New research shows organic farming can be as productive as chemical-based
conventional agriculture. The study’s author says her research refutes decades of
industry and government policies discouraging organic farming. Steve Carmody
reports:
Transcript
New research shows organic farming can be as productive as chemical-based
conventional agriculture. The study’s author says her research refutes decades of
industry and government policies discouraging organic farming. Steve Carmody
reports:
University of Michigan researchers have found that in developed countries, organic
and conventional farming methods produce almost equal crop yields.
And in the developing world, the research shows, organic farming can double or
triple chemical-based methods.
The key is planting nitrogen-rich cover crops between growing seasons.
Dr. Catherine Badgley is a research scientist at U of M’s Museum of Paleontology.
She says organic farming methods would also benefit the fragile wetlands:
“Many of the organic sources of fertilizer are more likely to be retained in the soil rather than runoff, by the very nature of organic farming which tends to build up soil quality. And it tends to build up and have stronger retention of nutrients and water holding capacity.”
Badgley says government subsidy policies which favor the use of conventional
farming methods is the major obstacle for organic farming in the US.
For the Environment Report, I’m Steve Carmody.