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Hello Andy
A major review of research into organic farming was published this year:
Hole, DG et al (2005) Does organic farming benefit biodiversity? Biological Conservation 122: 113-130.
In general, this paper finds benefits of organic farming through restrictions on the use of inorganic fertiliser and pesticides, sympathetic management of non-farmed habitats, and the predominance of a mix of arable and livestock farming on the holding. There is little evidence of a benefit of organic pasture over conventional pasture, but there was some evidence that organic permanent pasture held a greater diversity of plantlife than conventional pasture. One general conclusion was: it remains unclear whether a 'holistic' whole-farm approach (ie organic) provides greater benefits to biodiversity than carefully targeted prescriptions applid to relatively small areas of cropped and/or non-cropped habitats within conventional agriculture (ie agri-environment schemes).
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