This lecture, presented by Rodale Institute’s Dr. Andrew Smith, provides an in-depth analysis of the long-term impacts of organic and conventional farming practices. His presentation focuses on the newly released results from 40 years of research in the Rodale Institute's Farming Systems Trial (FST)– the longest-running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming systems in North America, which compares the impacts of organic and conventional farming practices on soil health, crop yields, water, nutrient density, and financial returns. Dr. Smith's lecture provides a comprehensive overview of the key findings of the Farming Systems Trial 40-Year Report, released in 2022, and discusses how the research can inform future decisions about our farming practices, soil health, and human health.

Dr. Drew Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Rodale Institute 

Dr. Andrew Smith, PhD, oversees the research and farm operations at Rodale Institute and is passionate about growing the organic movement by providing science-based solutions to farmers and facilitating opportunities to expand the number of organic farmers and farmland across the globe. He has over twenty years of experience working in the organic industry as an agronomist, researcher, and farmer. Dr. Smith lives and works on his own organic family farm.