Organic Chocolate: 50 Shades of Green

Organic farming may result in the destruction of wild habitat.  The Daily Mail reports that foods like organic chocolate could be having a negative impact on Third World countries.  The article notes that “organic farms often need more land than conventional ones; [therefore] organic chocolate may not be as green as believed.”   A study out of Oxford University claims that while “organic farming clearly helps wildlife threatened by intensive agriculture in developed countries… the jury is still out on the Third World where virgin land may be cleared for crops such as cocoa beans and bananas.”   Dr. LindsayTurnbull, of Oxford’s department of plant sciences says more research is needed.  The study collected the majority of its research from Europe creating an undeniable bias in the outcomes.  Considering three quarters of organic farming occurs outside of Europe, Dr. Turnbull aptly notes that “we cannot assume the same applies all over the world.”

  

Another article citing the same study: Organic produce could be worse fortropical wildlife

This post prepared by William Mitchell College of Law student Elizabeth Meske.