Breakthroughs in Organic Agriculture (BOA): Taking High Plains Farming to the Next Level
Project Director
Natalie Yoder
Year Funded
2019
Award Number
2019-51300-30256
Funded Institution
Colorado State University
Grant Program
OREI (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative)
USDA NIFA Report
Project Overview
This OREI Conference Grant was utilized to expand the 7th annual High Plains Organic Conference held in Cheyenne, WY in 2020 for producers, researchers, educators, processors, and vendors. Goals were to share state-of-the-art knowledge, identify knowledge gaps, and provide a venue for networking and problem solving that can lead to breakthroughs in organic production in this challenging region of low rainfall and low soil fertility. The conference brought 106 participants and speakers together.
Farmer Takeaways
(1) The annual High Plains Organic Conference provides an excellent opportunity for farmer-farmer and farmer-scientist networking to address the challenges of organic production of dryland grain, livestock, and irrigated vegetables in eastern CO and WY and western NE.
(2) Kernza and hemp offer opportunities to diversify dryland organic wheat production. Plant breeding may be needed to develop strains suitable for the High Plains region.