Stuart B. Hill

Farm-Scale Agronomic and Economic Conversion from Conventional to Sustainable Agriculture

Publisher Summary Conversion process has three components—including increased efficiency, substitution, and redesign. This chapter focuses on research that addresses conversion to the early stages of redesign, emphasizing methods that are relatively easy to implement, and that minimize financial risk. Many farmers experience a major shift in their values, and place even greater emphasis on their role as guardians of human health, through the provision of essential nutrients to consumers, and of the health of the rural community and environment. Another common change is that farmers become more aware of the “organismal” nature of the farm, which functions well when all its components are present and essential biological processes are supported through the careful management of events in time and space. The conversion process usually takes from three to six years. Because of the uniqueness of each situation and the changing nature of environments, there can be no reliable formulas for successful transition. The chapter discusses the research results concerning some critical aspects of any conversion plan.

Agricultural Science and Sustainable Agriculture: a Review of the Existing Scientific Barriers to Sustainable Food Production and Potential Solutions

ABSTRACT Traditional approaches to agricultural science present a number of barriers to increasing our understanding of sustainable agriculture. Logical positivist and reductionist methods limit the information that can be obtained from complex biological systems, and institutional forces help to prevent scientists from exploring comprehensive and new directions that do not fit the predominant paradigms. A diverse range of political and institutional strategies for supporting research in sustainable agriculture is proposed.

Strategies to overcome barriers to the development of sustainable agriculture in canada: The role of agribusiness

Strategies to involve agribusiness in the development of sustainable agricultural systems have been limited by the lack of a comprehensive conceptual framework for identifying the most critical supportive policies, programs and regulations. In this paper, we propose an efficiency/substitution/redesign framework to categorize strategies for modifying agribusiness practices. This framework is then used to identify a diverse range of short, medium, and long-term strategies to be pursued by governments, community groups, academics and agribusiness to support the transition. Strategies discussed include corporate greening, ethical investment, changing the legal status of the corporaton, new business forms and the development of ecological economics.

Policies, programs, and regulations to support the transition to sustainable agriculture in Canada

The development of political strategies in Canada to support the transition from conventional to sustainable agriculture has been limited by the absence of a comprehensive conceptual framework for identifying the most critical policies, programs, and regulations. In this paper, we propose a framework that uses an efficiency/substitution/redesign spectrum to categorize both sustainable fanning systems and government activities. The framework is then used to identify a diverse range of short, medium, and longterm strategies to be pursued by governments in Canada to support the transition. Strategies discussed include research, diffusion, and training; market development; and safety net programs and tax provisions. Finally, the implications and implementation of the redesign concept for food production, processing, and distribution are outlined.

Organic farming in Canada

Abstract Although interest in organic farming in Canada has been growing, many obstracles to its development remain. The supply of produce is low and distribution systems are undeveloped. Consumer demand, however, appears to be strong, particularly in urban areas. The Federal Government and some provincial governments are beginning to examine how their policies and programs impede the transition to sustainable agriculture. Some programs dealing with transition, market development and certification have been developed to help facilitate the evolution of the organic sector. Also, some training programs in organic farming are now available, and research and development projects have started recently in several universities. A much more comprehensive package of institutional supports, however, will be required for these systems to develop in an orderly fashion and to realize their full potential.

Spatial distribution and movements of plum curculio adults within caged apple trees.

In the spring of 1987 and 1988, 65Zn labeled plum curculios, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), were released within two field cages, each containing four dwarf apple trees. The cages were surveyed regularly between ‘pink’ and 22 d after ‘fruit set’ stages, and the location of labeled insects and substrates occupied were recorded. Labeled beetles first appeared in trees between ‘pink’ stage and beginning of bloom, and the number within trees gradually increased until ‘petal fall’ stage. Between ‘full bloom’ and 22 d after ‘fruit set’ stages, adults were found on the ground in 54% of the observations. At ‘petal fall’ stage, the main host structures occupied were spurs, twigs, and flowers or fruit. Height in the trees, rate of movement (cm/h), and occurrence on the ground, spurs, flowers or fruits, and leaves and new annual growth, were related to the product of air temperature and relative humidity. Most dispersal from tree to tree occurred between ‘full bloom’ and ‘fruit set’ stages. Highest occurrence in trees was observed between 1800 and 0000 h. In the daytime, labeled adults tended to leave host structures except spurs, which were used as resting sites, mostly by females. Females occurred significantly higher in the tree canopy than males, although egg‐laying was most frequent at mid‐level. During bloom, up to 30% of plum curculios were found to rest simultaneously at the base of tree trunks, prior to their gradual invasion of trees. This behavior should be taken into account in the development of an effective shelter trap for monitoring this insect, and in the design of integrated control strategies.

Cyclic behavior of plum curculio,Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), within caged dwarf apple trees in spring

From 12 to 19 May 1987, during “Morspur” apple bloom, 21 radioactively labeled (65Zn) adult plum curculios, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst), were released within a field cage containing four dwarf apple trees and located three times a day. A technique was developed for quickly obtaining (x, y, z)coordinates of location for adults foraging within apple trees. Cyclic patterns of behavior were detected using spectral analysis procedures. Over 70% of plum curculios exhibited diel periodicity with respect to activity and rate of movement, 36% exhibited such periodicity with respect to presence in the trees, and 27% with respect to movements from the center to the periphery of the canopy. Presence in fruit clusters, height in the trees, and movements along east-west and north-south axes showed little or no periodicity. Factors triggering cyclic behavior and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Developing sustainable agriculture education in Canada

In a number of surveys, Canadian farmers have found the absence of information to be a major obstacle to the development of sustainable agriculture. The traditional sources of information for farmers have been unable to provide them with suitable information. One reason for this deficiency is the absence of suitable training for agriculture professionals. The details of a newly created course designed to address these problems at the Faculty of Agriculture of McGill University are provided, and some suggestions made about the pedagogy and course content of an entire program.

LIMITATIONS OF THE ENERGY APPROACH IN DEFINING PRIORITIES IN AGRICULTURE

Modern agricultures great advances in productivity have come as a result of heavy dependence on inputs of finite resources. Examining agricultural efficiency in terms of energy relationships is a first step towards correcting this situation. The major task before us is to identify or to design non-fossil fuel dependent and non-polluting agricultural strategies that can be permanent and that can cater to the individual nutritional needs of people. Energy accounting is useful in identifying approaches that are most relevant to the former objective, but is limited in relation to the latter.

A Global and Agriculture Policy for Western Countries: Laying the Foundations

The food system of industrialized countries is characterised as being deficent in the areas of nourishment, fulfillment and sustainability. Improvements will require that these areas be recognized as dominant goals, even where they conflict with the more common goals of productivity, profit and power. Policy implications and methods of implementation of such changes are examined.