Roseland Organic Methods and Principles | | Typical Conventional Practices |
| | | |
| NITROGEN: For sustainable healthy soil, it is collected from the air and recycled through "green manure's." | | NITROGEN: Usually non-sustainable inputs of synthetic fertilizers. |
| MINERALS: Released from soil reserves and recycled. | | MINERALS: Mined, processed and imported onto farms from "outside." |
| WEED AND PEST CONTROL: Biological and mechanical systems; reliance on beneficial insects and ecological balance: less problems with weeds and pest insects as years pass using when necessary using better equipment, roto-tillers, etc. | | WEED AND PEST CONTROL: Yearly inputs of herbicides and insecticides; more problems with pest control as predators are killed off with pesticides; repeat applications often necessary; many insects and weeds build up a resistance to chemicals. |
| ENERGY: Some generated and collected on the farm; less energy use as pesticides not used. | | ENERGY: Dependence on fossil fuels for fertilizers, pesticides, extra fuel. |
| SEED: Organically sourced and non-treated: non-GMO. | | SEED: Often bio-engineered seed, some with pesticide bred into seed; sourced from seed/chemical companies. |
| CROPPING SYSTEMS: Rotations, strip cropping and diversity of crops enhance value of all the above components (Crops: canola, rye, corn, hay, oats, sunflowers, soy beans, barley, buckwheat, grass borders) Good erosion control; no bare fields or fall plowing | | CROPPING SYSTEMS: Monocropping, continuous planting and harvesting of one or two basic cash crops (corn/soys) no rotation to hay or legume crop for nitrogen production; some no-till where soils can become compacted and erosion control is limited. |
| WATER: mainly rain and some small irrigation set-ups; kept clean without synthetic pesticide and fertilizer use. | | WATER: Increased use of inefficient spray irrigation and chemigation practices; water quality degraded with nitrates and pesticide run-off, impossible to retrieve. |
| MANAGEMENT DECISIONS: By farmer, community and consumer; no dependence on external sources, product salesmen etc. | | MANAGEMENT DECISIONS: Much provided by suppliers of products and agencies with their own policies and profits at stake, rather than the farmer's; also ownership and decision-making often off the farm. |
| VARIETIES OF PLANTS: Use those which are disease-resistant, which thrive on lower moisture and fertility; experiment with unique varieties; also plant with consumer needs directly in mind (or on-farm animal need). | | VARIETIES OF PLANTS: Usually limited; primarily those which need high input fertilizers and water to survive (hybrid corn); rarely "risk" new varieties; not a lot of attention to disease-resistance nor consumer demand. |
| ANIMALS: Produced on the farm; animal wastes recycled back to the soils; consume the hay and alfalfa grown when fields rotated out of cropping. Easier to care for animals; less disease on pasture and in smaller lots; no need for routine antibiotics or hormones. | | ANIMAL: Feed-lot production often at a separate location. Animal waste becomes a major problem due to volume and huge management costs. Subtherapeutic dose of antibiotics given regularly to prevent disease. |
| LABOR: Most work done by family living on the farm, with occasional hired help; use of highly specialized equipment, not necessarily new or expensive. | | LABOR: Most work done by hired labor; heavy monoculture-type equipment, rarely used or "recycled"; high cost of extra labor. |
| CONSUMER: Often direct sales to buyers in the area or to regional outlets where more profits stay with the producer, insuring sustainability of operation. | | CONSUMER: Usually another broker, auction house, distributor or grain elevator distributes/sells product; farmer loses control of his product and has little communication with actual consumer of product. |
| No genetically modified organisms (GMO's) in entire system. No irradiation of meat. | | Genetically altered seeds & plants becoming more popular & utilized. Irradiation allowed and often utilized by conventional meat processors. |
| 100% Certified Organic | | No Organic Certification. |
| | | |
| | | |
