Organic yields can also be improved. A 43-year agricultural study in Pennsylvania shows that organic yields have largely kept pace with conventional yields and have been 30 percent higher during periods of extreme weather.
Verena Seufert, a sustainability scientist who focuses on agriculture at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany, said that while such yields are achieved “very rarely” in the real world, she is confident that things can change for the better with more research into organic management.
What about the ground?
While some studies show that soil on organic farms sequesters more carbon than soil on conventional farms, how much carbon and for how long is hotly debated.
That said, healthy soil is crucial for long-term food security. Dr. Seufert hypothesizes that organic soils are more climate resilient, but said not enough research has been done yet to draw “solid and confident conclusions.”
So, what is the end result?
If your only concern is climate change, scientists agree that the most impactful dietary choices you can make are reducing your consumption of animal products and wasting less food.
The scientists we spoke to all said they buy organic products. But they cited people, rather than the planet, as their main motivation: On organic farms, workers are exposed to fewer pesticides.
“For me, that’s the key,” said Dr. Bowles. “The chemical exposure that comes with conventional farming is very, very real for the people involved in growing it. And that’s where I think organic has a very clear advantage.”
Organic food may also be better for the people who eat it. A 2018 study suggested that organic foods may lower cancer risk, although the American Institute for Cancer Research says eating fruits and vegetables, organic or not, is most important.
Dr. Seufert also noted that organic farming can benefit the environment in important ways, such as improving biodiversity and water quality. Ultimately, she hopes that the rise of organics will push the industrial food system to consider environmental and human impacts, rather than just yields and profits.
“I don’t think we can save the planet by eating organic,” she said. “But I do think it is an important part of the solution.”
