Farmers Put Down the Plow for More Productive Soil

Raquel Guzman

4/8/15

Biology Current Event

Goode, Erica. "Farmers Put Down the Plow for More Productive Soil." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/10/science/farmers-put-down-the-plow-for-more-productive-soil.html?src=mv>.

Farmers Put Down the Plow for More Productive Soil

For my current event report I read, “Farmers Put Down the Plow for More Productive Soil”, by Erica Goode.This article discusses the major issues and benefits with soil-conservation farming and regular till farming. In the article soil-conservation farming can be best described as an alternative method of farming that does not require the use of a till. It can restore degenerated earth, encourage plant growth, and minimize erosion. This also makes it less susceptible to the effects of flooding. This method may also increase farmer’s profits since it requires less labor and farmers will save money by purchasing the less equipment. With till farming and other non-eco friendly methods, soil becomes degraded, killing off beneficial fungi and earthworms. Which was implying that it would lead to the use of synthetic fertilizer to restore the soil, which in turn would lead to even more problems.

From this article it is very obvious that the writer is trying to persuade the reader why soil-conservation farming is better, but they also bring up major issues about the environment and why we should be concerned and more involved. It is important to realize that the way people farm can have a long and lasting effect on our world. When farmers use pesticides, soil enhancers, and grow chemically altered food, it not only affects our bodies but it affects almost every aspect of life on earth. When soil-enhancers are used, the soil is no longer composed of pure organic matter which makes it unable to retain carbon dioxide and water. As a result of many people continuing to use these products, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has increased. We should also be aware that almost everything we do daily can have a major impact on our future environment. Although the article was a little boring to read, it brings up an important issue that should be taken seriously.

Overall, the article was well written and flowed nicely. The information in the article was clearly presented and the writer was able to integrate quotes seamlessly. They included statistics multiple times which enforced their ideas and could convince a reader why soil-conservation farming is best as opposed to other types of farming. However, it is clear that the writer is biased and is trying to prove why this method is important and better than the rest. If the writer were to revise or edit the article, I would suggest that they include more background information on other methods of farming and why people might still be using them as opposed to their preferred method of farming.