Agriculture in a Market Economy and Sustainable Alternatives Essay

Agriculture in a mart Economy and sustainable Alternatives Imagine driving through any human body of Midwestern states, passing acres upon acres of corn or soybeans, alimentation lots in Kansas with thousands of cattle, or rows of poultry barns in Virginia that leave their memories in your nose for miles down the road. Todays agricultural system in the United States is one that follows capitalism and demands competition, which usually means make as much as you can with as few resources as possible. These practices carry to be harmful to both environmental and human health, ar non sustainable in the long term, and have forced many farmers emerge of the industry when they cant compete with the big companies. Many mess, including Christians, commit they argon called to be stewards and protectors of the earth with a responsibility to act with justness towards other human beings. While there are Christians and other quite a little who hold strong ethical beliefs involved in con ventional methods of agriculture, others are seeking more than just and sustainable methods of producing food. Modern agriculture in the United States followed in suit with the Industrial Revolution and searched for ways to give-up the ghost bigger, make more money, and be more efficient. Just as in factories, many farms began specializing in one crop or livestock, spreading onto more land, and using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to encourage growth. For many farmers, to participate in the merchandise economy where the government subsidizes many crops and farm products and market prices are passing unstable, the only way to remain competitive is to produce a surplus. In addition, they are playing into an export economy, which has major implications for communities and the envir... ...Linking Tables to Farms. In Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism get Culture, and the Community. pp17-27. Washington Island Press.Long, Cheryl. (1999) Certified Organic. Organic G ardening 46(6), 44-46. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Academic Search Elite.Madden, Patrick. (1988). Low-Input/sustainable Agriculture Research and Education- Challenges to the hoidenish Economics Profession. American Journal of sylvan Economics 7 (5), 1167-1172. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Business Source Premier database.Orr, David. (2001). The Urban-Agrarian Mind. Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism terra firma Culture, and the Community. pp93-107. Washington Island Press.Snowe, Olympia . USDA Organic Food Standards. FDCH Press Releases 21/Oct/2002 . Retrieved November 10, 2004 , from Military and Government Collection database. Agriculture in a trade Economy and Sustainable Alternatives EssayAgriculture in a market Economy and Sustainable Alternatives Imagine driving through any keep down of Midwestern states, passing acres upon acres of corn or soybeans, ply lots in Kansas with thousands of cattle, or rows of poultry barns in Virginia that leave their memories in your nose for miles down the road. Todays agricultural system in the United States is one that follows capitalism and demands competition, which usually means make as much as you can with as few resources as possible. These practices go to be harmful to both environmental and human health, are non sustainable in the long term, and have forced many farmers come forward of the industry when they cant compete with the big companies. Many people, including Christians, study they are called to be stewards and protectors of the earth with a responsibility to act with justice towards other human beings. While there are Christians and other people who hold strong ethical beliefs involved in conventional methods of agriculture, others are seeking more just and sustainable methods of producing food. Modern agriculture in the United States followed in suit with the Industrial Revolution and searched for ways to release bigger, make more money, and be more eff icient. Just as in factories, many farms began specializing in one crop or livestock, spreading onto more land, and using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to encourage growth. For many farmers, to participate in the market economy where the government subsidizes many crops and farm products and market prices are highly unstable, the only way to remain competitive is to produce a surplus. In addition, they are playing into an export economy, which has major implications for communities and the envir... ...Linking Tables to Farms. In Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism toss off Culture, and the Community. pp17-27. Washington Island Press.Long, Cheryl. (1999) Certified Organic. Organic Gardening 46(6), 44-46. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Academic Search Elite.Madden, Patrick. (1988). Low-Input/Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education- Challenges to the Agricultural Economics Profession. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 7 (5), 1167-1172. Retrieved Nov ember 19, 2004, from Business Source Premier database.Orr, David. (2001). The Urban-Agrarian Mind. Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism grime Culture, and the Community. pp93-107. Washington Island Press.Snowe, Olympia . USDA Organic Food Standards. FDCH Press Releases 21/Oct/2002 . Retrieved November 10, 2004 , from Military and Government Collection database.