organic systems, environment and climate change

Organic Systems, Environment and Climate

ChangeAndre Leu – Chairman

Organic Federation of AustraliaIFOAM World Board Member

OFAOFAOrganic Federation

of Australia

OFAOFAOFAOFAOrganic Federation

of AustraliaOrganic Federation

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Definition of Organic Agriculture

“Healthy soil is the prerequisite for healthy plants, animals and products. With organic farming, the care of a living soil and consequently the maintenance or improvement of soil structure, fertility and nutrient cycling is fundamental to all measures adopted’ (National Standard 2005).



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Benefits to Agriculture

A 21-year study published in A 21-year study published in ScienceScience Organic farming achieves:

More energy-efficiency Healthier soils Greater diversity & number of organisms Greater efficiency in using nutrients



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Scientific Review by Cornell University into a 22 year-long Field Study

The improved soil allowed the organic land to generate yields equal to or greater than the conventional crops after 5 years

The conventional crops collapsed during drought years. The organic crops fluctuated only slightly during drought years,

due to greater water holding capacity in the enriched soil. The organic crops used 30% less fossil energy inputs than the

conventional crops. Published in the Journal Bioscience



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Research Shows that Organic Systems use Water More Efficiently

‘Soil water held in the crop root zone was measured and shown to be consistently higher … in the organic plots than the conventional plots, due to the higher organic matter ...’ (Lotter 2003)



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‘The exceptional water capture capability of the organic treatments stood out during the torrential downpours during hurricane Floyd in September of 1999.

The organic systems captured about twice as much water as the conventional treatment during that two day event’ (Lotter 2003)



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Volume of Water Retained /ha (to 30 cm) in relation to soil organic matter (OM).

0.5% OM = 80,000 litres (average 2004 level) 1 % OM = 160,000 litres 2 % OM = 320,000 litres 3 % OM = 480,000 litres 4 % OM = 640,000 litres 5 % OM = 800,000 litres (pre-settlement level)



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Soil Carbon Systems Have Less Soil Erosion

The results of a study that compared erosion in organic and conventional farming over 38 years.

‘This study indicates that, in the long term, the organic farming system was more effective than the conventional farming system in reducing soil erosion and, therefore, in maintaining soil productivity’ (Reganold et al. 1987).



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Soil Carbon Systems Improve Soil

"Results of this research suggest that organic farming systems can provide greater long-term soil improvement than conventional no-tillage systems, despite the use of tillage in organic systems.”

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation entitled "Strategies for Soil Conservation in No-tillage and Organic Farming Systems" (Nov/Dec 2007, Vol. 62, Number 6).



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Synthetic Nitrogen Fertilisers Deplete Carbon

Scientists from the University of Illinois analysed the results of a 50 year agricultural trial and found that synthetic nitrogen fertiliser resulted in all the carbon residues from the crop disappearing as well as an average loss of around 10,000 kg of soil carbon per hectare.

This is around 33,000 kg of carbon dioxide per hectare on top of the many thousands of kilograms of crop residue that is converted in to CO2 every year.



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Synthetic Nitrogen Fertilisers Deplete Carbon

The researchers found that the higher the application of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser the greater the amount of soil carbon lost as CO2.

This is one of the major reasons why conventional agricultural systems have a decline in soil carbon while organic systems increase soil carbon.



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Rodale Institute

“U.S. agriculture as currently practiced emits a total of 1.5 trillion pounds of CO2 annually into the atmosphere.

Converting all U.S. cropland to organic would not only wipe out agriculture's massive emission problem. By eliminating energy-costly chemical fertilizers, it would actually give us a net increase in soil carbon of 734 billion pounds.”

Rodale (2003)



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Rodale Institute Long Term Trails

organic farming practices, can remove about 7,000 kilos of carbon dioxide from the air each year and sequester it in a hectare of farmland

organic practices farms could counteract up to 40 percent of global greenhouse gas output.

Rodale (2008)



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Rodale Institute

The scientists estimated that if all of America’s 100 million hectares of cropland were converted to organic practices, it would be the equivalent of taking 217 million cars off the road.

This is nearly 88 percent of all cars in the USA and more than a third of all the cars in the world.

Rodale (2008)



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Organic carbon, particularly humus is critical to successful soil Health

Nutrient availability:

•Stores 90 to 95% of the nitrogen in the soil, 15 to 80% of phosphorus and 50 to 20% of sulphur in the soil •SEVERELY REDUCES THE LEACHING OF NUTRIENTS•Increases the soils TEC Total ion Exchange Capacity•Stores cations, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and all trace elements•Organic acids (humic and fulvic) make minerals available by dissolving locked up minerals



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Organic carbon, particularly humus is critical to successful soil Health

Nutrient availability:

•Prevents mineral ions from being locked up•Encourages a range of microbes that make locked up minerals available to plants.•Helps to neutralise the pH•Buffers the soil from strong changes in pH



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of AustraliaUse Plants to Grow Soil Carbon

Between 95 and 98% of plant minerals come from water, carbon dioxide and oxygen. The remaining 5% come from the soil.

Photosynthesis produces the carbon compounds that plants need to grow and reproduce



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The Carbon Gift

30- 60% of the carbon and energy used by plants is deposited into the soil Plant roots put thousand of tonnes per hectare of organic carbon and bio available minerals into the soil every year



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Managing Plants to I ncrease Soil Carbon

Weeds/Plants managed properly: Residues are allowed to return to the soil = their nutrient removal f rom the soil is zero. Add 30% to 60% of the organic compounds created through photosynthesis into the soil They are increasing soil f ertility



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of AustraliaMANAGING GROUND COVERSMANAGING GROUND COVERS

Cut plants add organic carbon into the soil to feed the microorganisms and the crop



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MANAGING GROUND COVERSMANAGING GROUND COVERS

Biological activity in soil is stimulated by rootmass activity which feeds microbe communities and generates soil carbon and nutrients for the crop



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MANAGING GROUND COVERSMANAGING GROUND COVERS



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Minimum Till without Herbicides



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Pasture Cropping

Onions Growing in Rye Grass



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Pasture Cropping

Oats Sown into Pasture



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Precision Tillage SystemsPrecision Tillage Systems

•Reduce soil disturbance and erosionReduce soil disturbance and erosion•Precision weed control replaces herbicidesPrecision weed control replaces herbicides



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Use Compost Microorganisms to Convert Soil Carbon into Stable

Forms Convert the carbon compounds that are readily

oxidised into CO2 into stable polymers The stable forms of soil carbon such as humus and

glomalin are manufactured by microorganisms. Can last thousands of years in the soil.



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ConclusionConclusionA large body of published science shows:A large body of published science shows:Organic agricultural systems can ameliorate Climate ChangeOrganic agricultural systems can ameliorate Climate Change

•reduce greenhouse gasesreduce greenhouse gases•sequester carbon into the soilsequester carbon into the soil•use less wateruse less water•reduce soil erosion and nutrient run offreduce soil erosion and nutrient run off•no chemical run offno chemical run off•more resilient in adverse weather eventsmore resilient in adverse weather events•achieve good yields of high quality produceachieve good yields of high quality produce



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of AustraliaThank You

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