Profitability of Organic Farming

John Reganold is the Regents Professor of Soil Science & Agroecology at Washington State University. His paper on the financial competitiveness of organic agriculture appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences earlier this month. It was co-written by Professor David Cowder, also at Washington State University.  Only 1% of the cropland in the world is being farmed “organically” – meaning without traditional pesticides. Organic products remain a luxury enjoyed disproportionately by those living in Europe and North America with enough income to afford the higher prices such product generally carry. Could organic farming ever grow beyond a niche industry?