Conventional and Organic Agriculture I Flashcards
Do conventional and organic share farming practices?
They have a set of common farming practices. These practices are a general guide for farmers to use on their farm.
What are farmers allowed to do if they chose conventional farming?
Are not limited by farm techniques that can be used – as long as they follow government regulations
- can choose the technique that works best in their farm-specific situation
What does the best agricultural practice depends on?
The safety to farm workers, consumers, wildlife, and also whether the product is affordable.
What are all farmers in Ontario encouraged to follow?
Best Management practices
What are best management practices?
practices are, “a practical, affordable approach to conserving a farm’s soil and water resources without sacrificing productivity
What will farmers be able to do when following the best management practices?\
Understand an environmental issue in the context of a property
Plan and put into action farm-proven, environmentally responsible management practices
Increase efficiencies - in resource use and production
Improve property now and for future generations
What are organic farmers encouraged to do?
Encouraged to develop a holistic mindset to support ecosystem interactions
What are the 7 principles of organic farming?
- Protect the environment, minimize soil degradation and erosion, decrease pollution, optimize biological productivity and support a sound state of health.
- Maintain long-term soil fertility by optimizing conditions for biological activity within the soil.
- Maintain biological diversity within the system.
- Recycle materials and resources to the greatest extent possible within the enterprise.
- Provide attentive care that promotes the health and meets the behavioral needs of livestock.
- Prepare organic products, emphasizing careful processing, and handling methods in order to maintain the organic integrity and vital qualities of the products at all stages of production.
- Rely on renewable resources in locally organized agricultural systems.
What are organic farmers not allowed to use?
most synthetic pesticides and biotechnology.
However, organic farmers may use permitted natural sources of pesticides fertilizers
What is the difference between conventional and organic?
some practices differ between conventional and organic farms, both farming methods make decisions that offer the most advantages to their farm
-Their goals and methods may differ
Why are pesticides used in both farming practices?
To prevent crops from being eaten or damaged by pests. Organic farming can use pesticides from natural sources
Which pesticides can both farmers use?
Farmers can only use pesticides that are approved by Health Canada
What is a pesticide?
Pesticides are substances that protect agricultural production by stopping a pest from inflicting damage.
What are the 5 methods of pest management?
Cultural Mechanical Biological Genetic Chemical
What is cultural pest management practice?
Modify growing environment so it is less suitable for the development and spread of a pest
Not useful when there is already an infestation.
What are examples of cultural pest management?
Crop rotation
Time if planting
Cover crops
Site selection
What is mechanical pest management practice?
Physically exclude pests from injuring the crop.
Mechanical techniques are labour intensive and can be expensive. The strategies work very well but are used depending on the type of crop and scale of production
What are examples of mechanical pest management?
Tillage
Trapping
Barriers
Removal
What is biological pest management practice?
Using an insect’s natural enemy to reduce the population size. The natural enemies are referred to as ‘beneficials’.
The farmer can either promote naturally occurring beneficials or add purchased beneficials
What are examples of biological pest management?
Predatory insects
Parasites
Pathogens
What is genetic pest management practice?
Using plants that are resistant to insects or disease.
What are examples of genetic pest management?
Traditional breeding
Biotechnology breeding
What is chemical pest management practice?
Substances (synthetic or natural) that are toxic to the target pest and reduce the population size
Used as the last option when other techniques do not provide adequate control.
What are examples of Chemical pest management?
Optimal application time
Threshold application
Protective application
Are organic pesticides better for us?
Natural pesticides are not fundamentally better for us and the environment than synthetic (man-made) pesticides
What determines the toxicity of a chemical?
origin matters most and determines toxicity
What levels are pesticides allowed to be used at?
Pesticides are only allowed at concentrations much lower than what would cause negative effects.
-monitored by Health Canada
What is the organically lab el not an indication of?
About a product’s safety to human health or the environment
What is IPM and who uses it?
Both
Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
-The main goal of IPM is to use the most effective combination of techniques to manage pest problems, while reducing the need for chemical pesticides
What is the balance of every ecosystem?
a balance in which the actions of one organism reduce the potential of another organism to thrive.
-pesticides affect the balance
When do you are doing IPM when do farmers apply pesticedes?
when the pest population has reached a high enough threshold to warrant the pesticide
What 5 actions are involved in the IPM program?
Pest identification Monitor Population Know threshold Choose control methods Evaluate
What are most problems in agriculture related to?
poor management, rather than the method of farming
What are 3 categories of careers related to conventional vs organic farming?
Inspector
Agronomist
Farm owner/manager
