TRANSFERRING THE SCIENCE OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE THROUGH ACCESSIBLE WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION

Summary

One of the tenets of organic agriculture is that of land stewardship and respect for the environment. Long term sustainability goals of healthy soils, people and the environment require uninterrupted nurturance. Profitability for the sector must be stressed in order for this production system to thrive and have a positive ecological impact. Thus, the first step towards sustainable agriculture and business practices in organic require a focus on industry stability. This stability begins with economic stability, which revolves around profitability in business endeavors.
Stewardship of the land and respect for the environment can involve complex decision-making. Organic practitioners are compelled to follow stringent management practices, designed to optimize environmental benefits in relation to land, air, water and livestock. As self-identified stewards of the land, organic practitioners also create additional management systems designed to protect the environment. Decision-making in organic agriculture is a process in which the needs of the whole are considered, rather than the needs of one aspect of the business. The ability to effectively make these decisions is one which requires a new way of thinking and a critical mass of credible scientific research. Research has shown that organic practitioners prefer information that is developed specifically for the organic community rather than for the agricultural community as a whole (Padel, 1994).