What is Organic? Michael Bomford, PhD Organic Corn Growers Meeting February 16, 2013 Bowling Green, Kentucky

Transcription

1 What is Organic? Michael Bomford, PhD Organic Corn Growers Meeting February 16, 2013 Bowling Green, Kentucky

2 Certification: Who can use the word organic? >$5,000 annually? Must certify. <$5,000 annually? Certification optional if sales direct to consumer Must follow standards Subject to audits (NOP pays) Misuse of organic $10,000 fine

3 Organic Certification Requirements 1. Management plan, approved by certifier Required: Boundaries, buffer zones separate organic from conventional Organic seed, transplants Maintain/improve soil fertility, organic matter Rotation Prohibited: Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides Genetically modified organisms Sewage sludge Burning (some exceptions) 2. Record keeping

4 Organic Production Standards Organic agriculture is a production system that is managed in accordance with the Act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

5 Organic Production Standards Organic agriculture is a production system that is managed Site specific in accordance conditions with the Act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific not conditions a cookbook by integrating cultural, biological, plans reflect and mechanical unique practices that foster cycling of resources, promote characteristics of each ecological balance, and conserve operation biodiversity.

6 Organic Production Standards Cultural practices Organic agriculture is a production system (how you grow) that is managed in accordance with the Act crop timing and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific crop conditions selection by integrating cultural, biological, resistance and mechanical practices that foster cycling interplanting of resources, promote ecological balance, spacing and conserve biodiversity. orientation etc...

7 Organic Production Standards Organic agriculture Biological is a practices production system that is managed in accordance with the Act (use your friends) and regulations in this part to respond to release biocontrols site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, develop beneficial and mechanical habitat practices that foster livestock cycling of grazing resources, promote ecological rhizobial balance, inoculation and conserve biodiversity. etc...

8 Organic Production Standards Mechanical Organic agriculture is a production system that is managed in practices accordance with the Act and regulations in (use this tools) part to respond to site-specific conditions till by integrating cultural, biological, weed and mechanical practices that foster cycling mow of resources, promote ecological balance, flame and conserve biodiversity. fence etc...

9 Organic Production Standards Ecological Balance Organic achievement agriculture is of a steady production state system by that is managed ecosystem in accordance with the Act and regulations in this part to respond to dynamic equilibrium between site-specific conditions by integrating organisms and environment cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster reduced cycling outbreaks of resources, / promote ecological extinctions balance, and (symptoms conserve of biodiversity. imbalance)

10 Organic Production Standards Biodiversity Organic agriculture is a production system that is managed in accordance with the Act Diversity of living organisms and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific Consider conditions scale: by integrating cultural, range biological, from and cellular mechanical to biome practices that foster cycling of resources, promote applies to genes, species, ecological balance, and conserve ecosystems biodiversity.

11 Organic Production Standards Organic agriculture is a production system that is managed in accordance with the Act and regulations Cycling in of this Resources part to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating Re-use on-farm cultural, biological, and mechanical practices resources that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological Avoid balance, inputs and and conserve waste biodiversity.

12 Organic Production Standards Land is certified by government-approved agencies Inspected annually by trained inspector Farmer develops and follows organic farm plan Synthetic substances prohibited Includes synthetic organics Natural substance allowed Includes natural inorganics Maintain or increase soil organic matter content Separation from conventional products In time 3 year transition period; different pollination times In space buffer zones, barriers, separate containers, equipment cleaning etc. $10,000 fine for misuse of word

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14 Clear Boundaries & Buffers Conventional Organic Buffer Conventional

15 Organic Seed Grown on certified organic land No GMOs Hybrids OK No synthetic seed treatments Expect premium price

16 Soil Fertility: Animal Waste Raw manure pre-harvest interval: > 90 days if edible portion does not contact soil > 120 days if edible portion contacts soil

17 Soil Fertility: Compost No pre-harvest interval Strict requirements for manure-based compost F for 15 days in windrows C/N = 25-40

18 Soil Fertility: Cover crops Purpose N source Soil builder Erosion fighter Subsoil loosener Pest fighter Weed fighter Crops Hairy vetch, crimson clover, subterranean clover, berseem clover, cowpea Rye, sudex, subterranean clover Subterranean clover, cowpea, rye Sudex, forage radish, sweet clover Rye, sudex, mustard/rape Buckwheat, subterranean clover, rye, sudex Adapted from SARE, Managing Cover Crops Profitably.

19 marketing/organicmarketing.html

20 marketing/organicmarketing.html

21 Certification Paperwork General Name, address, farm type Land Crops, fields, 3 years of organic management Seed, seedlings, planting stock Source, organic availability, treatments, GMO free Soil & fertility management Composts, manures, fertilizers, irrigation Crop management Rotation, weeds, pests, diseases Organic integrity Buffers, barriers, handling, storage, transport Records Maps, history, management, inputs, harvest, sales

22 KDA Organic Program Fees In state only $125 to file plan Crop Production Livestock Production Processor/Handler Free inspection $25 to register as exempt Lowest price in USA?

23 Michael Bomford, PhD Associate Professor Kentucky State University