dedicated organic ground at AES's

Laurie Hodges (hort034@unlvm.unl.edu)
Wed, 13 Nov 1996 09:51:08 -0600

Several of us at the University of Nebraska are involved in research based
on sustainable and/or organic production methods. Dr. James Brandle has some
land that is in the process of becoming "organic" in that no chemical
fertilizers are being used and only pesticides approved by at least one
certifying agency are or will be used. The land will not be "certified
organic" at least in the OCIA terms or the proposed Federal legislative
definition since 1) all land on the farm will not be organic or "in
transition" with ultimate entire farm conversion to organic (see Neb. OCIA
definition of admissibility 2.1.1) This land, and the research on it,
involves blocks of agricultural land, about 24 acres total, at the
University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Development Center, located
near Ithaca, Neb. about 36 miles north of Lincoln. It is part of the
Forestry Shelterbelt Research section and includes land protected by tree
shelterbelts and land exposed to wind stress. During the past two years, we
have had student interns working on some of this land, growing agronomic and
vegetable crops using organic methods. I have supervised a student project
on organic control of corn earworm in sweetcorn with the corn under
sheltered and exposed conditions and one with peppers and pumpkins raised,
including transplants, using organic methods.

The land is under the control of Dr. James Brandle (fofw084@unlvm.unl.edu)
for research purposes and it was his decision, with the support several
others, to devote this land to organic production methods. We do have some
farm equipment (such as sprayers) that are dedicated and used only on the
organic projects. We have and intend to continue to use non-fungicide
treated seed on this land. IIt is doubtful that it will be organically
produced seed as MAY be required (under the version of the OFPA I have) for
organic certification. At least within my vegetable projects, I am not
particularly interested in having it "certified organic" as there are, for
my budget, very significant expenses associated with the inspection and
certification process and, based on my reading of the certification process,
the potential that if there is strict interpretation of some of the
regulations, certification could be extremely limiting within the framework
of our projects (words like "no possibility of crop mixing", "strict
compliance", etc) but these are my personal interpretations.

We are trying to compile a list of all research facilities that have
>>experimental ground dedicated to organic farming methods. If anyone knows
>>of such situations, please e-mail us here <research@ofrf.org>.
>>
>>By "organic ground" we mean that the ground is (or could be) certified for
>>organic production by an independent organic certification body.
>>
>>We'd like to know 1) How long has the ground been recognized by the
>>institution as organic? 2)What is the formal/administrative status of this
>>ground, i.e., how "dedicated" is it? 3)Is the ground actually certified
>>organic? By whom? 4) If it is not certified, has any consideration been
>>given to the idea, or have any particular obstacles been encountered? 5)What
>>research activity is taking place on the ground?
>>
>>We are hoping to compile this information and make it available to SANET
>>very soon. Thanks for your help!
>>
>>Organic Farming Research Foundation
>>(408) 426-6606 (R. Scowcroft, E. Walz);
>>(408) 426-4006 (M. Lipson);
>> FAX: 426-6670
Laurie Hodges, Vegetable Specialist
377 Plant Sciences - University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68583-0724
phone: 402-472-2854
fax: 402-472-8650
e-mail: Hort034@unlvm.unl.edu