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Researchers focusing on environmentally sustainable farming are seeking to break the idea that agricultural productivity and sustainability are mutually exclusive terms. They're in the USA, where is the equivalent in New Zealand? Scientists at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems are developing agricultural practices that will allow farmers to make a living while at the same time providing a clean environment and producing high-quality food and fiber. "In our view, the health and prosperity of future generations depend upon the mutually beneficial partnership of agriculture, environment and consumers," said Dr. Nancy Creamer, director of the center and North Carolina State University associate professor of horticultural science. "Our goal is to protect and enhance North Carolina's environmental quality as we sustain the long-term productivity of its farms." The 2,200 acres of cropland, pasture and woodland at the center allow 15 scientists and graduate students from 10 academic departments at the North Carolina State and North Carolina A&T State Universities to conduct research within the center's three major components, which are: * an organic farm - the largest in the US - that researches alternatives to conventional agrochemicals; * a sustainable "whole-farm" demonstration project emphasizing livestock and crop production; * a long-term research project on the environmental benefits of no-till conservation farming practices. Work at the farm seeks alternatives to the use of pesticides and fertilizers through the use of planned rotations, the use of cover crops, organic soil amendments and biological and mechanical methods of pest management. Other alternative farming systems under investigation include a plantation forest/woodlot, an integrated crop and animal production system, an organic production system, a cash grain cropping system and a natural successional ecosystem. A special effort to identify effective and economical management strategies that farmers can use during their transition from conventional agriculture to these alternative systems. For instance, a new grass-based dairy facility research project examines the benefits of rotational grazing and other herd management techniques as means to achieve environmentally sound milk production, while also producing an acceptable income for the farmer. Researchers are also investigating no-till farming. This method is considered more environmentally friendly than conventional plowing because it reduces erosion, generally requires less fossil fuel consumption by tractors, and provides cover and food for some wildlife species. The Center for Environmental Farming Systems also has an important teaching emphasis. This summer, 16 interns - many of whom lived at a dormitory adjacent to the organic farm - spent two to three days a week working at the farm. In a classroom and on field trips, they also learned about environmental science and about agricultural production and marketing. "I think (organic farming) is where the future will be," said Jennifer Jones, an NC State senior majoring in botany who was one of the summer interns. "A lot of people are going to end up going this way."
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