The future of farming – towards Sustainable agriculture
The Biodynamic Agricultural Association (BDAA) is a UK based charity (Reg. no. 269036), with a history stretching back to 1928. It was founded to promote and develop biodynamic farming gardening and forestry and offers a comprehensive service for general enquirers as well as committed farmers and gardeners. It also owns and administers the Demeter Certification Trademark and operates within UKROFS (Demeter is Organic Certification UK6). Based on a fundamental commitment to local self reliance and sustainability, biodynamic agriculture offers a unique approach to organic husbandry which takes account and works with the vital forces of life through using specially developed preparations of natural and organic origin as well as paying due regard to the influences streaming in from the planets and stars. Biodynamic agriculture was inspired by a course of lectures given to farmers in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher, scientist and social reformer. The results of his spiritual scientific research are proving significant across all fields of human activity including education, medicine, the arts and social issues. During the last seventy five years it has grown into a world movement and has become a leading example of sustainable agriculture in more than forty countries. More than 3000 fully registered Demeter producers exist across the world and even more farms who work using biodynamic principles. Out of this background we submit the following comments and suggestions as to how best to encourage a truly sustainable form of agriculture for the future. 1. Sustainability and sustainable development Current definitions of what is meant by sustainability are woefully inadequate and are frequently limited to whether a business is viable or not. For agriculture to be considered truly sustainable, quite specific husbandry criteria need to be met including: -- The degree to which a commitment is made towards making a farming operation self sustaining. How far is a farm dependent on its own rather than bought in feed and fertilisers? -- Does the farming system maintain and increase its inherited fertility or does it deplete it? Will a successor farmer benefit or suffer from current practices? Sustainable agriculture as promoted by the Biodynamic Movement recognises each farm entity to be a living organism within that of the whole earth. Just as the skin of a human being or an animal forms a boundary of transition towards the world around it, so too can the skin-like, geographical boundary of a farm be visualised as containing a living organism within it. Though initially such an idea may seem remote, it has far reaching consequences for the way in which a farms internal economy is managed. The geographical boundary, regardless of the acreage contained within it, provides the necessary limitations within which the life of the farm can be enhanced and long term
fertility maintained. It then becomes a matter of vital importance for this developing “farm organism” to rely as far as possible on its own resources to build up fertility and nourish its livestock. From this it follows that each farm will be able to maintain just that amount of livestock, which its productive capacity (cereal and roughage crops, grassland etc.) can provide. On the other hand its livestock (and accumulating vegetative materials and compost) will furnish the soil with just that amount of fertilising substances and forces it needs to maintain its fertility.(1) (2) 2. A sustainable environment and balanced ecosystem -- Does the land use allow for the full diversity of the natural environment to come to expression? Are insects, birds and wild flowers etc. abundant and catered for in the agricultural landscape? A healthy farm is a mixed farm embedded in the natural environment of the district. The intimate relationship between woodland, hedgerows, wetlands, meadows and hillsides etc. needs to be considered and is vital for ensuring a stable and well balanced diversity. All of these landscape elements and the wild flora and fauna that accompany them are integral to a truly sustainable farm. Their presence is important both for the farm and the quality of the entire surroundings. (3) 3. Animal welfare and livestock management -- Are domestic animals kept according to the nature of their species? Are they kept in suitable housing and fed wholesome home produced feed? Domestic animals form an integral part of a mixed farm and have their own distinct and specific role within its eco economy when fed according to the requirements of their organisms. Cattle for instance, with their powerful metabolism are not built to digest and transform concentrated feeds. These, especially when factory produced and fed as staple rations, can lead to health problems. By nature ruminants thrive on a roughage diet. (3) The breeding of livestock also accords with this principle of harmonisation with the farm organism. Apart from periodically bringing in male animals to avoid degenerative in-breeding, the achievement of closed herds has long been and must remain an important goal for livestock breeders. Not only do animals born and bred on the farm become fine tuned to their environment, they also form close knit herds and flocks in which internal stress is minimised and overall group contentment enhanced. (3)(4) 4. Food plant diversity and crop management -- Do existing cropping methods serve to enhance or reduce the diversity of crop and plant varieties? Plants generally thrive best in association with other species. Mixed cropping and the use of a well planned cropping sequence can increase both the yield and sustainability of specific crop species. The careful use of crop rotation, companion planting, vicinity
planting and mixed cropping is an important tool for enhancing the health and productivity of food crops. (2) Plant breeding is likewise most effective in the context of a diverse and self contained organic entity. In biodynamic plant breeding, careful consideration is given to the place and circumstance on which a plant grows. Different environmental factors such as altitude, climate and soil type are important as well as the more distant influences of the extra earthly environment. Unsustainable practices based in expensive laboratories are unnecessary and need to be avoided. GM technology is potentially disastrous and not only stands in the way of developing a sustainable agriculture, it works directly against it. (5)(6)(7)(8) 5. Natural resources and energy use -- Can the material resources including the energy used be replaced (at least theoretically) within the ecological context of the farm? Is there a genuine consciousness for using renewable resources? Awareness of energy use in agriculture will be of increasing importance in the future. Since horses were displaced by tractors, reliance on fossil fuels has increased dramatically. While not arguing for a return to farming with the horse or oxen, the consequences of our tractor age need to be considered. Alternative energy sources for agriculture should be on the agenda. Apart from farm machinery and fuel for tractors, the scope for using renewable energy on the farm is fairly great if it is carefully planned for. Woodland is an obvious resource for fuel production. With the minimal level of forest cover in the UK, the planting of more trees would be of great benefit to the landscape and farm health as well as for meeting future farm energy needs. Extremely efficient boilers and wood burners exist, which could supply many agricultural and home needs for fuel. Wind power and solar energy are also options. Biodynamic holdings try to make use of renewable energy wherever possible. 6. Community Supported Agriculture -- Is there another way of organising economic relationships which does not end up exploiting primary producers, the environment and the third world? Must the market as we know it be the final arbiter? There is growing interest in finding other and new ways to encourage viability in agriculture. Free trade necessarily forces primary producers to accept the lowest possible price. They have no bargaining power and end up being exploited. It is precisely because of this exploitation that other sectors of the so called free market appear to thrive. There are numerous attempts at pioneering alternative solutions to this problem. Local currencies in their many forms offer part solutions as do the many initiatives to promote local marketing. Farmers markets, box schemes and many kinds of
cooperative ventures between consumers and producers are developing successfully across the country. (9) One form of community supported agriculture widely practised in the USA, involves bringing together a circle of consumers who are willing to commit themselves to meeting the costs of an annually agreed farm budget which includes a decent salary for the farms co-workers. All the produce and processed produce of the farm belongs to and is available for this circle of consumers to use and consume. Such a system shares the risk of farming, provides security of livelihood for the farmers and ensures food security for the supporting members. It can also sow the seed for a new economic ethic based on mutual support instead of on the survival of the fittest. (10)(11) 7. Fair trade not free trade Where trading is practised locally, nationally and across the world it is vital that a social conscience is developed. Every human being living on the earth has an equal right to use the planets resources in order to maintain a decent livelihood while at the same time ensuring that these resources are continually replenished and renewed for succeeding generations. This principle would also ensure that goods are fairly traded. Free trade implies thinking only of oneself while fair trade implies a social conscience. This social conscience also needs extending to the environment and the earth itself. Is it responsible to use vast amounts of the earths energy supply to transport food vast distances round the globe? Would it not be wiser to source as much of our food as possible from our immediate surroundings and only import what cannot be grown in our climate? (12)(13) Such an approach would also help ensure food security for the many millions of people across the world currently forced to grow cash crops for western markets. Reform of the worlds financial system, a move away from deregulated money markets and the introduction of a tax on speculation would also be a very positive step forward. In summary There are many issues of principle which need addressing before a new policy to promote a truly sustainable agriculture can be implemented in this country. First and foremost there must be a clear and unequivocal commitment to organic farming. The UK must move rapidly towards the target of 30% of agricultural land farmed organically by 2010. The ongoing damage being done to the environment must be halted by implementing policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, repealing incentives for ever increased global trade, encouraging local economies and increasing individual self reliance. Above all we must enter into a fundamental rethink of our current value system in which wealth and property counts for more than individual freedom, true democracy and social conscience. The value and integrity of each human individual needs to be of primary concern if real progress is to be made. This paper has been written in support of the current review into the future of farming. Biodynamic Agricultural Association – 18th December 2001
References and further reading 1. International Demeter Production Standards published - Demeter International 2. Biodynamic Farming Practice by Sattler and Wistinghausen published – BDAA UK 3. Laws of Life in Agriculture by N. Remer published – Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association inc. USA 4. Towards a new European Foot and Mouth Strategy - BDAA UK 5. Sustainable Plant Breeding and Genetic Engineering by C. Karutz – BDAA UK 6. BDAA Representation Re. National Seed Listing of Chardon LL – BDAA UK 7. GM on Trial – Evidence provided by Greenpeace – Greenpeace 8. Genetic Engineering, Dream or Nightmare by M. Wan Ho – Gateway Books UK 9. Feasibility study on Community Supported Agriculture – Soil Association UK 10. Farms of Tomorrow Revisited by Groh and McFadden – BD Farming and Gardening Association inc. USA 11. Sharing the Harvest by E. Henderson – Chelsea Green Publishing co. UK and USA 12. The Great Food Swap by C. Lucas MEP – Green Party 13. The Great Food Gamble by John Humphrys – Hodder and Sloughton UK
For further information contact:BDAA, Painswick Inn Project, Gloucester Street, Stroud GL5 1QGTel/Fax: 01453 759501 Email: bdaa@biodynamic.freeserve.co.uk Website: www.anth.org.uk/biodynamic