Sustainable Agriculture

Annette Moffett

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Sustainable agriculture is the combining of three main goals; environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. Basically, it is the idea that we have to meet our current needs without causing any problems for future generations in meeting their needs. This includes both natural and human resources. In order for sustainable agriculture to work, everyone from farmers to retailers to consumers have to make the decision to get involved and make changes.

I think that this issue is a moral matter. We have to consider the needs of generations to come. It would be immoral of us to only worry about the here and now. I think that it is definitely the responsibility of the current generation to ensure that future generations have the resources they need in order to survive. If we do not start doing something now, this will not happen. We will use up all to the natural resources, leaving nothing for future generations. A lot of people do not feel this way. They think it is not possible to use up all of the natural resources. There are even some that believe that we do not have to worry because future generation will be able to come up with new ways to survive because of new technologies. I think this is a sort of warped way of thinking. How can anyone survive without water? I certainly have not heard of any kind of new technological device that can produce water!

I think that one of the dilemmas that the community faces is the old-fashioned views of many. A lot of people believe that we should not do anything different. Take farming for instance. There are people who have the mind-set that people have been doing the same thing in the same way for generation after generation with no problems; so why should we change things now? I think the best way to address this dilemma is to educate people. Teach them that, although people have been doing the same thing for many years, it is not been...