Organic Farming Education for Agricultural Professionals

View the project final report

• 2004 annual report
• 2006 annual report

Commodities

• Agronomic: barley, rye, soybeans, sunflower, grass (misc. perennial), hay
• Additional Plants: herbs
• Animals: bovine, poultry
• Animal Products: dairy

Practices

• Animal Production: parasite control, grazing - continuous, free-range, feed rations, herbal medicines, homeopathy, pasture fertility, preventive practices, grazing - rotational, feed/forage
• Crop Production: cover crops, fallow, foliar feeding, intercropping, nutrient cycling, organic fertilizers, ridge tillage, strip tillage, conservation tillage, contour farming
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, workshop, technical assistance
• Farm Business Management: risk management
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, habitat enhancement, soil stabilization, wildlife
• Pest Management: biological control, botanical pesticides, compost extracts, cultural control, eradication, field monitoring/scouting, flame, integrated pest management, mulches - killed, mulches - living, mating disruption, physical control, mulching - plastic, cultivation, row covers (for pests), sanitation, trap crops, traps, mulching - vegetative, weed ecology
• Production Systems: transitioning to organic
• Soil Management: earthworms, green manures, organic matter, composting, nutrient mineralization, soil quality/health

A total of 262 Agricultural Professionals have been trained on the basics of organic production and certification. These attendees are more confident of their ability to respond to constituent questions on organic production. They have comprehensive resources that they may copy and send to farmers requesting follow up information. Attendees have gone on to host their own training sessions for farmer constituents. Over 800 Agricultural professionals and others in the Midwest and beyond receive regular information on current organic opportunities, research and events through regular Organic Update e-newsletters.

• Comprehensive 2 year organic-specific training for at least 100 NRCS, CES and other Federal, State and agency professionals.

  Twelve short courses over two years on organic farms in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

  Monthly project electronic newsletter including a regional events calendar and reports on new organic resources

  Continuous updating of electronic version of Midwest Organic Resource Directory

  Participation in organic farm tours, field days and workshops at the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference.

  Increase general knowledge of organic agriculture, markets and other factors.

  Increase knowledge of organic crop, livestock, dairy and fruit and vegetable production and practices so ag professionals will feel confident and comfortable discussing organic agriculture at meetings and with individual farmers.

  Convey a general knowledge of organic standards, record keeping, approved practices and learn where to refer farmers requesting more specific information.

  Become familiar with organic certification agencies serving the 3-state region.

  Help Ag professionals develop their own initiatives to serve organic farming clientele.