The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Friend or foe? Environmental advocates eye Kennedy nomination warily

By Shannon Kelleher In the wake of last month’s announcement that President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), some leading environmental and public health advocates say they’ve found themselves in a “weird” position. On the one hand, Kennedy is a lifelong environmental […]

Kansas State study finds: Treating soil with organic fertilizers leads to more carbon storage

As climate-related events become increasingly common and destructive, the urgency to find ways to capture carbon is ramping up. Kansas State University scientists recently studied the impact of different farming practices on carbon storage, concluding that soil management practices using manure/compost fertilizers store more carbon than soil treated with chemical or no fertilizer. “We were […]

Biodiversity benefits from switching to organic take time to accrue

A Lund University, Sweden, study suggests that it takes several decades to reap benefits of growing organic crops on land previously using conventional practices. Researchers from Lund University wanted to know how long it takes biodiversity markers to recover after the switch to organic growing—and how significant the recovery would be. The study looked at […]

$3.34 million USDA grant will forward organic poultry industry

Nearly 2,000 farms comprise the U.S. organic poultry industry, according to 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, this sector still faces numerous obstacles, including disease management, feed availability, production efficiency, food safety, and effective marketing. University of Connecticut assistant professor Abhinav Upadhyay will lead a research team using a $3.34 million U.S. Department […]

Most consumers are unfamiliar or only slightly familiar with regenerative agriculture

By Steve Koppes Many members of the public lack familiarity with the farming methods known as regenerative agriculture, according to Purdue University’s August 2024 Consumer Food Insights Report (CFI). The survey-based report out of Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability (CFDAS) assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information […]