Like the more general retail industry, the restaurant sector isn’t immune from the economic fallout. As pocketbooks continue to slim down, consumers are choosing less expensive menu items and eating out less frequently, which is impacting the restaurant industry in a substantial way. Several newly released industry reports capture these trends.

According to a new report released by the Rodale Institute, organic farming practices have the potential to feed the world. We know that organic farming is more sustainable and less harmful to the environment than conventional farming. What we didn’t know is that some researchers believe that organic farming can also improve the efficiency of the food supply, and consequently feed more people and protect the long-term health and productivity of our planet. The findings apply to both plant and animal products.

As the global economic recession deepens, consumers are continuing to change their shopping and eating habits to save money. For example, U.S. consumers are eating less beef, pork, and poultry, leading to the biggest per capita decline in meat consumption since 1982, according to an industry analyst at the Kansas Livestock Association’s annual convention. With economic concerns in mind, consumers are buying both fewer and cheaper cuts of meat this year.

More and more research studies are supporting the notion that food safety worries contribute to consumers’ growing interest in vegetarian food products. As consumers become more aware of mad cow disease, the use of artificial growth hormones, the cloning and genetic engineering of farm animals, and related issues, they are more likely to turn to vegetarian products for safer, healthier foods.