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Chanel Jensen

English 145-10

Professor Starkey

26 January 2017

The Future of Food: Is Organic Sustainable?

Ah, the produce section at the grocery store. There is a sea of vibrant colors and textures,

all waiting to be consumed by shoppers. But when approaching the large array of fruits and

vegetables, the shopper is confronted by a very simple yet profound question, organic or not?

This question, albeit seeming very simple with a yes or no answer, has attached to it many

different implications both morally and scientifically. Which is better? While there is no clear

answer to this question, many other things are clear about organic vs. conventional agriculture

such as yield size and costs of production. By analyzing these two aspects of organic vs.

conventional agriculture, it can be seen that organic agriculture in its current state is not

sustainable for feeding a growing population.

Over years of experimentation, it has been shown that the majority of food products

cultivated organically produce smaller yields than conventionally grown products. I examined

two studies, one published in 1989 and one in 2012. The study in 1989, researched and written

by G. Stanhill, examined many different crops and two animal products (eggs and milk) grown

around the world and of the 30 yield comparisons presented, the mean yields of the organically

grown crops exceed those from conventional cropping systems in 13 cases, were equal in two,

and were less in 15 (Stanhill). This conclusion shows that organic product yields throughout the

world were on average lower than those of conventionally grown products. Many years later in

2012, Ponti, Rijk, and Ittersum published a similar study, examining five different crops grown
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around the world in many different climates and conditions. Their findings were that On

average, organic yields are 80% of those obtained under conventional agriculture (Ponti, Rijk,

Ittersum). However, these results were only statistically significant for two of five crops tested,

wheat and soybeans (Ponti, Rijk, Inttersum). Despite only these two crops having higher yields

that were considered statistically significant, wheat and soybeans are both vital crops used

around the world. This evidence shows that in the majority of instances, conventionally grown

crops have higher yields, which is important at looking at how either agricultural practice might

sustain humans in the future. If the world population continues to increase drastically, as it is

projected to do so, there will be increasing demands for agricultural products, meaning a need for

higher yields. Since organic agriculture on average produces smaller yields than conventional

agriculture, it can be deemed unsustainable.

The costs associated with organic agriculture dont make sense for feeding a growing

world population. Along with increased costs for technology and alternative pest control

methods, organic farming also comes with higher labor costs and challenges. The Genetic

Literacy Project notes a few challenges that are associated with organic fertilizer, which is vital if

organic production is to even closely match conventional yields. These are:

Large scale commercial manure composting as compared to synthesizing nitrogen for

farming; machinery to haul around manure compost; yields of organic farming versus

conventional farming; tillage of land of organic farming versus no till conventional

farming; and cows needed for producing manure for organic and carbon equivalency of

cow burping and flatulence (Despain).

Obviously, these are just a few challenges and costs associated with organic agriculture, but they

demonstrate the fact that conventional farmers already have sustainable, low-cost methods for
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fertilizing crops. They show that costs and challenges of not just organic fertilizer, but all

alternative methods employed by organic agriculture, may outweigh organics perceived

benefits. Of course, associated with higher costs of production would be higher costs for

consumption. Organic.org, a pro organic site, states that In general, organic food costs more

than conventional food because of the laborious and time-intensive systems used by the typically

smaller organic farms (Organic). As the world population grows, costly foods, especially for

those around the world, will not be a feasible option. Only the affluent can typically afford to buy

exclusively organic products, and with most of the world living in poverty, organic food is not an

option. People look for the most affordable options.

As is expected, there are numerous arguments stating that organic agriculture is in fact

sustainable for the future. Take the Organic Trade Association, a membership-based business

association for organic agriculture and products in North America (OTA). On the website, there

is a promotional poster for organic foods stating that Organic delivers more than any other food

and farming system in the world (OTA). Firstly, this claim is unclear. Is the OTA stating that

organic food delivers more in the way of yields or in the way of benefits? If it is regarding yields,

then there are many sources, some of which I used earlier, to refute that claim, making it have no

merit. If the claim is regarding benefits, then there is really no clear science yet supporting that

organic foods, in general, have more health and environmental benefits than conventional

agriculture.

As world populations grow, so will the demand for food. Farmers and ranchers must

work to meet these demands. The growing fad for organic farming is great on a small scale it

promotes the use of natural resources, ethics, etc. However, on a global scale, organic agriculture

is not sustainable for feeding the ever growing world. Things like smaller yields and high costs
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bar organic agriculture from being a sustainable source of food for the entire world. Most of the

world gets their food items from large scale farms, many of which are right here in the United

States. If those farms were to revert to organic practices, a large portion of the world population

would not be able to feed themselves. So, lets work to improve conventional practices to feed a

growing world in a way that even satisfies critics. Now when you enter the grocery store, keep in

mind that organic is an option, but is it the best option?

Works Cited
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Despain, David. Is Organic Farming Sustainable? Five Carbon Footprint Challenges. Genetic
Literacy Project. N.p., 31 Mar. 2016. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.

Haumann, Barbara. Organic Value. Organic Value | OTA. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Organic Education. Organic.org Organic Myths. Foerstel Design, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Ponti, Tomek De, Bert Rijk, and Martin K. van Ittersum. The Crop Yield Gap between Organic and
Conventional Agriculture. Science Direct. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 27 Jan. 2017.

Stanhill, G. The Comparative Productivity of Organic Agriculture. Science Direct. N.p., 7 July
2003. Web. 27 Jan. 2017.