Preparing for Organic Production. Ron Godin, Ph.D. Research Scientist Colorado State University Rogers Mesa Research Center, Hotchkiss, Colorado

Transcription

1 Preparing for Organic Production Ron Godin, Ph.D. Research Scientist Colorado State University Rogers Mesa Research Center, Hotchkiss, Colorado

2 Preparing for Organic Production Part 1: Planning for the transition to organic (risk management) Part 2: Organic production systems (nuts & bolts of organic)

3 (Risk Navigator: Strategic Risk Management. Hoag, et. al., in press)

4 Strategic Stage: Establishing goals to achieve sustainable positive results over the long term that positions your business for the future. Tactical Stage: Actions taken to achieve goals focused on evaluating the action s impact on the resource base, implications for cost & returns & risk. (provides a chance to plan the transition from how you conduct business today to what is envisioned for the future)

5 Operational Stage: Implementation of plans, day to day management, seeing how the plan unfolds, adjusting the plan to meet challenges. (reaching the destination depends entirely on course corrections to ensure the business moves in the desired direction)

6 Risk Management in Transitioning to Organic Production (Strategic Stage) Establishing Goals write a mission statement (establishes focus and purpose of the operation) provide healthy organic food to area residents and communities by keeping the farm productive and sustainable and to pass on a healthy, productive, sustainable farm to our children

7 - Healthy food, healthy land, healthy people - As good as it gets, quality fruit from family farms - Family farm quality fruit from New Mexico

8 Establishing Goals: Converting to organic production Maintain sustainable organic farm Improve income by reducing off farm inputs Establishing smart objectives: Specific: improving organic fertility Measurable: soil testing Attainable: are adequate soil nutrients available for optimum crop production? Are your goals realistic given resources?

9 Identifying Resources (Tactical Stage) Land, soil, equipment and crop What is the condition of your land/soil? Availability of organic fertilizers? Livestock manures, green manures? What is your average production & price? Is your equipment up to the job? Markets Do you have ready market(s) for your fruit? Are there other marketing opportunities?

10 Planning for an Organic System (Things to keep in mind) - Diverse ecosystems have greater stability - How to promote biodiversity in a perennial crop - Alleyway cover crop mix - Multiple Use - Fertility legume cover crops - Habitat for beneficial insects - Alternate row mowing - Crop and operational diversity - Do value-added products make sense for you?

11 Describe your Operational Plan (Operational Stage) 1. Introduce legume cover crops for on farm fertility (livestock?) Composting, sources of manure. Feeding or building the soil. 2. Introducing beneficial plants for beneficial insects (introduction of beneficial insects if necessary) 3. Practice sustainable/organic practices (e.g. alternate row mowing, onfarm fertility sources) 4. Take annual soil test to monitor fertility management until equilibrium is established 5. Investigate and implement alternative pest management strategies (bat houses, sterile moths, mating disruption, etc.)

12 Organic Production an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances: biodiversity biological cycles and soil biological activity is based on minimal use of off farm inputs and on management practices that: restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony (NOSB, 1995)

13 Part 2: Organic Production Systems: Nuts & Bolts - Role of organic matter in organic farming - Types of organic matter and application - Function of organic matter in soil - Increasing and maintaining soil organic matter

14 Organic Matter Organic Matter Organic Matter - Soil organic matter nuts & bolts - Improving/Increasing soil organic matter - Reducing loss of soil organic matter

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16 Oh God! How do I farm this soil?

17 The role of organic matter in organic farming Feed the soil that feeds the plants - How does this work? - Add organic matter to the soil or surface as mulch - Green manures - Animal manures - Composts With correct temperature above 50º F With correct moisture Micro organism will break down organic matter Supplying the soil with nutrients for plants Organic matter are large chain hydro carbons which are broken down by micro organisms into constituent elements crop nutrients!

18 Adding OM to soil Increases biological activity and diversity

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20 Increased biological activity and diversity Promotes decomposition

21 Decomposition Releases Plant Nutrients Improved soil Aggregation Soil humus

22 Nutrient Release! Improved soil Aggregation Humus (slow release) Healthy Soils & Healthy Crops & Healthy People

23 Effects of Different Type of Organic Matter on Soil Rapid decomposition and nutrient release sugars cellulose Cover crops (green) proteins very slow decomposition lignin humus Compost Adapted from Building Soils for Better Crops

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25 How to improve/increase soil organic matter - Cover crops mow or mow & throw - Green manures (fresh, added as spring in-row mulch) - Animal manures (fresh, added as fall in-row mulch) - Composts (spring or fall) - Plant material - Animal manures Diversity is the key! Use a diversity of organic matter additions to get balanced crop fertility

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27 Tillage increases organic matter decomposition (gassing off) rate - a lack of soil disturbance allows soil organic matter to accumulate - easier to build OM in clayey soil than sandy soils No tillage Tillage

28 Advantages of Cover Crops - Cover crops provide OM inputs PLUS - Cover Crops for beneficial insects - Cover crops are integral in crop diversity especially in perennial crops - Legume cover crops supply nitrogen to the crop - you must inoculate seed with rhizobia bacteria

29 Different Types of Cover Crops Winter annuals winter rye, barley, wheat, peas, white clover, hairy vetch. Cool season annuals oats, rye, subterranean clover.. Warm season annuals buckwheat, cowpeas, sweet clover, berseem clover. Perennials Short lived red clover (biennial) Long lived white clover, alfalfa

30 Benefits of Cover Crops Reduce the need for off-field OM additions food for micro-organisms improve soil structure & tilth replenish active OM lost during cultivation Grow your fertilizer in the field! Legumes supply much of the need N in symbiosis with Rhyzobia

31 Rhizobia: soil bacteria responsible for symbiotic nitrogen fixation on legume roots. Rhizobia fixes atmospheric nitrogen for use by legume plants in exchange for food (sugars) from the plant that keep the bacteria living! Rhizobia are species specific and seed must be inoculated the first time it is planted.

32 Legume Cover Crop Biomass tons/ac Nitrogen lbs/ac Sweet Clovers Winter Peas White Clover Red Clover Adapted from P. Sullivan (attra)

33 Contributions of Cover Crops to soil organic matter Non-Legume Cover Crop Dry Matter addition tons/ac/yr Barley Rye Winter Wheat Buckwheat Adapted from MCCP

34 Green Manure crops improve yields by enhancing soil health Feed the soil that feeds the crops Soil MO number and diversity increase rapidly after crop incorporation During microbial breakdown nutrients are released Crop Biomass N P K lbs/ac lbs/ac lbs/ac lbs/ac Clover Winter Peas Rye

35 Cumulative benefits of cover cropping You can increase the range of benefits by: 1. Increasing the diversity of cover crops grown 2. Increasing the frequency of cover cropping 3. Increase the length of time in cover crops

36 More Benefits Cover crops increase soil active organic matter supply and add a quick nutrient boost Deep rooted rotation crops mine nutrients from deeper in the soil profile (P, K, Mg) Plan ahead nutrient benefits are not instantaneous. SOIL TEST!!!!!!! Practice diversity and balance!!!

37 Compost additions Up to 3 tons per acre annually in the tree row without adverse effects SOIL TEST to check for salinity (EC) levels

38 Raise & maintain soil organic matter Requires a sustained effort Difficult in sandy soils, easier in clayey soils Raise the rate of OM addition above decomposition Reduce the loss through mulching & reduced tillage How much OM is enough? Sandy soil 2% is very good Clayey soil 3 4% is good 1% OM = 20 tons OM!!! each 1% OM ~ 30 lbs N per year

39 Keeping your organic matter with mulches Objective: to cover your soil with mulch to reduce moisture loss However, it also reduces temperature gains in spring Straw mulch can cause N availability problems if incorporated Compost Green manure Crop residues

40 Benefits of Mulching - Slows organic matter breakdown - Enhances water availability to crops - Less extreme changes in temperature - Can reduce pest infestations - Reduces soil erosion

41 PAPER WOOD CHIP/BARK FABRIC *Alfalfa Mulch

42 Diversity in and around the orchard Beneficial Plants

43 Beneficial Insects & Organisms Beneficial Insects (trap & monitor pests) - should be released when pest populations are low to medium - take time to work, mostly in pests early stages -

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45 Organic Insecticides and controls - Horticultural oils (dormant sprays) - Entrust (bacteria) - MYCOTROL O (bacteria) -BTs - diatamatious earth - Neem oil (under various names) - Virosoft Granulosus virus - PyGanic (pyrethrins) (varying concentrations) - Diatec (pyrethrins) - M-Pede (insecticidal soap) - Mating disruptors (pheromones) - Traps with lures

46 Useful Links - Managing Cover Crops Profitably - Building Soils for Better Crops many organic publications Sustainable Soils: the place of organic matter in sustaining soils and their productivity. B. Wolf & G. Snyder ation.htm

47 Questions?

48 Thank you!