Organic Field Crop Production and Marketing in North Carolina

In this Issue:

1. Organic Grain Bus Tour Recap
2. Conservation Innovation Grant award
3. Special Welcome

I.       Organic Grain Bus Tour Recap

Forty farmers, land owners, NCSU Extension and Natural Resource Conservation Service specialists, and crop consultants toured four farms in three days.  We visited two organic grain farms (split operations) in Maryland , the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania , and an
organic grain farm (split operation) in Virginia .  We all had a great time and learned quite a bit from others growing organic grains.  To read the very interesting recap of the trip, and learn how we got the bus un-stuck, click here.
    

II.    Conservation Innovation Grant award

The federal Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has recently awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant to NCSU to support development and education of a cover crop and no-till production method for organic grains.  The federal NRCS awarded NCSU, and collaborating partner Center for Agriculture Partnerships, $249,289 to demonstrate
and promote adoption of an innovative cover crop management system (roll kill/no-till) that significantly reduces tillage and resource concerns in organic grain rotations in the southeast.

Dr. Chris Reberg-Horton, the Project Director and Professor in the Department of Crop Science at NCSU, says that the intensive tillage needed in organic grain production to control weeds can be the biggest resource concern in an otherwise environmentally-friendly production method.  The project funded by this grant will demonstrate an innovative planting system in organic grain production that significantly reduces tillage, and therefore soil resource concerns in organic grain rotations.

The roll-kill/no-till practice starts with roll killing a cover crop with a tractor mounted, heavy roller design that has crimping blades attached in a chevron pattern. Grain crops are planted directly into the rolled cover crop mulch. The mulch, in conjunction with other innovative weed management tools, suppresses weed growth and increases carbon sequestration, water holding capacity, and water infiltration.

Demonstrations and extension events will comprise the outreach and education aspect of the project.  Three on-farm field days and workshops will be held each year of the two year project.  These events will focus on the cover crop management and roll-kill planting
technique that is being demonstrated on cooperating producer’s farms.

Technical guidelines to implementing the approach will also be published as NCSU Extension bulletins and in the NC Organic Grain Production Guide.

III.      Special Welcome

The bus tour was the perfect opportunity to welcome the newest member of NSCU’s faculty and organic community, Dr. Julie Grossman.  Julie was recently hired as Assistant Professor of Soil Fertility Management in Organic Cropping Systems in the Soil Science Department.  She has a background in nitrogen fixation in legumes, an area which is vital to the long-term sustainability of organic systems.  Julie is already working on a grant from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (see article in this newsletter).  Based on feedback we received on the bus tour, Julie has already become a big hit.