No-till farming in the US: the false promise of sustainable agriculture No-till farming, adopted to reduce soil erosion and improve sustainability, is gaining popularity, especially in the US. Presented as an environmentally friendly solution, this practice avoids tillage, but a recent report by Friends of the Earth highlights the contradictions of this approach. Despite its environmental promises, the no-till technique relies on a massive use of chemical pesticides, with serious consequences for human health and the environment.93% of maize and soybean no-till land is treated with herbicides, including glyphosate, known for its carcinogenic effects. The intensive use of pesticides compromises soil biodiversity and harms vital organisms such as earthworms and pollinators. Moreover, no-till farming has not shown significant results in soil carbon sequestration, while its greenhouse gas emissions are comparable to those of millions of cars.
“As regenerative agriculture is gaining centrality in national debates about how to make America healthier, it is crucial that we promote truly regenerative agriculture,’ says Kendra Klein, deputy science director of Friends of the Earth. ‘Conventional no-till, steeped in toxic pesticides that threaten the health of our children, devastate the soil and exacerbate climate change, is steering us in the wrong direction.”
Agricultural policies continue to support no-till agriculture as an ecological solution, but this vision is misleading and has negative consequences for the environment. Large chemical companies, such as Bayer, incentivize farmers to adopt this technique through subsidies and programs that associate no-till with sustainability, but in reality link it to the continuous use of pesticides. In this way, a dependency on chemicals is created, whose harmful effects are reflected in soil health and biodiversity. Although no-till reduces erosion, its environmental impact is far from positive, since it favors the use of toxic herbicides that compromise natural balances and put human and animal health at risk. Agricultural policies, therefore, end up fueling a vicious circle that, instead of promoting true sustainability, favors the interests of large chemical industries.
Organic and regenerative agriculture is considered the real alternative, supported by numerous experts and organizations, including IFOAM – Organics International, which highlight the benefits of these approaches for soil health, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. Furthermore, a growing body of scientific studies conducted by universities and agricultural research institutes demonstrates that organic and regenerative agriculture is more effective in the long term than conventional chemical methods in responding to ecological and climate challenges, reducing dependence on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, as confirmed by independent reports and research.
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