The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Farmers mentor farmers to make the transition to organic more manageable

In rural Iowa, George and Patti Naylor are a rarity—organic farmers in a landscape dominated by corn and soybeans. George Naylor, a strong voice against GMOs and a former Sierra Club member, has been growing non-GMO corn and soybeans on his family farm in Churdan since 1976. But five years ago, he and his wife, […]

Agroecology the only solution, says Farms of the Future

To feed the world’s people while maintaining a viable planetary ecosystem, French campaign group Farms of the Future believes agroecology—including organic and biodynamic agriculture—is the only way to go. Technology-minded futurists might envision drone-managed precision farming and hydroponic crops grown underground, but FAO rapporteur Olivier de Schutter said we need to adapt our economics to […]

Environmentally friendly farming practices used by nearly 1/3 of world’s farms

Nearly one-third of the world’s farms have adopted more environmentally friendly practices while continuing to be productive, according to a global assessment by 17 scientists in five countries. The researchers analyzed farms that use some form of “sustainable intensification,” a term for various practices, including organic farming, that use land, water, biodiversity, labor, knowledge and […]

Wendell Berry’s Right Kind of Farming

The farmer, essayist and poet Wendell Berry has long argued that today’s agricultural practices are detrimental to ecology, community and the local economies that farms once served. A native Kentuckian, Mr. Berry has written over 40 works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, and has received a Guggenheim fellowship, the National Humanities Medal and the Richard C. Holbrooke […]

Certification experts try to find common ground on ways to regenerate agriculture

Advocates of different certification programs may disagree on the best way to regenerate agriculture but they agree on the goal of soil health as a key to mitigating climate change. That was a key takeaway of “A Regenerative Forum” held at Natural Products Expo East in September. A panel of certification experts discussed their different […]