Agriculture in a Market Economy and Sustainable Alternatives Essay

Agriculture in a Market Economy and Sustainable Alternatives Imagine driving through any number of Midwestern states, passing acres upon acres of corn or soybeans, feeding 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. Today’s 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 tend to be harmful to both environmental and human health, are not sustainable in the long term, and have forced many farmers out of the industry when they can’t compete with the big companies. Many people, including Christians, believe 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 become 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 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... ...â€Å"Linking Tables to Farms.† In Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism: Land Culture, and the Community. pp17-27. Washington: Island Press. Long, Cheryl. (1999) â€Å"Certified Organic.† Organic Gardening 46(6), 44-46. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Academic Search Elite. Madden, Patrick. (1988). â€Å"Low-Input/Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education- Challenges to the Agricultural Economics Profession.† American Journal of Agricultural Economics 7 (5), 1167-1172. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Business Source Premier database. Orr, David. (2001). â€Å"The Urban-Agrarian Mind.† Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism: Land Culture, and the Community. pp93-107. Washington: Island Press. Snowe, Olympia . â€Å"USDA Organic Food Standards.† FDCH Press Releases 21/Oct/2002 . Retrieved November 10, 2004 , from Military and Government Collection database. Agriculture in a Market Economy and Sustainable Alternatives Essay Agriculture in a Market Economy and Sustainable Alternatives Imagine driving through any number of Midwestern states, passing acres upon acres of corn or soybeans, feeding 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. Today’s 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 tend to be harmful to both environmental and human health, are not sustainable in the long term, and have forced many farmers out of the industry when they can’t compete with the big companies. Many people, including Christians, believe 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 become 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 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... ...â€Å"Linking Tables to Farms.† In Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism: Land Culture, and the Community. pp17-27. Washington: Island Press. Long, Cheryl. (1999) â€Å"Certified Organic.† Organic Gardening 46(6), 44-46. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Academic Search Elite. Madden, Patrick. (1988). â€Å"Low-Input/Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education- Challenges to the Agricultural Economics Profession.† American Journal of Agricultural Economics 7 (5), 1167-1172. Retrieved November 19, 2004, from Business Source Premier database. Orr, David. (2001). â€Å"The Urban-Agrarian Mind.† Eric T. Freyfogle (Ed.), The New Agrarianism: Land Culture, and the Community. pp93-107. Washington: Island Press. Snowe, Olympia . â€Å"USDA Organic Food Standards.† FDCH Press Releases 21/Oct/2002 . Retrieved November 10, 2004 , from Military and Government Collection database.