In a study published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, researchers examined 31 documented cases of farmers converting from conventional systems to organic and resource-conserving agriculture to examine the impact this conversion had on their livelihoods. The study found yields improved in 76 percent of observed cases, food security improved in 87.5 percent of… Read More ›

California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) recently published an air monitoring paper reporting that air tests have detected chlorpyrifos in 30 percent of communities surrounded by intensive agriculture. Chlorpyrifos are often organophosphates used as insecticides on many crops, such as corn, cotton, almonds, oranges, and apples. Exposure to chlorpyrifos has been associated with human toxicity,… Read More ›

Scientists plan to track honeybees using radio telemetry in an effort to better understand and reduce the impacts of colony collapse disorder. In Möggingen, Germany, researchers led by Dr. Martin Wikelski at the Institute for Ornithology are developing transmitters with radar-detection small enough to be carried by pollinators. Tracking honeybees with these transmitters will allow… Read More ›

Research shows hope for control of citrus greening, and the answers are compatible with organic management. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have developed a new technique to control the devastating disease threatening the citrus industry. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), is a serious threat to the US citrus industry, and has no… Read More ›

Several strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria may have been caused by the large amount of antibiotic drugs given to chickens to control E.coli, according to a new study out of Europe.  The study reveals that as many as 1,500 people die a year across Europe from these superbugs. Infection rates of one particular strain, G3CREC,… Read More ›

A new paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Protection documents several consequences of GM (Genetically Modified) crop use.  The researchers found many unintended negative effects associated with increased use of GM crops, including environmental, dietetic, and economic problems. Environmental side effects include increased use of the herbicide glyphosate.  The main metabolite of this… Read More ›

Findings of a new study published in the Journal of Environmental Immunology and Toxicology reveal that neonicotinoid pesticide use is linked with plummeting wildlife populations in addition to bee declines. This study supports previous study findings that neonicotinoids are a likely cause for honey bee disappearance. Unlike other studies, researchers also included fish, amphibians, birds,… Read More ›

Researchers published a study in Environmental Pollution this year showing that conventional farming results in increased pesticide contamination in nearby streams. The study, conducted in the rural South Island areas, compared organic, integrated, and conventional farms. Researchers found higher levels of many pesticides near conventional farms. Among those found in streams, regardless of farming practice,… Read More ›

Recent research out of MIT suggests that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, may be a pathway to many modern diseases. In the study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, researchers examine the role glyphosate exposure plays in inducing disease. Glyphosate has been classified as having a low level of toxicity, but this… Read More ›

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been increasingly concerned about the rise of a little known class of antibiotic-resistant bacteria called carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CREs). CREs have developed resistance to almost all antibiotics, and result in death for up to half of all people who become infected. While CREs are currently the… Read More ›