This Rodale Institute research summary summarizes a 2021–2024 study on organic hemp–barley rotations, comparing tillage methods, legume cover crops, and nitrogen rates. It covers effects on hemp establishment, hemp and barley yields, nitrogen supply, and soil health indicators.

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.

Curious about fiber flax and its potential to reshape the textile industry? Join the Rodale Institute for a webinar to learn more about the PA Flax Project and the fundamentals of growing fiber flax organically. This conversation will cover the agronomy of fiber flax, from its growth cycle and role in crop rotations to fields preparation, seeding strategies, and weed management.

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.

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.

In 2017, a participatory action research team from the University of Vermont initiated a study to identify the underlying causes of the annual food insecurity faced by families belonging to an organic coffee cooperative. The research reveal…

This summary from the Rodale Institute highlights research assessing the effects of tillage, cover crop, and nitrogen (N) rate on industrial hemp fiber yield, N concentrations in leaf and stalk, and mechanical performance under regenerative organic conditions.

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.

The Science-Based Targets Initiative is the leading framework for corporate climate action, used by over 10,000 companies globally, including some of the world’s biggest dairy brands. Join the Rodale Institute for a discussion on the feasibility of SBTI climate targets for the organic dairy industry, using data from the organic yogurt company Painterland Sisters as an example.

Recent years have seen an explosion of new soil health tests, measuring a wide variety of indicators that depend on the activity of soil microorganisms. In this episode of Voices from the Field, Mike Morris, NCAT’s Southwest Regional Director, talks with Dr. Barbara Bellows, soil scientist at the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research, about her new ATTRA publication, Soil Health Indicators and Tests.

Small-scale organic vegetable farms maintain highly diverse cropping systems that require labor-efficient, scale-appropriate reduced/no-till strategies that can be applied over consecutive years to balance yield, financial, and soil health goals. This study evaluated the impacts of tillage, organic mulches, and tarping on crop yields, labor, profitability, and soil health in an organic cabbage/winter squash production system.

Farmers and agricultural professionals have great interest in exploiting beneficial soil organisms, especially in organic systems with their focus on soil health and reliance on natural cycles to manage plant health and pests. Endophytes ar…