Sustainability in recent years has been a buzz word across many industries as the world faces environmental challenges such as droughts, natural disasters and climate change. Within the agriculture industry, sustainability has become increasingly important as farmers and agribusinesses work to feed the growing population. It is estimated that by 2050 the population will reach around 9.7 billion people and food production will need to increase by 60 percent. Farming sustainably is important to agriculture experts, farmers and ranchers, but maintaining profitability while implementing sustainable practices can be difficult. Let’s explore sustainable farming practices and how farmers can balance profitability with environmental stewardship.
Sustainable Practices
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines sustainable agriculture as, “practices that are intended to protect the environment, expand the Earth’s natural resource base, and maintain and improve soil fertility.” There are many sustainable practices including conservation tillage systems, cover crops, reduced tillage, crop rotation, integrated pest management systems and precision agriculture practices. Many of these practices revolve around improving soil health, managing water usage, increasing resilience and promoting biodiversity. Sustainability is not a new concept to farmers, but managing sustainable practices and profitability can be challenging.
Management Practices
Various agriculture technologies assist farmers in implementing these sustainable practices. Agriculture experts work with investors and innovators to bring these practices and technologies to farms worldwide. Part of implementing sustainable practices is learning how to best manage and balance these practices for practical on-farm use. Many farmers want to see their operation increase in sustainability, but they need to be equipped with best management practices (BMP). These BMP’s teach and explain to farmers how various technologies will practically work on their farm. Farmers’ livelihood depends on the success of their operations, so it is paramount that agribusinesses communicate how their sustainable technologies will produce productive results.
Profitable Practices
Protecting the environment, expanding the earth’s natural resources and improving soil health only tells part of the story when it comes to sustainability. The USDA also states that increasing profitable farm income and enhancing quality of life for farm families and communities is equally important. In other words, sustainability cannot exist without profitability for farmers. The two must go together in a balancing act. The USDA reported that in February 2024, farm income had fallen 26 percent from 2023, which emphasizes the need for improvement in this area. Technology promoting sustainability needs to also produce a return for farmers. One of the ways this is achievable is when these technologies also produce higher yields.
Final Thoughts
The solution to balancing profitability with environmental stewardship is not linear. The answer is usually multifaceted and specific to each individual farmer. Developing sustainable technologies and techniques while keeping practicality and profitability of farmers in mind is crucial. Farmers are used to taking risk when it comes to their operations, but they cannot risk losing their operations for the sake of sustainability. All stakeholders in agriculture must work together to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship while also considering farmer profitability.
