Organic triumph
checking in with the longest-running us experiment in organic-versus-conventional farming techniques, a recent study has concluded that organic approaches may be preferable for crops such as corn, soybeans, and many grains. While the review of the 22-year Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial has found these crops offer more stable long-term yields that roughly equal those from conventional techniques, the organic processes also use 30 per cent less energy, less water, and no pesticides.
Published in Bioscience (Vol 55, No 7, July, 2005), the study was a collaboration among Cornell University, the University of Maryland, the us Department of Agriculture and the Rodale Institute. Researchers compared three farms: one conventional operation using fertiliser and pesticides, as well as two organic operations