State of Science :: TOC Funded Programs
"Simplifying the Pesticide Risk Equation: The Organic Option"
The potential to reduce pesticide dietary risks through organic food and farming is quantified through analysis of USDA residue data and EPA pesticide risk assessment methods.
"New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods," State of Science Review, March 2008
Major new report comparing the nutrient content in conventional and organic foods, based on the findings of 97 published, peer-reviewed studies.
We are pleased to also offer the Executive Summary in Spanish.
Is the FDA's Cloning Proposal Ready for Prime Time?, An Organic Center Critical Issue Report
The FDA has given animal cloning the green light, after an "exhaustive" scientific assessment. What has FDA proposed? What does the science show? And what does this mean for consumers and organic livestock producers?
E. coli Frequently Asked Questions "Critical Issue Report" 2006.3
Find out where E. coli comes from, how it moves around, and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks.
"Do Organic Fruits and Vegetables Taste Better than Conventional Fruits and Vegetables?"
This SSR surveys published studies on differences in the taste and sensory quality of organic vs. conventional foods.
FAQs on Pesticides in Milk
Recent USDA data is raising new questions about pesticide residues in milk. The Center covers the bases in this set of "Frequently Asked Questions."
Assessing Soil Quality in Organic Agriculture
Tracking and managing changes in soil quality as farmland is transitioned from conventional to organic production is among the critical challenges facing farmers. This "Critical Issue Report" (CIR) was written by two leading Agricultural Research Service scientists, describes a "minimum data set" approach to manage changes in soil quality.
Impacts of Organic Farming on the Efficiency of Energy Use in Agriculture
State of Science Review on the impacts of organic production systems on the efficiency of energy use in farm production.
Published Research on the Sources and Spread of E. coli 0157
There is a large body of science on pathogenic E. coli that will help trace the current outbreak to its source, or sources. Published research also points a clear path to how farming systems and food safety practices need to be changed in order to prevent similar episodes in the future. Here we provide a roadmap to the extensive literature on pathogenic strains of E. coli.
"Successes and Lost Opportunities to Reduce Children's Exposure to Pesticides Since the Mid-1990s," Critical Issue Report 2006.1
How significantly have regulation, the discovery of new pesticides, Integrated Pest Management, and ecolabel programs, including certified organic, reduced children's pesticide risks since passage of the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996? This "Critical Issue Report" presents both the good news and the bad.
Organic Center Funded Research Projects
Each year The Organic Center supports independent research on priority projects.
Four Consumer Summaries of SSRs Released
Two-page, consumer friendly summaries of four State of Science Reviews were released at the ExpoWest Natural Products trade show in Anaheim, California.
Proposal Preparation Award to Dr. Neal Davies, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University
A proposal preparation grant was awarded in 2005 to Dr. Neal Davies, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, to develop a five-year, $200,000/year proposal to the National Institutes of Health on the impacts of organic farming systems on the health benefits of antioxidants. The proposal will be submitted in 2006 to the NIH program on Chemopreventative Properties of Flavonoids.
State of Science Reviews -- Purpose and Scope
Publication of a State of Science Review synthesizes existing science on a given aspect of the organic benefit and serves as the foundation for future Organic Center projects and activities.
