This Practical Farmers of Iowa research brief details a 2025 on-farm trial across four Iowa farms testing corn gluten meal as an organic pre-emergent weed suppressant in onions, cabbage, and lettuce. It outlines trial methods, weed biomass and crop yield results compared to mulching/cultivation controls, and farmer takeaways on corn gluten's practical limits and fertilizer value.

This webinar features three Midwest farmers as they share their insights on direct marketing food-grade grains to bakers, distillers, consumers, and more. Panelists include Graham Adsit, Will Glazik, Beth McConnon, and John Clarke.

In this free online course prepared by the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS), learn about managing soil health and fertility in organic field crops commonly grown in the northern tier of the U.S. The course will cover: soil health fundamentals; organic fertility management strategies; allowed fertility inputs; crop rotation strategies; and more.

Living mulches offer potential for weed management in low or no till systems. In this episode of the Field, Lab, Earth Podcast, University of Wisconsin's Ben Brockmueller discusses cover crop management in corn as a means of weed suppression.

Food safety is a consideration in integrated crop-livestock systems. Raw manure can carry pathogens that contaminate crops, and vegetable production poses an especially high contamination risk. This study, conducted by researchers at Iowa State University, examined poultry integration in an organic summer vegetable system to determine whether poultry raised in the summer or fall after spring vegetables could be safely integrated into a vegetable crop rotation while enhancing soil health.

This final research report from OFRF and Markisha Parker of Parker Farm highlights farmer-led research conducted to compare mulch types on tomato production on an urban farm.

Organic farmers prioritize cover crops, but successful establishment in long-season cash crops, particularly in the upper Midwest, remains a challenge. Traditional methods like aerial seeding into corn or drilling after fall harvest have yi…

This Practical Farmers of Iowa research brief describes a 2025 on-farm trial by four Iowa organic farmers testing BioGuard (an OMRI-listed biological seed coating advertised to reduce insect feeding and fungal disease) in corn. It outlines trial design, methods for measuring plant population and yield, and results.

Keen public interest in soil carbon sequestration will test the scientific community’s ability to deliver effective soil management practices. In this webinar, produced by the USDA Climate Hub and the International Soil Carbon Network, experts share case studies from the UK and US on the impacts of manure and compost on soil carbon sequestration in agricultural ecosystems.

In this free online course prepared by the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS), learn about weed control strategies for organic field crops commonly grown in the northern tier of the U.S. The course covers: strategies to prevent weed emergence; cultural and mechanical control strategies; and more.

Listen to this Small Farm Sustainability Podcast episode exploring innovations in organic agriculture, featuring conversations on emerging practices and approaches that are shaping the future of organic farming systems, markets, and producer decision-making today and tomorrow.

Fire blight is a highly destructive bacterial disease in apples. Conventional management entails the use of synthetic bactericide sprays, but organic management options remain limited. One organic spray that has received attention utilizes bacteriophage control, wherein naturally-occurring viruses that infect plant pathogens are cultured and applied to orchards at bloom. This study evaluated the efficacy of bacteriophage sprays as an organic fire blight management strategy.