Question 4

Question

"Organic Farming
Could Worsen
Global Warming"
by Courtney Vinopal
For decades, the conventional wisdom
surrounding organic farming has been that it
produces crops that are healthier and better for the
environment as a whole.
In the U.S., where organic food sales totaled
nearly $50 billion last year and made up 5.7
percent of total food sales, companies such as
Annie’s and Organic Valley market their products
as leaving a low carbon footprint. They remind
consumers that their ingredients “matter…to the
planet we all share,” or that their farming practices
“remove excess carbon dioxide from the air.” The
International Federation of Agriculture Movements
promises in its literature that organic farming can
“help reduce greenhouse gas emissions within
the agricultural sector of the European Union and
beyond.”
But a new study out this week challenges this
narrative, predicting that a wholesale shift to
organic farming could increase net greenhouse
gas emissions by as much as 21 percent.
“We’re not saying that organic is wrong,” said
Adrian Williams, an associate professor of
environmental systems at Cranfield University in
the U.K., but that consumers and environmental
organizations would be wise to consider what
these farming practices would look like on a much
larger scale before making assumptions about the
environmental impacts. Williams worked on the
study published in Nature Communications on
Tuesday

Question 4
"Organic Farming
Could Worsen
Global Warming"
by Courtney Vinopal
For decades, the conventional wisdom
surrounding organic farming has been that it
produces crops that are healthier and better for the
environment as a whole.
In the U.S., where organic food sales totaled
nearly $50 billion last year and made up 5.7
percent of total food sales, companies such as
Annie’s and Organic Valley market their products
as leaving a low carbon footprint. They remind
consumers that their ingredients “matter…to the
planet we all share,” or that their farming practices
“remove excess carbon dioxide from the air.” The
International Federation of Agriculture Movements
promises in its literature that organic farming can
“help reduce greenhouse gas emissions within
the agricultural sector of the European Union and
beyond.”
But a new study out this week challenges this
narrative, predicting that a wholesale shift to
organic farming could increase net greenhouse
gas emissions by as much as 21 percent.
“We’re not saying that organic is wrong,” said
Adrian Williams, an associate professor of
environmental systems at Cranfield University in
the U.K., but that consumers and environmental
organizations would be wise to consider what
these farming practices would look like on a much
larger scale before making assumptions about the
environmental impacts. Williams worked on the
study published in Nature Communications on
Tuesday

“Much research has been done about the
link between organic farming and
greenhouse gas emissions in smaller,
niche settings, from grassland farms in
Southern Germany to suckler-beef
producers in Ireland. Results have been
varied — while organic farming practices
lowered greenhouse gases in some
scenarios, in others, emissions grew or
remained constant.”

“For decades, the conventional wisdom
surrounding organic farming has been
that it produces crops that are healthier
and better for the environment as a
whole.”

“But a new study out this week challenges
this narrative, predicting that a wholesale
shift to organic farming could increase net
greenhouse gas emissions by as much as
21 percent.”

Answer 1

The excerpt from "Organic Farming Could Worsen Global Warming" by Courtney Vinopal discusses the ongoing debate about organic farming and its impact on the environment, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. While organic farming has traditionally been viewed as a healthier and more environmentally friendly option, recent research challenges this notion.

1. Conventional Wisdom vs. New Findings:

   • The article begins by outlining the longstanding belief that organic farming is beneficial for both health and the environment. This perspective has been promoted by various companies and organizations that emphasize the low carbon footprint and sustainability of organic practices.
   • However, a new study published in Nature Communications suggests that a significant shift to organic farming could potentially increase greenhouse gas emissions by up to 21%. This finding contradicts the widely held belief that organic farming is inherently better for the environment.

2. Need for Caution:

   • Adrian Williams, an associate professor involved in the study, emphasizes that while organic farming is not inherently wrong, it is crucial for consumers and environmental organizations to critically evaluate the implications of widespread organic farming before drawing conclusions about its environmental effects.
   • The article highlights that previous research on organic farming's impact on emissions has yielded mixed results, with some studies showing reductions in greenhouse gases while others indicated increased or unchanged emissions.

3. Varied Outcomes:

   • The mention of specific research contexts—such as grassland farms in Germany and beef producers in Ireland—underscores the complexity of assessing organic farming's environmental impact. Different farming systems and practices yield varied results, making it clear that a blanket assumption about organic farming's benefits may not hold true in all cases.

In summary, while organic farming has been perceived as environmentally friendly, new research indicates that its effects on greenhouse gas emissions might not be as straightforward as previously thought. This highlights the importance of ongoing research and caution in making broad claims about the benefits of organic agriculture.