Legumes are the foundation of prairie organic agriculture and high quality rhizobium inoculants are important to maximize their nitrogen fixation. Without proper inoculation, legume yields are at risk. A recent decision regarding seed inoculants at the Organic Crop Improvement Association International annual meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska, has made choosing seed inoculants much easier this spring. […] Read more
Stories by Ian Cushon
Wheat board’s buy-back program small price to pay – All Things Organic
The recent announcement that the Canadian Wheat Board will make its producer direct sales, or buyback, program easier to use is good news for farmers who market organic and non-organic grain outside of the CWB system. The wheat board has proposed that farmers will no longer have to use an accredited grain company to administer […] Read more
Genetic contamination damages organic producers
Monsanto’s lawsuit against Percy Schmeiser has attracted wide attention. The evidence as presented by both parties is now in the hands of the judge for a decision expected sometime later this year. Regardless of the results, Monsanto’s lawsuit has raised some important questions that need to be resolved. Genetically modified canola has lost the certified […] Read more
Design your own organic test plot
A basic rule of organic production is that each farm is unique. As a result, successful organic farmers need to be able to develop, test and apply production techniques on their own farms, especially when they are first starting out. While many farms share broad soil types and similar climatic conditions, there is a much […] Read more
Organic inspections
Organic farmers must have an annual on-farm inspection in order to meet organic certification requirements. Usually inspections take place in June or July, but they can happen any time before harvest. Under my certification program, the inspector is hired by the local organic organization. The inspector’s role is to provide an annual check on production, […] Read more
ALL THINGS ORGANIC
Organic crop variety selection Organic farmers must rely heavily on crop competition to manage weeds. Selecting the most weed-competitive crops and varieties can make a big difference in yields. This is a good time of year to observe how competitive your varieties are. If we all had extra time during seeding, we would plant several […] Read more
Research vital for organics
With high input costs and low grain prices, farmers’ net profits are looking slim. Under these conditions many are interested in reducing chemical and fertilizer use, so some farmers are giving more thought to organic production as a way of increasing net income. Most of my transition to organic agriculture occurred during the late 1980s […] Read more
ALL THINGS ORGANIC
What it takes to go organic So you want to be an organic farmer? You’ve heard about organic premium prices and niche market opportunities, and you are tired of paying those chemical and fertilizer companies more of your hard earned dollars. Or you have a piece of hay land that has been chemical and fertilizer […] Read more
