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Criticisms and Frequent Misconceptions about Organic Agriculture: The Counter-Arguments |
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Misconception Number 11: Pig husbandry, whether organic or not, is a burden on the environment since it discharges huge quantities of phosphorus into the environment. Scientists have now succeeded in creating a genetically modified pig breed that can assimilate phosphorus contained in grains, meaning that little or no phosphorus additive is needed in their meal. If such pigs were to be used in large scale farming, conventional pig husbandry would be less harmful to the environment than in organic systems.
Summary of Counter-Arguments:
- Pig husbandry is a major environmental problem due to industrial and landless production systems.
- On organic farms, equilibrium between animal and crop production ensures proper nutrient cycles and avoids soil and water pollution.
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Details of Counter-Arguments:
Pigs
do not produce phosphorus (P) on their own; they excrete the surplus P
that they do not assimilate from their phosphorus-enriched diet. Hence, if pigs were fed primarily with feed
grown on the farm, and their excrement was returned as fertilizer to the
soils of the same farm, there would be no excess phosphorus. The
problem occurs when pigs are grown in industrial settings with no
connection between crop production and animal production. Organic
standards require that organic farms function with appropriate stocking
rates to ensure equilibrium between animal and crop production.
According
to the principles of Organic Agriculture, organic livestock husbandry has to be in harmony with the
ecological conditions and natural processes of the environment. With
regard to pig husbandry, this means that pigs must be fed using mainly
feed produced on the farm and that the cultivated surface must be
sufficient to accommodate manure spreading in a way that respects the
soils and the surrounding environment. Organic practices, such as
maintaining appropriate stocking rates and herd sizes and adapting
rotations according to climate (e.g., rainfall) and other characteristics
of the land, help farmers comply with the recommended quantities of
phosphorus application per hectare.
Therefore, there is no need to modify pigs genetically to ensure a sustainable pig production. Husbandry practices and overall farm management that follow Organic Agriculture principles already provide a solution for environmentally sustainable pig husbandry systems.
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