scholarly journals Organic Corn Production Practices and Profitability in the Eastern U.S. Corn Belt

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8682
Author(s):  
Caroline Brock ◽  
Douglas Jackson-Smith ◽  
Subbu Kumarappan ◽  
Steve Culman ◽  
Cathy Herms ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Corn Production ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Net Returns ◽  
Certified Organic

Efforts to assess and improve the sustainability performance of the growing organic farming sector depend on an accurate understanding of farm structure and management practices. To contribute to the dearth of literature in this area, we conducted a survey of over 850 certified organic corn growers in four states (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) in the spring of 2018. Findings show that most organic corn growers in this region had diversified livestock operations (mostly dairy) on relatively small farms (10–100 ha), which contrasts with trends of specialization and growth in farm size. More than half were dairy farmers, and nearly two-thirds farmed with horses (likely Amish). Soil fertility and health were managed by the use of manure, cover crops, forages, and a variety of other soil amendments. Organic corn growers relied heavily on moldboard plow tillage. All producers had positive net returns to labor and management in 2017, though net returns varied widely across operations. The results have implications for assessing the sustainability of organic farming systems, and for designing scientific research and extension/outreach programs to ensure they address the needs of the diverse organic farming population in this region.

scholarly journals (419) The Relation of Cooperative Extension Programs, Materials, and Publications for Organic Farming Systems as Relates to Production

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1072C-1072
Author(s):  
Kristen Harper ◽  
Curt R. Rom
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Cooperative Extension ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Organic Farming Systems ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Organic Produce

Since the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990, certified organic produce has begun to make a large impact on national markets. However, USDA statistics indicate that many states in the southern region have considerably reduced certified organic acreage when compared to other regions in the United States. The absence of organic acreage may perhaps originate with a lack of training and educational materials provided to producers due to unanticipated growth of organic markets. A thorough review of all Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (ACES) materials, such as bulletins, publications, and workshops over the past 10 years, would reveal what information has been provided to producers on certified organic production. This review of ACES materials defines the existing groundwork on which ACES could construct future organic publications and outreach programs in order to sustain and stimulate organic farming within the state.

scholarly journals Transition from Conventional to Organic Farming Systems: I. Challenges, Recommendations, and Guidelines for Pest Management

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 606-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gladis M. Zinati
Keyword(s):  
Pest Management ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Organic Farming Systems

Conventional agricultural systems increase per-area food production, but deplete natural resources and degrade both crop and environmental quality. Many of these concerns are addressed by sustainable agricultural systems, integrated pest management, biocontrol, and other alternative systems. Environmental and social concerns have escalated the need for alternative agricultural systems in the last decade. One alternative, the organic farming system, substitutes cultural and biological inputs for synthetically made fertilizers and chemicals for crop nutrition and pest management. Practices used for crop and pest management are similar during transition from conventional to organic farming systems, but produce is not certified to be organic during the transition period. During the transition from conventional to organic farming, growers may face pest control difficulties and lower yields when conventional practices are abandoned. The objectives of this paper are to 1) give an overview of the reasons for converting to organic farming and the challenges that growers face during the transition period, 2) outline some potential strategies for crop, soil, and pest management, and 3) list guidelines and recommendations for pest management during the transition to organic farming. Implementation of crop and pest management practices depends on geographical location, climate, available onsite resources, and history of the land. During transition, growers rely on cultural mechanisms and on organic and mineral sources to improve soil fertility, to build a population of natural enemies to suppress pest populations. Pest management practices during the transition period that reduce pest populations to economically manageable levels include crop rotation, cultivation, cover crops, mulches, crop diversification, resistant varieties, and insect traps. These practices also enrich the soil biota and increase crop yields before produce is certified organically grown.

scholarly journals Stable Characteristics of Cover Crops for Weed Suppression in Organic Farming Systems

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Uchino ◽  
Kazuto Iwama ◽  
Yutaka Jitsuyama ◽  
Keiko Ichiyama ◽  
Eri Sugiura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Organic Farming Systems

scholarly journals Organic Farming and Cover-Crop Management Reduce Pest Predation in Austrian Vineyards

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 220
Author(s):  
Jo Marie Reiff ◽  
Sebastian Kolb ◽  
Martin H. Entling ◽  
Thomas Herndl ◽  
Stefan Möth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Lobesia Botrana ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Natural Pest Control ◽  
Predation Rates

Habitat simplification and intensive use of pesticides are main drivers of global arthropod declines and are, thus, decreasing natural pest control. Organic farming, complex landscapes, and local vineyard management practices such as implementation of flower-rich cover-crop mixtures may be a promising approach to enhance predator abundance and, therefore, natural pest control. We examined the effect of organic versus integrated management, cover-crop diversity in the vineyard inter-rows, and landscape composition on the natural pest control of Lobesia botrana eggs and pupae. Predation of L. botrana pupae was reduced by organic farming and species-poor cover-crops by about 10%. Predation rates of L. botrana eggs did not differ significantly in any of the studied management options. Dominant predators were earwigs (Forficulidae), bush crickets (Tettigoniidae), and ants (Formicidae). Negative effects of organic viticulture are most likely related to the negative nontarget effects on arthropods related to the frequent sulfur and copper applications in combination with the avoidance of strongly damaging insecticides by integrated winegrowers. While a 10% difference in predation rates on a single pest stage is unlikely to have strong practical implications, our results show that the assumed effectiveness of environmentally friendly agriculture needs to be evaluated for specific crops and regions.

scholarly journals Measuring the Technical Efficiency of Certified Organic Rice Producing Farms in Yasothon Province: Northeast Thailand

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 6974
Author(s):  
Nalun Panpluem ◽  
Adnan Mustafa ◽  
Xianlei Huang ◽  
Shu Wang ◽  
Changbin Yin
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Rice Production ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Organic Rice ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Constant Returns To Scale

Rice production holds a significant position in the Thai economy. Although it is the world’s largest rice exporter, Thailand’s increase in rice production is the result of an expansion in the cultivation area rather than an increase in yield per unit area. The present study was designed to estimate the technical efficiency and its governing factors for certified organic rice-growing farms in Yasothon Province, Thailand. A data envelopment model was employed to assess the technical efficiency of 328 farmer groups. The data revealed that the average technical efficiency was 23% and 28% under constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) specifications, respectively. Farmers can reduce the use of machinery, fertilizer, seed, and labor as input factors by about 80.1%, 25.62%, 24.72%, and 19.15%, respectively, while still achieving the same level of output. Multiple regression analysis was applied to estimate factors that affect the pure technical efficiency score (PTES) in the test regions. Results show that household size, farm size, water source, market accessibility, health symptoms, income, and labor were highly related to the TES and the amount of organic rice production. The regression coefficients of the predictors show that the income was the best predictor of the PTES at a significance level of p < 0.05. It is concluded that the farmers can potentially increase their yields by up to 72%–77% under current management practices.

Short-term nitrogen mineralization from warm-season cover crops in organic farming systems

2015 ◽  
Vol 396 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 353-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. O’Connell ◽  
W. Shi ◽  
J. M. Grossman ◽  
G. D. Hoyt ◽  
K. L. Fager ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Nitrogen Mineralization ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Organic Farming Systems

Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Tactics by Wisconsin Farmers

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 756-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarissa M. Hammond ◽  
Edward C. Luschei ◽  
Chris M. Boerboom ◽  
Pete J. Nowak
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Pest Management ◽  
Pest Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Resistance Management ◽  
Environmental Safety ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Management Decision Making ◽  
Large Farms

Agronomic research and extension personnel generally recognize the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) but IPM practices have not been rapidly adopted by farmers. In order for applied research and extension programs to be as influential as possible, strategies and tactics must be evaluated in the context of the real-world constraints experienced by farmers. We investigated the linkage between farmers' pest management behaviors, attitudes, and constraints by analyzing an extensive corn pest management survey distributed throughout Wisconsin in 2002. Our objectives were to (1) create a benchmark against which future changes in pest management practices could be detected and (2) explore potential associations between practices and farm characteristics, e.g., farm size or commodity produced. A total of 213 farmers responded with descriptions of their operations; weed, insect, and disease pest management practices; crop consultant usage; interactions with their local agrichemical dealer; and attitudes regarding pest management decision-making. We compared the relative responses of cash-grain and dairy farmers as well as managers of large and small farms. Larger farm size and percentage of operation in cash-grain production were associated with an increased frequency of rotating crops, rotating herbicide families, and use of a broadcast herbicide application. Managers of large farms and/or cash-grain crops also more frequently indicated considering the level of pest control, price, carryover potential, weed resistance management, environmental safety, and risk to the applicator than did dairy or small-sized operations. Cash-grain farmers had significantly higher scores on a calculated IPM index than did dairy farmers (P < 0.0001). We also found a significant positive relationship between farm size and IPM score (P < 0.0001). Our results provide a benchmark for future comparisons of IPM adoption rates in Wisconsin and highlight the association between IPM research/extension and farmers' management behavior.

Biological indicators of soil quality in organic farming systems

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 308-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Stockdale ◽  
C.A. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Biological Quality ◽  
Organic Farming Systems ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe health of the soil, recognized by its active role in the linked processes of decomposition and nutrient supply, is considered as the foundation of agriculture by the organic farming movement. Nutrient management in organically managed soils is fundamentally different from that of conventional agricultural systems. Crop rotations are designed with regard to maintenance of fertility with a focus on nutrient recycling. Where nutrients are added to the system, inputs are in organic and/or non-synthetic fertilizer sources that are mostly slow release in nature. Hence a greater reliance is placed on soil chemical and biological processes to release nutrients in plant-available forms. In this respect, nutrient availability in organically farmed soils is more dependent upon soil processes than is the case in conventional agriculture. The development and use of biological indicators of soil quality may therefore be more important in organic (and other low input) farming systems. The aim of this paper is to evaluate current evidence for the impact of organic farming systems on soil biological quality and consider the identification of appropriate biological indicators for use by organic farmers and their advisors. Organic farming systems are generally associated with increased biological activity and increased below-ground biodiversity. The main impacts on biological fertility do not result from the systemsper sebut are related to the amount and quality of the soil organic matter pool and disruptions of soil habitat via tillage. Even within the constraints of organic farming practices it is possible for farmers to make changes to management practices which will tend to improve soil biological quality. It is, however, by no means clear that distinct indicators of soil biological quality are needed for organic farming systems. It is important not only to identify the most appropriate indicators but also to ensure that farmers and land managers can understand and relate to them to support on-farm management decisions.

scholarly journals Organic Farming Research in India: Present Status and Way Forward

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gopinath KA ◽  
Jayalakshmi Mitnala
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Dynamic Change ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
National Project ◽  
North East ◽  
The Government ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Organic farming is a knowledge intensive system and has been developed by practitioners themselves over the years. Organic farming is native to India. The farmers of ancient India are known to have evolved nature friendly farming systems and practices such as mixed farming, mixed cropping and crop rotation. The first “scientific” approach to organic farming can be quoted back to the Vedas of the “Later Vedic Period”, 1000 BC to 600 BC. There has been significant increase in the area under certified organic farming during the last 10 years. With less than 42,000 ha under certified organic farming during 2003-04, the area under organic farming grew by almost 25 fold, during the next 5 years, to 1.2 million ha during 2008-09. Organic farming is one such system which provides healthy and safe food without ecological harm. Hence, the Government started promoting organic farming through various schemes like National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Horticulture Mission for North East &amp; Himalayan States (HMNEH), National Project on Management of Soil Health and Fertility (NPMSH&amp;F) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). The interest of several States in promoting organic farming indicates that organic agriculture is being viewed as a precursor to dynamic change for an otherwise stagnant agricultural sector. Despite the initiatives and rapid progress, apprehension about the economic viability and environmental and human health benefits of organic farming continue to bother agricultural researchers and policy makers.

Cover Crops

2017 ◽  
pp. 257-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladan Ugrenović ◽  
Vladimir Filipović
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Crop Rotations ◽  
Multiple Role ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Organic Farming Systems

The use of cover crops is widespread practice in organic farming systems. Cover crops can be defined as crops that are usually not grown commercially, and can have a multiple role in crop rotations. The benefit of cover crops has been known since long. Legumes are used as biological fixer of nitrogen for the next crop, and are established during periods when the soil is without major crops in order to reduce erosion. In recent years, the role of cover crops has been extended to the biocontrol of weeds, pests and diseases, as well as to the overall improvement of soil quality by increasing organic matter, encouraging the circulation of nutrients and reducing soil compaction. At the same time, their use tends to reduce costs and even create new sources of income on the farm.

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