The purpose of this article is to promote more research and education on sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic methods, biological control, and integrated pest managements, including the analysis of economic factors influencing the long-term sustainability of California agriculture. This article is intended to foster economically and ecologically beneficial means of soil improvement, pest management, irrigation, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and marketing for California agriculture based on methods designed to accomplish all of the following:
(a) The control of pests and diseases of agricultural importance through alternatives that reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and petrochemicals.
(b) The production, processing, and distribution of food and fiber in ways that consider the interactions among soil, plants, water, air, animals, tillage, machinery, labor, energy, and transportation to enhance agricultural efficiency, public health, and resource conservation.