The use of organic management practices in field cropping continues to rise globally, and these methods have proven to be a viable way to produce food with reduced resource use and environmental damage. Managing Energy, Nutrients, and Pests in Organic Field Crops challenges the popular misconception that organic systems are weak at managing energy, nutrients, and pests and shows how innovative farm designs can enhance organic performance. It provides information for assessing the current state of knowledge on organic field cropping and for making the systems more viable. Each chapter summarizes the latest data from a wide range of sources, creating a comprehensive and coherent picture of the issues and integrating agronomic, economic, and policy aspects. Many chapters also include recent research from the authors. Section I, Soil Health, examines the importance of phosphorus balance, soil fertility, and tillage reduction. Section II, Pest Management, focuses on integrated weed management and long-term approaches to insect management. Section III, Integrating Approaches, addresses multiple field cropping challenges. Chapters cover the oldest organic rotational trials in Canada, the issue of using cereals bred for conventional systems and more targeted organic cereal breeding strategies, and case studies of a broad spectrum of farming experiences that explore the broader social and ecological landscape. The final section, Economics, Energy, and Policy, examines environmental issues not previously addressed in the text as well as consumer, economic, and rural community matters. It also presents a reprint of an article that describes policies and programs (and their costs) needed to advance adoption of organic farming in Ontario. The text wraps up with key conclusions and a discussion of overarching themes for the book, summarizing the strengths of the available tool box for organic producers and the challenges that remain.

The use of organic management practices in field cropping continues to rise globally, and these methods have proven to be a viable way to produce food with reduced resource use and environmental damage. Managing Energy, Nutrients, and Pests in Organic Field Crops challenges the popular misconception that organic systems are weak at managing energy, nutrients, and pests and shows how innovative farm designs can enhance organic performance. It provides information for assessing the current state of knowledge on organic field cropping and for making the systems more viable. Each chapter summarizes the latest data from a wide range of sources, creating a comprehensive and coherent picture of the issues and integrating agronomic, economic, and policy aspects. Many chapters also include recent research from the authors. Section I, Soil Health, examines the importance of phosphorus balance, soil fertility, and tillage reduction. Section II, Pest Management, focuses on integrated weed management and long-term approaches to insect management. Section III, Integrating Approaches, addresses multiple field cropping challenges. Chapters cover the oldest organic rotational trials in Canada, the issue of using cereals bred for conventional systems and more targeted organic cereal breeding strategies, and case studies of a broad spectrum of farming experiences that explore the broader social and ecological landscape. The final section, Economics, Energy, and Policy, examines environmental issues not previously addressed in the text as well as consumer, economic, and rural community matters. It also presents a reprint of an article that describes policies and programs (and their costs) needed to advance adoption of organic farming in Ontario. The text wraps up with key conclusions and a discussion of overarching themes for the book, summarizing the strengths of the available tool box for organic producers and the challenges that remain.

Members of civil society organizations are among the most vociferouscritics of the modern food system and its crippling effect on thewell-being of people and the environment. Yet even after decades ofcampaigns, governments have failed to address health and sustainabilityissues in a systematic and effective way.

Recognizing that new approaches are in order, Rod MacRae andElisabeth Abergel bring together experts and advocates from diversedisciplinary backgrounds to examine the food system from multipleangles. They conclude that solutions lie not just in lobbying electedofficials but in initiatives at the subparliamentary level. Casestudies on a range of topics -- from breastfeeding to sustainable pestmanagement promotion to the efforts of organizations and programs suchas the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Council and the federalgovernment's Action Plan on Food Security -- tell a story ofmisguided campaigns and missed opportunities.

Real change, this inspiring volume shows, is possible. It will comewhen advocacy groups develop innovative strategies of influencingdecision makers more resistant to public pressure: business lobbieswell connected to government agencies, middle managers, and ministriesunused to collaborating across departmental mandates.

Rod MacRae is an associate professor of food policy inthe Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University.Elisabeth Abergel is a professor in the SociologyDepartment and a member of the Institut des Sciences del'Environnement at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal."

Civil society organizations are among the most vociferous critics of the modern food system. Yet even after decades of campaigns, governments have largely failed to address health and sustainability issues in an effective way. This volume showcases the research of experts from multiple disciplines who argue that solutions lie not just in lobbying elected officials but in initiatives at the subparliamentary level. Real change will come, they argue, when advocacy groups develop innovative strategies capable of influencing decision makers more resistant to public pressure: business lobbies well connected to government agencies, middle managers, and ministries unused to collaborating across departmental mandates.