Organic Farming Could Boost Carbon Sequestration by Double Digits, New Study Says

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This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s April 2021 Industry Newsletter

By Steven Hoffman

In a meta-analysis of more than 4,000 studies, researchers found that organic farmers could increase the amount of carbon captured in the soil by double digits by adopting best organic farming practices. The study was published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment by researchers at the University of Maryland in collaboration with The Organic Center, a nonprofit research and education organization based in Washington, D.C. Examining different practices such as the use of organic soil amendments, conservation tillage and cover crops, the researchers found that best practices in organic soil amendments, such as compost and manure, had the biggest and fastest impact on carbon sequestration, by an average of 24%. “The study is the first of its kind – looking within organic management to not only highlight the areas where organic excels at locking greenhouse gas in the soil, but also identifying the areas that have the biggest beneficial impact, enabling organic growers to maximize their ability to fight climate change,” said Jessica Shade, Ph.D., Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center. The study identified four practices that are most critical to good soil health, including planting cover crops; applying combinations of organic inputs; increasing crop rotation diversity and length; and conservation tillage. The Organic Center highlighted the report’s main findings here.