Organic farming supposedly
produces healthier crops that
are better for the environment
U.S. organic food sales
totaled nearly $50 billion
last year, which was 5.7%
of total food sales.
The International Federation
of Agriculture Movements
promises in its literature
that organic farming can
“help reduce greenhouse gas
emissions within the agricultural
sector of the European Union
and beyond.”
A new study out this month
disagrees -- predicting that
a wholesale shift to organic
farming could increase
net greenhouse
gas emissions
by as much as 21%.
“We’re not saying
that organic is wrong,”
said Adrian Williams,
an associate professor
of environmental systems
at Cranfield University
in the U.K.
Williams worked
on the study
published in
Nature Communications.
Much research has been done
about the link between organic
farming and greenhouse gas
emissions in small settings.
Results have been varied.
A team at Cranfield University
tried to predict how far the
food supply would carry if England
and Wales made a switch to
100% percent organic farming.
Organic farming typically
produces lower crop yields
due to lower potency fertilizers
used in the soil.
Williams’ model found that
a 100% organic farming system
in England and Wales
would mean less output --
wheat and barley production
would be halved versus
conventional farming.
“Having established that
there would be a shortfall
in massive production,
the gap would be filled
by increased imports, ”
Williams said.
This outcome could lead to
a 21% rise in greenhouse gas
emissions because the imports
would likely be raised overseas
through conventional agriculture.
Organic farming:
-- More bugs eating crops,
-- More diseases killing crops, and
-- Less food to feed the world.