Agriculture Forum: State of agriculture

Feb. 3—By Adam J. Brown

It holds true that humans respond effectively when confronted with intense pressures, especially when our fight-or-flight responses are activated to overcome potential tragedies. Emergencies pose threats to our health and safety, inducing severe anxiety and stress, prompting the need for immediate action. Humans often make significant mistakes before arriving at course-correcting solutions for the greater good.

Years ago, one of my environmental science professors drew a metaphorical parallel between our stance on climate change and the delayed moment before feeling the burn from cranking the hot water in a hotel shower. One could argue that the degradation of our agricultural soils is another tragedy staring us directly in the face. Civilization is intricately tied to soil through our reliance on agriculture. As early civilizations rapidly developed new agricultural strategies, their knowledge of soil and soil management expanded. However, human management of cropland has frequently led to soil degradation, contributing to civilization collapse. It is crucial to learn from both sustainable and unsustainable agricultural practices of the past and present to prevent future collapses and upheavals.

Regenerative agriculture may sound like a buzzword in agricultural circles, but the associated principles are not a passing fad; they are a necessity for the health and prosperity of our future.

In the U.S., we are currently using our best soils, as soil scientist Kris Nichols would put it, "to grow low-quality feed and industrial products." This is a blatant and factual reminder that this is a pivotal moment for a salubrious agricultural revolution, or perhaps a soil revolution. Maybe the logical first step would be to cultivate food for human consumption on the highly productive converted prairie lands of the Midwest. It might also be high time to rewrite agronomy textbooks, emphasizing the significance of soil biology in nutrient cycling and shifting away from the former focus on nutrient absorption (ions in solution) as the primary uptake mechanism for plants.

Agriculture is a human-manufactured construct, and while achieving blissful croplands may be elusive, we are overdue for simply doing a better job.

Recently, I watched the latest Netflix series "Life on Our Planet" with my son, highlighting the resiliency of millions of years of evolutionary biology through Earth's history. If we persist in thinking we can manipulate ecological interactions in our agricultural systems with synthetic inputs, we will face unsustainable and dire consequences. We need to shift our focus from what needs to be eradicated on a particular day (whether a pathogen or pest) to building resilience in the system by working with biology. This includes acknowledging the role of soil microorganisms, insects, bats, livestock, etc. Growers need to "farm" the microbes that are nature's underground factories that break down and cycle the nutrients. Nutritional integrity of plants is directly linked to microbial diversity and abundance. Biodiversity is key in a healthy ecosystem, as seen in undisturbed natural habitats.

We may never fully understand the function of the complex soil system, but recognizing their presence and their functional role in keeping plants healthy in terrestrial systems is crucial. Knowing that the soil is alive and striving to keep it as healthy as possible will enhance the productivity and quality of crops of managed agricultural fields. Minimizing disturbance and maintaining a diversity of growing plants will lead to the maximization of any growing system.

Many current agricultural cropping systems are waging a war on nature, which will never result in a positive outcome for the grower or consumer. While a simplified system is easier to manage, it is often not the most beneficial way to approach things. We frequently hear that industrial farming feeds the world today and is our only hope for providing the necessary food to sustain human life in the future. However, pursuing higher short-term yields while destroying soil biodiversity will have serious negative long-term consequences for our environment and food security. Most U.S. soils contain the essential nutrients needed for growth, and adding synthetic fertilizers (especially incomplete N-P-K fertilizers) disrupts the colonization process of fungi and bacteria which affects the main biological nutrient cycling.

It's time for a change, and fortunately, we have the tools, knowledge, and technology to make it happen. I am hopeful that early adopters will demonstrate that well-managed, diversified farms focusing on soil health can shape a sustainable food future for a growing human population.

Xenophon, a student of Socrates, wisely said in 400 BC, "To be a successful farmer, one must first know the nature of the soil." This remains true today, and we now know more about the soil than at any other time in the history of our species. This gives me hope that in these drastic agricultural times, we will act to make the necessary changes to a dynamic and resilient soil system. There is only one agricultural road that leads to a sustainable future for our species, and fortunately, we know how to get there.

Adam Brown is a Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program technician with the Leelanau Conservation District. He has a background in ecology and a B.S. from Western Michigan University in earth science with minors in environmental studies and biology. Prior to becoming a MAEAP technician he owned and managed a certified organic fruit and vegetable farm with his wife Haley Breniser, called Undertoe Farm in Kewadin. He has a passion for sustainable agriculture with a focus on soil health.