Big Yields and Big Prospects for Organic Farming in the United States

		NEWSLETTER			SUBSCRIBE
		DISCUSSIONS			CUSTOMER SERVICE
		VIDEO CENTER			Marketplace
		IN THIS ISSUE			Promotions

HOME	\|	GROWING A - Z	\|	OG SOLUTIONS	\|	LANDSCAPING	\|	COMPOST & SOIL	\|	ORGANIC LIVING

Lawncare Garden Design Trees & Shrubs Wildlife

FREE Trial Issue!
	test

IN SEASON
	Visit OrganicGardening.com to sign up for our free weekly newsletters: In Season offers timely articles and projects, and Garden to Table delivers ideas and recipes for seasonal produce. Sign up now.

Gardening Events
	A state-by-state listing of gardening events in your area!

:: Home > Landscaping >

Marketplace
	This is the classified ads section of the site. Happy Shopping!

Big Yields and Big Prospects for Organic Farming in the United States

Why organic agriculture may have a better shot at becoming mainstream

By Lauren Sloane

There's good news in the epic battle between organic and conventional farming. A recent study by Cornell University demonstrates that in the world of agriculture, nice guys might not always finish last. After all, the university's study demonstrates that organic farming produces the same yield of corn and soybeans as conventional farms in a more cost-effective and ecologically friendly manner.

In an extensive 22-year review of the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial, the longest running comparison of organic and conventional farming in the country, Cornell Professor David Pimentel found that pesticide and chemical-free organic growing techniques use 30 percent less fossil fuel energy and less water to produce the same corn and soybean output. Pimentel, an expert on agriculture and ecology, also concluded that organic farming conserves more biological resources, enhances soil quality and organic soil content more effectively, and induces less soil erosion than its popular alternative. Soil nitrogen levels also increased by 8 to 15 percent in the organic farming system.

The study compared a conventional farm that applied recommended quantities of pesticides and fertilizer, an animal-based organic farm that applied manure, and a legume-based organic farm that practiced crop rotation. To compare the productivity and ecological health of these operations, researchers analyzed soil fungi activity, energy efficiency rates, economic cost, fluctuations in organic content, crop yields, soil moisture, and microbial activity.

Most surprisingly, the Cornell study revealed that organic agriculture might also help to counteract global warming. Because organic systems retain large amounts of carbon in the soil, these farming operations may effectively remove as much as 3,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per hectare out of the ambient air.

While organic agriculture proves to have several environmental advantages over convention farming, effective results may require a bit of patience on the part of farmers. Organic farming was equally as effective as conventional techniques for producing corn, barley, wheat, and soybeans. However, it may not be as advantageous when growing other popular crops like potatoes, cherries, apples, and grapes. Further, during the first four years of the study, organic corn yields were not comparable to conventional output, showing that it may take time for certain organically-grown crops to become more ecologically and economically profitable than their conventional counterparts.

Save up to 27%: subscribe to Organic Gardening...

PLUS get a free gift and a FREE book! Click here now.

CATEGORIES:	Home Growing A - Z OG Solutions Landscaping Compost & Soil Organic Living
SERVICES:	Discussions Magazine Subscriptions Gift Subscriptions Newsletter
HELP:	Customer Service Contact Us
CORPORATE:	Rodale Inc Advertising Your Privacy Rights
OTHER RODALE SITES:	Bicycling.com Runner's World Running Times Women's Health Mountain Bike Prevention Men's Health Rodale