Organic Farming and the Energy Crisis: Saint or Sinner? Lois Philipps & Helen Bentley-Fox.
Introduction. Global position. Organic position. The future for organic systems.
Global Warming Is Happening. The last decade was the warmest on record. Extreme Weather Events are occurring on an unparalleled scale. The polar icecaps are thinning at an unprecedented rate. Coral reefs are dying at a record rate. CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere at the highest levels ever recorded.
Oil Supply & Demand Profiles 1996-2030.
Principle of Ecology. Principle of Health. Principle of Care. Principle of Fairness. IFOAM Principles.
Total Energy Input MJ/ha 70000 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 0 Energy Input By Category On An Area Basis. Distribution Collection transport Drier Machinery Pesticides Fertilisers Seed
Energy Input By Category On A Unit Output Basis. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 Distribution Collec tion trans port Drier Machinery Pes tic ides Fertilis ers Seed 0 Elm Farm Research Centre Con Winter wheat Conventional Winter Wheat Org Winter wheat Organic Winter Wheat Con Potatoes Comventional Potatoes Org Potatoes Organic Potatoes Con Carrots Conventional Carrots Org Carrots Organic carrots Con Cabbage Conventional Cabbage Organic Cabbage Organic Cabbage Con Onion Conventional Onion Organic Onion Organic Onion Con Calabrese Conventional Calabrese Org Calabrese Organic Calabrese Con Leeks Conventional Leeks Organic Leeks Org Leeks MJ/tonne Yield Total energy input MJ/Tonne yield
Comparison of Overall Energy Ratios. Conventional Organic Mainly Arable 3.58 5.54 Stockless -Veg - Potatoes 5.18 4.41 4.37 Upland Livestock 1.00 2.27 Dairy 0.43 1.67 NB: Energy Ratio = Energy Output/Energy Input
On-farm Conclusions. At the farm gate organic has a benefit over conventional. Greater per ha than kg output. We know organic farming is good but how can it be improved? Case study.
Previous crop Compost spreading Winter crops 11 inspections All other crops Rolled Ploughing Cultivation Sow with Combination drill Fertility building Bought in Seed Beans only Undersown Spring crops 7 inspections Hopper Saved Seed Beans only Spring harrowed Harvesting Key > 400 MJ/ja 100-400 MJ/ha <100 MJ/ha
Energy Use Arable Rotation. Crop Management Activity MJ/ha for each activity Soil Improvements 188.80 Ploughing 1,534.00 Other Cultivations 236.00 Seed Transport 188.80 Sowing 165.20 Rolling 141.60 Under-sowing 177.00 Crop Inspections 16.80 Combining 1,534.00 Post Harvest Cultivations 236.00 Dryer 972.23 Bailing 283.20 Bale Transport 318.60 Total energy used per ha (MJ) 6,181.00
Case Study: Mitigation. Short-term strategies. Maintenance of vehicles and equipment Correct equipment for the task Correct tyre pressures Timeliness of operations Longer-term solutions. Use of renewable energy sources eg microgeneration for grain driers
Post Farm Gate. Organic food supply has followed a conventional route.
Where organic food is bought in the UK. (Soil Association 2005) Independent Direct Multiples
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Multiple Retailer UK Sourced Produce 2003/04. (Soil Association 2005) Dairy Meat Salad Vegetables Fruit Organic Conventional Elm Farm Research Centre percent UK sourced
Farm gate Haulier Co-op Haulier Shipper Haulier Importer Haulier Distribution centre Haulier Retailer Car Home Possible steps!
Externalities of Production at the Farm Gate. Sources of adverse effects Pesticides in water. Nitrate, phosphate, soil and Cryptosporidium in water. Eutrophication of surface water. Monitoring of water systems and advice. Methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia emissions to atmosphere. Direct and indirect carbon dioxide emissions to atmosphere. Off-site soil erosion and organic matter losses from soils. Losses of biodiversity and landscape values. Adverse effects to human health from pesticides. Adverse effects to human health from micro-organisms and BSE Actual costs from current agriculture ( M yr -1 ) 143.2 112.1 79.1 13.1 421.1 102.7 59.0 150.3 1.2 432.6 Scenario: costs as if whole of UK was organic ( M yr -1 ) 0.0 53.7 19.8 13.1 172.7 32.0 24.0 19.3 0.0 50.4 Total J N Pretty et al (2005) 1514.4 384.9
Proportion of Externality Costs Related to Production and Distribution. Externality Agricultural externalities (on-farm) Domestic Road Transport (farm to shop) Sea, Water and Air Transport for Imports Shopping (Shop to Home) Conventional Agriculture Costs ( M yr) 1514 2348 17 1276 % of Total 29.3 45.5 0.3 24.7 Organic Agriculture Costs ( M yr) 385 2348 17 1276 % of Total 8.7 53.1 0.4 28.9 Waste Disposal to Landfill 7 0.1 7 0.1 Total Externalities 5162 4418 Adapted from Pretty,J. 2005
Future. Local food for local market. Seasonality. Short-chain distribution/processing.
Organic Farming: Saint or Sinner? On-farm. Saintly. There is room for improvements. Off-farm. Sinner. Followed a conventional unsustainable route. Radical change needed.