The Worldwatch Institute reports that organic farming has expanded threefold since 1999, with organic farmers largely centralized in regions like Australia and the Pacific Islands. According to the organization, 84 countries have now implemented organic certifications or regulations. Reynolds, a researcher with Worldwatch's Food and Agriculture Program, says,
"Although organic agriculture often produces lower yields on land that has recently been farmed conventionally, it can outperform conventional practices — especially in times of drought — when the land has been farmed organically for a longer time. Conventional agricultural practices often degrade the environment over both the long and short term through soil erosion, excessive water extraction, and biodiversity loss."
