Organic Vs. Conventional Farming Study, Same Results

A 22-year farming study concludes: Organic farming produces same corn and soybean yields as conventional farming but consumes less fossil energy and no pesticides.

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The July issue of Bioscience (Vol. 55:7) analyzes the environmental, energy, and economic costs/benefits of growing soybeans and corn organically versus conventionally.

The 22-year farming trial study found that organic farming produces the same yields of corn and soybeans as does conventional farming, but uses 30 percent less energy, less water and no pesticides.

David Pimentel, a Cornell University professor of ecology and agriculture and lead author of the study concludes, "Organic farming offers real advantages for such crops as corn and soybeans."

He adds, "Organic farming approaches for these crops not only use an average of 30 percent less fossil energy but also conserve more water in the soil, induce less erosion, maintain soil quality, and conserve more biological resources than conventional farming does."

The study is a review of the Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial, the longest running comparison of organic vs. conventional farming in the United States. It compared:

1. A conventional farm using recommended fertilizer and pesticide applications.

2. An organic animal-based farm (where manure was applied) with no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

3. An organic legume-based farm using a three-year rotation of hairy vetch/corn and rye/soybeans and wheat with no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Pimentel said, "First and foremost, we found that corn and soybean yields were the same across the three systems."

He also noted that although organic corn yields were about one-third lower during the first four years of the study, over time the organic systems produced higher yields, especially under drought conditions. The reason was that wind and water erosion degraded the soil on the conventional farm while the soil on the organic farms steadily improved in organic matter, moisture, microbial activity and other soil quality indicators.

The higher prices that organic foods command in the marketplace still make the net economic return per acre either equal to or higher than that of conventionally produced crops although cash crops cannot be grown as frequently over time on organic farms because of:

1. Cultural practices to supply nutrients and control pests

2. The fact that labor costs average about 15 percent higher in organic farming systems.

The research compared organic and conventional agricultural systems for:
1. Soil fungi activity
2. Crop yields
3. Energy efficiency & costs
4. Organic matter changes over time
5. Nitrogen accumulation
6. Nitrate leaching.

Soil carbon in the organic systems increased by 15 to 28 percent which is the equivalent of taking about 3,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per hectare out of the air.

Because organic agriculture systems also absorb and retain significant amounts of carbon in the soil, organic farming has positive implications for global warming.

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There were other findings from the study which include:

1. In the drought years, 1988 to 1998, corn yields in the legume-based system were 22 percent higher than yields in the conventional system.

2. The soil nitrogen levels in the organic farming systems increased 8 to 15 percent.

3. Nitrate leaching was about equivalent in the organic and conventional farming systems.

4. Organic farming reduced local and regional groundwater pollution by not applying agricultural chemicals.

Source: Bioscience

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