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Science 6 February 1981:
Vol. 211. no. 4482, pp. 540 - 547
DOI: 10.1126/science.211.4482.540
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Articles

Organic Farming in the Corn Belt

William Lockeretz 1, Georgia Shearer 2, and Daniel H. Kohl 3

1 Senior agricultural scientist, Northeast Solar Energy Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02110
2 Research associate, Department of Biology, Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
3 Professor, Department of Biology and senior fellow, Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130

A small minority of farmers in the Midwest produces crops on a commercial scale without using modern fertilizers and pesticides. On the basis of a 5-year study, it appears that these farmers have more in common with the majority of farmers in the region than with certain stereotypes of organic farmers. Their farming practices (other than chemical use), the size and labor requirements of their farms, and the production and profitability they achieve differ from those of conventional farmers by considerably less than might be expected on the basis of the fundamental importance of chemicals in modern agricultural production. Compared to conventional methods, organic methods consume less fossil energy and cause less soil erosion, but have mixed effects on soil nutrient status and grain protein content.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Long-Term Agronomic Performance of Organic and Conventional Field Crops in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
M. A. Cavigelli, J. R. Teasdale, and A. E. Conklin (2008)
Agron. J. 100, 785-794
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Organic and Conventional Production Systems in the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trials: I. Productivity 1990-2002.
J. L. Posner, J. O. Baldock, and J. L. Hedtcke (2008)
Agron. J. 100, 253-260
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Producer-Researcher Interactions in On-Farm Research: A Case Study on Developing a Certified Organic Research Site.
D. L. Karlen, C. A. Cambardella, C. T. Bull, C. A. Chase, L. R. Gibson, and K. Delate (2007)
Agron. J. 99, 779-790
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Agroecosystem Performance during Transition to Certified Organic Grain Production.
K. Delate and C. A. Cambardella (2004)
Agron. J. 96, 1288-1298
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Pesticide Free Production of Field Crops: Results of an On-Farm Pilot Project.
O. M. Nazarko, R. C. Van Acker, M. H. Entz, A. Schoofs, and G. Martens (2003)
Agron. J. 95, 1262-1273
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Soil Type Is the Primary Determinant of the Composition of the Total and Active Bacterial Communities in Arable Soils.
M. S. Girvan, J. Bullimore, J. N. Pretty, A. M. Osborn, and A. S. Ball (2003)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 69, 1800-1809
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Plant Productivity and Environment.
J. S. Boyer (1982)
Science 218, 443-448
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)