The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Weedkiller found in granola and crackers, internal FDA emails show

Scientists with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have detected a weedkiller linked to cancer in a wide range of food products, according to emails obtained through a freedom of information request. The FDA has been testing food samples for residues of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup herbicide, for two years but has not […]

These Farmers Switched to Organic After Pesticides Made Their Families Sick

Some farmers transition to organic production to earn premium prices. Others switch to make their farms more sustainable. But for some farmers, transitioning to organic is a necessary way to protect their family’s health—and even save their lives. Blaine Schmaltz, who farms in Rugby, North Dakota, is a good example. One day in 1993, Schmaltz […]

SILT Protects Farmland for Sustainable Food Production, Not Factory Farms

She’s retired, but she’s not spending her days tinkering with the orchards on her 80-acre property in Cedar County, Iowa. Since her return to Iowa in 2010, former professional writer Suzan Erem has sunk her spade into an urgent mission: locating and preserving Iowa farmland for farmers eager to grow food sustainably before the land […]

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 […]