The Development of a Whole Farm Transition Tool to Help Advise Producers
Project Director
Gregory A. Ibendahl
Year Funded
2020
Award Number
2020-51106-32377
Funded Institution
Kansas State University
Grant Program
ORG (Organic Transitions)
USDA NIFA Report
Project Overview
This project developed a whole farm transition profitability tool to help farmers better understand the economic potential and challenges associated with transition to organic crop production. The goal is to help farmers make sound decisions on whether to undertake transition, which crops to grow organically, how quickly to implement the transition, and how to manage economic hurdles during the three-year transition period when organic price premiums are not yet available.
Building on the Organic Crop Budgeting Tool developed under ORG award 2016-51106-25716 and designed for single crops, the project team expanded the tool to include:
(1) Whole-farm profitability analysis for an entire crop rotation over multiple years.
(2) Updated, detailed information on organic practices and inputs.
(3) A machinery cost module that covers pre-owned and newly purchased equipment as well as custom machinery operations.
(4) Integration of crop budgeting with various land leasing arrangements.
(5) Economic analysis of the progression from conventional through transition to certified organic production, compared with a baseline of continuing conventional production.
(6) A linear programming model to help farmers identify their best transition strategies.
Farmer Takeaways
(1) The new tool, available as a component of the KSU Farm Budget Generator, estimates net returns for organic transition versus continuing conventional production for the crop mix, equipment inventory, locale, and other attributes of a given farm operation.
(2) The tool identifies indirect benefits of diversified rotations, such as improved soil health and weed control from adding a winter cereal grain to a warm-season row crop rotation.
(3) The tool helps the transitioning-organic farmer to develop the best strategy, including the pace and acreage of transition, equipment purchases, inputs, practices, etc.