BIG ON BIO: Ecologically Sound V.S Economically Necessary

Artificial selection, also known as selective breeding, is used in a lot of places, one place in particular is on the farm. Artificial selection is used to selectively breed animals for optimum food production, genetically manipulate plants in order to create the food we eat, and is used to economically benefit the food production process. Artificial selection is also used in breeding dogs in order to combine desirable traits through cross breeding different types of dogs. A popular example comes from the wolf to dog chain.

Industrial Agriculture

Th

ere are two types of agricultural methods that will be discussed throughout this blog. The first is Industrial Agriculture. Industrial agriculture is the method in which we grow most of our food including eggs, dairy, meat, fruits, and vegetables. In this method artificial selection is used to optimize the food production process so that it is economically efficient and brings us food at more abundance and less cost. There are many disadvantages to industrial agriculture, these include: Environmental and social costs, interferes with natural biodiversity, increased health risks from pesticides, depleted fisheries, and increased animal waste. one example of a crop that is created using this process is corn. Through selective breeding teosinte's (a type of grass) few fruit cases are transformed into many exposed kernels in corn. problems that arise from the processes are patents tha

t are created to protect a certain type of product that was selectively bread for by an individual or group. All these process make the farm seem like a factory in which chemicals, fuel, and pesticides are imputed and chickens, corn, beef, etc is the output. The main goal is to increase yield at a high efficiency.

This process definitely has its disadvantages more specifically from selective breeding. a study shows that by selectively breeding dogs we have altered the structure and the position of the dog brain in short-skulled canines. This is just one example of the many specific disadvantages from the selective breeding process.

Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is a growing movement that has started about 2 decades ago. This movement boasts that this type of farming helps the environment by not over farming to deplete top soil, it does not contaminate groundwater, keeps family farms alive, and does not harm the social integrity of rural communities. This type of farming will bring jobs back to the rural areas, provide fresher produce, and let nature take control of what's hers. Sustainable agriculture supposters argue three main facts: Air, Energy, and Soil. Air is affected becasue many modern agricultural processes include release of chemicals into the environment and the heavy use of fossil fuels. Industrial agriculture uses a lot of non-renewable energy sources such as petrollium; this directly effects the environment and our planet. Lastly soil is affected through soil errosion if it is not taken care of properly.

Now think which is really more profitable? Personally it is hard to make the right choice in this situation because of the impractical yield of sustainable farming, so agricultural farming will have to do until we come up with cleaner methods.

Sources