White Gold
As stories of supply chain issues begin to surface, there’s an underlying fear emerging amongst farmers. It feeds easily into the clickbait algorithms vying for our attention, but for most farmers, that fear has never been far from the surface.
It sits at the very foundation of what we grow. It’s embedded in the DNA of our crops. It is the cornerstone of photosynthesis and a critical step in plant growth.
Nitrogen.
For me, there is something both ironic and fascinating about our relationship with an element that makes up roughly 79% of the air we breathe. It offers a lens into where we may be heading, and like many things in human history, it begins with learning from nature.
Learning From Nature
Over 6000 years ago, in the cradle of civilisation and later in the jungles of Mexico, early agricultural systems began working with nitrogen rather than extracting it.
Archaeological evidence shows that people planted pulses and legumes to naturally capture nitrogen from the atmosphere and improve crop yields. These plants form a unique symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, allowing them to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form.
For centuries, shepherds and their flocks were valued not just for meat or milk, but for the fertility they brought to the land. Their manure helped cycle nutrients back into grain fields and orchards, supporting long-term soil health.
From Natural Cycles to Industrial Systems
As history often shows, we found a way to commodify this natural process.
What began with guano mining evolved into the large-scale industrial synthesis of nitrogen using natural gas. Today, nitrogen fertiliser production is a global system involving extraction, compression, international shipping, and energy-intensive processing.
In Australia, this still often involves gas extracted through fracking, sent overseas for processing, and then shipped back for use on farms.
The energy cost alone is immense, especially when considering that nitrogen is already abundant in the air around us.
The Environmental Cost of Synthetic Nitrogen
Beyond energy use, the environmental consequences are significant.
Even under ideal conditions, it’s estimated that only a fraction of applied synthetic nitrogen is actually used by crops. The remainder moves through the environment in ways that are difficult to control.
- Runoff enters waterways, damaging aquatic ecosystems
- Algal blooms form, choking rivers and reducing oxygen levels
- Water quality declines, affecting both ecosystems and communities
- Nitrous oxide is released into the atmosphere, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide
These impacts are not theoretical. They are visible in waterways, coastlines, and farming regions across Australia.
The Hidden Cost to Plant Health
For many regenerative and organic farmers, the most concerning impact is less visible.
Natural nutrient cycling is a complex biological process. It involves a living network of microorganisms interacting in the soil, breaking down organic matter and converting nutrients into forms that plants can absorb.
This system doesn’t just feed plants. It builds resilience.
When synthetic nitrogen is introduced, it bypasses this entire network. Nutrients are delivered directly, but without the biological context that supports long-term plant health.
As a result, plants can become more vulnerable to pests and disease, often leading to further chemical inputs.
There is also growing awareness that food produced in simplified systems may not carry the same nutritional complexity as food grown in biologically rich soils.
Rethinking the System
At our farm in Bilpin, in the Blue Mountains, we work to rebuild these natural systems rather than replace them.
This includes:
- integrating legumes and nitrogen-fixing plants
- building soil organic matter
- supporting microbial life in the soil
- reducing reliance on external inputs
It’s not about rejecting progress, but about recognising where nature already provides a solution.
If you’re interested in seeing how these systems work in practice, you can explore our farm tours or learn more about regenerative growing methods in the Blue Mountains.
The story of nitrogen is not just about fertiliser. It’s about our relationship with the natural world, and whether we choose to work with it, or try to out-engineer it.
