University of Manitoba: Natural Systems Agriculture: What is Natural Systems Agriculture?
University of Manitoba Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences Department of Plant Science

What is
Natural Systems Agriculture?

Critical Elements of Natural Systems Agriculture

Three critical elements of an agricultural system based on natural processes are perenniality, diversity and animal integration.

Perenniality
Both the tallgrass prairie and mixed prairie systems contain mostly perennial plants (grasses, forbs and some trees). Therefore, agricultural systems that attempt to mimic natural systems should also include a high degree of perenniality. Perenniality can be included by including perennial plants in the rotation, using only perennial plants or "perennializing" the annual grain cropping system through the use of cover crops.

Diversity
The native prairie ecosystem contains many different plant types including grasses, legumes, composites, etc. We recognize the need for diversity in sustainable cropping systems. For example, crop rotation is a simple form of diversity that has been recognized by agronomists for at least 2,000 years.

Animal Integration

Sir Albert Howard claimed that "Mother earth never attempts to farm without live stock." Native prairie ecosystems historically included vast herds of grazing animals. Livestock integration in modern farming systems is especially important for nutrient cycling, but many other benefits such as weed control options and soil improvement may also be realized.

About Natural Systems Agriculture

"If the world is a mine, then 'smart resource management' is a logical answer. If the world is a source of hope, as the ancients believed, then a research agenda based on the way the world has worked for millions of years becomes logical."

Wes Jackson
(Foreword in Farming in Nature's Image,
Soule and Piper, 1992)

The notion of "Farming in Nature's Image" has been around for thousands of years. Poet Wendell Berry has traced the literary and scientific history of this work. He begins by citing the book of Job. Others have followed...

"Nature is the norm."

Hyde Bailey, Dean of Agriculture, Cornell University (1905).

"Nature is the supreme farmer."

Sir Albert Howard (1940).

"We naturally suppose, having grown up with this particular farming system, that it will go on, forever."

Stan Rowe, in Homeplace: Essays on ecology (1990).

In prairie Canada, natural systems agriculture remains a goal rather than a reality. Currently, inputs are at the centre rather than having the farming system as the centre. All is built on the system – the possibilities are ultimately determined by the nature of the farming system.

Most of our current efforts to make agriculture more sustainable focus on "accumulating the best from tradition" (Wes Jackson, Land Institute). Jackson states that "Natural systems agriculture is 'profoundly different' from what usually passes for sustainable agriculture, which means reducing use of agrochemicals."

Why then do we use the term "Natural systems agriculture" to describe our work? First, we are committed to a fundamental change in the way agriculture is practiced. Second, we believe that using nature as the standard is the best approach for building this new agricultural system. Finally, Canadian prairie farmers have a strong conservation ethic, and have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to the land and to "farming in nature’s image". Farmers are active partners in our research.

Copyright and Liability

This page created April 2008.
Last updated May 2011.

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