The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Clemson aims to boost organic rice production in salty coastal region

Developing salt-tolerant rice cultivars is the mission of the Clemson University-led project iCORP (Increasing Coastal Organic Rice Production). South Carolina’s premier rice, “Carolina Gold”—a culinary staple in Southern regional circles since colonial times—has been in scant supply for years. Its former land has experienced saltwarer intrusion, changing it to marshy wetland unsuitable for agriculture. Clemson […]

Delaware Valley University receives organic farming grant

The Organic Farming Program of Delaware Valley University (DelVal) has received a major investment—a grant from the William Hearst Foundation. The funds will enable the school to offer summer programming for the Organic Farming Certificate Program (OFCP) and boost marketing for the Organic Farming Program. The OFCP is prioritizing the next generation of organic farmers […]

Organic soybeans remain a hot topic in early 2022 prompting interest in alternatives

With continually rising organic soybean prices remaining a key point of market concern, the question for many becomes which alternative source of organic protein makes the most sense in the current market? This month we explore supply, pricing, and potential substitutes for organic proteins in the Mercaris Monthly Market Update. Soybeans remain a primary source […]

Public interest groups push court to expedite lawsuit over EPA’s dicamba approval

Center for Food Safety, Center for Biological Diversity, Pesticide Action Network, and National Family Farm Coalition filed a motion to speed up their litigation challenging the legality of EPA’s 2020 registration of dicamba pesticide uses on cotton and soybeans. In December 2021, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report declared widespread harm to farmers and endangered […]

Flowering cover crops offer a win-win: weed suppression and food for pollinators

A recent study found that when cover crops are allowed to flower, not only do they provide vital food for pollinating insects, they also help suppress weeds in future crop rotations. Published in Environmental Entomology, the research compared floral resources, weed diversity, and economic weed abundance in crop fields across five cover crop treatments: one […]