Commentary: Agricultural practices and climate change

The Impact of Industrial Agriculture on Climate Change and Sustainable Alternatives

I spent last Sunday doing what I normally do at the beginning of fall – putting up food for the winter. I roasted garlic and peppers in olive oil to use throughout the winter. I made yet another batch of spaghetti sauce and then made an apple pie for dessert for the week. I did this all while the temperatures outside were not the least bit fall-like for our region. At 3 pm the thermometer registered 86 degrees and much to my chagrin, we closed up the house and turned on the air conditioning, again. There is no denying that our planet is warming.

The Role of Industrial Farming in Climate Change

Many in the scientific community argue that industrial farming practices are big contributors to climate change. Remember that dust storm we had in May that killed seven people and injured 37 causing a 72-vehicle pileup on Interstate 55 in Illinois? High winds swept over newly plowed fields picking up soil and creating blizzard-like conditions. Large-scale, conventional farming focuses on intensive single crop production, mechanization, and depends on fossil fuels, pesticides, antibiotics, and synthetic fertilizers. While this system yields high production levels, it also contributes to climate change, pollutes air and water, and depletes soil fertility.

The Importance of No-Till Farming

Currently farmers are hard at work harvesting corn and beans in the region. But they are also doing something that I have often called “recreational tilling” – working the newly harvested fields preparing them for spring planting. I suspect that many would argue that they need to loosen up the soil after driving heavy machinery over it and making the soil as hard as concrete. I grew up on a farm in southern Ohio and my dad didn’t do this. He practiced no-till. No-till farming decreases the amount of soil erosion and may increase the amount and variety of life in and on the soil.

The Negative Impacts of Industrial Agriculture

Central Illinois is home to some of the richest farmland in the nation; its endless fields of corn and soybeans are a marvel of modern agribusiness. Industrial agriculture originated in the 1960s when petrochemical companies introduced new methods of intense chemical farming. For farmers, the immediate effect was a spectacular improvement in agricultural production, hailed as the “Green Revolution.” However, we are now seeing the downside of industrial agriculture on a global scale.

1. Massive soil erosion and degradation: According to a 2020 report by the Union of Concerned Scientists, every year, U.S. croplands lose at least twice as much soil to erosion as the Great Plains lost annually during the peak of the Dust Bowl.
2. Water pollution: Much of the eroded topsoil ends up in waterways and lakes and — eventually — in the Gulf of Mexico. And that soil is laden with nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides used to keep pests and weeds at bay. Excess nitrogen in the waterways results in algae blooms that choke out the oxygen and deplete aquatic life.
3. Contribution to climate change: Soil loss contributes to climate change as degraded soils lose their ability to store carbon. In colder climates like central Illinois, degraded soils return carbon to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main greenhouse gas causing climate change.

Sustainable Alternatives to Industrial Agriculture

While it is obvious that climate change disrupts agriculture, there is no simple solution. Industrial agriculture is dependent on chemicals and is highly mechanized and energy-intensive, favoring large corporate farmers with sufficient capital, thus forcing most of the traditional single-family farmers with smaller holdings to the sidelines.

There are alternatives to industrial agriculture, which are easier on the land. These include ecologically oriented farming approaches, sometimes called organic farming, permaculture, regenerative farming, or sustainable agriculture. In recent years, the term agroecology has increasingly been used as a unifying term, referring to both the scientific basis and the practice of an agriculture based on ecological principles.

• No-till farming: Decreases soil erosion and promotes biodiversity.
• Cover cropping: Preserves and enhances soil naturally, reduces the need for fertilizers, and traps carbon that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere.

However, in Illinois, less than 5% of farmed acreage is cover cropped, highlighting the need for greater adoption of sustainable practices.

Conclusion

Nearly a century ago, misguided farming practices collided with climate change to create the economic and social devastation of the Dust Bowl. It is crucial that we learn from history and take action to prevent similar consequences. By transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices, we can mitigate the negative impacts of industrial agriculture on climate change, soil erosion, and water pollution. Let’s prioritize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and work towards a more sustainable future for our planet and future generations.

Heather McIlvaine-Newsad is a Professor of Anthropology at Western Illinois University. Her research focuses on collaborative action for sustainability.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the university or Tri States Public Radio.

Diverse viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the impact of industrial farming practices on climate change, soil erosion, and degradation, which are connected to SDGs related to hunger, climate action, and life on land.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
• SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• SDG 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.

Based on the article’s content, the targets related to sustainable food production systems, resilient agricultural practices, climate change integration, and land restoration can be identified.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 2.4: Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and organic farming.
• Indicator for SDG 13.2: Integration of climate change measures in agricultural policies and practices.
• Indicator for SDG 15.3: Increase in the percentage of farmed acreage dedicated to cover cropping and restoration of degraded land.

The article mentions practices like no-till farming, cover cropping, and organic farming as alternatives to industrial agriculture, which can serve as indicators for measuring progress towards sustainable food production systems. The integration of climate change measures in agricultural policies and the increase in the percentage of farmed acreage dedicated to cover cropping can also be used as indicators.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: tspr.org

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