Study Highlights Benefits of Organic Agriculture for Pollinator Health, Building on Existing Research
Researchers in Germany and Brazil investigated the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes in organic and non-organic areas in “bee hotels,” finding that there is a positive correlation between organically managed fields and numerous indicators of improved pollinator health, including an “increase in bee abundance, species richness, and diversity.” This study, published in Global Ecology and Conservation, builds on the breadth of existing research in recent years that underscores the adverse public health and biodiversity effects associated with a food system that is drenched in synthetic chemicals, as well as additional evidence of the ecological and economic benefits of organic agriculture.
Increasing the share of organic farming leads to healthier, more diverse soils, international study finds
An international team led by University of Alicante (UA) scientists has found that increasing the share of organic farming may improve crop yields and help maintain soil health and biodiversity. Published in the journal Nature Sustainability, the study concludes that landscapes with at least 50% organic farming optimize crop yields, soil biodiversity and key ecosystem functions such as carbon storage, nutrient cycling and water regulation.
Regenerative Organic Certified emerges as one of food’s fastest-growing labels
‘The bottom line is, if we don’t have healthy soils, we are not going to have healthy plants … and we are not going to be healthy ourselves’
Schools pilots show how organic produce can insulate against global shocks
That was the conclusion of the latest Bridging the Gap report from Sustain, which argues that integrating more organic fruit and veg into school meals could drive a substantial market for UK growers.
Choosing to buy organic food depends more on trust than taste – what our new study in the UK and Japan shows
Organic food belongs to a curious category that economists call “credence goods”. These are the products whose key qualities can’t be verified even after you’ve bought them. There’s no way that you can tell by looking at, tasting or cooking a food item whether it was genuinely produced to organic standards. Instead, you have to take it on trust.
