The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

LA County, Miami, Sonoma City halt use of popular weed killer on civic properties

Two large metropolitan areas and a California city have banned glyphosate-containing weed killers on public properties, due to potentially harmful environmental and health impacts. Kathryn Barger of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said, “I am asking county departments to stop the use of this herbicide until public health and environmental professionals can determine […]

Glyphosate weedkiller “raises risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by 41%”

A compelling new study from the University of Washington further “supports the link” between exposure to glyphosate and increased cancer risk. The chemical is the main ingredient in Roundup herbicide, the most widely used weedkiller in the world. Glyphosate use has skyrocketed since the mid-2000s, when pre-harvest application (“green burndown”) became widespread, resulting in high […]

Tests find glyphosate in many restaurant foods, Canadian honey, popular beer and wine

Recent tests are revealing how pervasive glyphosate herbicide is in the food system. Researchers have found the weedkiller, the main ingredient in Roundup herbicide, in many U.S. restaurant foods, popular beer and wine products, and Canadian honey. A new round of food testing commissioned by GMO Free USA found that the weedkiller and its by-product […]

Regenerative Organic Certification opens to industry in September

A new food label is being launched this fall, signifying enhanced certification criteria going beyond the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) standards. The Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) initiative was spearheaded by the Rodale Institute in 2017; its pilot program involves farms and natural and organic brands in nine countries, including India, Sri Lanka, and Ghana. The […]

Illinois farmer paves road to profit with soil health

It takes courage to change a farming mindset. Illinois farmers Derek Martin and Adam York have heeded the wisdom of agronomist Brad Hobrock, and are discovering that attention to soil health, instead of relying on nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium inputs (NPK), is the long-term key to profitability. Derek has “refurbished” 6,000 acres, weaning from a steady NPK diet […]