organic farming
Organic ‘hot spots’ are economic boost, says white paper
A white paper commissioned by the Organic Trade Association says organic "hot spots" have higher household incomes and lower poverty rates than rural counties in general. The author of the white paper, Penn State economist Edward Jaenicke, says, "The growing market interest in organic agriculture can be leveraged into effective policy for economic development."
Organic sales leap 11 percent in one year for another sales record
Thanks to seemingly unquenchable consumer demand, the U.S. organic industry tallied sales of $43.3 billion in 2015, up 11 percent from the previous year and the latest in a string of records.
Organic is big in Yuma County; blight-resistant potatoes in UK
Organic farms operate 1 percent of U.S. cropland, so Yuma County in the southwestern corner of Arizona is exceptional. As much as 12 percent of farmland in the county is in organic production, reports the Yuma Sun, up from an estimated 7 percent in 2012.
Eating organic won’t keep you safe from pesticides, but it helps
What kind of produce you eat makes all the difference in your pesticide exposure, says a paper out by Consumer Reports. For example, “eating one serving of green beans from the U.S. is 200 times riskier than eating a serving of U.S.-grown broccoli.”
Monsanto eyes Hawaii’s sugar fields as the last harvest comes in
Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company (HC&S) is facing a $30 million revenue loss from 2015 with worse projections to come, says The Guardian.
New crop pest, the allium leafminer, found in south-central Pennsylvania
The allium leafminer, a tiny but destructive insect, was identified in leeks and onions in Lancaster County in south-central Pennsylvania, say Penn State entomologists. "This is the first confirmed infestation in the Western Hemisphere."
Cornucopia Institute sues USDA, claiming corporate takeover of organic board
The Cornucopia Institute—an organic watchdog group—has filed a lawsuit against the USDA, claiming that the agency stacked the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) with agribusiness representatives, instead of farmers.
USDA proposes mandated outdoor access for organic poultry
After years of development, the USDA proposed stronger housing and welfare rules for organic livestock that include group housing for swine and year-round access for poultry to the outdoors.
U.S. tally of organic producers grows 12 percent in a year
While a small fraction of U.S. agriculture, the number of certified organic operations is climbing at the fastest rate since 2008. The USDA says there are 21,781 organic operations, up 12 percent in a year. The United States accounts for two-thirds of the organic producers worldwide. "Organic food is one of the fastest-growing segments of American agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
What will happen to Cuba’s large organic farm sector?
U.S. farm groups see Cuba, with its $2-billion-a-year grocery list, as a neighborhood market for American-grown food. Less attention has been given to the impact of stepped-up food and agriculture trade, says Timeline.
Study: Organic farming has lower yields, but sustainable benefits
While organic agriculture yields less than conventional farming systems, it surpasses on a wide spectrum of sustainability benefits, a review study published in Nature Plants found.
New crop insurance provision will aid transition to organic farming
It takes three years for farmers to transition a farm from conventional agriculture to certified organic production, a substantial hurdle. To make the transition a bit easier, USDA is expanding the Contract Price Addendum for crop insurance.
Few African-American farmers in organic movement
"If organic farming is at the forefront of American agriculture, many black farmers are still catching up," says Civil Eats, citing USDA surveys that found 116 black-owned farms among 14,093 certified organic farms.
FDA sets food safety rules for produce farms
Fruit and vegetable growers will have as long as six years to comply with a landmark FDA rule that, for the first time, sets food safety standards for produce farms.
White paper calls for organic, IPM partnership
Organic farmers and producers who use integrated pest management to control weeds, disease and insect have overlapping interests, says a white paper that calls for collaboration between the groups.
Organic ag strongest in West Coast, Northeast, upper Midwest
Organic farms and ranches are clustered mostly on the West Coast, the Northeast and the upper Midwest, says the first USDA survey of producers since 2008.
Recruiting growers to go organic as sales surge
Grocers, restaurants and other companies that use organic foods "have turned to creative strategies for wooing prospective farmers and ranchers," says the Des Moines Register.
Flavorful “petite peaches” a result of water shortage
Organic grower David Masumoto, who farms near Fresno, tells the Los Angeles Times, "We've been experimenting with this petite peach method this year, where we're cutting back water use 30 percent, 40 percent, 50 percent on some select areas of the orchard to see how it responds."
Organic farmers ask for $100 million annual research funding
The 2023 farm bill should gradually scale up federal funding for organic agriculture research and extension to $100 million a year, said the National Organic Coalition on Tuesday. The alliance of farm, environment and consumer groups also said the USDA should dedicate $75 million a year to developing seeds and animal breeds that are adapted to regional climates and soils.