Definition
The word sustain {from the Latin sustinere (sus-, from below and tenere, to hold)} means to keep in existence or maintain. It implies long-term support or permanence. As it pertains to agriculture, sustainable refers to the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of diverse food, fiber, agriculture, forest, and range systems; to agricultural systems that are "capable of maintaining their productivity and usefulness to society indefinitely. Such systems... must be resource-conserving, socially supportive, commercially competitive, and environmentally sound" (John Ikerd). "A sustainable agriculture does not deplete soils or people"—Wendell Berry). "A sustainable agriculture is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane"—International Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.
Sustainable agriculture, therefore, "is both a philosophy and a system of farming. It has its roots in a set of values that reflects an awareness of both ecological and social realities. It involves design and management procedures that work with natural processes to conserve all resources and minimize waste and environmental damage, while maintaining or improving farm profitability. Working with natural soil processes is of particular importance. Sustainable agriculture systems are designed to take maximum advantage of existing soil nutrient and water cycles, energy flows, beneficial soil organisms, and natural pest controls. By capitalizing on existing cycles and flows, environmental damage can be avoided or minimized. Such systems also aim to produce food that is nutritious, and uncontaminated with products that might harm human health."—Ecological Agriculture Projects, McDonald College, McGill University.
Synonyms
Use these synonyms for sustainable agriculture when keyword search Addison or databases.
- Agrarian
- Agrarianism
- Agri-environmental indicator
- Agroecosystems,
- Bio-control
- Biodynamic farming or agriculture
- Biointensive integrated pest management
- Biological farming or agriculture
- Bufferstrips
- Carbon footprint (CF)
- Community food system
- Controlled grazing
- Eco-agriculture
- Ecological farming or agriculture
- Ecological footprint (ef)
- Farmland protection
- Food circle
- Food miles
- Foodshed
- Grass farming or agriculture
- Grass farming or agriculture
- Grass-based farming or agriculture
- High-intensity, low-frequency grazing (hilf)
- Holistic management (HM)
- Holistic range management
- Holistic resource management (hrm)
- Intensive grazing
- Kyusei nature farming or agriculture
- Local food system
- Low input sustainable agriculture (LISA)
- Management intensive grazing (MIG)
- Mini-farming
- Natural farming or agriculture
- Nature farming or agriculture
- Pasture based farming or agriculture
- Regenerative agriculture or farming
- Time-controlled grazing (TCG)
- Voisin management grazing
In addition to the keywords listed above, search the following terms using the Subject search screen in Addison:
- Agricultural ecology,
- Agriculture – ecology
- Agriculture—environmental aspects
- Agroforestry systems
- Agropastoral systems
- Alternative agriculture
- Appropriate technology
- Arthropoda as biological pest control agents
- Bacterial diversity
- Best management practices (pollution prevention)
- Biofertilizers
- Biointensive gardening
- Biological diversity
- Biological pest control agents
- Bonemeal
- Compost
- Conservation tillage
- Crops—ecology
- Environmental indicators
- Externalities (economic)
- Field crops—ecology
- Garden ecology
- Grasslands
- Green manuring
- Humus
- Integrated agricultural systems
- Manures
- Natural products in agriculture
- Nematoda as biological pest control agents
- Organic dairy farming
- Organic farming
- Organic fertilizers
- Permaculture
- Pests—integrated control (see also "integrated control" as a subdivision under specific pests or groups of pests)
- Plant diversity
- Precision agriculture
- Product life cycle
- Rhizosphere
- Rotational grazing
- Soil ecology
- Soils
- Species diversity
- Sustainable agriculture
- Sustainable development
- Sustainable forestry
- Sustainable horticulture
- Weeds – biological control
- Weeds – integrated control
- Weeds (see also names of individual weeds)
Databases
The databases listed here have been selected as suitable for topics in sustainable agriculture. For a more general look at agriculture and related topics, use an appropriate subject guide.
- Agricola
- Use the Descriptor browse function to find relevant subjects. Sustainable agriculture, sustainable development, and sustainable living are all major headings
- CAB Abstracts
- Use the Thesaurus tab to lookup subject terms. Sustainability, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable land use are some examples.
- Environmental Impact from CABI
- Focusing on the human impact on the environment, this database includes many full text reports, ebooks and conference papers.
- Environmental Science and Pollution Management from CSA
- This option searches a number of environment-focused databases from CSA. Look for the thesaurus link at the bottom of the advanced search screen; you'll be presented with a number of thesauri to choose from (since there a multiple, distinct databases in this collection). The ASFA or Life Science choices are recommended.
Try the terms listed as keywords and subjects above, and also try these descriptors as search terms. (Not all databases allow subject or descriptor searching, but when it is possible, you will get a more refined list of results.)
- Agricultural ecology
- Agricultural land
- Agrobiodiversity
- Agroecology
- Agroforestry
- Alternative agriculture
- Alternative farming
- Animal ecology
- Best management practices (bmps)
- Biodiversity
- Biointensive gardening
- Biological control
- Biological control agents
- Biological indicators
- Biologically integrated farming systems
- Carbon sequestration
- Carrying capacity
- Community supported agriculture (csa)
- Conservation
- Conservation buffers
- Conservation tillage
- Controlled grazing
- Dendroecology
- Eco-agriculture
- Ecological farming
- Ecosystems
- Environmental indicators
- Externalities
- Externalities (economic)
- Farmland preservation
- Food chains
- Food cooperatives
- Food webs
- Foodways {food symbolism and traditions}
- Good agricultural practices (gap)
- Grassland management
- Grasslands
- Grazing intensity
- Grazing systems
- Humus
- Integrated pest management
- Land use and sustainability
- Life cycle and (environmental assessment or environmental impact)
- Life cycle assessment
- Low input agriculture
- Market gardens
- Microenvironments
- Natural foods
- Natural grasslands
- Nutrient balance
- Nutrient content
- Nutrient management
- Organic farming
- Organic fertilizers
- Organic foods
- Organic production
- Pastures
- Permaculture
- Permanent grasslands
- Plant communities
- Plant ecology
- Precision agriculture
- Precision farming
- Resource management
- Restoration ecology
- Rotational grazing
- Soil
- Soil air
- Soil bacteria
- Soil biology
- Soil organic matter
- Suburban agriculture
- Sustainability
- Sustainable agriculture
- Sustainable development
- Sustainable tourism
- Urban agriculture
- Weed control
Websites
- Appalachian Sustainable Development
- Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) is a not-for-profit organization working in the Appalachian region of Virginia and Tennessee. Formed in 1995, ASD focuses on developing healthy, diverse and ecologically sound economic opportunities through education and training, and the development of cooperative networks and marketing systems. Our work encompasses two broad areas: Building a strong local food system based on organic and sustainable farming and fostering forest conservation through value-added wood processing and "green building." ASD links consumers with farmers and producers and provides hands-on opportunities for learning, advocacy and civic engagement.
- Community Supported Agriculture from the National Agriculture Library
- Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or "share-holders" of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer's salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing.
- Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
- The Leopold Center is a research and education center with [Iowa] statewide programs to develop sustainable agricultural practices that are both profitable and conserve natural resources.
- National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service from ATTRA
- In-depth publications on production practices, alternative crop and livestock enterprises, innovative marketing, organic certification, and highlights of local, regional, USDA and other federal sustainable agriculture activities.
- Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
- The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group—commonly known as "Southern SAWG"—is the region's non-profit leader in creating a sustainable food and farming system. Our programs and activities are aimed at helping family farms and those working to improve community food systems in the Southern region of the United States. Southern SAWG provides learning opportunities for farmers and agricultural professionals, and tools and support for farmer entrepreneurs. We promote communication and collaboration between farmers, consumers and community organizations, and foster the development of food systems that are more secure. We develop grassroots leadership in the sustainable agriculture movement, and empower constituents to change policies that impact farm communities.
- Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
- The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program.
- Sustainability in Agriculture from the National Agriculture Library
- Find guides and links to sustainable agriculture information related to definitions and history, environmental laws and policy, economic and social issuesm, and food choices and food security.
- Virginia Association for Biological Farming
- Virginia's premier, non-profit, educational organization, dedicated to the vision of a sustainable food and fiber system that will maintain healthy soil, clean water and thriving ecosystems, while providing quality products for consumers and economic security for farmers and rural communities.
