Having led the conservation agriculture movement for four decades, AFT is all too aware of how much work remains to be done. Consider:
- Every day 2,000 acres of agricultural land are paved over, fragmented, or converted to uses that jeopardize farming.*
- Too many farms are still losing topsoil and discharging nutrients, polluting rivers and contributing to dead zones in coastal waters. And we are forgoing restorative work that could rebuild soil health and sequester carbon.
- In the next 15 years, one-third of America’s farmland and ranchland will likely change hands, as current landowners age and sell. The land is most at risk of being converted to a non-agricultural use when it is sold.
What’s at stake? Nothing less than our future.
First, we need farmland to grow our food—and the demand for food will only grow. Experts predict that we will need to increase food production by 60 percent by the year 2050.
Some people hold out great hope for technology. They believe that, in the future, far more food will be grown indoors or on rooftops, while the productivity of remaining field crops will soar. At AFT, we don’t believe technology alone will solve the problem. We suspect that the vast bulk of our food will continue to be grown on farmland. And although we do expect to see enhanced productivity, we don’t expect productivity to increase faster than demand.
But even more is at stake than our food supply. That’s because we also need farmland to restore our planet. When properly managed, farmland and ranchland support wildlife and biodiversity, recharge aquifers, clean water, and—of paramount importance in our fight against climate change—sequester carbon.
We now know that we can’t meet global climate goals unless we take steps that go beyond reducing emissions. We need to remove carbon already in our atmosphere. And when we lose farmland, we reduce this ability. We also put more pressure on the farmland that remains in production, because with less land available to grow the food we need, we can’t manage all the remaining farmland for optimal environmental benefit. It’s a double hit.
Long before we run out of farmland to grow our food, we may well run out of the farmland we need to restore our planet’s health.
AFT addresses these issues as no other organization does, with a direct focus on retaining our agricultural land and managing it using the right practices. At the same time, AFT recognizes that we will only retain the agricultural land we need, and be positioned to manage it wisely if we retain enough farmers and ranchers with adequate know-how and financial resources.
The future demands that we do all we can to (1) protect farmland, (2) promote sound farming practices, and (3) keep farmers on the land.
*Based on the daily average from 2001-2016.No Farms No Food and No Farms No Future are trademarks of American Farmland Trust.
How much farmland is needed to sustain life on earth?
No one knows. No detailed study has been undertaken. AFT has been assembling detailed data on the characteristics and uses of America’s farmland and ranchland. We are in the midst of producing Farms Under Threat, a multi-year project that, once complete, will provide a foundation for further study. But only for the United States. Our food system and our ecosystem are—of course—global systems. And what happens to farmland, farming practices, and farmers will have global impact. AFT hopes to partner on a larger international study. Too much is at stake to not explore these issues on a global level.
Read about Farms Under ThreatCertainly! The article touches on several critical concepts related to agriculture, land conservation, food production, and their impact on the environment. Let's break down the key points and concepts:
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Conservation Agriculture Movement: This refers to a set of farming practices aimed at conserving soil, water, and biodiversity while promoting sustainable agricultural productivity. It involves reduced soil disturbance, diversified crop rotations, and maintaining permanent soil cover.
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Farmland Loss: The article highlights the ongoing issue of farmland being converted for non-agricultural use. This includes land being paved over, fragmented, or repurposed for urban development or other non-farming activities.
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Soil Health and Nutrient Management: Loss of topsoil and nutrient discharge from farms contribute to water pollution, affecting rivers and coastal waters, leading to dead zones. Maintaining soil health and proper nutrient management are crucial for sustainable farming.
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Future of Farmland: The prediction that a significant portion of America's farmland and ranchland will change hands in the next 15 years is crucial. The risk lies in potential non-agricultural conversion when these lands are sold.
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Food Security and Demand: The increasing demand for food, estimated to rise by 60 percent by 2050, poses a challenge in ensuring sufficient production. There's debate about technology's role in meeting this demand, whether through indoor farming, rooftop agriculture, or enhancing productivity of field crops.
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Environmental Restoration: Farmland and ranchland, when properly managed, support biodiversity, clean water, recharge aquifers, and crucially, sequester carbon. This is essential in the fight against climate change.
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Climate Change Mitigation: Recognizing the necessity to not only reduce emissions but also remove carbon from the atmosphere. Farmland plays a pivotal role in carbon sequestration, making its preservation vital for achieving global climate goals.
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AFT's Role: The American Farmland Trust (AFT) is depicted as an organization addressing these issues by focusing on retaining agricultural land, employing proper farming practices, and supporting farmers financially and through knowledge sharing.
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Global Impact: While AFT's efforts are focused on the United States, the article stresses the global implications of farmland management, farming practices, and their impact on the ecosystem. There's a call for broader international studies due to the interconnectedness of our food systems and ecosystems globally.
The piece emphasizes the urgency of addressing these issues at both local and global levels to ensure food security, environmental sustainability, and the preservation of farmland for future generations.
