Following

The production agriculture can contribute only about 7% of global carbon emissions but if you add 6% each for each food preparation and distribution, and forestry 5% the signature is close to 25% which is at par with electrical generation and transportation.

Rattan Lal suggested that the use of no tillage could counter act about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The use of cover crops rotation and compost can do much better. It is sequestration which is untapped resource which when combined with reduction of emission can work together to resolve climate issues.

The use of our fields and forests as sequestration are optimized become more able to avoid and tolerate global climate change while they address the greenhouse emissions which are the source of the problem.

Besides the ability to get at root of global carbon emissions through sequestration the use of organic agriculture can produce premium products which can improve farming economies.

A new agriculture focused at greenhouse gases can improve the energy requirements, the environment and the economy.

We should be encouraging climate smart agriculture for present and future opportunities.

I like the answer of Paul Reed Hepperly. May I add that, unlike several sectors such as entertainment, tourism and warfare, agriculture is an absolutely necessary sector for humans.

Our agriculture is the function of photosynthesis the manufacture through light. Carbon dioxide is oxidized carbon which is reduced chemically with the involvement of water and the light photon collected in the chlorophyll molecule. The Carbon in our environment is married with water and the ability to maintain water in our soil environment is largely a function of carbon in the soil. This is important because under the heated environment the biggest limitation of our cropping systems is water. When we improve the soil carbon content we effectively avoid and drought proof our soils to a major extent and also we work to improve the global greenhouse gas equation.

Available water can be tripled by increasing soil organic matter which is available by regenerative soil management. Not only can top soil be optimized but the soil can accumulate building a profile reserve. When soil is eroded and organic matter depleted the soil reserve becomes insufficient to sustain optimized crops and plantings.

As soil becomes degraded the yield and quality of the harvests are affected. The quality of our diet is related to how the soil is stewarded. Taking this another step our state of health is very much influenced by the balance of our diets which are seeded in our good earth which we influence on how we steward that precious resource.

The biomass of cows and their poop is a world wide massive contributor than has not been addressed yet--their manure turns into methane which is 21X more powerful a greenhouse gas than CO2, and could easily be managed in feedlots, by building manure digesters and produce the methane as fuel, converting it to CO2 for example.

The above discussion inspired me to the following considerations:

In my opinion, sustainable pro-ecological economic development should be an important determinant of shaping economic policy.

Do you agree with my opinion?

For many centuries, the economies of countries and enterprises have developed without knowing or ignoring the principles of sustainable pro-ecological development.

On the other hand, in the 21st century the realities have changed, the global warming process is accelerating and if the reforms of pro-ecological changes, development of renewable energy, recycling development, development of environmental protection etc. are not implemented, in the short term the global warming process will become an irreversible process and at the end of the 21st century the planet Earth, humanity and many other forms of life on Earth are threatened by climatic extermination due to the high rise of negative anomalies and climatic cataclysms. Sustainable pro-ecological economic development, now and in the future, can not be ignored further, it can not be considered a myth. Economics must change towards the concept of green economy. The economic policies of states should also change in such a way as to activate for the development of ecological innovations and support the processes of sustainable pro-ecological development.

Please, answer, comments.

I invite you to the discussion.

Best wishes

When looking at the carbon foot print the issue of emissions from the production practices is less important than potential of the food system itself to either lead to additional footprint zero impact or the ability to have a net contribution of both counteracting emissions and withdrawing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere into the soil bank.

People have complained about bovine methane but pasture systems can optimize the regeneration of soil which lead to net sequestration and have small footprint compared to feedlot systems.

Energetics economics and environmental bottom lines constitute three fold way of evaluating ways to get maximized benefit out of our food and agriculture.

Dear Colleagues and Friends from RG,

The above discussion inspired me to formulate the following question:

Should organic farming in the field of agriculture be developed mainly in connection with the increasing climate change, including the increasingly faster global warming process?

On the basis of the above considerations and conclusions from the discussion on interesting issues discussed, I formulated the following thesis that in connection with the increasing climate change, including the faster global warming process, mainly organic farming in the field of agriculture should be developed.

Below I have described the key determinants confirming the formulated research thesis. To the above discussion I would like to add the following conclusion formulated as a summary of my previous considerations on this topic: Determinants of the development of organic farming in the context of increasing climate change, including the increasingly faster global warming process.

Unfortunately, more and more data on climate change research confirms the thesis that global warming is proceeding faster and faster. Increasing data indicate that a significant and perhaps the main factor of the global warming process is the development of human civilization still largely based on classical energy, in which energy is produced by burning non-renewable natural resources. Therefore, in the 21st century, the greatest challenge of humanity will be solving problems resulting from adverse climate changes, rising average annual temperature at the Earth's surface, i.e. the progressing global warming process related to the growing greenhouse gas emissions. More and more climatology data indicate that the global warming process is accelerating. The result of this process will be more and more frequent drought, melting glaciers, raising the surface of the oceans and seas, reducing the areas of arable lands and fields suitable for human life. Climatologists and scientists from other fields of science, conducting research on climate change and its effects, develop long-term forecasts of these changes. These forecasts show that the continuation of the global warming process over the next few decades may lead to the thaw of permafrost at the Arctic Circle and the release of millions of tons of frozen methane.

Then the global warming process will accelerate and the Antarctic meltdown will be unstoppable. The areas in which man will be able to live and live due to the melting of all glaciers and due to the drying of many areas currently covered with vegetation or used for agriculture in the tropical and subtropical zones will decrease. It is also possible to increase Earth's seismic activity, increase in volcanic eruptions. The reason may also be an increase in the activity of the Sun over a period of several dozen years, because the current activity of the Sun is low. In addition, weather anomalies and climatic and natural disasters will appear more often in many places around the world. Forest fires will occur more and more often. Lack of clean water and fresh water will appear in many areas. In the next several to several dozen years, all pollinating insects may die, which will be the result of growing environmental pollution and the use of pesticides in arable fields. The result can be a significant decrease in the production of agricultural produce, including fruit, cereals and some vegetables. This can aggravate the problem of feeding the population. Therefore, humanity should reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, develop energy based on renewable energy sources, electromobility, organic farming, sorting garbage, recycling, etc. It is necessary to implement the principles of sustainable ecological development as soon as possible in accordance with the green economy philosophy and ecological financing reforms from green finance sources. Time is short. It is not certain that humanity will completely reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. It is also not certain that if humanity succeeds, the global warming process will cease to deepen. However, implementing the principles of sustainable pro-ecological development is a necessity and the biggest challenge in the 21st century. In connection with the above, it is necessary to increase expenditure in all countries on ecological reforms in order to implement the principles of sustainable ecological development according to the green economy philosophy. There is not much time left to carry out the necessary ecological reforms to avoid a chain reaction of increasingly rapid global warming and escalating climate disasters.

Research conducted for many years by climatologists confirms that the global warming process is mainly caused by an increase in greenhouse gas emissions generated by the energy sector based on classic energy producing electricity from mineral combustion and the automotive industry also based on internal combustion engines. In addition, innovations in the field of renewable energy sources should be created and implemented as soon as possible. The energy sector should be changed as soon as possible and reformed in order to develop renewable energy sources. Classic energy sources based on the combustion of minerals should be replaced by energy technologies based on renewable energy sources, i.e. first of all solar, wind, water and possibly also nuclear energy should be developed. Therefore, in the context of increasingly faster climate change processes, accelerating the global warming process, increasing pollution of the natural environment, international financing systems for pro-ecological projects should be created. Within these systems, international institutions should be created to finance projects for implementing ecological reforms, creating and implementing eco-innovation, etc. Grants should be awarded for research projects in the field of renewable energy development.

In connection with the above, it is necessary to increase expenditure in all countries on ecological reforms in order to implement the principles of sustainable ecological development according to the green economy philosophy. In addition, international financing systems for the creation and implementation of green innovations and green reforms should be developed in many branches of modern economies, primarily in energy through the development of renewable energy sources. National and international systems for financing pro-ecological reforms in the green finance formula should be developed. The next several years is the last moment to carry out the necessary ecological reforms to avoid a chain reaction of increasing climatic disasters and reduce the scale of environmental pollution and protect most of the remaining biosphere, biodiversity from irreversible degradation. Therefore, humanity should reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, energy based on renewable energy sources, electromobility, organic farming, waste sorting, recycling, etc. should be developed. Therefore, financial outlays for creating new ecological innovations, green technologies and their implementation in industry. However, despite the obvious need to increase expenditure on renewable energy sources, unfortunately in recent years to a significant and sufficient extent as required, these expenditures do not grow in many countries.

In recent years, the opinion that one of the most important challenges for humanity in the 21st century is the protection of the Earth's biosphere and natural biodiversity is dominating. Biodiversity of the Earth's biosphere is therefore very important, because if we don't take care of it, we can soon destroy civilization. Maintaining the biodiversity of the Earth's biosphere is a key challenge for humanity in the 21st century. If humanity does not protect biodiversity from negative factors of civilization development, the deepening imbalance in nature will lead to exceeding the critical point of this imbalance, after which it will no longer be possible to return to balance and the destruction of many life forms, including people, may be inevitable already XXII century. Exceeding this critical point of equilibrium in nature may appear in a dozen or so years if the acceleration rate of the global warming process is still as fast as in recent years. so there is not much time left for humanity to realize how important it is to protect the biodiversity of the Earth's biosphere and how quickly the necessary ecological reforms should be carried out. The strong increase in the scale of forest fires in various climate zones of the planet Earth recorded in 2019 is a serious warning signal for humanity. This is a kind of SOS signal sent by Earth's nature towards man, that the development of civilization with the negative effects of this development is approaching the critical point of imbalance in nature. After crossing this critical point, it will no longer be possible to stop the global warming process that is accelerating and the destruction of most of the Earth's biosphere at the end of the 21st century will become a reality.

Time is running out. In this connection, the key question arises: what should a man do regarding the implementation of the principles of sustainable pro-ecological development in the coming years? How to protect the Earth's biosphere, natural biodiversity and thus also humanity against destruction, against climate armageddon at the end of the 21st century? The next several years is the last moment to carry out the necessary ecological reforms to avoid a chain reaction of increasing climatic disasters and reduce the scale of environmental pollution and protect most of the remaining biosphere, biodiversity from irreversible degradation. Therefore, humanity should reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, develop energy based on renewable energy sources, electromobility, organic farming, sorting garbage, recycling, etc. It is necessary to implement the principles of sustainable ecological development as soon as possible in accordance with the green economy philosophy and ecological financing reforms from green finance sources. Time is short. It is not certain that humanity will completely reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. It is also not certain that if humanity succeeds, the global warming process will cease to deepen. However, implementing the principles of sustainable pro-ecological development is a necessity and the biggest challenge in the 21st century.

In view of the above, sustainable organic farming with a controlled share of GMOs should be developed in the future, i.e. the replacement of chemistry, including pesticides, by GMOs. It is safer and many pro-ecological and economic goals can be achieved and also in the context of the ongoing global warming process, to which industrial agriculture also contributes.

New varieties of arable crops can be safe and fit for consumption, food, drug production etc. if they are thoroughly tested. Certainly new plant varieties can be safer created, grown using modern, controlled genetic techniques compared to chemical pesticides. Some of the chemical pesticides after their use in arable fields were quickly detected in the bodies of penguins in Antarctica, so the chemicals spread rapidly in biological food chains. In addition, new varieties of crop plants raised using modern genetic techniques can be a perfect complement to the developed organic farming, which does not use any artificial, chemical plant protection products.

In my opinion, future agriculture should be developed according to the following formula:

Global warming + Green agriculture + Sustainable development = Sustainable organic farming as a solution to the diet of the population in the future

Another important issue regarding the issue of organic farming development concerns the protection of insects pollinating flowers. The pollination value of crop flowers (without crops) is estimated at $ 500 billion. USA annually. Due to the intensification of agricultural crop production, including the use of chemical plant protection products, the number of pollinating insects, including bees in particular, is rapidly decreasing. The number of bumblebees also decreases very quickly, and only these insects pollinate some crops. To limit the sources of this problem, man should limit the development of agriculture based on the industrial production of arable crops, in particular in the areas of arable crops intended for livestock feed, which is globally 3/4 of the arable land area.

Instead of industrial production of agricultural products, organic farming should be developed without the use of chemical plant protection products. Pesticides should be replaced by the introduction to the production of agricultural products more resistant to viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic crop varieties, which are created using modern biogenetic techniques.

In addition to pesticides used in the industrial production of agricultural products (mainly for the needs of maintaining animal production, meat production), the global warming process, which is accelerating faster and faster, contributes to a decrease in the number of insects, including pollinating insects. This is because, many insect species are very sensitive to temperature changes in the environment in which they live. To reduce the sources of this problem, man should, on a massive scale, proceed to the reclamation of industrially degraded areas in order to transform them into biological ecosystems similar to natural biological environments composed of many cooperating species of flora and fauna.

In addition, the surface of natural environments, natural biological ecosystems in which insects feed, decreases. It is caused by mowing meadows outside the city and grass in cities. Therefore, it is recommended not to mow the lawn, put insect houses, do not remove rotten, rotting stumps in parks and forests. In some cities, flower meadows are established and insect parks are created in city parks.

According to the observations of biologists, environmentalists, insects die so quickly that in 100 years there will be no insects. If pollinating insects become extinct then the plants will stop producing fruit and seeds, many species of plants will become extinct and there will be a serious problem with feeding humanity and many species of animals on Earth. Therefore, the problem is very serious. In my opinion, this is the second most important problem to be solved in the 21st century, in addition to the problem of the global warming process being progressively and faster. In my opinion, these are the most important global problems and challenges to solve numerous problems for humanity in the 21st century.

Meat production based on industrially farmed livestock is another important issue. The results of many studies show that this form of meat production significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. About 75 percent the arable lands are consumed by the production of agricultural products which only serve as feed for animals kept for slaughter for the production of meat or leather for the clothing industry. It is very inefficient and non-ecological. In addition, industrial production of livestock for slaughter also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. In many countries in Africa, people are starving, while most of the arable land instead of being used to produce food directly for humans in the form of vegetable crops is used for generating many negative externalities of animal production. In the context of the progressing processes of global warming and decreasing areas of natural ecosystems, increasing pollution of the natural environment, it is necessary to carry out the reform process of industrial production of agricultural crops and farming livestock so as to develop organic farming, replace the production of agricultural produce for farm animals for the production of agricultural produce as food for people, so that agriculture generates less and less negative external effects and that it is more and more developed in the green economy formula and that it becomes an integral factor in the implementation of sustainable ecological development.

In line with the above, in my opinion, due to the increasing climate change, including the progressing global warming process, mainly organic farming in the field of agriculture should be developed.

Do you agree with me on the above matter?

In view of the above, I am asking you the following questions:

- How to protect pollinating insects from extinction?

- To what extent does the intensification of livestock farming influence the global warming process?

- What share of intensive, industrial agricultural production and industrial livestock farming contributes to greenhouse gas emissions?

- How to develop organic farming?

- How should people's eating habits change to increase the scope and possibilities of implementing sustainable ecological economic development?

- What kind of agriculture should be developed in the current era of the progressive global warming process?

- Should organic farming in the field of agriculture be developed mainly in the light of the increasing climate change, including the faster global warming process?

What do you think about this topic?

What is your opinion on this topic?

Please reply

I invite you to discussion

thank you very much

Best wishes

Dariusz Prokopowicz

I do not see a separate question for this new topic?

What I am finding in my work, is that all of our land uses, either agriculture or grazing, need to monitor organic matter in the top 10 cm. and make sure that we are still sequestering carbon each year, instead of releasing it? All over the 150,000 square miles of California's landscape, we used to have a cover of perennial native grasses, that you can see on our flag below the bear.

Those native grass plants that were sequestering carbon each year are gone, replace 99.99% by annual weed grasses that carry fires, and that DO NOT sequester any carbon each year--so we effectively went from 150,000 square miles to zero square miles sequestering carbon. The same thing is probably happening when we take native grasslands and we plow them to produce crops, and stop the carbon sequestration processes there also, like in our MidWest corn belt, or our wheat fields.

Agree with Craig Carlton Dremann I think that grazing or cultivated agriculture agro forestry or natural environments can be analyzed based on the net carbon balance gross carbon sequestrations minus input carbon footprint is equal to net sequestration values.

This allows the application of whatever we can measure and monitor we can improve.

According to Puget and Lal 2005 no till could lead to a sequestration of 330 kg Carbon per hectare he suggested its application could reverse some 10% of the total fossil fuel emission if the no till was applied on all tilled acreage.

The ability of manure as raw manure give a similar sequestration as no till. Crop covers and perennial forage can do much more and integrated intensive rotation can do more.

The role of compost multiples the potentials of raw manures and now of these practices are exclusive.

The additive and synergistic potential of our food and fiber systems can counteract all the present fossil fuel emission if they were applied systematically on the food and fiber systems of our world.

The idea that global no till in a conventional agriculture which is 330 kg/ha carbon could counter act 10% of the presentday fossil fuel emissions.

We will need to both lower our fossil fuel emissions and increase our carbon sequestration to counter act what is looking like runaway global warming presently.

At the Rodale Institute we measured raw manure application could equal the no till effect another 10% potential contribution.

The sequestration of cover crops can be 2 to 3 times the levels of either these practices together if additive would potential counteract about half of the emission excess from current fossil fuel combustion.

But the real big tickets are using compost of crop residue and manure at modest rates could counteract 3 to 6 times the practice of no till or raw manure and the use of intensive rotational grazing can to 6 to 10 times that amount on pasturelands that represent double the area of the global crop lands.

The bottomline is that while we definitely need to transform our energy use the sequestration using agriculture alone can counteract all pressentday excess greenhouse gas liberation and this does not include our ability to engage the forest lands and our marine management.

The continuing focus on energy is good but to effectively address the issues of global warming and greenhouse gases the use of our field forests and marine resources will give most ability to transition into a new economy and regeneration of the a planet which has suffered from the fossil fuel sole dependence.

Even better than manure, because even when you add that, as it breaks down adds methane which is 20X more powerful a greenhouse gas--why not take all of the carbon waste--forestry, manures, food processing, nut crop shells, and produce biochar? Then, when we add that to the soil, it will remain in the soil for thousands of years, like what the native peoples have been doing in the Amazon?

"Because of biochar's long-term persistence in soil (more than 2,500 years and counting), all the associated benefits of nutrient retention, water retention and overall soil fertility are longer lasting than with common fertilizers alone."

The BLM is trying that method in the Great Basin when they work on tree removal, they use metal garbage containers to make the biochar in. In China and India they build the large capacity biochar kilns for under $5,000. It would be very interesting if Rodale experimented with biochar?

Dear Craig Carlton Dremann We did experiment with biochar at Rodale. The application of a modest rate of 5,000 kg/ha gave excellent crop performance and the sequestration rate would be well over what could be done with either raw manure or no till agriculture.

The vast acid tropics are proven field where biomass energy systems coupled with returning biochar to cultivated land can regenerate degraded acid infertile tropics improve the quality and quantity of food resources, substitute fossil fuel for biogas and bioliquids and conclusive increase carbon sequestration to bring our greenhouse gases back into balance.

Beside the work in Kutztown working with cowpea we collaborated with biochar experiments in Virginia on active ultisols were both soybean and maize showed strong response and was very useful in combination with compost applications.