This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Agriculture Report.
Agricultural scientists in Switzerland have demonstrated thelong-term effects of organic farming methods. Organic farms use noman-made chemicals to increase crops or control insects and disease.The study showed that organic fields produced fewer crops, onaverage, than other fields. However, the scientists say the organicmethods improved the health of the soil and used half as muchenergy.
Scientists at the ResearchInstitute of Organic Agriculture in Frick, Switzerland, supervisedthe study. They reported their findings in Science magazine, thepublication of the American Association for the Advancement ofScience.
It was one of the longest-running studies of its kind. The Swissscientists compared the effects of organic and traditional farmingmethods over a period of more than twenty years. They grew crops onfour fields of land in Switzerland.
Two fields were grown using traditional farming methods. Theothers were grown using organic farming methods. The scientists grewpotatoes, barley, winter wheat, beets and grass clover. The crops,planting methods, and soil use were similar in all the fieldsstudied.
The study found that the organic fields produced about twentypercent fewer crops than the other fields. However, the farmers usedless fertilizer and energy on the organic fields. They found theorganic fields were healthier.
The scientists say the organic fields had more nutrients in thesoil. The soils in the organic fields also had more biologicalactivity than the other fields. The organic fields had more helpfulorganisms and a larger number of different organisms. The organicfields had almost two times as many insects, including helpfulinsects. In traditional farming, chemicals designed to kill harmfulinsects also can kill helpful ones.
The researchers say the findings show that organic cropproduction rates change little over time, and that soil fertilityincreases. They say the findings suggest that organic farmers canhelp the environment by increasing soil fertility.
Organic farming is becoming increasingly popular in somecountries. Many people believe that eating organic food is morehealthful than eating food grown with chemicals. Some people arewilling to pay more money to buy organic food.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by GeorgeGrow.