The effect of organic farming has been a subject of interest for researchers. Theory suggests that organic farming practices, which exclude the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, would be beneficial for biodiversity, and this has proven true. Spanning all associated species, there is an average of 30% more on organic farms versus conventional farming methods.

As the world’s energy crisis continues, smart and efficient use of resources will become increasingly essential. Currently, conventional agriculture uses an enormous amount of oil to manufacture, transport and apply fertilizers and pesticides. All these processes release large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Figures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say that agricultural land use contributes 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

• Organic systems used 45% less energy than the conventional systems.
• Nitrogen fertilizer was the single greatest energy input in the conventional systems representing 41% of the total energy.
• Production efficiency was 28% higher in the organic systems than in the conventional systems, with the conventional no-till system being the least efficient in terms of energy usage.