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There’s a transformation taking place on farms across the United States.
几十年来,, 我们的大部分食物都是通过工业化农业生产的，这种农业体系由大型农场主导，年复一年地种植同样的作物, using enormous amounts of chemical pesticides 和 fertilizers that damage our soil, 水, 空气, 和617888九五至尊娱乐. 这一体系不是为了持久而建立的，因为它浪费并降低了它所依赖的资源.
但是越来越多具有创新精神的农民和617888九五至尊娱乐家正在走一条不同的道路, moving toward a farming system that is more sustainable—环境ly, 在经济上, 和社会. This system has room for farms of all sizes, 生产各种食物的, 纤维, 和 fuels adapted to local conditions 和 regional markets. 它使用了最先进的技术, 以617888九五至尊娱乐为基础的实践，最大限度地提高生产力和利润，同时尽量减少对环境的破坏. Sustainability also means the whole system is more resilient to droughts, 洪水, 和 other impacts of climate change that farmers are already seeing. Though the move to this type of system often involves some up-front costs, smart public policies can help farmers make the shift.
最棒的是? 越来越多的617888九五至尊娱乐证据表明，随着时间的推移，一个更具可持续性的模式可以同样具有生产力和盈利能力，并且可以满足我们的长期需求.
可持续农业101
OK, so sustainable agriculture is the wave of the future. 但它到底是什么呢?
可持续发展有很多方面. 环境可持续性, 例如，这意味着对农场所依赖的自然系统和资源进行良好的管理. 这包括:
An 经济和社会可持续发展 农业系统是其中之一 enables farms of all sizes to be profitable 并为当地经济做出贡献. Such a system supports the next generation of farmers, deals f空气ly with its 工人,促进 种族平等与正义，创建访问 人人享有健康食品, 和 prioritizes people 和 communities over corporate interests.
There’s a whole field of research devoted to achieving these goals: 农业生态学, the science of managing farms as ecosystems. By working with nature rather than against it, 农场可以在不牺牲生产力或利润的情况下避免对环境造成破坏性影响. And by prioritizing science that addresses the interconnectedness of 环境, economic, 和 social factors, we can create a truly sustainable system.
可持续农业实践
经过几十年的617888九五至尊娱乐和实践, the following farming practices have proven effective in achieving sustainability, 尤指结合使用时:
轮作作物，拥抱多样性. Planting a variety of crops can have many benefits, including healthier soil 和 improved pest control. 作物多样性做法包括间作(在同一地区种植多种作物)和复杂的多年轮作.
种植覆盖作物和多年生植物. 覆盖作物，如三叶草, 黑麦, 或者在淡季种植毛豌豆，否则土壤可能会裸露, 而多年生作物则常年覆盖土壤，并将根系埋在地下. These crops protect 和 build soil health by 防止水土流失, 补充土壤养分, 还有控制杂草, reducing the need for fertilizers 和 herbicides.
减少或取消耕作. 传统的耕作为种植做好准备，防止杂草问题，但会导致土壤流失. 免耕或少耕方法, which involve inserting seeds directly into undisturbed soil, can reduce erosion 和 improve soil health.
Applying integrated pest management (IPM). 一系列的方法, including mechanical 和 biological controls, 是否可以有系统地应用，以控制有害生物的数量，同时尽量减少化学农药的使用.
牲畜和作物的整合. Industrial agriculture tends to keep plant 和 animal production separate, with 动物 living far from the areas where their feed is produced, 和 crops growing far away from abundant manure fertilizers. 越来越多的证据表明 smart integration of crop 和 animal production can make farms more efficient 和 profitable.
采用农林业做法. By mixing trees or shrubs into their operations, farmers can provide shade 和 shelter that protect plants, 动物, 还有水资源, while also potentially offering additional income from fruit or nut crops.
管理整个系统和景观. 可持续农场将未开垦或集约化程度较低的地区视为农场的组成部分. 例如, 溪流边的天然植被, or strips of pr空气ie plants within or around crop fields, 可以帮助控制侵蚀, 减少养分流失, 和 support bees 和 other pollinators 和 biodiversity in general.
What many of these practices have in common is their focus on soil. 保持农田土壤的保护和生物的丰富可以解决许多与工业化农业相关的问题. Healthy, living soil promotes healthy crops, 像海绵一样吸水, prevents pollution, 和 helps ensure that farmers 和 their communities can thrive.
Another key theme connecting many of these practices is diversification. 说到农业, 最具可持续性和生产力的系统是更加多样化和复杂的，就像大自然本身一样.
可持续农业617888九五至尊娱乐
最新的617888九五至尊娱乐研究——其中大部分来自美国农业州的研究中心——展示了农业生态实践是如何支持生产的, 有利可图的农场. 例如, an ongoing study at Iowa State University’s Marsden Farm research center 表明复杂的作物轮作系统在产量和盈利能力方面都优于传统的单一作物做法.
作物育种研究 is also crucial to the success of a more sustainable agroecological system, 为农民提供广泛的作物品种，这些品种可以很容易地适应农场的具体条件和做法. Breeding research programs have dwindled in recent years, 农民越来越依赖于为工业化农场量身定制的有限品种.
为了帮助农民采用可持续的做法，我们必须继续 支持农业生态学研究以及帮助农民有效利用617888九五至尊娱乐的宣传和教育.
可持续农业和农业政策
而美国的农业政策继续将大部分公共资源用于补贴玉米和其他大宗商品作物的过度生产, there have been some encouraging steps toward sustainability. 的最新版本 农业法案 have included provisions to support more organic farming, to help fruit 和 vegetable farmers qualify for 农作物保险, 和 to help farmers adopt more sustainable practices. 此外， 农业抗灾法 在面对617888九五至尊娱乐变化等21世纪的挑战时，是否会投资于农民促进土壤健康和繁荣的能力.
If we want to see sustainable farming become the dominant model in the United States, we need policies like those in the ARA—和 we can’t stop there. UCS已经出版了一系列的 报告和问题简报 offering recommendations for sustainable agriculture policies. 在一起, 这些建议有助于将我们的食物系统转变为提供健康的食物系统, 负担得起的, 和 f空气ly 和 sustainably produced food for all Americans. 我们鼓励你看一看，然后联系你的代表，要求他们支持这些政策.
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农业法案已经过期多久了?
