Sustainable farming needs to use much less energy - particularly oil. Yet, sustainable farming is more than just the efficient use of resources. Sustainable farming considers social and environmental impacts as well as economic concerns. It relies more on labour and encourages the development of skills, including those that help protect the environment.

Most present day farming is converting the 'capital' (fertility) into the 'income' (yields). It cannot go on indefinately.

Sustainable farming faces a massive environmental challenge. Present day farming impacts go way beyond local pollution as a major user of global resources.

At present:

• Energy use for the transport and handling of food accounts for 16-21% of the UK's total energy bill.
• Agriculture in UK contributes about 12% of the greenhouse effect. Fertilised land contributes about half of the UK's nitrous oxide emissions. More on food And Climate Change.
• About 250 pesticide active ingredients can be used in conventional farming and over 500 additives in processing - compared to 7 and 30 respectively in organic food.

Companies are starting to change their ways and demonstrate moving towards 'sustainablity' e.g. The Co-op farm (the largest farm in the UK) have established a policy "Green and Pleasant Land" that looks to reduce pesticide use.

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