The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Certified organic packaged foods offer healthier profile with fewer processed ingredients linked to disease

When it comes to processed packaged foods, does it pay to purchase organic? A new peer-reviewed study by Environmental Working Group says it does. The study analyzed over 80,000 foods—8,240 organic and 72,205 conventional—and discovered fewer ingredients in organic products linked to negative health impacts. Packaged foods comprise over 60% of calories consumed in the […]

Dicamba herbicide continues to harm crops, as tension mounts between farmers, industry

Incidents of off-target injury from dicamba spray and drift have risen for the fifth consecutive year across the Midwest and South—and conflicts between farmers who rely on dicamba for weed control and those whose crops are suffering from damage are getting heated. The EPA approved new labels and registration for three dicamba products—but despite new […]

One-third of Illinois farmland owners have interest in organic practices

Nearly a third of Illinois farmland owners said they have had more interest in organic practices, and this trend continues to pick up interest, according to a recent survey by Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ISPFMRA). The surprising finding was one of responses in the survey, which also found that Illinois […]

New scorecard reports 10 major U.S. food retailers’ progress on protecting bees from toxic pesticides

Giant Eagle, Whole Foods, and Walmart take top positions on Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard Friends of the Earth recently released its latest Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard, ranking 25 of the largest US grocery retailers on pesticides and pollinator protection in their food and beverage supply chains. Ten retailers improved their scores since last year, with Giant Eagle, Whole Foods, and Walmart ranking […]

Greenhouse gas emissions lower in organic wheat production than conventional

A recent study illustrates that organic farming emits fewer greenhouse gases than conventional, carrying lower global warming potential. Published in Soil Science Society of America Journal, the research focused on winter wheat under a five-year rotation with leguminous crops including alfalfa and lentils. The organic system incorporated livestock to manage weeds and soil fertility; chemical […]