Organic farming is not only better for the environment, a study has found, but it also produces the same amount of corn and soybeans as conventional farming (BioScience, 2005, vol. 55, no. 7). The 22-year study headed by Cornell University professor David Pimentel compared three regional farms: one that used conventional chemical-based fertilizer and pesticides, and two organic farms that did not. In addition to finding that each farming method yielded the same amount of certain crops, researchers discovered that organic farms actually thrived during drought years. The corn yields for one were 22 percent higher during drought due to the presence of more organic matter, moisture, and microbial activity, compared with that of the conventional farm, where the soil quality suffered from severe water and wind erosion.
