The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

One-third of Illinois farmland owners have interest in organic practices

Nearly a third of Illinois farmland owners said they have had more interest in organic practices, and this trend continues to pick up interest, according to a recent survey by Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ISPFMRA). The surprising finding was one of responses in the survey, which also found that Illinois […]

New scorecard reports 10 major U.S. food retailers’ progress on protecting bees from toxic pesticides

Giant Eagle, Whole Foods, and Walmart take top positions on Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard Friends of the Earth recently released its latest Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard, ranking 25 of the largest US grocery retailers on pesticides and pollinator protection in their food and beverage supply chains. Ten retailers improved their scores since last year, with Giant Eagle, Whole Foods, and Walmart ranking […]

Greenhouse gas emissions lower in organic wheat production than conventional

A recent study illustrates that organic farming emits fewer greenhouse gases than conventional, carrying lower global warming potential. Published in Soil Science Society of America Journal, the research focused on winter wheat under a five-year rotation with leguminous crops including alfalfa and lentils. The organic system incorporated livestock to manage weeds and soil fertility; chemical […]

Synergistic action of pesticide “cocktails” is escalating bee mortality

A meta-analysis of 90 studies found that bees are dying in greater numbers from the overall synergistic effect between multiple anthropogenic stressors—including agrochemicals, nutritional stressors, and/or parasites. Impacts of these stressors individually were already taking a toll on bee populations; but strong evidence of synergy when bees are exposed to multiple agrochemicals at field-realistic levels […]

European non-GMO association gaining members

The new European Non-GMO Industry Association (ENGA) has already gained seven new members since its founding earlier this year. These seven companies and associations include: Verein Donau Soja, ProTerra Foundation, Impetus GmbH & Co. Bioscience KG, Raiffeisen Kraftfutterwerk Kehl GmbH, SaluVet GmbH, Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall, and Upländer Bauernmolkerei GmbH. The new members include industry […]