Organic News

Study finds conventional rice production has 10 times more negative environmental impacts than organic

A study published recently in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that conventional rice production has significantly more negative environmental impacts than organic rice production. The study used a life-cycle assessment to determine the environmental impact of organic rice production in China at 5, 10, and 15 years after conversion. Study researchers assessed environmental factors […]

Organic trade group blames USDA for “pattern of hostility” toward organics after termination of Organic Check-off

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently denounced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s action to terminate the rulemaking process to establish a national research and promotion program for organic (aka “Organic Check-off”). In a statement, OTA said the move “reflects a mounting pattern of hostility on the part of USDA toward organic. The $50 billion organic […]

General Mills spotlights healthy soil, traceable organic ingredients

They’re known for Cheerios and Betty Crocker mixes—but are taking a radical turn to focus on the fertile territory of regenerative agriculture. In addition to building its portfolio of natural and organic product brands, General Mills bought EPIC Provisions in 2016, a manufacturer of meat snacks using holistic sustainable land use practices. It nudged the […]

Organic-approved produce coating promises to extend shelf life of fruits and vegetables, open new markets for farmers

A new company has developed an all-natural, virtually invisible coating that could significantly increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables such as avocados, mangoes, and cassava root. Apeel Sciences was founded in 2012 by James Rogers, who says he got “fired up” about the problem of food waste. At the time, Rogers was working […]

Organic agriculture is going mainstream, but not the way you think it is

As organic food has increasingly become mainstream and a multi-billion dollar industry, some critics, including noted food writer Michael Pollan, say that organic farming is adopting methods used by conventional farming such as large single crop monocultures. But a closer look reveals that conventional farms are increasingly adopting organic farming methods such as reducing the […]