farming with less fossil fuel michael bomford research and extension specialist, organic/sustainable...
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Farming with Less Fossil Fuel
Michael BomfordResearch and Extension Specialist, Organic/Sustainable AgricultureKentucky State University
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Why Reduce Fossil Fuel Use?• Economic reasons
– Reduce input costs (sometimes…)• Energy typically ~10-15% of farm costs
• Tremendous variability
– Reduce risk; enhance security, independence
• Environmental reasons– Reduce carbon emissions– Reduce impacts of fossil fuel extraction and
burning
• Prepare for energy-constrained future
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US Energy Consumption by Source, 1775-2006
DOE-EIA
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
1775 1825 1875 1925 1975
CoalNatural gasPetroleumNuclearHydroGeothermalSolarWindBiomass
Exajoules
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US Energy Consumption, 1950-2009
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45
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1900 20001910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
Onion(t/ha)
Potato(t/ha)
Grain corn (t/ha)
US farm population(106)
50US farmland
(107 ha)
Direct and indirectenergy use
(1017 J)
Changing face of US agriculture
Miranowski, J. 2004. Energy consumption in US agriculture.Agriculture as a Producer and Consumer of Energy
Direct energy use(1017 J)
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Land, labor and energy
• For 30 years US farmers have been making more efficient use of labor, land, and energy
• US farmers tend to use more land and less labor than farmers in other parts of the world
• US farmers tend to use less energy than farmers in other industrialized countries, but more energy than farmers in developing countries
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Fertilizers and pesticides
Gasoline
Diesel
LP gasNatural gas
0
1
2
3
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Qu
adri
llio
n B
TU
s
Electricity
Total Energy Consumed on US Farms, 1965-2002
John Miranowski, Iowa State University
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Non-food85.6%
Transportation0.6%
Wholesale & retail2.2%
Food service1.7%
Households4.1%
Agriculture2.0%
Processing2.8%
Packaging0.9%
Food14.4%
US Food SystemEnergy Use, 2002
Canning et al. 2010. Energy Use in the U.S.Food System. USDA-ERS Report #94.
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Proportion of national energy use
Country, year
Agriculture(direct & indirect)
Food system Source
Sweden, 2000 2.5% 13% Wallgren & Höjer. 2009.Energy Policy 37: 5803–5813
USA, 1996 2.1% 10% Heller & Keoleian. 2000. Life Cycle-Based Sustainability Indicators for Assessment of the U.S. Food System
UK, 2005 1.9% 11% White. 2007. Carbon governance from a systems perspective: an investigation of food production and consumption in the UK
USA, 2002 2.0% 14% Canning et al. 2010. Energy Use in the U.S. Food System. USDA-ERS Report #94.
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Agriculture:Small piece of energy pie
• ~15% of food system energy use• ~2% of national energy use (industrialized)• Exceptions:
• More intensive– Livestock– Greenhouses– Plasticulture
• Less intensive– Grain farms– Organic farms– Small farms?– Direct market farms?
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• Energy use accounts for most greenhouse gas emissions in most of the economy… not so for agriculture!
US-EPA. 2010. US Greenhouse GasEmissions and Sinks, 1990-2008
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US-EPA. 2010. US Greenhouse GasEmissions and Sinks, 1990-2008
Soil management, ruminant digestion & manure management account for most
non-energy GHG from agriculture
200
216
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• Realistic, achievable• Many successes in past 30 years
– Reduced fertilizer and pesticide use, more efficient input manufacturing
– Switch from gasoline to diesel– Higher yields– Reduced tillage
• Much yet to do– Close resource loops; capture energy?– Organic conversion?– Re-integrate animal and plant production?– Solar greenhouses?– Return farmland to nature?
Goals for US Farms:
1.Net energy production
2.Net C sequestration
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Is organic agriculture more energy efficient than conventional?
• Usually, not always
• Most difference due to N fertilizer• Exceptions are informative
– Heated greenhouses– Flame weeding
Frequency(%)
0
50
Relative energy efficiency
– Input transport– Low yield
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Delgaard et al. 2003. Energy balance comparison of organic and conventional farming. In Organic Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets, and Policies. CABI Publishing, OECD.
Org
anic
Con
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iona
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Org
anic
Con
vent
iona
l
Org
anic
Con
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iona
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Org
anic
Con
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Grazingonly
1 cut +grazing
2 cuts +grazing
4 cuts
N makes most of the difference
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Organic production systemstend to use less energy
Review conclusion Reference
In most field trials and studies of operating farms, the increase in yield for conventional production does not offset the extra energy used
Stolze et al, 2000
(Review)
Organic typically uses 30-50% less energy in production than comparable conventional agriculture. It uses energy more efficiently but requires more labor.
Ziesemer, 2007, UN-FAO
(Review)
Organic agriculture performs much better than conventional concerning energy efficiency (output/input)
Gomiero et al, 2008
(Review)
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“Because of its reduced energy inputs, organic agriculture is the ideal production method for
biofuels.
[…]
As the aim of biofuels is to reduce dependency on non-renewable energy sources and to mitigate environmental damage of fossil fuel emissions,
organic production of biofuels furthers these goals in a way that conventional agriculture does not.”
Ziesemer 2007, UN-FAO
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Replacing Fossil Fuels on the Farm• Fertilizers and pesticides
(32%)– Legumes to replace synthetic
nitrogen fixation– Reconnect crop and animal
production– Integrated pest management
• Diversity• Resistant varieties• Place-appropriate
production systems• Biological control, botanicals
• Diesel (27%)– Biodiesel– Equipment sized
for task– Machinery
maintenance– Draft power;
human power?• Electricity (21%)
– Solar– Wind– Hydro– Biomass
Nova Scotia Windmill, Declan McCullagh
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Anika Carlson-Kanyama, Sweden
15
1099
177
88
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Food energy in tomato
Greenhouse tomatoes
Canned tomatoes
Fresh field tomatoes
Embodied energy (Calories/serving)
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Dec. 15, 2009, Smiths Grove, KY.Paul and Alison Wieidger
High tunnels and row covers instead of heated greenhouses
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March 24, 2009, Shelbyville, KY.Ken Waters
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Tomato season
J M A M J J A S O N D
Springhigh tunnel
Fall hightunnel
Field
Green-house
Transplant production
Growth
Harvest
D F
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Cover Cropping
• Rye/vetch mix adds ~135 lb N/ac
• Slow release• Organic
matter• Erosion
control
WVU organic research project
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Soil organic matter
(%)
Winter rye & vetchcover crop
Cover crop +compost @10t/ac
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ReducedTillage
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April 3, 2008, Berea, KY.Susana Lein
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Reducing Energy Costs in Buildings• Stop Air Leaks• Insulate Adequately• Turn Down Heat• Use a Smaller Space
– Block off unused areas; heat smaller areas.
• Seek Cost-Effective Heat Sources– Wood, used motor oil, passive solar
• Maintain Heating Systems• Light Efficiently
– Replace incandescent with CFL, LED
– Turn off when not in use
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Farm Equipment
• Motors– Tune, clean & lubricate
pumps, fans, blowers, compressors
– Irrigate with low pressure drip system on timer; fix leaks and clogs
• Machinery– Reduce trips across field– Reduce cultivation
• Shallow or none
• Machinery (cont.)– Avoid excess horsepower
• Use the smallest tractor that will do the job
• Big tractors are only efficient for big jobs
– Tune, clean & lube– Reduce pickup truck use
• Combinetrips to town
• Use phoneor internetif possible
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Rep 1
Rep 2
Rep 3
Rep 4
Corn
Soybean
Sweet potato
Sweet sorghum
Food
Fuel
Food
Fuel
Food
Fuel
Smallfarm
MarketgardenBio-
intensive
Smallfarm
Smallfarm
Smallfarm
Marketgarden
Marketgarden
Marketgarden
Bio-intensive
Bio-intensive
Bio-intensive
N50 m
38 m
22 m
18 m
7 m
6 m3.4
m
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Thanks to• Tony Silvernail• Jon Cambron• Mike Ward• Tristen Chesser• Will Tidwell• John Rodgers• Brian Geier• Moises Hernandez• John Bell• Connie Lemley• KSU Farm crew• CASS & SEED programs• Post Carbon Institute• Harold Benson• Kimberley Holmes
Contact:Michael Bomford
Learn more:EnergyFarms.net
Organic.KYSU.edu