20-year Study Backs Organic Farming, Fred Pearce, NewScientist.com
Three times as many earthworms, twice as many insects and 40 percent more mycorrhizal fungi colonising plant roots? No, it's not the new season of Survivor, but rather the ingredients that make organic soils superior to your average soil, according to Fred Pearce in NewScientist.com News Service. Despite a 20 percent average lower crop yield, higher-quality soil is just one reason organic farming was declared a success. 'We have shown that organic farming is efficient, saves energy, maintains biodiversity and keeps soils healthy for future generations,' said Paul Mader of the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Frick, Switzerland, which conducted the study. Mader also found that in areas where farmers can't afford costly agrochemicals, a turn to organic farming resulted in greater crop yields than their traditional-farming neighbors.
--Rebecca Wienbar
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