Cover crop residue retention on the soil surface can suppress weeds and improve both yield and profitability of organic production systems. However, these benefits are influenced by specific cover crop management practices. This study assessed the impacts of establishment date and termination method on total cover crop biomass, weed suppression, soybean crop yield, and profitability.

Published by the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS), this factsheet guides transitioning organic grain farmers through key equipment and infrastructure decisions — including tillage implements, cultivation and weed control tools, guidance systems, grain drills, and on-farm storage. It emphasizes long-term planning, crop rotation, and building a support team to navigate the shift from conventional production.

The Lean Workbook, developed by the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC), is a practical, hands-on resource designed to help food and agricultural businesses improve efficiency, reduce waste, and strengthen overall operations. Built specifically for producers, processors, and value-added entrepreneurs, this workbook translates lean business management principles into simple, real-world applications that can be immediately used in day-to-day operations.

Creeping perennial weeds such as Canada thistle and field bindweed play by completely different rules than most weeds, and in organic systems, managing them is less about control and more about learning to live with them strategically. In this webinar, Dr. Pat Carr and Will Glazik talk about how to manage perennial weeds in organic grain rotations.

Welcome to the Organic Advisor Call Series — quick-hit conversations on the hottest topics in organic field crops. Whether you're tuning in from your desk, truck, or tractor, you'll spend one hour each episode learning about emerging issues from expert farmers and industry leaders.

Organic dairies are faced with the challenge of sourcing and purchasing organic feed grains. With short supplies, escalating feed prices, and recently falling organic milk prices, farmers are searching for alternative energy sources for lac…

Soilborne pathogens and root-feeding nematodes can severely limit yields in organic specialty crops. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), which saturates soil with water and induces an oxygen-free environment prior to seeding is a natural pest/disease control method that can suppress soilborne pathogens. This study analyzed the efficacy of ASD in managing key soilborne pathogens in organic vegetable and strawberry production systems.

Developed by the Organic Farmers Association, this checklist helps organic and transitioning producers prepare for a visit to their local NRCS office to explore funding through EQIP Practice #823. Farmers document basic farm information and identify resource concerns — from erosion and water quality to livestock infrastructure and soil health — to guide conservation planning.

Worksheets and calculators are useful tools for making projections of future income and expenses for various value-added enterprises. The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) has compiled budgeting tools for an array of crops (grain/field crops, vegetables, berries) and livestock production systems to project costs and returns for your business.

If NRCS programs feel confusing or intimidating, you’re not alone. In this Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS) call series episode, Sam Tilton talks with Thomas Manley to unpack the cost-share opportunities available to organic grain farmers—and explain how good conservation planning can strengthen an operation long after the contract ends.

Join Dr. Bijesh Maharjan, Professor of Agronomy & Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, for a discussion about the soil health cycle. Learn about what the soil health cycle is, why fostering healthy soils is so important, and how the soil health cycle relates to human health.

The NODPA-sponsored and moderated Odairy is an internet-based listserve. The listserve helps organic dairy farmers throughout the northeast and North America to access information and hold discussions about organic production practices, org…