Source: Crews, T., C. Mohler, and A. Power. 1991. Energetics and ecosystem integrity: The defining principles of sustainable agriculture. Am. J. Altern. Agric. 6:146-149.

Economics have been one of the main deciding forces behind changes made in agriculture. If making a change is not profitable or is seen as not demanded by the market, then it will not take place. Agricultural changes should not be based solely on unsteady economic terms because they are inherently short-term and are generated by speculative factors such as current interest rates or the farming futures market. Instead, decisions for change need to be based on a much more complex set of criteria that follow a long-term model that uses ecology and sustainability as its foci. The ecological and sustainable model consists of human health, soil fertility, water and air quality, and biodiversity. These are the important factors that can measure the success of an agricultural system. This paper is an attempt at redefining how it could and should be possible to examine and evaluate sustainable agriculture systems without using economics as the main driving force for change. Economics is an indicator with which we can tell the success of a society operating within very constrained ecological limits. Sustainability is a measure of resilience and overall stability of a system. In conclusion, the authors give the following defining principle: "In designing a sustainable farming system, a broad array of social and economic factors should be taken into consideration. We believe, however, that these factors are not intrinsic to a sustainable agriculture, but rather separate, desirable goals."

Abstract author: Matthew I. Brown, 9 December 1999.

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