The historically labeled agricultural revolution took place between the 18th century and the end of the 19th century. During this time there was rapid increase in productivity and major improvements in farming technology.
The shape of conventional agriculture has been greatly influenced by these changes although perhaps not entirely for the better.
What would it mean to the agriculture industry of today to have a new revolution founded in sustainability?
How you raise livestock or crops is ultimately the first reflection of your intention to be sustainable. Natural farming or grass based ranching automatically present an aura of sustainability. Others include biological farming, subsistence farming and organic farming. Hobby farming perhaps falls somewhere in the middle.
Small scale farms are almost in a league of their own. Because they operate on a small scale they are far more apt to be sustainable and to have sustainability work for them.
On the opposite side of the spectrum are the methods that don't follow a sustainable approach at all. These include intensive farming or factory farming.
Yet the label itself hardly makes one sustainable. There are many honest and integrity driven organic operations and natural farms but more and more there are operations that would be hard pressed when asked to wear their suit of sustainability. So while these labels will get you in the sustainable door, behind the scenes of a sustainable agricultural revolution will be factors like, land stewardship, manure management, and health of your soil.
Sustainability and all its iconic labels would have to become more than just over used buzzwords to attract customers and agricultural producers would need to reflect on their own personal paradigms holding them back.
What would an agricultural revolution of sustainability mean to a rancher?
For sustainability to be a possibility there needs to be a connection that ties the rancher to the land and the lifestyle, enjoyment and respect for the land and what it provides and a profit to be made at the end of the year.
If you're a rancher who loves the land you hear it speak to your soul in unexpected ways. You also know that love of the land will help you ride out the waves but won't hold you in place if the other conditions for living on the ranch fall apart.
If you're a rancher who enjoys what enterprise (raising sheep, cattle, horses, goats....) you run on your land, you know that enjoyment builds desire and respect for the resources available to you. The enjoyment helps sustain you and your resources but it alone cannot keep you secure.
If you are a financially struggling rancher or an independently wealthy one, you know the desire to put money back into the ranch eventually burns out if the money is never recycled in some fashion. Running a sustainable land operation is a notable goal but the goal cannot be sustained without revenue.
When man becomes involved sustainability takes on a new dimension. Now sustainable ranching must be so, for land, animal AND human. A sustainable method of ranching can be had in many ways, with many enterprises as long as they fit the rules of engagement so to speak.
The rules of engagement include that every part in a sustainable system works to benefit the whole. Every part working to benefit the whole is also the basic premise of holistic management. No one part operates exclusively on its own. Since there is not reliance on one single factor sustainable systems can withstand hard times. In this fashion environmental balance and biodiversity has a chance of being maintained.
Sustainable farming or ranching is not one definable way to operate and this is precisely what makes it appealing for shaping an agricultural revolution. It is not just one way of farming or ranching. Rather it is many ways, each with numerous connected bits and pieces that work in synergy to produce a workable whole. Just as all the components make up a whole ranch, all the ranches make up a whole industry.
The rules of engagement include that every part in a sustainable system works to benefit the whole. Every part working to benefit the whole is also the basic premise of 