FARMING PRACTICE EFFECTS ON NITROGEN FOOTPRINTS

Summary

Organic practices in food production attempt to reduce the detrimental impacts of agricultural systems on the environment and human health. This study explores the effects such practices have on nitrogen (N) pollution, in comparison to conventional food production practices. Virtual N factors were used for this comparison. An organic virtual N factor of 4.6 was calculated for vegetables (37% lower than the conventional virtual N factor), 0.9 for starchy roots (-64%), 0.7 for grains (-86%) and 0.3 for beans (-53%). The organic food N footprints were 43 – 53% less than the conventionally produced food N footprints. This study found that organic practices reduce N pollution with respect to conventional practices of food production. Tracking the effects organic practices have on N pollution will contribute to raising awareness, popularizing the better management of N in agricultural systems, and reducing the negative environmental and human health consequences associated with N pollution.