Organic Farming and Food

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 […]

Himalayan Agroecology Initiative: Pioneering sustainable food systems in India, Bhutan, and Nepal

Agriculture in the Himalayas has received a boost with a multi-stakeholder initiative to fortify the resilience of farmers dealing with climate crisis impacts. Backed by global think tank World Future Council and IFOAM – Organics International (https://www.ifoam.bio), the Himalayan Agroecology Initiative (HAI) (https://www.ifoam.bio/himalayan-agroecology-initiative-pioneering-sustainable) will enhance biodiversity, favor sustainable agriculture practices, create strong value chains, and […]

Lower organic yields dampen the upside of environmental and climate cost savings, German study finds

Though organic agriculture yields still lag behind conventional, organic farming could save as much as $4.33 billion in climate and environmental costs, a ten-year German study has found. The EU aims for organic farming to occupy 25% of arable land by 2030. The Munich Technical University study included data from 40 organic and 40 conventional […]

I’ve been a farmworker all my life. Here’s why you should buy organic food

Rudy Arredondo, founder and president of the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association, knows firsthand the “blow” of toxic chemicals. At age twelve, he worked to direct crop-dusting planes onto fields, and felt the impact of the toxic spray. At times with no protection, farmworkers have unwittingly exposed themselves to chemicals, resulting in chronic, […]

Danish consumers are “world champions” of organic food, report says

Organic food sales are rising steadily worldwide with Denmark leading the field, according to a report from Swiss research institute Agriculture FiBL. In 2017, 13.3 percent of Denmark’s total food sales were organic produce; Sweden and Switzerland followed, at 9.1 percent and 9.0 percent, respectively. Total global sales of organic reached $97 billion in 2017. […]