Boston, MA might be famous for its seafood, but the university town is also realizing the demand for plant-based options. Many Boston bars and restaurants offer meat-free options, and some are now going out of their way to cater to plant-lovers with exclusively vegan menus. If you dig a little deeper though, youll find plenty of places that offer delectable vegan foodso you can get your fix of tempeh burgers, jackfruit tinga tacos, and bourbon-maple ice cream without the need to pester your waiter with questions about the menu. Here are six all-vegan restaurants you should visit when in Boston.

1. by CHLOE The creative menu at by CHLOE is long and varied, satisfying both healthier eaters and hardcore junk-food lovers. Head to one of their three Boston locations for breakfast and order the oh-so-filling Early Bird with scrambled tofu, maple sausage, spinach, market greens, and toast. There are Caesar, Greek, and Asian salads for a lighter lunch bite, and clever snacks such as the peanutty kale or pineapple-vanilla chia pudding. For an American diner classic, choose the Classic Burger with its tempeh-lentil-chia-walnut patty and pair it with the Oh So Fancy Fries, which are topped with spicy seitan chorizo, whiskey onions, chipotle aioli, and cashew mozzarella. Drinks options include fruit smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and Health-Ade Kombucha. For dessert, youll be spoiled for choice with Chlostess and red velvet cupcakes, cinnamon-espresso and rainbow sugar cookies, and chocolate doughnuts.

2. Cocobeet A grab-and-go health food concept, Cocobeet provides fresh cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and nourishing raw food to the Boston masses. They also know their stuff when it comes to nutrition. Using only raw, organic, and gluten-free ingredients, their offerings include a selection of invigorating smoothie bowls, grain bowls, pasta, salads, sandwiches, and raw snacks. Start your day with the Warm Quinoa Breakfast Bowl topped with banana, blueberries, nuts, and berry sauce, along with a Cold-Pressed Latte Power Smoothie for your morning kick. Or stop by midday for a Walnut Un-Tuna Salad Sandwich, Baked Cauliflower Poppers, and a Watermelon Quinch juice. Dont leave without grabbing a few Lemon Matcha and Tahini energy truffles to go.

3. Red White The food at fast-casual eatery Red White is based on the 1300-year-old vegan dining style of a sect of Buddhist monks in Japan. The menu is simple and clean with two main optionsa Humble Bowl or Buddha Brothboth of which allow you to choose your own base and flavor. Most visitors go for the energy-boosting Monk Bowl, a combination of broccoli, tofu, corn, yam, green peppers, edamame, kale, arugula, and spinach in a miso-heavy monk curry sauce, served with your choice of sushi rice, udon noodles, or tofu. Impressively, the range of fresh vegetables in their kitchen doesnt stop there. Red White also has a habit of marinating halved avocados in a special miso-based sauce, which you can add as an additional toppingand we suggest you do.

4. True Bistro Located just outside of the main city, True Bistro is worth the quick trip to Somerville. The eatery provides an upscale dining experience, complete with romantic candlelight. The menu is sourced with ingredients local to New Englandwhich means there are seasonal variations throughout the yearand dishes marry unexpected ingredients with excellent results. Start with the robust Winter Squash Ravioli or Roasted Beet Trio with arugula pesto and herbed cashew cheese before moving onto the hearty Peppered Pappardelle with Chanterelle. Go all out with a three-course dinner and order the velvety Raspberry Cheesecake for dessert. Theres also brunch on weekends when you can indulge in delicately flavored crepes and waffles, savory tofu benedict, and big and bold seitan burgers.

5. Taco Party This vegan taco shop is based in Somerville and open daily, and its accompanying Taco Party food truck tours Boston during the week. They offer more meat alternatives than you can shake your favorite Hail Seitan T-shirt at (think jackfruit, tofu, lentils, seitan, and tempeh) and the flavor pairings in their tacos are on point, with cilantro, chipotle, poblano, vegan cheese, and cashew crema among the selection. Dont miss out on the tangy Chimichurri Tempeh and Jackfruit Tinga tacos. If the day ever comes when you get bored of vegan tacos, consider diving into the smokey black beans, crunchy nachos, and grilled chorizo tortas instead.

6. FoMu Caf FoMus signature product is homemade vegan ice cream, made with coconut milk and natural sweeteners, along with a whole lot of fresh flavorings and garnishes. At FoMu cafes, they sell their ice cream by the scoop in flavors such as Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie; Sweet Lavender; Salted Caramel; and Bourbon Maple Walnut. Take it up a notch and treat yourself to an ice cream cookie sandwich or double chocolate chip brownie along with a side of locally made George Howell coffee or high-quality, loose leaf tea. If you cant get enough, consider picking up a copy of their Incredible Vegan Ice Cream cookbook, which includes recipes for 60 vegan ice cream flavors that you can make at home.

Caroline Bunting-Palmer is a freelance ethical and sustainable lifestyle writer based in Reading, UK.

Photo credit: Caroline Bunting-Palmer

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The 6 Best Places to Eat Vegan in Boston - VegNews

Jabari Brisport, a Brooklyn native, Democratic Socialist, and vegan, is running for New York State (NYS) Senate. The 32-year-old aims to make New York City a better place for both humans and animals.

Brisports progressive platform champions animal rights. It includes a ban on the sale of new fur apparel, an end to dairy subsidies, restricting the sale of cats, dogs, and rabbits in pet stores, and a ban on wildlife killing contests and traveling rodeos.

Schools would be required to teach humane education and end egg-hatching projects. Restaurants would have to disclose the source and treatment of animals served as food.

The vegan politician also aims to ban cruel farming practices, such as the castration of pigs without anesthesia, debeaking poultry without painkillers, battery cages for hens, veal crates for calves, and gestation crates for pigs.

In an interview with Their Turn, Brisport explained that he went vegan while he was in college: I did this on animals in performance and there was one day where they just showed us slaughterhouse videos.

At first, he cut out meat and fish. He went vegan five years later. I realized that the dairy industry is just the beef industry and the egg industry is just the chicken industry. Its so intertwined, he said.

In 2016 Brisport began attending animal rights protests. He started with Canada Gooses newly-opened flagship store in Soho. It was so invigorating fighting against a store that was participating in so much cruelty. It really awoke me to the further steps I could take to protect animals, he said.

Brisport, a third-generation Caribbean American drew comparisons to an experience he had as a freshman at New York University. I was walking arm-in-arm with my Black boyfriend in the West Village and these frat bros were following us just shouting the f-bombf-ggot, f-ggot, f-ggot. We werent letting them get a rise out of us, so we heard a pause. And then they just started going n-gger,' he said.

He continued, I think anyone who has felt some sort of victimization or felt like they have been othered or they had been made to feel less than can then empathize when someone else is being victimized, whether that someone is a human-animal or a non-human animal.

As well as standing up for animals, Brisport is an advocate for human rights. The middle school math teacher promises to fight for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to redirect public subsidies from for-profit to non-profit housing authorities.

He has spent years fighting for tenants rights. In October 2017, while running for NYC Council for District 35, Brisport and others were arrested for protesting a public meeting for luxury condominiums in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

I want to be able to make some change, especially protecting people on housing, and education and transportation. We desperately need a government that works for all the people, Brisport told The New York Post last October.

The vegan politicians platform calls for an end to solitary confinement in prison. It also includes the legalization of recreational marijuana, the decriminalization of sex work, and restrictions on facial recognition software. He aims to pass the New York Health Act to abolish private health insurance. It would ensure that all New Yorkers have quality care.

The Democratic Socialists platform has been compared to New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. He spent much of 2016 canvassing for Sanders.

I was thinking about the Bernie Sanders campaign and Democratic Socialism and it dawned on me that slavery was an example of capitalism, Brisport said. Youre putting a price tag on things which shouldnt have a price and thats people in the case of slavery or health care which people need to live. Its monetizing things which should not be monetized.

Democrat Velmanette Montgomery has held the State Senate for the 25th district seat since 1984. It includes the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Bedford-Stuyvesant as well as bits of Red Hook, Gowanus, and Sunset Park.

The NYC primary elections take place on June 23, 2020.

Summary

Article Name

This Gay Black Vegan Hopes to Be New York State's Next Senator

Description

Brooklyn native, Democratic Socialist, and vegan Jabari Brisport is running for New York State Senate. He intends to improve the lives of animals and humans.

Author

Kat Smith

Publisher Name

LIVEKINDLY

Publisher Logo

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This Gay Black Vegan Hopes to Be New York States Next Senator - LIVEKINDLY

30 January 2020, 14:31

Going forward, "KVD" stands for "Kindness, Vegan Beauty + Discovery".

Kat Von D recently announced (16 Jan) that she would no longer be involved in her beauty brand, Kat Von D Beauty, after nearly 12 years. The makeup guru sold her remaining shares to her brand's existing parent company, Kendo, in order to focus on her vegan shoe line and motherhood.

Kendo quickly changed Kat Von D Beauty to KVD Vegan Beauty and told customers that the products would remain exactly the same as before. In a bid to reassure their customers, KVD Vegan Beauty answered some burning questions on their Instagram page.

READ MORE: Shane Dawson says he asked to be removed from Kat Von D's PR list

One of the questions was, 'What does the "KVD" in KVD Vegan Beauty stand for?'. Now, you might think it's obviously an acronym for Kat Von D, however, the brand have clarified its true meaning and they've made sure everybody knows it's nothing to do with Kat.

It read: "The KVD in our new name KVD Vegan Beauty stands for our ethos and new manifesto! It does NOT stand for a person's initials. We believe in Kindness, Vegan Beauty + Discovery (and Doing good). Check out our manifesto." Eh?

KVD Vegan Beauty aren't stopping there, though. While the brand confirmed that they would be keeping their "award-winning formulas" and they won't be discontinuing any products anytime soon, they will be changing the packaging to reflect their rebranding but not yet.

READ MORE: Kat Von D sells beauty brand after almost 12 years

KVD Vegan Beauty wants to be "eco-friendly" so they will sell their existing inventory first, so there is no waste. They said: "As it pertains to packaging for new products, we believe that you'll love what's to come.

"We have an amazing, internally award-winning creative and packaging team here at Kendo!"

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Kat Von D's former brand KVD Vegan Beauty distances themselves by changing official name - PopBuzz

Kat Von D shocked the beauty world on January 16 when she announced that she's sold her namesake beauty brand, which has since been renamed as KVD Vegan Beauty.

Though she assured fans in an Instagram post that the transition would be seamless, many people were left with questions. Some wanted to know if Von D would still profit from the brand, while others wondered if its products would be changed or discontinued.

The brand addressed some of the most common questions in an Instagram post on Monday.

The brand said on Instagram that "KVD" now stand for its "ethos and new manifesto."

"It does NOT stand for a person's initials," the brand wrote on Instagram. "We believe in Kindness, Vegan Beauty + Discovery (and Doing good). Check out our manifesto."

The message seemingly referenced Von D, who founded the newly-renamed brand in 2008.

"We want to be Earth friendly first!" KVD Vegan Beauty wrote on Instagram. "In order to be eco-friendly, our existing inventory will sell through. As it pertains to packaging for new products, we believe that you'll love what's to come."

"We have an amazing, internationally award-winning creative and packaging team here at Kendo!"

In the comments section, a fan of the brand expressed worry that new packaging would alter KVD Vegan Beauty's current aesthetic. A social-media representative replied, saying that "the same team that built this brand with Kat are the same ones leading it now, stay tuned!"

According to the brand's Instagram post, all products created by Von D and her team will remain on the market. The formula of said products will also stay the same.

However, discontinued products announced prior to Von D's departure will be removed from the brand. As of October 2019, the brand's Alchemist Palette, Brow Struck Dimension Powder, Everlasting Glimmer Veils, and Saint & Sinner Perfumes have been discontinued.

After Von D announced the sale of her namesake brand, some people expressed joy that they can now purchase KVD Vegan Beauty products without associating themselves with the tattoo artist, who has a controversial past. Still, some questioned if they'd still be monetarily supporting her in some way.

In a statement previously sent to Insider, a KVD Vegan Beauty representative said Von D is "no longer involved in the brand in any capacity." The spokesperson also thanked her for her partnership and wished her "the best of luck."

"Effective immediately, the makeup brand is now re-branded KVD Vegan Beauty, and is 100% owned/operated by KENDO," the statement said. "Of course, we remain 100% committed to vegan and cruelty-free, high-performance beauty. Our makeup will always be made with love, not animals!"

See more here:

Here's everything you need to know about KVD Vegan Beauty now that Kat Von D has left the company - Insider - INSIDER

Food & Drink January 30, 2020 3:49 PM 0Comments ByFelicia Lim Parade @_dishbydish More by Felicia

If you havent discovered the life-changing magic of a using a slow cooker, its time to get one and try it now! I bought a slow cooker this month and since getting it, Ive been using it at least a few times a week. Especially when Ive got plenty of work to do and dont have too much time to spend in the kitchen. Plus, I love how easy vegan meals are to prepare in the slow cooker!

Related: 15 Awesome One-Pot Meals to Make Dinner Cleanup Easy

The slow cooker does all the cooking for you, with minimum hands-on effort required to prepare the ingredients. After that, all you need to do is basically throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker, switch it on, and let it do the work to prepare a hearty, delicious meal your whole family can enjoy.

The slow cooker is great for making vegan stews and soups with ingredients that require a long cooking time (such as lentils and beans), and for those of you on a plant-based diet, Ive got you covered.

Related: 16 Simple Sheet Pan Dinners for Busy Nights

Here are 22 savory vegan slow cooker recipes for busy nights, from Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup and Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry to Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Lentil Chili. Browse through them and dont forget to pin your favorites!

Felicia Lim is the author of the food blog Dish by Dish, where personal stories intertwine with simple, healthy recipes (most of which are gluten-free or grain-free).

Drop by her blog and say hello, preferably with a cookie in one hand, and a steeping mug of tea in the other!

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22 Savory Vegan Slow Cooker Recipes For Busy Nights - Let the slow cooker do the work for you! - Parade

By Jessica Cohen

For the Gazette

PORT JERVIS - Pedro Porro typically has the Flirty Burger, though on a recent rainy Saturday he ate banana chocolate cheesecake - made with cashew milk, no dairy - at Fogwood and Fig.

The vegan restaurant on Front Street in Port Jervis has drawn a following in the year and a half since it opened, despite the citys history as a meat-and-potatoes railroad town. Arty country music plays from the sound system. Wall art and woodwork by Jeff Tautrim create the nouveau rustic ambiance for kitchen creations by Tautrims wife, Diana Bezanski.

I cant walk by without buying a meatless BLT sandwich, said Porro. The bacon is made of roasted coconut.

Porro sat with his partner, David Loud, who ate a red lentil chili stew that he declared was a whole meal on a spoon.

Porro and Loud have a weekend house in Eldred. On weekdays they live in Hamilton Heights in Manhattan, where Porro, an architect, does Victorian renovations. Loud teaches at the musical theater program at the Manhattan School of Music.

We wandered in by chance a year and a half ago, said Porro of their first experience with the restaurant. When we came to the area 10 years ago, Port Jervis was still bustling, but then it was shuttered, and Foundry 42 was the first business to open and spark the renaissance.

The restaurant has positive reviews online, but most are written by visitors from outside Port Jervis.

People come from all over - Brooklyn, Manhattan, Barryville, Morristown, N.J., Stroudsburg, Pa., said Bezanski. People come for outdoor activities here and do online searches for good places to eat.

Anthony Trongone, sitting near the front window, is from Sparta, N.J.

I came here to write. Its a nice atmosphere, he said. My wife is at the auction down the street. For a while we stayed away from Port Jervis because there was nothing going on. The restaurant sign should say vegetarian. With all the burgers on the menu, I thought it was all meat. Ive been vegetarian since I was 21.

A psychologist working on a book, he ordered the La Paloma Bowl, composed of beet chickpea hummus with lime, quinoa tossed with corn, onion, side of avocado, cherry tomato, organic house feta, organic corn chips with creamy cashew queso, topped with Tamerlaine Farms local hot sauce, according to the menu.

Tamerlaine Farm, in Montague, N.J., makes hot sauce to support their animal rescue farm, which has included chickens, among other farm animals.

Bezanski has been a vegan since 2012, she said. As I learned more about how animals are treated, I made the shift, she said. Im focusing on soups and stews because theyre what people like to eat, and also new desserts.

Chocolate coconut cream pie, cranberry orange almond tarts and fig and coconut hand tarts are among her new creations.

Asked how she comes up with new recipes, she said, Im inspired by food I ate in New York City. I love Mexican, Thai, Indian. I do research on spices. If I want to do a Moroccan chickpea stew, I look up Moroccan spices. I draw inspiration from many sources.

She makes egg-free crepe omelets with chickpea flour.

Its gluten-free with a nice texture and it folds over nicely, she said. In the vegan community, people share ideas. They often use chickpea flour for eggs. Sometimes they make scrambles of it. Cashews, blended at high speeds, make excellent cream for desserts and cheese. Its creamy and sweet. Everyone carries oat milk and nut milks. Plant-based cuisine is huge now and gets bigger yearly.

When asked about her protein sources, Bezanski said, Its in everything - vegetables, beans, grains. Many plants have protein. Thats a prehistoric question.

Read this article:

Visitors fancy vegan fare at Fogwood and Fig - Times Herald-Record

So you have taken that step to follow a plant-based diet or maybe you have signed up for the Beet 21 Day Plant-Based Challenge? Congratulations on that major achievement! You should soon see (or are already seeing) major improvements in your overall energy and your skin must be glowing. Now that you are making more conscious food choices, have you already wondered what contained the products we put on your face and body? How they are produced and tested and where the packaging ends up? So many things to think about! However, there was no way I was going to compromise my beauty rituals and luckily there are hundreds of cruelty-free, mindful and efficient beauty products on the market. Here are some ideas on how to have a cruelty-free, mindful and simple beautymorningroutine(winter edition).

I start off my routine by rinsing my eyes and mouth with cold water to wake me up and activate blood circulation. I dry off my face, wear my headband to protect my hair and spray rose water on my face as a tonic. I love that step as it helps softening the skin after sleep and prepare it for the products we are going to apply, and lets be real, the smell is a treat. I like to use the one from Alhambra Lifestyle, its a 100% pure and natural, they deliver worldwide and currently have a showroom at Showfields in Manhattan, NYC.

Rose Water

While the rose water dries, I brush my teeth with my new vegan, natural, refillable toothpaste NOICE. It does not contain any aluminum hydroxide, calcium hydrogen phosphates, calcium carbonate, silica or hydroxyapatite like most toothpaste sold in the supermarket but instead: licorice to prevent caries,eucalyptus leaf oil to prevent gum disease,peppermint oil to fight bacteria and promote mouth freshness,anise to fight bad breath and maintain oral healthandchamomile to improve gum health. I love that it is SLS Free and does not block your taste buds, have you ever wondered why orange juice taste so gross after brushing your teeth? Now you have the answer!

https://www.noicecare.com/

During the cold winter, I like to use a serum on my face as extra hydration and protection. I usually alternate between the Moringa Face Oil by Nutu and the Prickly Pear Seed Oil Elixir by Alhambra Lifestyle. Moringa is the world most nutrient-rich source of plant protein, it helps reduce inflammation, detoxify the skin and fight free radicals. It contains growth-promoting plant hormones which protect against destruction of the skin tissues and hence helps prevent wrinkles.

https://www.nutu.net/shop/moringa-seed-oil

The Prickly Pear Seed Oil elixir is simply magical, it deeply hydrates your skin and remove dark circles. It has this immediate magical effects as soon as you apply it.

Prickly Pear Seed Elixir

For the body lotion I use the Charity Pot by Lush. It is a seasonal product sold only during the winter period. It is deeply hydrating and leaves your skin smells like a baby doll. All profits from the sales are donated to charities and it also comes in a zero-packaging version. It made with fair trade cocoa butter, fresh aloe gel and moringa, the perfect mix to soothe the skin from cold winter burns and redness.

https://www.lushusa.com/body/body-lotions/charity-pot/05264.html

I never leave the house without a touch of mascara. My favorite is hands down the Go Big or Go Home by Kat Von D, released in 2019. The formula is vegan and let me tell you, it has nothing to envy to my all-time favorite Volume de Chanel. Believe me people will ask you if you got eyelashes extensions [1].

https://www.sephora.com/product/go-big-or-go-home-mascara-P442770

During the day, I always keep a lip balm handy. My current favorite is the bite beauty. The brand is going completely vegan in 2020. Since my lips tend to be very dry in the winter I like to use the Agave + Nighttime Therapy during the day, it is infused with chamomile-bergamot scent and leaves your lips feeling nourished and supple.

https://www.bitebeauty.com/agave--nighttime-lip-therapy/2188860.html

[1] which, by the way, are rarely vegan, eyelash extensions very often come from mink hair, as a byproduct of the fur industry, ask your beautician for synthetic extensions (:

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Try the Vegan Morning Routine to Try for Naturally Beautiful Skin, Hair, and Teeth, - The Beet

When everyones got their eyes on a recipe, you know it must have something special that you will want to try! Thats the case for these 10 recipes that went viral last week. Theyre some of the best, and trust us when we say that you dont want to miss out on these incredible creations from our bloggers that you can find on ourFood Monster App!

Source: Crunchy Mediterranean Salad

Broccoli, cucumber, tomato, chickpeas, olives, kale, fresh herbs, and a refreshing sherry vinaigrette are the main components of this super healthy and delicious salad. This Crunchy Mediterranean Salad by Rouxbe is hearty enough for a main course, it also makes a great side salad.

Source: The Ultimate Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This The Ultimate Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Emily von Euw nails all the categories you want in grilled cheese: crusty golden brown bread, gooey melted cheese, and a smidgen of color and extra texture from some veggies.

Source: Mushroom and Bean Enchiladas

These Mushroom and Bean Enchiladas by Rouxbe are lathered in enchilada sauce before being baked in the oven, these enchiladas are filled with beans, sauted mushrooms, bell peppers, fresh corn and potatoes.

Source: Cinnamon Chickpea Blondies

These vegan Cinnamon Chickpea Blondies by Jenn Sebestyen will be your new go-to treat! They are moist and tender in the center with just a bit of a crackly crust on top. They are perfectly sweet, healthier than your average blondie recipe, and oh-so addictive! While these do contain a good amount of sugar, they are also packed with protein, fiber, folate, and iron, so you can feel good about your new afternoon treat!

Source: Mushroom, Zucchini, and Pumpkin Seed Canaps

Ever noticed the wonder on peoples faces as they hover over a tray of canaps? These Mushroom, Zucchini, and Pumpkin Seed Canaps by Heather Thomas will not only be a hit for your guests, but provide your guests with quality food. This dish makes a lovely appetizer or even a side dish!

Source: 4-Ingredient Flax Crackers

Great as a crunchy snack, for packing on-the-go, dipping in hummus or this cashew veggie spread. Also, these 4-Ingredient Flax Crackers by Natalie Martin MS, RD and Lexie Staten MS, RD are an easy way to get your daily dose of flax seed.

Source: Coconut and Raspberry Ice Cream Bites

These little ice cream bites are super thick and creamy just like traditional ice cream. These Coconut and Raspberry Ice Cream Bites by Stefani Weiss are full of coconut and berry goodness. So yummy!

Source: Alkaline Green Juice

Drink this Alkaline Green Juice by Olivia Budgen to increase your vegetable intake and help your body maintain an alkaline environment for optimal health and wellbeing.

Source: Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Pancakes and Sunday mornings go perfectly together. These Chocolate Banana Pancakes by Stefani Weiss are so delicious and allergy friendly so anyone can enjoy them!

Source: Monkey Bread by Ivy

Cinnamon-y, sweet, and delicious, this fluffy pull-apart treat is the dessert thats been missing from your life! This monkey bread make the perfect desert or sweet treat that you can share with family and friendsor have all to yourself.

Dont forget to check out these recipes and thousands more by downloading ourFood Monster App, which is available for iPhone! The app has more than 15,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes and subscribers get access to new recipes every day.

For more Vegan Food, Health, Recipe, Animal and Life content published daily, dont forget to subscribe to theOne Green Planet Newsletter.

Being publicly funded means that we get to continue to provide you with quality content. Pleasesupport us!

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From Alkaline Green Juice to Crunchy Mediterranean Salad: 10 Vegan Recipes That Went Viral Last Week! - One Green Planet

By Sara Zaske, WSU News

PULLMAN, Wash. For organic farms, size matters: not so much the size of the farm itself, but the size of the neighboring fields.

A large-scale analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Jan. 27 found that organic agriculture sites had 34% more biodiversity and 50% more profits than conventional agriculture sites, even though the organic sites had 18% lower crop yields.

Yet the study, produced by a Washington State University student journal club, also found that as the size of the fields surrounding the organic farms increased, those values shifted: the organic farms advantage in biodiversity increased, but they lost some of their edge in profitability in comparison to conventional farms in similar areas.

A landscape with large field sizes might be an indicator of agricultural intensification in general, with many fields with only one crop and heavier pesticide and herbicide use, said Olivia Smith, a recent WSU Ph.D. graduate and the lead author on the study. Thats a place where theres not a lot of natural habitat animals can use. An organic farm on that kind of landscape becomes a refuge for species.

The study also revealed that price premiums for organic food played a big role in profitability, according to Associate Professor Dave Crowder, an author on the paper and the journal clubs faculty advisor.

The areas that get the greatest price premium for organic food are those that have small field sizes, which are often located in more urban areas that are more connected to large consumer bases, said Crowder. For example, all else being equal, an organic farmer who is in the middle of Iowa may not do nearly as well as an organic farmer near Seattle where there are more consumers willing to pay higher prices for organic food.

The WSU journal club is a group of graduate students who meet to discuss research papers and look for gaps in the scientific literature. Finding that other analyses had overlooked the impacts of landscape context on organic yield and profitability margins, the students pooled their efforts to conduct a large meta-analysis, synthesizing the data from 148 studies around the world spanning 60 different types of crops.

The resulting paper is the first of its kind to take landscape context into account while looking at the three factors of biodiversity, crop yields and profitability. The WSU study suggests that these three factors are separate: that what makes one increase or decrease has less to do with the others than with the landscape context, farming practices or socioeconomic issues.

While this was a large-scale analysis, the authors noted limitations in available data as most studies were focused on developed countries, and the only available studies on profitability with location information were in the U.S. Smith said more research is needed from less developed parts of the world, particularly in the tropics.

The WSU journal club is two years old and has published a paper each year.

This study received support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch project.

Read more:

Organic farm advantages in biodiversity and profits depend on location - WSU News

Published: 1/27/2020 2:21:57 PM

Modified: 1/27/2020 2:21:40 PM

Join the Northeast Organic Farming Association of N.H. for its 18th annual Winter Conference on Feb. 8 at Kearsarge Regional High School in North Sutton. This celebration of organic food and farming has something for everyone. Workshops throughout the day on a variety of topics, a keynote address by Steve Gabriel, co-author of Farming the Woods and author of Silvopasture, delicious organic food, exhibitor fair, book signings, networking opportunities and more.

NOFA-NH is thrilled to be hosting Steve Gabriel as this years keynote speaker. Gabriel is an ecologist, forest farmer, and educator. He has taught thousands of farmers and land managers about the ways farming and forestry can be combined to both benefit the ecology and the bottom line of the farm. His keynote address, Silvopasture in a Changing Climate, will include historical narratives, case studies, and the latest research outlining how we can rapidly establish silvopasture for a livable future.

Learn from Gabriel and the many other excellent speakers we have lined up in over 45 workshops covering topics ranging from Advanced Growers to Agricultural Business, Beginning Farmers, Carbon, Soils, Gardening, Homesteading, Health, Nutrition, Livestock, Animals, Permaculture, Policy, Advocacy, Social Justice, School Gardens, Herbalism and more. Join nearly 500 supporters of the local, organic movement as we learn from the experts and we all look toward celebrating the arrival of spring and our next growing season.

Conference registration includes organic and locally-sourced meals and snacks catered by The Crust and Crumb Baking Company.

For more details, cost and registration, visit nofanh.org/winterconference.

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Learn from organic experts at 18th annual Winter Conference - Concord Monitor