Organic News

U.S. organic crop acreage increased by 3% in 2022

Non-GMO corn and soybean acres declined USDA-certified organic land is expected to reach nearly 8.7 million acres across the U.S. during 2022, according to organic and non-GMO market data firm Mercaris. “Following a decline in certified organic pasture and rangeland, area dedicated to organic field crop production is expected to account for the largest share […]

Cornell study links sustainable practices to farm size in organic production

A study recently published in Nature Plants surveyed 542 organic fruit and vegetable farmers about the use of eight agroecological practices that promote sustainability. “We wanted to look at how the practices differ between small-scale organic farms… and those huge farms that supply organic produce to big box stores,” said Jeffrey Liebert, PhD, who studied […]

Organic dairy farming can store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, study finds

A new study in the August issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production revealed that farms can sequester carbon and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, as seen through a dairy lifecycle assessment conducted on Organic Valley farms. The University of Wisconsin research found that small organic dairy farms using pastured grazing and organic practices report […]

Italy to invest 3 billion euros to transition 25% of farmland to organic by 2027

Italy plans to invest 3 billion euros (3.06 billion U.S. dollars) to transition 25% of the country’s agricultural land to organic by 2027. The decision to transition the land to organic was spurred by a new study on sustainable strategies to limit the spread of pests and disease in Italy. The study found that organic […]

Two academic leaders in organic agriculture receive recognition and a key position

Erin Silva, who holds the Clif Bar Endowed Chair in Organic Agriculture and Outreach at University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, has been named director of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) for a three-year term. Silva, a plant pathologist, will set priorities for research, outreach, and funding efforts. CIAS’s goal […]