaching nitrogen and phosphate?

    Your blog is truly frightening. I commend you at your ability to twist the truth around so well so that it fits your beliefs. And I believe a huge portion of what you are saying is incorrect.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To help finding errors, its good for comment posters to give sources and specifics else no progress can be made. The statements made in the post are more or less quotes from Scandinavian and Australian scientists, so their work , traceable in the link, is where to start.

    ReplyDelete