Thanks.
S.K. Snow
I'm an organic consumer, but not a scientist.
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A comparison of conventional and organic agriculture -
Part I: climate-relevant carbon dioxide emission from the use of fossil
energy
G. Haas, U. Geier, D.G. Schulz und U. Köpke
Substitution for factors of production previously produced on the farm
has led to considerable differentiation in places between conventional
and organic agriculture in terms of orgnisation and energie-use
structure. Particulary noteworthy in this respect is the replacement of
leguminous fodder crops by mineral nitrogen fertiliser for the
cultivation of nonleguminous fodder crops (incl.ley, maize), and by
bought-in fodder. This has led to a situation today where structure- and
system-dependent differences in efficiency and energy balance in the use
of fossil energy sources arising through organic farming methods can
achieve economies in fossil energy of 65 %, and thus a reduction in
climat-
relevant carbon dioxide emission of some 60 %. The amount of enrgy
consumed through organic farming in vegetation year 1991/92 was 6828
MJ/ha on average through conventional full-time farming, with
corresponding carbon dioxide emissions of 503 kg CO2/ha "organic" in
contrast to 1253 kg CO2/ha "conventional". The low carbon dioxide
emission in organic farming is largely due to the renunciation of
mineral nitrogen fertilisers and chemical-synthetic plant protection
agents, and also to the reduced amounts of bought-in fodder used. The
reduced emission of the climate-relevant trace gas carbon dioxide in
organic agriculture represents a further environmential contribution
inherent in this production system. ##
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