Envionmental, Energetic, and Economic Comparisons of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

This selection is based on a 22-year study done by the Rodale Institute Farming in order to compare the productivity of crops grown on three different cropping systems: a conventional system, an animal manure and legume-based organic system and a legume-based organic system. It was found that there is variability in crop yields in the organic system and the conventional system due to different factors such as amount of  rainfall, and soil characteristic. However, the organic system has more environmental benefits than the conventional system. Thus, organic technologies can be used in conventional system in order to create a more sustainable cropping system. The non-conventional agricultural system does come with disadvamtages such as Nitrogen deficiency and weed competition, but fortunately these snags can be overcome. Therefore, the organic system in the end, is way more sustainable and ecologically sound than the conventional system.

Reference:  www.cefs.ncsu.edu/.../farmingsystems.html