High-yield agriculture has had a bum rap

Recent studies show that, contrary to media reports, intensive farming is better for the environment than ‘old-fashioned’ methods and is key to feeding a growing world population

by JIM DALRYMPLE

For years, the news media have attacked “intensive” farming practices and exploited the term “factory farming” to malign the key components of modern agriculture. 
But a recent report from Stanford University in the United States brought 
a positive message to much-maligned mainstream agriculture. It indicated that conventional high-yield farming is far better for the planet than low-yield farming.

Better Farming - January 2011