Certified organic chickens are normally twice the price of non-organic birds, but they are free-range and fed at least 95 per cent organic food and have no antibiotics. Meanwhile, shoppers are paying up to three times more for organic produce, believing it tastes better, has no chemical residue and is healthier than non-organic food. The organisation looked at whether it was worthwhile to be paying more for some organic goods. It's not known if organic food is nutritionally better more...

Field crops, processing vegetables and market vegetables will all get some attention at the event, which will include information on organic weed management, cover and companion crops, soil quality, variety selection, vegetable crop trials, and no-till organic production. UW organic field day slated for Aug. Field crops, processing vegetables and market vegetables will all get some attention at the event, which will include information on organic weed management, cover and companion crops,...

Department of Agriculture: No broad-based scientific evidence has declared organic food more healthful than conventional food, according to governmental regulatory agencies and even expert advocates of organic food. So why do an increasing number of customers brave prices up to 100 percent more for organic food? "This is a difficult question," Mattfeldt-Beman says. Conventional-food proponents say one of the reasons organic produce can have more nutrients is that it's harvested later than...

FPL Energy announced plans to partner with a citrus processor and a new energy firm to build one of the world's first processing plants that would convert citrus peels into the gasoline additive ethanol. FPL Energy has a plan to produce cleaner fuel by turning agricultural waste -- citrus peels, specifically -- into ethanol. But while the amount of ethanol produced would be small, the plant's backers say it's a first step toward producing cleaner fuel, bolstering a struggling agricultural...

Felipe Borja, assistant provincial agriculturist here, said that the alarming spread of the disease had prompted the arrival of the plant and fruit disease experts which will stay in the province to see the real situation of the citrus plantations in this landlocked province, especially in mountains of Kasibu town, considered as the region's citrus capital. Felipe Borja, assistant provincial agriculturist here, said that the alarming spread of the disease had prompted the arrival of the...

It will shield the youngest of kids from the least healthful of these companies products on television, kids magazines, and the Internet. Notably, its policy prohibits the use of licensed characters on packages of foods that don t meet their nutrition standards. Hershey, Mars, and Coke have long abstained from advertising any products to audiences largely made up of kids under 12, but they should join Kraft and General Mills, and agree not to market unhealthful food to children in middle...

The spread of citrus greening to more counties in the state has come at nearly the same time that Congress is considering a federal farm bill that would set aside about $2 billion for "specialty crops," including citrus fruits. That is good news for the citrus industry, which needs additional research to solve problems like canker and greening, said Adam Basford, assistant director of agricultural policy for Florida Farm Bureau. Growers in Manatee County say they are learning all they can...

farmers produce more food than any other country in the world and are tops in corn, soybeans, milk and cattle, according to a United Nations agriculture census. Within the next decade those older farmers will be looking for someone to take over their operations and selling millions of acres of land. At the same time, it's becoming more costly for young people to go into farming, and many of them see that they can make a better living by leaving the rural areas. Computerized gadgets that...

Donnelly says he spoke with farmers from 12 counties here in northern Indiana asking them what they wanted to see happen with farming. It would give more federal farm support and food assistance to farmers both here locally, and nationally. And we were able to put in a safety net underneath so if prices don't hold up to a certain point, we can make sure the family farm is safe the average age of farmers is getting older and older. Many farmers say they hope to see more young people take...