Feeding America: Is Sustainability Enough?
From the cornfields of Iowa to the vegetable farms of California, farmers are testing a new question every day: can sustainable practices truly meet national food demands? This is a question that has taken on an ever-increasing urgency as climate change, soil degradation, and resource scarcity put pressure on U.S food production. Rather than a simple dichotomy between “sustainable” and “productive,” the evidence suggests sustainable agriculture can help feed a nation. Still, success depends deeply on how it is implemented, measured, and supported by science and, most of all, policies. What is sustainability? Sustainable agriculture encompasses a range of practices designed specifically to maintain or even enhance productivity over time while reducing environmental harm. Techniques such as crop rotation, cover cropping, conservation tillage, precision nutrient and water management, and integrated pest management aim not to diminish output but to improve soil health, reduce input waste, and increase resilience to environmental stressors. These practices align with broader goals of systems that deliver yields while protecting natural resources. What does research say? Scientific research increasingly supports the idea [...]
