Pasture, Forage & Sustainable Pasture, Forage & Sustainable Organic ProductionOrganic Production

George KuepperGeorge KuepperNational Center for Appropriate TechnologyNational Center for Appropriate Technology

ATTRAP.O. Box 3838

Butte, MT 59701

1-800-346-9140

www.attra.ncat.org

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is created and managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is

funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. It provides information and other technicalassistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others

involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.

Evolution Of and the Influences On American Organic FarmingEvolution Of and the Influences On American Organic Farming

Convertible Husbandry & Convertible Husbandry & High FarmingHigh Farming (Europe, 1800s)(Europe, 1800s)

Biodynamics

Sustainable Practicesfrom the Asian

Continent

HumusHumusFarmingFarming

OrganicOrganicFarmingFarming

Countercultural InfluencesEnvironmental Consciousness

Organic By Neglect

Organic Certification

DemeterCertified

Production

Eco-AgricultureIntegrated

Production, etc.

USDANationalStandard

CertifiedCertifiedOrganicOrganic

ProductionProduction

R. Steiner

J.I. Rodale

A. Howard

Wm. Albrecht

L. Bromfield E. Pfeiffer

E. Balfour

F.H. King OFPANA/OTA

OFPA

Agroecology &Permaculture

Silent Spring USDA’sOrganic Report

NOPStandard

Implemented

Pion

eers

Org

aniz

atio

nsEv

ents

&Industry

Standards

AgriAgri. Improvement. Improvement (U.S., 1830s)(U.S., 1830s)

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2006

Washington University Organic Washington University Organic Farming Studies Farming Studies *

Funding: National Science FoundationFunding: National Science FoundationTimeframe: 1974Timeframe: 1974––19781978States in study: Iowa, Illinois, States in study: Iowa, Illinois, Southern Minnesota, Northern Southern Minnesota, Northern Missouri, Eastern NebraskaMissouri, Eastern NebraskaEnterprises: Agronomic cropsEnterprises: Agronomic crops

* Studies summarized in Lockeretz, Wm., et al., 1981. Organic Farming in the Corn Belt. Science, Vol. 211. February 6. p. 540–547.

Washington University Organic Washington University Organic Farming Studies: Farming Studies:

––Economic ResultsEconomic Results––Commercial Organic Farms producing Commercial Organic Farms producing agronomic crops and livestock were a agronomic crops and livestock were a realityrealityNet income per acre on comparable Net income per acre on comparable organic and conventional farms were organic and conventional farms were roughly equal based on conventional roughly equal based on conventional pricing*pricing*

* Comparable findings in the 1990s in SW Minnesota per: Mahoney, Paul R., et al. 2004. Profitability of organic cropping systems in southwestern Minnesota. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, Vol. 19, No. 1. March. p. 35–46.

Environmental Benefits of Environmental Benefits of Organic FarmingOrganic Farming

Reduced energy consumption1

Reduced erosion1

Higher carbon sequestration1,2

No depletion of fertility1,3

Reduced nutrient leaching2

1 Lockeretz, Wm., et al., 1981. Organic Farming in the Corn Belt. Science, Vol. 211. February 6. p. 540–547.

2 Drinkwater, L.E., et al. 1998. Legume-based cropping systems have reduced carbon and nitrogen losses. Nature. Vol. 396, No. 19. November. p. 262–265.

3 Davis, J., and J. Daniel. 2004. Long-term organic farming impacts on soil fertility. OFRF Information Bulletin. No. 14. Fall. p. 19–22.

What do Consumers of Organic Food Look For?

According to Hartman & New Hope (1997):

Characteristic Percent Rating “Extremely “ or “Very Important”

Healthfulness 80%

Availability in Regular Supermarkets 69%

Environmental Friendliness 67%

Price 64%

Convenience of Preparation 53%

From: Dimitri, Carolyn, and Nessa J. Richman. 2000. Organic Food Markets in Transition. Henry A. Wallace Center for Agricultural and Environmental Policy, Policy Studies Report No. 14.

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From: Kuepper, G. 2004. Organic Crop Production Overview. ATTRA.

Perennial Forages in Organic Systems:Perennial Forages in Organic Systems:Positive Contributions to the EnvironmentPositive Contributions to the Environment

NN--Fixation supplants energyFixation supplants energy--intensive intensive synthetic nitrogensynthetic nitrogenCarbon sequestration Carbon sequestration (extended photosynthetic (extended photosynthetic period; no tillage)period; no tillage)

Increased nutrient bioIncreased nutrient bio--availability availability (extensive (extensive and deep roots tap natural nutrient pool)and deep roots tap natural nutrient pool)

Reduced erosion Reduced erosion (close growing; no tillage)(close growing; no tillage)

Reduced leaching Reduced leaching (perennial catch crop)(perennial catch crop)

From: Kuepper, G. 2004. Organic Crop Production Overview. ATTRA.

ATTRAATTRA’’ss Grass Farming Pubs.Grass Farming Pubs.Nutrient Cycling in PasturesNutrient Cycling in PasturesAssessing the Pasture soil ResourceAssessing the Pasture soil ResourceMatching Livestock & Forage ResourcesMatching Livestock & Forage ResourcesMultispeciesMultispecies GrazingGrazingRotational GrazingRotational GrazingSustainable Pasture ManagementSustainable Pasture ManagementConverting Cropland to Perennial GrasslandConverting Cropland to Perennial GrasslandNutritional Needs of Ruminants on PastureNutritional Needs of Ruminants on PasturePaddock Design, Fencing, & Water SystemsPaddock Design, Fencing, & Water SystemsSolarSolar--powered Livestock Watering Systemspowered Livestock Watering Systems

ATTRAATTRA’’ss Grass Farming Grass Farming Pubs.Pubs.

GrassGrass--based & Seasonal Dairyingbased & Seasonal DairyingThe Economics of GrassThe Economics of Grass--based Dairyingbased DairyingRaising Dairy Heifers on PastureRaising Dairy Heifers on Pasture

Pastured Poultry NutritionPastured Poultry NutritionRange Poultry HousingRange Poultry HousingPoultry Genetics for Pastured ProductionPoultry Genetics for Pastured ProductionGrowing Your Range Poultry BusinessGrowing Your Range Poultry Business

NCATNCAT’’ssOrganic Livestock WorkbookOrganic Livestock Workbook

http://attra.ncat.org/attrahttp://attra.ncat.org/attra--pub/PDF/livestockworkbook.pdfpub/PDF/livestockworkbook.pdf

(Developed with funds from the NOP and Nat(Developed with funds from the NOP and Nat’’l SARE)l SARE)

The first 30 pages of this 92 page The first 30 pages of this 92 page document deal with pasture and range!document deal with pasture and range!

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