A study from Japan confirms that bird diversity is greater on organic versus conventional farms.  The study fills a gap in our knowledge about the impacts of perennial organic systems, such as orchards, in preserving biodiversity. Many studies have shown that annual organic farming systems are beneficial for a wide range of plants and animals, […]

Opponents to organic often cite the benefits of pesticide use, such as controlling pests and increasing yields.  However, economic models rarely incorporate hidden and external costs of pesticide use on human health and environmental consequences. A study published in Sustainable Agriculture Reviews estimates the costs of these negative impacts. In this study, researchers analyzed 61 […]

A new study published in the journal Nature Plants analyzed the environmental impact of the complete supply chain for producing a loaf of bread. The study found that more than half of the total environmental impact occurred during wheat cultivation. Moreover, the use of ammonium nitrate fertilizer on wheat crops was responsible for the majority […]

A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Management assessed energy usage and yields for organic and conventional rice production systems in the Piemonte region of Italy and in Missouri. Researchers collected data on both direct and indirect energy usage for 12 farms. Direct measures of energy use included the amount of fuel and […]

Unfortunately, we rarely are exposed to a single pesticide residue at a time. Most products are sprayed with a cocktail of chemicals, and, according to new research, these cocktails can often have a synergistic negative effect on human health, where the sum of the adverse effects is greater than the additive effects of the individual […]