The Rodale Institute has recently press released the results of a rigorous 30-year study:
“Rodale Institute today announces the latest results of the Farming Systems Trial, America’s longest running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming practices. Originally created to study the transition from conventional to organic production, this 30-year study also examined productivity, soil quality, energy and economics.
Key findings show:
* Organic yields match or surpass conventional yields.
* Organic yields outperform conventional yields in years of drought.
* Organic farming systems build rather than deplete soil organic matter, making it a more sustainable system.
* Organic farming uses 45 percent less energy and is more efficient.
* Conventional agricultural systems produce 40 percent more greenhouse gases.
* Organic farming systems are more profitable than conventional farming systems.
After 30 years of a rigorous side-by-side comparison, the Rodale Institute confidently concludes that organic methods are improving the quality of our food, the health of our soils and water, and the conditions of our nation’s rural areas.”
