68AFBZMV

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6 janvier 2021 16:24

19 janvier 2021 11:24

Canada, in 2009, will enact a regulatory regime to oversee certified organic agricultural productions systems, based on a management standard. The overreaching goal of that standard is to develop farm enterprises that are ‘sustainable and harmonious with the environment’. However, empirical evidence to shed light on claims of environmental benefits from organic agriculture is particularly scarce in Canada and North America generally, and has not been comprehensively summarized. This review examines the literature of Canadian and US studies which relate to environmental impacts of organic agriculture within the selected indicators of (i) soil organic matter storage and soil quality/soil health (ii) plant and wildlife biodiversity (iii) energy use (iv) nutrient loading and off-farm nutrient losses, and (v) climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. The empirical evidence presented suggests organic farming system attributes regarding cropping, floral, and habitat diversity; nutrient intensity; soil management; and energy and pesticide use etc. are sufficiently distinct as to impart potentially important environmental benefits across the indicator categories examined. More research is needed to validate these results, for the benefit of producers, consumers and policy makers as they decide the relative importance and contribution of organic farming systems to the Canadian food marketplace and agrifood sector.

None

• AB - Spécifique
• FREDO biologie et travail du sol
• FREDO durabilité
• FREDO environnement
• FREDO performance énergétique
• GEO Canada
• greenhouse gas
• biodiversity
• energy
• farming system
• soil

Canadian Journal of Plant Science

89

621-628

2009-07-01

1 juillet 2009

10.4141/CJPS08165 Le DOI est une URL unique de référencement d'une publication. Il est donc plus fiable et permanent qu'une URL classique

0008-4220, 1918-1833 L’ISSN est un code de 8 chiffres servant à identifier les journaux, revues, magazines, périodiques de toute nature et sur tous supports, papier comme électronique.