The Rodale Institute, a leader in modern hemp research, conducted a two-year field experiment evaluating the performance of four hemp varieties with the goal of better understanding the effects of hemp variety and environmental conditions on hemp growth, yield, and plant-fungal (mycorrhizal) interactions.

Compared with black plastic mulch, biomulches are a more sustainable option because they break down in the soil. However, they can degrade slowly and may not meet organic standards. This study looked at how different methods affect how quickly two types of biomulch break down in the hopes of finding ways that farmers can make biomulch decompose faster.

This study analyzes the impacts of organic management practices on soil health indicators within an organic corn/soybean/oat/alfalfa system and an organic pasture system both over time and in comparison to a conventional corn/soybean system.

Building soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important management practice in organic agriculture. Management practices are known to increase SOC, but there are also ways in which adjusting crop resource availability can induce a physiological shift in plant C allocation, resulting in the deposition of carbon-rich exudates into soils and accumulation of SOC. This study reviews the existing literature on belowground C deposition and posits several ways in which farmers might tap into the physiological responses of crops to enhance SOC.

The goal of this project was to identify critical grass-fed dairy management practices to optimize herd and environmental health, economically viability, milk quality, and marketing success. Researchers addressed knowledge gaps through benchmarking surveys, on-farm studies, sensory analyses of grass-fed milk flavor components, and research into consumer expectations. The project has built a robust knowledge network among organic dairy farmers, processors, and service providers.

The Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative (NOVIC) develops new vegetable cultivars for organic farming through farmer participation. Established in 2009, the project has resulted in the release of dozens of new cultivars and advanced breeding lines, enhancing organic production systems in the northern US.

Plant diseases cost the temperate and tropical fruit industry billions of dollars in crop losses each year. Organic fruit growers need innovative options for the control of fungal diseases. Certified organic plant essential oils (EOs) may have the potential as a pest management tool in the production and post-harvest period of various fruit crops as they act on a broad spectrum of plant diseases and are safe for the environment and human consumption.

The A-BIRDS project investigated the impacts of natural areas on wild bird abundance and diversity and the benefits and risks associated with wild birds in organic produce farms. The research showed that structurally diverse landscapes and livestock-crop integration enhanced wild bird diversity. As well, the project determined that birds consume over 100 species of insect pests, that some birds carry the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter, and that increasing natural habitat areas can reduce the risk of crop contamination with this pathogen.

A diverse and virulent complex of pathogens threaten organic tomato production. The Tomato Organic Management and Improvement Project (TOMI): Part II builds on previous research which found that soil and root microbiomes play a substantial role in mediating crop disease resistance. This research investigates: 1) the potential for microbial biocontrol agents to promote disease suppression, 2) how plants and microbes interact, and 3) the development of varieties with stable disease resistance.

High tunnel production requires careful management of temperature, humidity, and intensive crop rotations, and can entail new soil, nutrient, pest, and disease management issues. This University of Florida-led project conducted field station and on-farm research into management of the physical environment, crops, nutrients, soil health, pests, and diseases in organic high tunnel vegetable production in the Southern region.

Organic soybean and dry bean are highly susceptible to weed competition and to white mold disease. While higher seeding rates often help with weed suppression, there is a concern that dense crop stands might aggravate the incidence and severity of white mold. In this project, experiments were conducted to optimize soybean and dry bean seeding rates, nitrogen (N) inputs, and cover crop management for production, weed and disease control, and net economic return for organic soybean and dry bean.

Organic beekeepers need research-based practical information on best management practices that comply with National Organic Program (NOP) standards and maintain colony health. This project compared three approaches: conventional, organic, and chemical-free. Researchers convened beekeepers representing all three systems to discuss their management practices and conducted field trials at to compare colony survival and health, honey production, and net economic returns in the three systems.

Low soil fertility, intense weed pressure, and climate disruption threaten the economic viability of organic dryland wheat production in the western US. Previous OREI-funded research indicated that a one-time application of composted cattle manure + bedding can double soil organic carbon (SOC) and organic dryland wheat yields for at least 15 years after application. The current study explores this compost legacy effect in greater depth, its underlying mechanisms, and the scope and duration of benefits.

Since its launch in 2011, the Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture (CIOA) project has established a robust nationwide network of plant breeders, organic farmers, and small-scale seed companies to develop and release new carrot varieties better suited to organic systems.

How much nitrogen (N) does an organic grain or silage corn crop need? This project team, led by Jason Kaye at Penn State University, developed a model that predicts unfertilized corn yield, based on the N contributions of SOM and decomposing cover crops. This model has been integrated into an N decision support tool, which calculates the supplemental N fertilizer requirements for organic grain and silage corn in Pennsylvania.

Research has shown that different cover crops can have varying impacts on soil health, potentially influencing the timeline for observing these changes. This study examined soil health in plots under conventional and recently transitioned organic management using four cover crop treatments (rye, radish, rye/vetch mix, and rye/vetch/radish mix) and a conventional fallow.

Integrating livestock into organic production systems can provide several benefits, including (1) improving soil health and structure, (2) boosting soil nutrient cycling and availability, (3) increasing crop yield, and (4) enhancing overall farm resiliency. This study assesses the impacts of poultry integration on soil health, crop yield, and weed/cover crop biomass in several vegetable crop rotations.

Cover crop “cocktails,” or mixtures containing three or more species, are gaining popularity in organic vegetable production due to their potential to increase ecosystem services and enhance crop production. This study aims to address the research gap in understanding the multifunctional impact of summer cover crop mixtures on organic vegetable production in Upper Midwest conditions.

Heirloom tomatoes are not officially classified as a botanical class but are generally associated with unique shapes, vibrant colors, and rich flavors, which distinguish them from commercial tomatoes. This study specifically evaluated the productivity of cultivars from three market classes (traditional heirloom, heirloom hybrid, and commercial hybrid) to determine the most promising cultivars and market class for Hawaiian markets.

In this study, 113 meta-analyses from around the globe were reviewed in order to assess broad impacts of crop management measures, soil and water measures, soil amendments, fertilizer use, and 4R (right source, rate, timing, and placement) fertilizer strategies on outcome metrics including crop yield, crop N and P, soil quality indicators, soil greenhouse gas emissions, and nutrient losses.