The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Being near pollinator habitat boosts soybean size

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that soybean crops planted near pollinator habitat produce larger soybeans than soybean crops that are not planted near pollinator habitat. “Even though soybeans are not thought of as being dependent on pollinators, we found that soybean plants are still attractive to bees,” says Hannah Levenson, a postdoctoral […]

Intercropping and sustainable farming practices increase soil carbon reserves

Sustainable agriculture arises as a key strategy to reach the Objectives of Sustainable Development of the 2030 Agenda, which seeks to reduce poverty and hunger, and deal with climate change while preserving natural resources. In this respect, the increase in soil organic carbon reserves can represent an important step towards the development of more sustainable agricultural systems. Bearing in […]

Soil Health Institute offers sustainable cotton internship for students of historically Black colleges and universities

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) recently announced the first U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund (USRCF) internship class, to create career paths for underrepresented students in sustainable U.S. cotton production. Launched with a grant from the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation in 2021, the goal is to eliminate one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the […]

Udall Foundation honors student for regenerative agriculture project

Gavrielle Welbel is one of three Yale undergraduates named as Udall Scholars for contributions to environmental protection work. Fifty-five students were chosen nationally, based on career commitment to environment, tribal public policy, or Native health care—and for leadership potential and a record of public service and academic achievement. Welbel studied mechanical engineering and earth and […]

Who trusts and distrusts gene-edited foods? New study gauges public acceptance

Through CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies, researchers and developers are poised to bring dozens—if not hundreds—of new products to grocery stores with claims of benefits: mushrooms with longer shelf lives, drought-resistant corn and bananas impervious to a fungus threatening the global supply. A few, including a soybean variety that produces a supposedly healthier cooking oil, […]