PAGE 98 / 102

Unit 3: Systems in Action

How do organic farmers utilize ecological principles in management decisions? The ecological principles outlined in this course can be viewed as fundamental concepts governing how agroecosystems function. In that light, they are applicable across all types of farming and ranching systems – from organic to conventional and everything in between. So the question is not so much how the principles work in different systems, but rather how well they are understood by the farmer or rancher, and how much they figure into decisions about farming practices.

If we think of a continuum of ‘ecological thinking’ we might say that organic farmers tend to operate on the far end of that scale. That is not universally the case since there are organic farms that are managed with input-substitution strategies (substitute organically acceptable sprays for conventional pesticides); and there are many conventional farmers and ranchers who are savvy about ecological concepts and take those into account in managing their land. But in general, organic farming can be seen as having a more intense and deliberate emphasis on ecological considerations. A hallmark of organic farming is its emphasis on systems thinking and integrated management: the farm or ranch is viewed as an ecosystem, and managers strive to understand the complexities of that system in order to support soil and crop health and plant productivity. All the production practices covered in this unit are utilized on organic farms, and in many cases we have organic farmers to thank for bringing them to light and educating us about how to make them work successfully.

To learn more about organic farming—what motivates farmers to go organic and what’s involved in the transition, explore the farmer profiles at: 
eOrganic: Tools for Transition Project (written summaries)
Organic the Real Natural (short video clips featuring organic farmers)