The Latest Research on Organic

There is so much (in)credible science that explains why organic is a good choice for people and the planet, and more is published every week. The Organic Center summarizes the latest research into distilled bites so you can make informed choices. We only report on peer-reviewed studies and always will. Check out our research blog and sign up for our newsletter to get the latest science delivered right to your inbox.

Jan 23, 2015

Organochlorine pesticides in South African catfish pose cancer risk when consumed by humans

Photo credit: Cliff

A recent study published in Chemosphere found that catfish collected from multiple freshwater sites in South Africa contained organochlorine pesticide...

Dec 25, 2014

High levels of pesticide exposure in pregnant women in Costa Rica

Photo credit: Melalouise

A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives has found high levels of the fungicide mancozeb in pregnant women living near banana...

Dec 23, 2014

Neonicotinoid pesticide use leads to increased crop damage by slugs

photo credit: Christine Majur

A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology found that the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in soybean crops reduced yields by...

Dec 18, 2014

Organic cotton is better for the environment than conventional cotton

Photo credit: Mike Beauregard

The Textile Exchange recently published a life cycle assessment (LSA) for organic cotton demonstrating that it is more environmentally...

Dec 16, 2014

Insects visit flowers more in organic vineyard than conventional ones

Photo credit: Stefano Lubiano

A recent study published in Animal Conservation found that there were more insect-flower interactions in organic vineyards when compared to...

Dec 11, 2014

Alternative flame retardant increases fat cells and decreases bone cells

Photo credit: Kalyan Kanuri

The flame retardants known as pentaBDEs were phased out in 2004 due to health concerns that created a market for new alternatives. Firemaster*...

Dec 10, 2014

Yield gap between organic and conventional farming lower than previously thought

Photo credit: Neil Palmer (CIAT)

A new study published in the Journal Proceedings of the Royal Society Biology has found that the yields of organic crops are higher than...

Dec 09, 2014

Bt pesticide resistance in the Armyworm

Photo credit: Andy Raego and Chrissy McClarren

Genetically modified corn containing Bt has been used successfully in the United States for the last 18 years to fend off the...

Dec 04, 2014

Pesticide exposure linked to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Photo credit: Jan Tik

The Agricultural Health Study investigated the relationship between specific fungicides and pesticides and the development of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (...