A comprehensive study by two Washington State U scientists “finds organic agriculture is more profitable for farmers than conventional agriculture,” says a WSU release. Researchers David Crowder and John Reganold said organic food sells at a premium compared to conventionally grown commodities, so organic growers can make as much, or more, money despite lower yields.
The price advantage could be as low as 5 percent and organic farmers could make as much money as a conventional grower with yields that were as much as 18 percent lower, say the researchers. WSU quoted soil scientist Reganold as saying, “That was a big surprise to me. It means that organic agriculture has room to grow; there’s room for premiums to go down over time. But what we’ve found is that the premiums have held pretty steady over the 40 years represented in the study.”
Crowder said the meta-analysis, which looked at 44 studies, was the first known large-scale synthesis of economic sustainability of organic vs conventional agriculture. WSU says the study examined yield and economic data for crops grown as part of a rotational system, in addition to data for single crops. “The study included profit data for multiple crops grown over several seasons, a more accurate reflection of how farmers profit from agriculture,” said WSU.
In the abstract of their study, the researchers say, “With only 1 percentof the global agricultural land in organic production, our findings suggest that organic agriculture can continue to expand even if premiums decline. Furthermore, with their multiple sustainability benefits, organic farming systems can contribute a larger share in feeding the world”