Reports

Organic farmers and ranchers like you are always testing and experimenting with new ideas to improve their farming operations. You probably have some ideas every day that you would like to try. Incorporating a few scientific steps in your experiments will generate more reliable results that you can trust.

This guide was specifically created for you, the organic farmer or rancher who is curious about conducting some type of trial or experiment on your farm in a more structured way. Whether you are looking at reducing the use of off-farm inputs, minimizing disease pressure, trying out new crop varieties or animal feed, or testing new cover crop techniques or irrigation sensors, this practical guide was created to assist you along the way.

Efficient utilization of irrigation water is essential for production, economic, and environmental reasons, especially in regions with limited annual rainfall. Managing water resources effectively during both water scarcity and periods of water excess is critical for successful farming.

Soil organic matter and soil organisms are the primary source of fertilizer on organic farms. In this context, the grower’s job is to protect and nourish soil life and replenish organic matter and nutrients removed in harvest.

Over the past 30 years, cover cropping has emerged as a key soil health and resource conservation practice for annual crop production. Truly sustainable agriculture must maintain effective vegetative cover of the soil, even when the field is not in production.