Features and values of agricultural biology ethics

Agricultural biology ethics involve the moral judgement and understanding of livestock, crops, and trees. They are the norms and rules for sustainable development in crop farming, animal husbandry, and tree plantation. Agricultural biology ethics in China are rich in ecological wisdom and morals, i.e., loving animals, free rearing and grazing, harvesting the surplus and recycling the resources in animal husbandry; emphasizing time suitability, stressing land availability and bench-marking the limit of utilization in crop farming, highlighting ecological protection (especially biodiversity conservation) in tree plantation, coexistence and compensation in integrated crop-livestock-tree production systems. These ethics are valuable for promoting sustainable development of modern agriculture in China. To cope with the serious eco-environmental problems at present, it is important to strengthen the guiding role of agricultural biology ethics in agricultural production, develop modern high-efficiency agriculture, integrate the management of mountains, water, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands, and promote ecological civilization construction and rural vitalization strategies.