The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Survey: farmers who focus on soil health report more profitability, less stress, greater satisfaction than other farmers

A 2019 survey of farmers in South Dakota has found that those who use soil health practices report increased profitability, more resilience to extreme weather, less stress, and greater satisfaction with farming than farmers who don’t use soil health practices. This 2019 farmer/rancher stress survey was conducted by South Dakota State University for the South […]

Is Regenerative Agriculture Profitable? New study says it is

Regenerative agriculture is a growing trend in the United States and worldwide. The primary goal of regenerative agriculture is to rebuild soil health, a key solution to sequestering atmospheric carbon to help mitigate climate change. Many farmers are adopting regenerative agriculture practices such as no-till, cover crops, and diverse crop rotations. But is regenerative agriculture […]

Organic Trade Association to hold fraud prevention program

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently announced a comprehensive, specially designed anti-fraud online training course, created by Michigan State in partnership with OTA. The course will be available for members of the association’s Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions program. The course, “Developing and Implementing an Organic Fraud Prevention Plan,” has been tailored specifically for organic operations, […]

South Dakota man indicted for $71 million organic grain fraud

The second large-scale organic fraud case in the Midwest in under a year has highlighted ongoing concern. Between 2012 and 2018, businessman Kent Duane Anderson deceived food distributors and brokers into believing his non-organic grains and seeds were organic. Fifty-year-old Anderson pocketed $11 million ($25 million profit) and purchased a multi-million dollar Florida home, an […]

Organic farmers and non-profits sue USA over loophole for hydroponics

The Center for Food Safety (CFS), along with a coalition of organic farms and stakeholders, filed a lawsuit over the United States Department of Agriculture’s decision to allow hydroponic operations to be certified organic. “Hydroponic operations have their own unique benefits, but they do not enrich the soil, which is the very foundation of organic agriculture,” said […]