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What can research deliver for organic farming?

Atkinson, D (2006) What can research deliver for organic farming? In: Atkinson, C; Ball, B; Davies, D H K; Rees, R; Russell, G; Stockdale, E A; Watson, C A; Walker, R and Younie, D (Eds.) Aspects of Applied Biology 79, What will organic farming deliver? COR 2006, Association of Applied Biologists, pp. 1-4.

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Summary

The research needs of any applied subject are always influenced by three major groups of criteria. These are the economic/political, the societal/ethical and the technical/scientific. This is especially the case for Organic Farming which explicitly sets out to present a positively value based approach to agriculture, an activity, which has commonly become dominated by the commercial economics of an industrial society. To maintain this ethical stance Organic Farming must challenge some of the tenets of conventional economics and politics and must work within the particular societal context. Its scientific needs are then driven either by the need to increase its role in terms of market share or the need to achieve its aims more effectively in respect of product quality and/or delivery of environmental goods. In this paper I examine the current opportunities for Organic Farming in relation to the present state of farming economics and the current expectations of society, considering both food production and the delivery of environmental services which are paid from the public purse, e.g. via the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). I use these criteria to analyse what are the current primary research needs in relation to the science and ethical base of Organic Agriculture.


EPrint Type:Conference paper, poster, etc.
Type of presentation:Paper
Keywords:CAP, bioethics, post-modernism, clustering, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, ecology
Subjects: Knowledge management > Research methodology and philosophy > Systems research and participatory research
Farming Systems > Social aspects
Farming Systems > Farm economics
Research affiliation: UK > Other organizations
UK > Scottish Rural Colleges (SRUC - previously SAC)
UK > Colloquium of Organic Researchers (COR) > COR 2006
Deposited By: MILLMAN, Mrs Carol A
ID Code:10150
Deposited On:13 Dec 2006
Last Modified:12 Apr 2010 07:34
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Not peer-reviewed

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