1 The Benefits of Sustainable/Organic Agriculture: Sustainable agriculture means that plant or animal products are produced without farming techniques that harm the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.

Environmental Preservation Sustainable farms guarantee that crops are produced and animals are raised without using toxic chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified seeds or techniques that degrade soil, water or other natural resources. Biodiversity is protected by growing a variety of plants, using crop rotation, conservation tillage and pasture-based livestock husbandry.

Protection of Public Health Because sustainable farms make sure that hazardous pesticides are avoided, they are able to grow fruits and vegetables that are safer for consumers, workers, and local communities. Similarly, livestock is raised without using antibiotics or growth promoters and livestock waste is managed responsibly, therefore sustainable farmers also protect humans from hazardous pollutants.

Sustaining Local Communities Through sustainable farms, local and regional economies are supported, because they create jobs and build strong communities.

Animal Welfare On sustainable farms, animals are tended with respect, they can move freely and consume a natural diet.

The Negatives of Industrial Agriculture: Unfortunately, most food is produced on industrial farms which are controlled by powerful corporations. Although industrial agriculture now produces great quantities of food at low prices, it threatens the environment, human health, rural communities, and animal welfare.

Industrial Crop Production Today, industrial crops are successfully produced on huge monocrop farms, which use chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and genetically modified crops. But these practices degrade soil, reduce biodiversity and generate pollutants.

Industrial Livestock Production Now the majority of meat, eggs, and dairy products are produced on enormous industrial livestock facilities. They are known as factory farms and they confine thousands of animals in cramped conditions without access to the outdoors. Factory farms also generate a huge amount of waste, which pollutes air, water, and soil and degrades the natural environment. based on Wikipedia and other Internet resources

Agriculture and soil

Vocabulary: ADJECTIVES/NOUNS/VERBS Study the words below, decide whether they are adjectives, nouns or verbs. Fill in the table according to the example “aerate”. Continue on your sheet of paper with the rest of the words.

aeration fallow foliage pasture (un)sowed controlling (pests) erode (over)grazed plant spray

cultivation exposure grow plough/plow store cut feed harvest pollination tillage decomposable fertile irrigated ripe weathering

verb noun adjective meaning / synonym

aerate aeration aerated (v) circulate air

Can you think of examples of present local/global environmental issues connected to agriculture? Discuss climate change, deforestation, genetic engineering, irrigation problems, soil/water/air pollution, soil degradation, waste etc. and use suitable words from above.

Skills / Reading: THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE/ORGANIC AGRICULTURE Starter: What is the difference between organic food and industrially produced food?

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Vocabulary from the text (before reading the text) Which words, terms and groups of words below express the positives of sustainable agriculture and the negatives of industrial agriculture?

harm the environment guarantee / make sure controlled by corporations safe for consumers threaten human health

managed responsibly economies are supported in cramped conditions create jobs tended with respect

consume a natural diet reduce biodiversity without using antibiotics generate pollutants / waste without access to the outdoors

Understanding the text Read both texts on the previous page and discuss the differences between sustainable/organic agriculture and industrial agriculture. Use the words and expressions listed above.

Grammar from the text: CONNECTIVES

Study the highlighted connectives and adverbs in the text. Match the corresponding halves in the table, then use the corresponding halves and connectives below to form meaningful sentences.

although because but on the other hand similarly/correspondingly therefore/so unfortunately

Many environmental organizations are trying to protect

African elephants...

Some areas of the world are harmed by serious floods.

Sustainable farmers manage livestock waste responsibly...

The global temperature is increasing...

Industrial activities produce a lot of greenhouse gases.

...human activities produce huge amounts of greenhouse

gases.

...they protect the local area from harmful substances.

Agriculture significantly contributes to their production.

...poachers still kill thousands of them.

Other areas are dramatically affected by lack of water.

Grammar from the text: THE PASSIVE

Compare the sentences below. What is the difference?

Sustainable farms create new jobs. Animals can move freely and consume a natural diet. Sustainable farmers grow fruits and vegetables that are safer for consumers.

Unfortunately, most food is produced on industrial farms. Crops are grown without using toxic chemical pesticides.

Biodiversity is protected by growing a variety of plants, and using crop rotation.

How do we form the passive in English? Fill in the two boxes below.

Find all examples of the passive in the text. Fill in the table with proper forms.

Active Passive

Present simple Coal power plants produce emissions of SO2.

Past simple

Future

Present perfect

Present continuous

Past continuous

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Summary and feedback

Discuss the differences between sustainable/organic agriculture and industrial agriculture. Speak about present local/global environmental issues connected to agriculture.

Vocabulary to remember

Grammar practice: THE PASSIVE Transform the following active sentences into the passive form.

1. Poachers have killed more than 500,000 African elephants since 2000.

2. Chemical factories are producing large amounts of harmful waste liquids.

3. When did they build the Temelín power station?

4. Human activities destroy natural habitats.

5. Hopefully, people will use more renewable sources of energy in the future.

6. The researchers were recording changes of temperatures every hour.

Describe regular agricultural activities for each month in the scheme; use the passive form in different tenses and the phrases in the box.

Adjectives: Verbs: guarantee spread (manure) erosion cramped (conditions) apply (fertilizer) harvest store exposure decomposable cart (straw) house (livestock) threaten foliage fertile combine irrigate till harvest (genetically) modified control (pests) make (hay) (animal) husbandry organic cut plant Nouns: livestock (over)grazed erode/degrade plough/plow access (to) pasture responsible/y fallow reduce (biodiversity) aeration tillage ripe feed sow crop weathering (un)sowed grow (crops) spray cultivation (animal) welfare

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

apply liquid fertiliser

cart straw

combine / harvest cereals

feed livestock

harvest potatoes

house livestock

irrigate

make hay

plant potatoes

plough / till

spray fields

sow wheat

spread slurry (manure)

In January, the livestock is…

In February, fields are…