Methods
Study Variables.
Conclusions
Despite lower yields and not accounting for externalities or ecosystem services, organic agriculture was significantly more profitable than conventional agriculture. With breakeven premiums being significantly lower than actual premiums received, our findingssuggestthatorganicagriculturecancontinuetoexpandevenif premiums decline. However, making farming financially viable is vital, but is only one of four goals that must be met for agriculture to besustainable.Equally important is enhancing the environment, producingamplecropyieldsofhighquality,andcontributingtothe well-beingoffarmersandtheircommunities.Conventionalfarming has provided increasing supplies of food and other products, but often at the expense of other sustainability goals. Although organic agriculture produces lower yields than conventional agriculture, it better unites human health, environment, and socioeconomic objectives than conventional systems. In a time of increasing population growth, climate change, environmental degradation, and rising energy costs, such agricultural systems with a more balanced