The Economic Benefits Of Sustainable Farming

Sustainable agriculture promises to help feed a growing population and mitigate the effects of climate change. Using methods such as increased crop rotation, no-till and winter cover crops, farmers can increase yields and profits

Sustainably profitable

The US Department of Agriculture defines sustainable farming as a series of interconnected land management techniques that sustain “farmers, resources, and communities by promoting farming practices and methods that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities”.

Some of the techniques used by farmers include minimizing or eliminating tilling, encouraging soil health with more frequent crop rotation, the use of winter cover crops, and integrating croplands with livestock grazing. Sustainable agriculture also encompasses what happens to food after it’s harvested, fished or slaughtered. That’s the connection between sustainable farming and the growth in urban farmers’ markets that supports the farm-to-table movement – with the added benefit of minimizing the amount of energy used to transport food to the consumer.