Agriculture's search for sustainability and profitability

摘要: ARE sustainable systems necessarily profitable? Are profitable sustainable? The answers to these questions depend on whether one talks about the long or short run an individual farm society in general. Sustainability, by definition, is a long-term concept. term sustainability, as used here, refers farming that are capable of maintaining their productivity and utility indefinitely. Sustainable must be resource-conserving, environmentally compatible, socially supportive, commercially competitive. Systems fail conserve resource base eventually lose ability produce. Systems protect environment destroy reason for existence. Farming provide adequate food supply at reasonable costs society. And finally, not competitive will generate profits necessary economic survival. A system it cannot sustained. A run. Some may quibble philosophical concept what point time sustainability profitability converge. But most would agree there no …