A Comparative Analysis of Food Production, Environmental and Economic Indicators under Contrasting Farming Systems.

Abstract

Aspects of three farming systems were compared from practical trials carried out over a decade. These aspects included crop nutrition, food quality, crop protection strategies, economics and environmental performance. The systems included farm scale comparisons of organic, integrated and conventional approaches.
The use of crop nutrients is simplified in both organic and conventional systems, with the former relying on the careful but imprecise use of nutrients derived and recycled within their system while the latter uses imported nutrients used at standard rates. The integrated approach seeks to use a combination of both but the use of precision techniques was found to be complex and problematical. The effect of nutrients and crop protection products on crop quality was examined and the conflicts discussed in the context of current consumer demands. The desires of the consumer for convenience is incompatible with minimal intervention with chemical control methods. However the use of natural control mechanisms in conjunction with the judicious use of crop-protection products was shown to be both environmentally advantageous and economically viable. All systems were able to deliver gross margins and were shown to be economically sustainable provided that premium prices were obtained (organic), reductions in input use and operations did not unduly compromise yield (integrated) or yields were sufficient to cover additional costs (conventional). The environmental performance of each system was found to be more associated with components of the systems than by the systems themselves per se. While the trials were carried out on a farm scale, and consequently small plot validations are impractical on such a scale, the value of system studies and the ability to look at the interaction between factors across rotations and systems is discussed.