For biological systems, size and form must follow function and individual elements must conform to their ecological niche. Consequently, the logical and rational response to a new paradigm by most people is rejection. New paradigms emerge when it becomes apparent to some people, not necessarily many, that the old paradigm is incapable of solving some important problems of society. American agriculture provides a prime example of over-application of the industrial paradigm. The early gains of appropriate specialization in agriculture lifted people out of subsistence living and made the American industrial revolution possible.
Sustainable agriculture is the new postindustrial paradigm for American agriculture.
The sustainable agriculture paradigm has emerged to solve problems created by the industrial model, primarily pollution of our environment and degradation of our natural resource base. The future will not be about more and better industrial technology. In the knowledge society into which we are moving, individuals are central. Knowledge is not impersonal, like money. The shift to the knowledge society therefore puts the person in the center.