Soil tarping is the practice of covering soil with plastic tarps over the winter or in early spring (prior to cash crop planting) to reduce erosion, minimize nutrient leaching, and kill soilborne pathogens, weed seedlings, and weed seeds in the soil. This study, conducted by South Dakota State University, evaluated the impacts of soil solarization (using clear tarps) and occultation (using opaque tarps) on soil health metrics.

In this free online course prepared by the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS), learn about the agronomic services provided by ag advisors, recordkeeping and certification services, perspectives from working ag advisors, and business models for ag advising.

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist Jeff Schahczenski talks with Aria McLauchlan and Harley Cross about how to measure the impact that soil health practices can have in mitigating the impacts of weather and climate disruption.

Farm Commons' Rachel Armstrong joins the Organic Farmers Association to discuss how a buyer's bankruptcy can devastate a farmer's business, sharing proactive tools farmers can use to avoid clawback notices and disputes.

This guidebook covers organic grain markets, featuring farmer and buyer perspectives on return on investment, market landscape trends, and strategies for engaging organic grain buyers.

The objectives of this study were: To evaluate the efficacy of high tunnel structures covered with insect excluding materials to reduce insect vectored diseases in an organic production system. ƒ To evaluate the effect of different covering…

Production and acreage of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) boomed in the US after its legalization in 2018, and many producers are interested in growing this crop for its uses in industries such as human and animal food, construction, and textiles. However, many knowledge gaps and barriers still exist in regards to production, processing, and supply chains. This study conducted a national survey and focus groups to identify resource needs and barriers in the US hemp market.

Crop insurance can be a confusing program for organic farmers. In this free online course prepared by the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS), learn about: the organic crop insurance cycle (from application to claim), crop insurance programs (i.e., revenue protection, livestock, hail), coverage limitations and practice restrictions, benefits unique to organic producers, and the role of crop insurance agents.

This episode of Voices from the Field is the first of a two-part conversation with organic farming pioneer and founder of the Farmer Veteran Coalition Michael O’Gorman. In this part of the conversation, he and NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis talk about Michael’s history and how good planning and record keeping can help farmers cope with rising prices for inputs and supplies.

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.

This resource explains how farmers can protect themselves from bankruptcy "clawback" demands on payments they've already received from buyers, covering both legal defenses and preventive steps like state indemnity funds and liens.

Many people are familiar with corn with transgenic resistance to European corn borer (ECB), marketed as “Bt corn.” Fewer know that there are natural forms of resistance to ECB that could be used on certified organic farms. The genes for thi…