An independent report recently released by British scientists shows that organic farming has great potential and may even become "mainstream agriculture in the future".

This is called "How much food can be produced by the organic agriculture prevailing in England and Wales?" According to the report, organic farming has a positive impact. The investigation found that organic farming increased beef yield by 68% and mutton yield by 55%; The energy intensive input is reduced; Fertilizer input can be reduced by 95%, pesticide spraying can be reduced by 98%; The agricultural employment force is estimated to increase by 73%.

The survey also showed that compared with traditional farming practices, organic farming has many advantages - water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, pesticide spraying is reduced by 98%, and fertilizer use is reduced by 95%. Through adjustment, the output of organic farming can be as much as that of traditional farming. This report was completed by Philip Jones and Richard Crane of Reading University in the UK with the support of the Independent Foundation HCD Memorial Fund and the British Land Association.

According to the survey, the purpose of organic farming is to become an optimal output system rather than a high output system, and it is suggested that consumers should consider what food they want to eat in the future and what farming will be like under this change.

Peter Melchett, policy director of the British Land Association, said: "Organic farming cannot completely solve the challenges posed by climate change and diet related diseases, and much still needs to be done to improve the organic system. However, the report shows that organic farming has a positive impact. In the face of the rising prices and insufficient supply of major fossil fuels and minerals, in order to achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, food and farming systems must experience revolutionary changes in the coming decades Change. "

Melchett said: "We are faced with a choice between non organic farming that converts oil and natural gas into food, using nitrogen obtained from the air and fertilizers produced from fossil fuels to grow crops, and organic farming that uses nitrogen obtained from the air, solar energy and nitrogen naturally absorbed by plants to grow crops."

The organic movement began 60 years ago, and the report shows that the food and farming sector still faces many challenges in the future. Melchett said: "In the next 20 years, we will continue to experience the most basic changes in food and farming since the Industrial Revolution. The global food related disease crisis will prompt us to make those changes recommended by the World Health Organization, reduce the intake of meat, sugar, fat and dairy products, and increase the intake of cereals, potatoes and other root crops, fruits and vegetables. For more than half a century, we have used oil and natural gas to provide production We must stop relying on fertilizer for food. "

Take the UK for example, 40% of the food needed in the country comes from imports, including tea, coffee, spices, fruits, vegetables and other things that cannot grow locally. This figure also includes a large amount of grain and protein fed to livestock.

Melchett said: "25% of the food we import can be grown in our country, and nearly half of the nitrogen fertilizer needed for planting non organic crops is imported. In addition to reducing the import of all nitrogen fertilizer, changing our farming will not make us more self-sufficient unless our food and drink are also significantly changed."

According to the report, most of the food consumers will buy will be produced in the local season. They will eat less but better quality eggs and dairy products. They will use more grass to feed cattle and sheep, eat more fruits and vegetables, greatly reduce energy intensive input, and industrially feed chickens and pigs with cereals.

Melchett said: "The British Land Association hopes that this report will provide a meaningful beginning to discuss how we can enjoy healthy, high-quality and pleasant food without damaging the earth."