A significant new study compares organic strawberry farms to conventional strawberry farms and finds that the organic fruit is indeed more flavorful and nutritious, with higher levels of antioxidants.The organic farms also left the soil healthier and more genetically diverse than conventional strawberry farms.

The study was conducted by researchers at Washington State University and the findings were published in the journal PLoS ONE. It is the first comprehensive study of this scope to conclusively find that organic produce has greater benefits than conventionally-grown produce.

The study compared 13 commercial organic strawberry farms and 13 conventional strawberry farms, analyzing the quality (both chemical and biological) of the soil, soil DNA, as well as the taste and nutritional value of the strawberries grown on the farms. The team incorporated several experts from interdisciplinary fields of genetics, agroecology, soil science, food science, statistics, and more.

The research indicated that the organic strawberries had a higher level of antioxidant activity, including greater amounts (about 10 percent more) of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, which protect against disease. The organic strawberries were also more resistant to fungal rot and dehydration after being picked than conventional strawberries, and thus had a longer shelf life. Organic strawberries were better at resisting rot than conventional strawberries that had been treated with fungicide. In addition, taste tests showed that tasters preferred the taste of one variety of organic strawberry to its conventionally-grown counterpart.

In terms of soil health, the organic strawberry fields were healthier than conventional fields, containing greater levels of organic matter and healthier microbial activity. The organic fields had significantly higher levels of carbon, nitrogen, and some minerals, indicative of more fertile soil. They were also more genetically diverse, which supports a more resilient and stress-resistant ecosystem.

Most of the conventional strawberry fields, located in California where 90 percent of the nation's strawberries are grown, were treated with a highly controversial soil fumigant, methyl bromide. Methyl bromide is used to treat the soil before the soil is planted with strawberry plants. The compound is meant to control and destroy soil-borne pests and diseases before planting. However, methyl bromide is an ozone-depleting compound, and its suggested future replacement, methyl iodide, is believed to be highly toxic.

The study's findings showed that organic methods of farming could produce equal — actually superior — fruit without using the standard array of pesticides and chemicals. This could be a significant step forward in promoting public health through reducing the amount of chemicals people are exposed to on a daily basis. It also points to a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of how farming can affect the environment, suggesting that with the right methods, farming does not have to be destructive, but can in fact work with and support the natural resilience of our planet's ecosystem.