by Usha Krishnan

Created on: April 30, 2008   Last Updated: May 07, 2008

With the decline in the amount of farming land available, more and more farms are struggling to keep afloat. On the other hand, farms that do go either organic or install Eco friendly measures, have been shown to have an increase in sales. In certain areas, they can also take advantage of government and industry subsidies geared towards promoting an ecologically sustainable business.

Farms interested in going green can start small with some or all of the following measures:

1. GREEN FUEL:
While purchasing vehicles, remember that hybrids are not the only Eco friendly options available. Diesel engine powered farm vehicles can be run on biodiesel or straight vegetable oil (SVO). Biodiesel can be made from crops such as soya bean, making it a renewable resource.

2. CUT BACK ON FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES:
Farms can look at alternative options to synthetic fertilizers, such as following the increasing popular "integrated pest management' principles or using natural organic management systems such as compost, to enhance soil fertility.

3. GO ORGANIC:
Not only are organic farms seeing an increase in sales, but since organic farming tends to be more labor intensive, more jobs are created and less fossil fuels used. Having said this, large organic farms will still probably need to be mechanized in order to be profitable.

4. CONSERVE WATER:
The options are endless, from simply installing gray water gadgets and rainwater barrels to capture excess water, to installing new efficient pumps which consume less energy.

5. CHANGE LIGHTING:
Farms consume a lot of electricity by way of lighting and switching to Eco friendly options will make a great difference in terms of energy and money saved. Some energy saving, long lasting options are CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs, LED bulbs and Halogen bulbs.

In addition, light energy can be conserved by setting auto timers and installing motion sensors, lighting only work zones, using dimming controllers and using energy efficient heat lamps or heat pads.

6. PLANT TREES
Trees were once seen as a hindrance to agricultural production, as it felt they occupied what could be productive land. Today, well planned tree planting is widely recognized as a partial means of restoring a balance, improving drainage, providing shade and shelter to both crops and stock, providing extra fodder and improving the environment. Farms can also plant trees which can be used in timber harvesting, to bring in an additional income.

7. CONSERVE ENERGY:
Depending on the kind

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