ABSTRACT
The associations with agricultural sustainability that have been selected are: cropping systems, production, energy, soils and pests. A typical prescription for agricultural sustainability includes the following: crop rotation, crop and livestock diversification, nutrient recycling, natural pest control, soil conservation, and low use of fertilizer, pesticide, fossil fuel and irrigation. Economic viability is revenue less costs. However, farmers and their families may have a diverse range of income, only part of which may be derived from farm production. The maintenance of production over time is often seen as a key feature of agricultural sustainability. The measurement of agricultural production from a farm is relatively easy in more simplified systems–those generally deemed to be less sustainable. Soil organic matter content is a component of soil quality that is particularly common in the literature on agricultural sustainability as it has a major influence on soil structure and soil fertility.
