I think the Permaculture movement has a lot to offer in advocating between the needs of agriculture and the impact on our planet, even though it is dramatically different than conventional “agriculture” because of its small community orientation. The word Permaculture was coined in the 1970s, and conceptually blends permanent agriculture with as permanent culture. It aims to emulate the structure and interrelationship found in natural ecologies and advocates sustainability. It does not take lightly “adding” chemicals and unnatural processes because of its awareness of the unknown impact of chemical and environmental impact.
Other ways to balance the needs of agriculture and the impact of our planet:
- To have an understanding that actions (even seemingly innocuous actions) can have multiple results and the intended effect is not going to be the only result.
- To advocate, support and create policies that research the impact of agricultural processes.
- To establish a dialogue and more visibility between agriculture and environmental impact.
- As individuals to be educated and accountable for our choices in consumption. To find ways of supporting more sustainable agricultural practices.
Tao Within Massage 
Im with you. Oddly enough, after much global conditioning that anything modern has been an improvement is a difficult concept to shake. To many, greater ease and convenience has come from the modern age. However, a great disconnect has occurred between one and his/her environment at the expense of convenience.
That we have the technology and orchestration to pull off the global order at present is astonishing. But for people and particularly businesses to grow back toward root is no simple thing, even if mostly eating local and organically has been only thing humanity has known for all time. Still there is much attached to businesses…further than that, it will take willingness of this country’s people to work land. This is removed from the current mainstream couch-potato climate-controlled setting our culture has grown towards.