| SCOAR Bulletin #23 |
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December 16, 2008 |
SCOAR is a collaboration of producers and scientists whose mission is to plan and promote research and information exchange for understanding and improving organic agricultural systems.
Agency News
Grant reviewers with organic experience needed to help allocate federal funds
The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is soliciting people with expertise in organic and sustainable agriculture to volunteer as grant reviewers for five different federal grantmaking programs, including the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and the Integrated Organic Program. Reviewers must be active/have expertise in research, education or extension/outreach relevant to the program. If selected as a grant reviewer, s/he must agree to read and submit written comments on grant and participate in a panel review meeting. Precise requirements vary with the program. To find out more, contact Tracy Lerman, Organic Farming Research Foundation, tracy@ofrf.org
Call for Papers (and seeds)
First IFOAM Conference on Organic Animal and Plant Breeding-- Breeding Diversity, August 25-28, 2009 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Adapted from IFOAM press release
IFOAM and Seeds of Change will jointly host the Breeding Diversity conference to bring together experiences and views from a wide range of perspectives on organic breeding. IFOAM solicits abstracts for papers to be presented as well as seeds to be planted in the Seeds of Change demonstration plot.
IFOAM invites farmers and scientists, traders and certifiers, gardeners and animal breeders, professionals and dedicated hobby breeders to submit their papers by February 1, 2009. Topics will be methods, socioeconomic aspects, and legal aspects of both animal and plant breeding. For details on submitting an abstract, please visit IFOAM conference.
If you would like to contribute seed for the biodiversity demonstration plot, contact Richard Bernard at Seeds of Change for more details.
Research Findings
Organic pecan yields and profits higher than conventional
Adapted from ARS press release written by Alfredo Flores
Pecan growers might be able to boost their profits by growing pecans organically, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists studying production systems for this popular tree nut.
In 2002, ARS scientists led by Joe Bradford, research leader at the agency's Integrated Farming and Natural Resources Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas, began transitioning a 27-year-old conventionally managed pecan orchard to a certified-organic system. The primary objective of the project is to provide information to pecan growers on how to convert from conventional management systems that rely on synthetic chemicals to an organic system.
Contrary to conventional growers' expectations, the ARS organically treated test site out-yielded the conventionally-managed, chemically fertilized Gebert orchard in each of the past five years. Yields on ARS's organic test site surpassed the Gebert commercial orchard by 18 pounds per tree in 2005 and by 12 pounds per tree in 2007.
The conventional management system generates about $1,750 per acre when the crop is sold. The ARS certified-organic system’s revenues would gross $5,290 per acre.
Read the full story online here: ARS pecan study.
ARS researchers study mustard meal’s weed-killing abilities
Adapted from ARS press release written by Jan Suszkiw
Sinalbin, the same compound that gives white mustard its pungent flavor, could also prove useful in fighting weeds.
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) studies suggest sinalbin and other compounds released into soil by applications of white mustard seed meals can kill or suppress certain weedy grasses and annual broadleaf weeds.
Agronomist Rick Boydston with the ARS Vegetable and Forage Crops Research Unit in Prosser, Wash., is conducting the studies with plant physiologist Steven Vaughn, at the ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Ill. One-ton and two-ton rates of mustard meal reduced barnyard grass, green foxtail, common lambsquarters, henbit, and redroot pigweed populations in a peppermint crop by 90 percent several weeks after application. In trials with potted rose, phlox, coreopsis, and pasque flower, the treatment killed or reduced the growth of annual bluegrass, common chickweed, creeping woodsorrel, and liverwort. One of the aims of the research is to provide organic farmers with an alternative to hand-pulling, burning and other laborious methods of weed control in specialty crops including peppermint and potted ornamentals.
The full article may be read here: ARS mustard study.
In the Literature
Rodale paper argues that organic farming is best way to feed the world
Adapted from Rodale press release
A newly released Rodale Institute research paper reviewing replicated research shows that the latest scientific approaches in organic agriculture offer affordable, immediately usable and universally accessible ways to improve yields and access to nutritional food in developing countries. "The Organic Green Revolution" paper is available online at Rodale Green Revolution.
Educational Opportunities
Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) courses in organic land care
Held at various locations in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island in January and February 2009.
These are five-day intensive courses designed to provide professionals with the education needed for an understanding of organic land care from design to maintenance. The curriculum is based on Standards for Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and Maintenance of Ecological Landscapes, written by NOFA's Organic Land Care Committee. These standards, first published in 2001, are the first of their kind in the country. For information on locations, dates, course content, and registration, visit NOFA Organic Land Care.
Resources
The MOSES Upper Midwest Resource Directory is now searchable online
From the MOSES website
The MOSES Upper Midwest Resource Directory is now completely searchable on our website. Call up 70 pages of organic resource groups, certification agencies, suppliers, brokers, buyers, consultants, and others with a quick and easy online search. MOSES directory
IFOAM creates Growing Organic resource on the web
From IFOAM press release
The goal of the Growing Organic pages is to provide a hub of easily accessible and navigable information for developing organic agriculture. IFOAM, having brought this information together, believes that it will serve governments, the private sector and other key stakeholders that are showing great interest in promoting and developing organic and are looking for comprehensive and reliable sources of information. The development of organic agriculture around the world will be facilitated through this knowledge resource. The Organic Pages cover eight major topic areas relating to organic agriculture: Policy, Advocacy, Strategic Relations, Quality Assurance, Marketing, Training, and Research. Online at IFOAM Growing Organic pages.
Organic Whole Farm Planning Workbook just released by Ohio State University
Adapted from press release
The Organic Whole Farm Planning Workbook is a companion volume to the earlier released Transition Guide to Certified Organic Crop Management, which explains the National Organic Standards associated with organic crop production and provides helpful information on ways to follow the guidelines. The new workbook further supports the transition process by guiding the user through developing a holistic transition plan and producing a completed Organic Farm Plan required by certifiers. Printed with a spiral binding, the workbook was designed to be user-friendly. It was written by Margaret Frericks Huelsman who also authored the Transition Guide. While aimed primarily at transitional farmers, this workbook would be a valuable tool for existing organic farmers who are ready to update their organic farm plan. Cost: Organic Whole Farm Planning Workbook is $20; A Transition Guide to Certified Organic Crop Management is $15. To order, contact Kathy Bielek, phone 330-202-3528, email bielek.4@osu.edu.
U.S. organic sales leap to almost $24 billion; Organic Trade Association launches unprecedented marketing initiative
Adapted from OTA press release
As the longstanding voice of leadership in the $23.6 billion organic industry, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) today announced that the 1,700-member organization is launching an extraordinary consumer marketing and public relations campaign that will reach more than 25 million consumers in the year 2009 alone. A full range of strategic marketing and public relations initiatives are being implemented including organic promotional days, an organic advertising campaign, and updated online resources. Visit the OTA website at www.ota.com.
The full press release may be read here: OTA initiative.
Economic Research Service releases report on use of contracts by certified organic handlers
Adapted from abstract
Rapid growth in the organic foods market has placed great pressure on farmers and handlers in the U.S. organic sector. Handlers are firms that produce, process, and distribute organic food. As the middlemen in the supply chain, organic handlers have been unable at times to provide as much of their final product as the market wants and have also found needed ingredients in short supply. Carolyn Dimitri and Lydia Oberholtzer at USDA’s Economic Research Service conducted a survey of certified organic handlers in the U.S. Survey results reveal that handlers widely use contracts as a means to not only procure needed ingredients but also to develop and maintain strong working relationships with their suppliers. Only a few organic handlers, however, have worked to assist farmers directly with farmers' transition to organic production.
The report, Using Vertically Coordinated Relationships to Overcome Tight Supply in the Organic Market Read, is online at ERS handler report.
Dimitri, Carolyn and Lydia Oberholtzer. October 2008. Using Vertically Coordinated Relationships to Overcome Tight Supply in the Organic Market. Outlook Report No. (VGS-32901), 19 pp.
Funding Opportunities
SARE Northeast Region farmer grants due this week!
The goal of the Farmer Grant program is to help farmers explore sustainable and innovative production and marketing practices, often by conducting an experiment, trial, or on-farm demonstration. SARE defines sustainable practices as those that are profitable, environmentally sound, and beneficial to the wider farm community. Proposals must be postmarked by December 18, 2008. For more information on applying, visit http://nesare.org/get/farmers/
Risk Management Agency solicits analysis of organic crop insurance provisions
The Risk Management Agency has released a solicitation for Review of Risk and Loss Experience and Development of Additional Price Election Procedures in organic crops. Prospective contracts are due December 23, 2008. Review the full solicitation at Organic Crop Insurance evaluation, or contact Brantt Lindsey, phone 816-926-2129, email brantt.lindsey@kcc.usda.gov
SARE North Central Region graduate student grant deadline approaches
Graduate students can submit proposals for up to $10,000 for projects that address sustainable agriculture issues and are part of the student's degree program. SARE expects to be able to fund about 15 projects in the twelve-state North Central Region (NCR). Proposals are due in the NCR-SARE office in St Paul, MN, by January 28, 2009. Contact NCR-SARE at email ncrsare@umn.edu or phone 612-626-3113.
This is the 23rd in a series of occasional bulletins providing selected information on organic research programs, positions, funding, and reports, as well as news about SCOAR itself. Original items may be reproduced with attribution to OFRF. These reports are sent via email to registered SCOAR participants. For previous bulletins, registration and other information about SCOAR, see http://ofrf.org/networks/scoar.html
Your feedback is welcomed. Send comments to jane@ofrf.org
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