The Organic Farming Research Foundation recently released the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), a report informed by surveys and focus groups conducted in 2020 with over 1,100 certified organic and 71 transitioning-organic farmers and ranchers across North America. This report is published every 5 years to examine organic farming challenges across the US, identify research needs, and better understand the organic seed needs of producers.
According to the findings, the organic food market experienced incredible growth in 2020, with sales surpassing $56 billion, a 12 per cent increase from 2019. The organic seed market has also grown in recent years due to this demand for organic food as well as a dramatic rise in gardening during the Covid-19 pandemic. The report presents comprehensive assessments and recommendations for ensuring the ongoing growth and success of organic farming in the US. Specifically, NORA details organic research needs with the goal of informing future investments that support the success of organic farmers and ranchers and those transitioning to organic production.
Weeds as a great challenge
A major highlight from the NORA is the Organic Survey participants identifying weeds as a production challenge. Controlling weeds, fertility and nutrient management, and controlling pests are still among the top five areas of concern and thus key priorities for further research investment, similarly to the 2015 report. Specific comments provided by survey and focus group participants illustrate not only the severity of the weed challenge, but also the critical role that increasingly extreme rainfall patterns and other climate disruptions now play in further complicating organic weed management.
“Weather makes it hard to control weeds, it is getting more and more unpredictable. Last year we had no weeds, and then the end of July the super dry, hot weather just made everything go crazy, and there was nothing I could do,” says a farmer. “I would like to see more research not on how to kill weeds but how to discourage them to germinate in the first place,” says another. Specific feedback from organic farmers also underscores the need for additional research on controlling weeds such as bindweed, Canadian thistle, giant ragweed, foxtail, and nutsedge. In discussions related to issues of production scale and equipment needs, one farmer shares, “I know what I want to do, but I can’t afford the equipment that it’s going to take to do it. I need to increase my residue, but my old six row equipment or the old disc or the old field cultivator won’t handle the residue that I need for weed control.”
Transitioning and finding new challenges
Weed competition against crops often becomes especially problematic during transition of a field from conventional production with herbicides to organic production with mechanical weed control, particularly when sub-optimal soil health makes crops less weed-tolerant. When farmers undertake a transition to organic certification, they must immediately stop using synthetic inputs to suppress weeds and instead rely on tillage and cultivation for weed control, which can have negative impacts on soil health. This issue emerged as a substantial challenge for a somewhat higher percentage of transitioning respondents (43%) than certified organic (31%). In addition, production issues related to weed control and the struggle to balance weed control with building soil health was a common theme during focus group discussions with transitioning producers.
Seed systems
In addition to identifying gaps in current organic and transitioning-to-organic production challenges, NORA highlights farmer-identified solutions and strategies shared during its focus group discussions. NORA also provides comprehensive recommendations to guide OFRF’s research and policy initiatives. Proposed investments and focus areas include, but are not limited to, technical assistance, organic research, and racial equity programming.
Organic Farming Research Formation releases the NORA in conjunction with State of Organic Seed Report, part of an ongoing project to monitor organic seed systems in the US. Every five years, SOS serves as a progress report and action plan for increasing the organic seed supply while fostering seed grower networks and policies that aim to decentralise power and ownership in seed systems.
Participants provided input and perspectives on their current organic production systems, including the use of regenerative soil health management practices, as well as their most pressing production and non-production challenges, technical assistance needs, and concerns related to organic agriculture.
Read More: Applications now open for two USDA Programs geared towards Organic and transitioning producers
