The reasoned agriculture is a agricultural System of production whose main objective is to optimize the economic result by controlling the quantities of Intrant S, and in particular the chemical substances used (Pesticide S, Engrais) with an aim of limiting their impact on the Environnement.

The concept was born from a joint step of FNSEA, Agribusiness industry, agro-pharmaceutical Industrie and Large distribution.

The expression is rather ambiguous because it implies that the traditional Agriculteur S would be deprived of good sense.
Reasoned agriculture proposes the concept of ceiling of effectiveness: beyond of a certain threshold, the means implemented are not profitable any more. The little of output/surface gained is more expensive in economic and ecological term which it does not report.

Thus, although careful as regards use of Input S, reasoned agriculture admits the use of the majority of the techniques of the Agriculture productivist: artificial fertilizers, energy foods for the animals, Selection of the plants and the animals to improve their performances, plant health products of synthesis for the Antibiotic protection of the plants and S for the animals. But it integrates them within a framework of total management of the Farm fascinating of account the whole of the environment physical, social, economic, as well as biological specificities of the territory.

In France, reasoned agriculture is promoted by the group FARRE, Forum of the respectful reasoned agriculture of the environment , which affirms its competitiveness vis-a-vis the Intensive agriculture, while underlining the environmental benefit which accompany it.

Associations comparable with FARRE exist in six other European countries. They gathered within the EISA ( European Initiative for Sustainable development in Agriculture ), but there does not exist European common legislation on this subject.

Reasoned agriculture profits, in France, of an official framework in the shape of a schedule of conditions adopted by the Superior council of orientation and coordination of the agricultural and food economics (CSO) in May 2002. This reference frame includes/understands 98 criteria referring to all the aspects of a total management: formation, traceability, management of waste, occupational safety, fertilization and crop protection, health and wellbeing of the animals, biodiversity, etc They leave a certain freedom of appreciation to the farmer, in a philosophy of responsibility and reasonable management which characterizes this type of agriculture. These restrictions are limited than those imposed on the Organic farming. However, the requirements of reasoned agriculture are to be applied to the whole of the farm (it is a step of company) whereas the schedules of conditions of the organic farming apply only for the production concerned (it is a step produced).

Alliance between the agricultural lobby productivist, that of agrochemicals and the Large distribution makes that reasoned agriculture is at the origin of certain controversies. The opponents with this type of agriculture stress that this one could not be classified like bearable Agriculture, but think nevertheless that it allows a greater sensitizing of the farmers the environmental aspects. Reasoned agriculture could in fact being regarded as a minimum objective to reach. Charge with the consumer seeking with the respectful products with the environment to be satisfied or not this standardization.

See too

• permanent Agriculture

External bond

• FARRE, official site

• official Texts regulating the agriculture reasoned in France (Ministry for Agriculture)

Simple: Integrated Pest Management