Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till

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Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 Going After Bigger Proﬁ ts with Organic No-Till

Tips for Using Cover Crops that 5 a Roller-Crimper Smother Weeds

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001_Cover_Organic Report_0619.indd 1 6/20/19 2:43 PM 002-003_Intro-Contents_Organic Report_0619.indd 2 6/20/19 2:43 PM Ringing in ‘Organic’ Growth for Your No-Till Operation f you’re no-tilling or strip-tilling, you because conventional farmers haven’t But the re-emergence of cover crops and probably understand the meaning of yet met the need. improved options for organic-friendly “learning curve” and the challenges Paul Hepperly, former research inputs has changed the game. ofI switching to a new farming practice. director at The Rodale Institute, This 32-page report shares data For most growers, the reward for told attendees at the 2019 National trends that lay out growth in the U.S. reducing or eliminating tillage, adding No-Tillage Conference that premiums organic market, and practical insights cover crops and improving soil health for organically grown soybeans were at and tips from three no-tillers and strip- has been worth the risk, with reduced $18 a bushel, compared to $9 for com- tillers who made the transition from fuel, labor and machinery costs, bet- modity soybeans and $25 for organi- conventional farming to organic and ter nutrient cycling, less erosion, and cally grown food-grade soybeans. how they tackled challenges like weed hopefully, a better bottom line. Doing the math, for 50-bushel soy- control without herbicides. But getting a fair price for what beans that’s $900 in gross profit per acre This report also provides leads on you’re producing is also important. compared to $454 for commodity beans. where to find potential funding and tech- Since corn and soybean prices have “If you want to grow tofu organic soy- nical assistance for converting farm acres declined from historic highs, many beans in a no-till system, this is something to organic methods. growers are struggling to stay in the that can immediately start increasing your In addition, there’s a roundup of black despite their best efforts. bottom line,” Hepperly says. naturally-sourced fertilizers, pesticides Quite frankly, many farmers are But there’s a process to follow, and soil amendments as well that could going broke just hauling grain to the Hepperly notes. The certified organic sys- be part of an organic operation. elevators and barely getting more than tem is based on having no restricted prac- We hope this report will help you the cost of production out of it. tice for a period of 3 years. map out a smooth transition to organic Meanwhile, demand for organic Growers will have to plan how to get no-till production and help make your products has been skyrocketing in the there and line themselves up with a certi- farm operation more profitable in the U.S., in part because of increased con- fying agency. They must also develop a long run. sumer awareness and concern about farm plan that can be implemented — and food sources. detailed record keeping is a must. Sincerely, One organization estimates the U.S. No-Till Farmer editors have been organic food market is growing at more tracking increased interest from read- than 20% per year. Yet in 2017, the ers and conference attendees in organic U.S. had to import 75% of its organic no-till methods — two practices once soybeans and 50% of its organic corn thought to be somewhat incompatible. John Dobberstein, Senior Editor

In This Special Report:

Produced by No-Till Farmer… Serving no-tillers since 1972. Copyright 2019 by Lessiter Media. All rights reserved. P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 Phone: (800) 645-8455 (U.S. and Canada only) or (262) 782-4480 • Fax: (262) 786-5564 • E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.No-TillFarmer.com No part of this publication may be reprinted by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

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002-003_Intro-Contents_Organic Report_0619.indd 3 6/20/19 2:43 PM Demand for Organic Food Skyrocketing in U.S., Globally Premiums paid to farmers for organic grains could make adoption of this system a more profitable choice for no-tillers and strip-tillers.

By John Dobberstein, Senior Editor Why the Shift? has grown continuously since USDA Millennial households are leading established national standards for organ- or no-tillers and strip-tillers the charge among organic customers as ic production and processing in 2002. who’ve focused on purposeful, they push for transparency and integrity The USDA’s Certified Organic Survey responsible farm management in the food supply chain. But other gen- for 2016 showed U.S. farms and ranches andF improving soil health, their invest- erations are also buying more organic sold $7.6 billion in certified organic com- ment may be coming at a key time, as products: 88% of American households modities in 2016, up 23% from $6.2 bil- organic production systems in the U.S. have bought organic food or beverages. lion the year before. Of 2016 sales, 56% and globally are poised for continued “Consumers are more focused on was for crops, and 44% was for livestock, growth in the coming decades. products that have some benefit to poultry and related products. The overall U.S. organic food mar- them,” Sarah Schmansky, a vice presi- Between 2015 and 2016, the number ket reached nearly $48 billion in sales in dent of growth and strategy at Nielsen, of organic farms in the country increased 2018, up 6% from the prior year and more told The Associated Press. 11% to 14,217, and the number of certi- than double the sales of a decade ago, says It doesn’t appear the demand for fied acres went up 15% to 5 million. the Organic Trade Assn. (OTA). organic food stuffs will wane anytime California, Wisconsin and New Organic acreage in the U.S. soon, especially as price premiums have York led the U.S. in the number of increased by 20% between 2011 and been falling as options multiply. certified farms, while Pennsylvania, 2018 and now totals more than 5 million Last year, organic food and beverages Iowa, Washington, Ohio, Vermont and acres, although that amounts to less than cost an average of $0.24 more per unit Minnesota also had significant numbers. 1% of the country’s total farmland. than conventional food, or about 7.5% Corn, soybeans and tobacco had sales Organic agriculture also continues more, according to Nielsen. That was hikes of at least 25% between 2015 and to grow across the globe, says Organic down from a $0.27, or 9%, premium in 2016, while hay registered 11%. Without Boundaries. Its 2018 study 2014. There is some variation, as the price pegged the worldwide organic sector premiums consumers pay for organic Certi ed Organic Farms at $90 billion and 178 countries report- milk, eggs and bread is much higher. ed organic farming activities. The U.S. Organic products are also much by Acreage Category is the leading market, followed by more widely available now than before. 1-9 acres: 2,818 Germany, France and China. Once confined to health food stores and 10-49 acres: 4,109 OTA recently proclaimed organ- high-end groceries like Whole Foods, ic food products are no longer a niche organic products are now highly visible 50-69 acres: 977 market. Laura Batcha, the organiza- in most mainstream stores. 70-99 acres: 1,467 tion’s CEO and executive director, says there was a notable shift in 2018 in the The Good Seal 100-139 acres: 1,477 mindset of those working in the organic Certified organic agriculture has also 140-179 acres: 1,024 sector toward collaboration and “activ- grown by leaps and bounds. According ism” to move the needle on the role to the USDA’s Economic Research 180-219 acres: 692 organic can play in sustainability and Service (ERS), the sale of certified 220-259 acres: 594 tackling environmental initiatives. organically produced goods has shown “Activism is a natural reaction from double-digit growth during most years 260-499 acres: 2,022 an industry that is really close to the since the 1990s. 500-999 acres: 1,335 consumer,” Batcha says. “When we are The U.S. had less than 1 million in an environment where government is acres of certified organic farmland when 1,000-1,999 acres: 773 not moving fast enough, the industry is Congress passed the Organic Foods 2,000 or more acres: 878 choosing to move to meet the consumer Production Act of 1990. U.S. consumer rather than get stalled,” Batcha says. demand for organically produced goods Source: Organic Trade Assn.

pg. 4 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

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004-006_Market Outlook for Organic Farming_Organic Report_0619.indd 5 6/20/19 2:44 PM Total U.S. Organic Sales & Growth, 2009–2018

CATEGORY 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Organic Food ($)* 21,266 22,961 25,148 27,965 31,378 35,099 39,006 42,507 45,209 47,862 Growth (%) 4.3% 8.0% 9.5% 11.2% 12.2% 11.9% 11.1% 9.0% 6.4% 5.9% % of Total Organic 92.2% 92.1% 92.0% 91.9% 91.9% 91.8% 91.6% 91.7% 91.6% 91.3%

Organic Non-Food ($)* 1,800 1,974 2,195 2,455 2,770 3,152 3,555 3,866 4,151 4,589 Growth (%) 9.1% 9.7% 11.2% 11.8% 12.8% 13.8% 12.8% 8.8% 7.4% 10.6% % of Total Organic 7.8% 7.9% 8.0% 8.1% 8.1% 8.2% 8.4% 8.3% 8.4% 8.7%

Total Organic ($)* 23,066 24,935 27,343 30,420 34,148 38,251 42,561 46,373 49,360 52,451 Growth (%) 4.6% 8.1% 9.7% 11.3% 12.3% 12.0% 11.3% 9.0% 6.4% 6.3% Source: Organic Trade Assn. *Dollars shown in thousands. RAMPING UP. Sales of organic food in the U.S. have more than doubled between 2009 and 2018, reaching nearly $48 million last year. Sales of organic non-food items have grown even more by percentage, although total sales are much lower than with organic food.

Net Importer Moving the Needle tors, reviewers and other professionals Figures in the 2017 Census of While the U.S. government and working to protect organic integrity. Agriculture detailing the certified Congress has, historically, been slow to Some other recent developments organic acreage and sales in the U.S. address the growing need for organic pro- could enhance opportunities for also show major growth. The Census duction here, several changes were made no-tillers and strip-tillers. The Rodale found $7.2 billion in product sales in in the 2018 Farm Act (Farm Bill) that Institute recently announced the opening 2017 on 18,166 total farms, up from could be very impactful for no-tillers and of an organic center in Iowa, and the $3.1 billion in 2012. strip-tillers looking to the organic market. organization has also created a holistic There were 17,741 farms in the Overall, it adds support for organ- standard for agriculture certification — USDA National Organic Program ic agriculture in many farm programs Regenerative Organic Certification. that were certified for organic pro- to bolster consumer confidence in duction — up from 12,771 in 2012. the “USDA Organic” label, increases The Bottom Line And some 3,723 farms were transi- research support for organic farming, So does organic production really tioning to the national organic pro- and helps incentivize organic transition pay? Authors from Washington State gram in 2017, up more than 500 from and production. Specifically: University crunched data from 44 stud- the previous Census. The new Farm Bill creates per- ies involving 55 crops grown on five Farms of 1,000 acres or more account- manent funding status and provides continents over 40 years and found that ed for more than $3.7 billion in sales in nearly $400 million in funding for organic farming is somewhere between 2017, 52% of the total organic sales. USDA’s extramural grant program, 22% and 35% more profitable for farm- The U.S. government has strug- the Organic Agriculture Research and ers than conventional. gled to adjust to customer demand. Extension Initiative (OREI), over the The reason: the higher price farm- With organic food demand outpacing next 10 years to help solve the unique ers get when they sell certified-organic domestic supply, the U.S. imported challenges of organic production. crops. This “premium,” as it’s known, more than $2 billion in organic prod- The bill substantially increas- stands at around 30%, and stayed rough- ucts in 2018, according to the USDA. es funding for the USDA regulatory ly equal over the 4-decade period, the That’s likely a conservative figure program and Congress also added a authors reported in 2015. because the USDA only tracks about number of new provisions to improve In spite of lower yields, the global three dozen imported foods. detection of fraudulent imports and study shows that the profit margins for Anna Casey of the Midwest Center enforcement of organic regulations. organic agriculture were significantly for Investigative Reporting told Public Congress created an Organic greater than for conventional agricul- International Radio in 2018 that the U.S. EQIP Initiative to provide technical and ture, the authors say. has been importing about 75% of organic financial assistance to farmers interested The actual premiums paid to organ- soybeans and about half of the organic in transitioning to organic, as well as ic farmers ranged from 29-32% above corn used here. those who had already transitioned. conventional prices. Enforcement challenges for certi- Additionally, the National Organic “The reason we wanted to look at the fied programs have also grown along Program (NOP) has launched the new economics,” said Crowder, “is that more with the size of the U.S. organic Organic Integrity Learning Center, which than anything, that is what really drives industry. Farmers in more than 100 will offer online training that supports the the expansion and contraction of organ- countries are now producing food for professional development and continuing ic farming — whether or not farmers the U.S. organic market. education of organic certifiers, inspec- can make money.”

pg. 6 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

004-006_Market Outlook for Organic Farming_Organic Report_0619.indd 6 6/20/19 2:44 PM An Introduction to the Organic No-Till Farming Method The right equipment and dedicated management makes organic no-till production successful, says director at The Rodale Institute.

By Jeff Moyer, The Rodale Institute cover crop and planting the cash crop in one pass, and then harvesting the cash crop. Editor’s Note: Reprinted with permission from By reducing the number of field operations, farmers can Acres U.S.A., the Voice of Eco-Agriculture. save on fuel and time — all the while building up their soil.

t’s the hope and dream of many organic farmers to limit Cover Crop Seeding tillage, increase soil organic matter, save money and Most organic farmers know something about cover crop- improve soil structure on their farms. Organic no-till can ping, but with organic no-till you’ll get a chance to sharpen fulfillI all these goals. your skills. Many organic farmers are accused of over-tilling the soil. If you’re managing a chemically based operation you can still Tillage is used for pre-plant soil preparation, as a means of take advantage of these tools and use cover cropping on your managing weeds, and as a method of incorporating fertilizers, farm. Winter annuals like cereal rye and hairy vetch are common crop residue, and soil amendments. examples, but summer-planted buckwheat, field peas, many small Now, armed with new technologies and tools based on grains and annual legumes are also a possibility. sound biological principles, organic producers can begin to Our rule of thumb is simple: if you can step on the plant and reduce or even eliminate tillage from their systems. it dies, then you can kill it with a roller-crimper. This means that plants like alfalfa or perennial weeds are not good candi- Tenets of Organic No-Till dates for rolling. Organic no-till is both a technique and a tool to achieve When seeded at the correct time during the fall, these cover farmer’s objectives of reducing tillage and improving soil organic crops will get started by developing an extensive root system matter. It is also a whole-farm system. and growing a small amount of vegetative matter. During the While there are many ways the system can be implemented, in winter, the cover crops will either continue to grow slowly (in its simplest form organic no-till includes the following elements: warmer climates) or essentially remain dormant (in the north). ✘ Annual or winter annual cover crops planted in the fall, overwintered until mature in the spring, and then killed with Jumping to Life a roller-crimper. There are several benefits to a winter cover crop, including ✘ After termination, cash crops are no-tilled into the resi- erosion control, nutrient cycling, and microbial habitat in the due with a planter, drill or transplanter. root zone. Whether you grow agronomic or horticultural crops, this During spring, the cover crops jump to life and really put on system can work on your farm. biomass. Then they can be killed with the roller-crimper as they These techniques and tools can work equally well on reach the peak of their life cycle. both conventional (farms based on chemically based prac- With the winter annuals commonly used in the system, this tices) and organic farms (farms that follow the USDA’s corresponds to the period when they’re entering their reproduc- definition of organic). tive phase. Organic no-till is a rotational tillage system that combines For example, with winter rye, the correct time to roll the the best aspects of no-till while satisfying the requirements of cover crop is when the rye is in anthesis or producing pollen. the USDA organic regulations. With hairy vetch, the vetch should be at least 75% in bloom, It’s not necessarily a continuous no-till system but one that but 100% bloom is even better. may include some tillage in rotation, especially to establish the An annual crop typically allocates 20-30% of its resources cover crops. toward the process of flowering and seed production. In addi- After cash crops are planted, no further tillage or cul- tion, enzymatic changes at this time cause the plant to begin tivation is generally needed, and this greatly reduces the senescence, the process of aging and breakdown prior to death. required field operations. During this phase of the plant’s life cycle, it’s much more While organic farmers typically work the field several vulnerable and can be effectively killed by the roller-crimper. times just to get the crop in the ground, organic no-till farm- The roller-crimper is a specialized tool designed by John ers can get by with as few as two field operations: rolling the Brubaker and myself and tested at the Rodale Institute. It

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007-009_Intro to Organic Farming_Organic Report_0619.indd 7 6/20/19 2:44 PM pg. 8 Pursuing Bigger profits with Organic No-Till Systems www.No-TillFarmer.com

007-009_Intro to Organic Farming_Organic Report_0619.indd 8 6/20/19 2:44 PM “Organic no-till farmers can get by with as few as two field operations: rolling the cover crop and planting the cash crop in one pass, and then harvesting the cash crop…” — Jeff Moyer works by rolling the cover crop plants in tillage is limited, and best described as tant weeds to the destruction of benefi- one direction, crushing them and crimp- rotational tillage. cial insects. ing their stems. In both the goals and ideology, Genetically modified crops (GMOs) The roller-crimper can be organic no-till is very similar to other are also commonly used in conventional front-mounted on a tractor, while a kinds of organic farming. no-till, as the marriage of herbicide- no-till planter, drill or transplanter These include soil building with resistant crops and ag chemicals has brings up the rear, planting directly into organic matter and soil biology, been a consistent theme. the rolled cover crop. Or the roller can managing weeds, insects and diseas- There are a number of concerns about be pulled in a separate pass. es through diverse and non-chemical GMOs: They may cause allergic reac- means, and achieving general plant tions in sensitive individuals, they can Roller-Crimper health through soil health and good cross-pollinate with non-GMO crops, and Advantages management practices. there’s an increased dependence on chem- While other tools, such as stalk However, organic no-till uses dif- ical herbicides and pesticides. choppers, rolling harrows and mowers ferent methods to achieve those goals. GMOs also prevent farmers from have been used for the purpose of Much more emphasis is placed on cover saving their own seed, since these tech- terminating cover crops, the roller- cropping, which replaces tillage and cul- nologies are all patented. None of these crimper has several advantages over tivation as a means of soil building and technologies are currently allowed under other tools, as it’s designed for organic managing weeds. the USDA organic standards. no-till and performs its function In organic no-till, as with all types exceptionally well. of organic agriculture, biology replaces Jeff Moyer is executive director of The mashed cover crops provide a chemistry. The Rodale Institute. Having worked in mulch layer for the cash crop, both pre- This means that organic farmers organic agriculture all of his adult life, venting the growth of weeds, but also let the soil organisms do the work of he is a world-renowned authority in breaking down gradually during the sea- facilitating nitrogen fixation, improving the field, as well as a past chair of the son to provide a long-term slow release nutrient cycling, as well as enhancing National Organic Standards Board. of nutrients. soil structure and texture. To achieve adequate weed control, These soil organisms include macro the cover crop should be planted at a organisms like earthworms and micro high rate and produce approximately 2½ organisms like soil bacteria and fungi. tons of dry matter per acre. Organic no-till goes one step further For this reason, only certain kinds of than the current technology offered in cover crops that yield a high amount of organic systems. biomass work well for no-till. Chemistry, as used by conventional It’s also important to select cover agriculture, has some fundamental prob- crops with a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio lems. When we say chemistry we mean higher than 20:1. The higher the ratio, synthetic products such as man-made the more carbon, and the more slowly fertilizers and pesticides. the crop will break down. Conventional no-till is closely tied to This will provide a consistent herbicide use, since this is the primary weed-management barrier throughout means of weed control. the season. Typically, as tillage is reduced, herbicide management is increased in an Organic No-Till attempt to control weeds. Although Principles some surface residues are generated Organic no-till rests on three funda- from no-till, they are not enough to pro- mental principles: soil biology powers vide consistent weed control. the system; cover crops are a source This dependence on herbicides gen- of fertility and weed management; and erates a host of problems, from resis-

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007-009_Intro to Organic Farming_Organic Report_0619.indd 9 6/20/19 2:44 PM Keys to Success for Rolling-Crimping 5Covers in Organic No-Till

ESSENTIAL TOOL. A roller-crimper, such as this one originally designed by The Rodale Institute, is perhaps the most important equipment for an organic no-tiller to own, as it lets growers terminate cover crops without chemicals and lay down thick mulch to smother weeds.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RODALE INSTITUTE From getting a thick stand of cover crop to terminating them at the right time, roller-crimping experts explain the key components for weed control in organic no-till.

By Laura Barrera, Contributing Writer little unreliable, as he estimates 1 out of The reason cereal rye is the top 5 years will be poor, 1 will be excellent, choice, she says, is due to its winter ince herbicides aren’t an option, and the other 3 will be decent. But fol- hardiness, ability to mature earlier than rolling and crimping of cover lowing some guidelines can increase the other cereal grains and its effectiveness crops is a crucial component to chances of success. in suppressing weeds. makingS organic no-tilling work. For a seeding rate, Silva recommends Biomass from a healthy canopy of Seed Earlier, Heavier no-tillers start at 3 bushels per acre. cover crops can suppress weeds, while Succeeding with roller-crimp- “That is quite a bit higher than the roller-crimpers handle cover crop ter- ing1 starts the year before at cover crop bushel or bushel-and-a-half you’d typi- mination — all without the use of herbi- seeding. Because organic no-tillers are cally use for a cover crop,” she says. “But cides or tillage. relying on covers to control weeds, it’s this is really the keystone of your weed But ensuring that the cover crop important to select species that will sur- management program, so we want to grows enough biomass to suppress vive into the following spring and to make that extra investment to get that bio- weeds and is completely killed requires seed them at a higher rate to provide mass quantity we’re looking for.” dedicated management. adequate ground coverage. The goal is to achieve at least “I’ve gotten a lot of calls over the Cereal rye is the most popular spe- 8,000 pounds of biomass per acre, years from organic farmers who were cies for this and the one that University Silva says, adding that no-tillers must disappointed in the result in weed con- of Wisconsin-Madison assistant profes- calibrate their drill properly to ensure trol with covers,” says Holtwood, Pa., sor Erin Silva recommends to organic the higher seeding rate is actually get- no-tiller Steve Groff, who has been no-tillers. Silva leads the university’s ting into the ground. roller-crimping since 1995. “And, even Organic and Sustainable Agriculture She advises against aerial applica- sometimes in the ability of the crimper Research and Extension program and tors, spreaders, and highboys due to less to terminate it.” has been researching how to succeed consistent germination and higher risk Groff warns this system can be a with organic no-tilled soybeans. of poor stands.

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010-013_5 Tips for Rolling-Crimping Covers in Organic No-Till_Organic Report_0619.indd 10 6/20/19 2:45 PM Groff agrees no-tillers have to seed cereal grains heavier in this system, but recommends adjusting the rate based on the seeding date and fertility plans. He suggest no-tillers start with 1½ bushels when seeding in September, 2 bushels in October and 3 bushels in November, then adjust higher or lower for nutrient management. If a no-tiller plans on spreading manure in the fall, he says the rye will be even thicker and will fall down if the seeding rate is too high. But Silva points out that in northern areas, seeding past September will be too late to achieve the biomass necessary for weed suppression. For growers in these regions, this may mean planting earlier corn hybrids and soybean varieties to get the cereal rye seeded earlier, or incorporating a grain like winter wheat or oats into the cash crop rotation, since their harvest is earlier in the year. Being located in Wisconsin also means that Silva hasn’t been able to see how legumes or brassicas can work in this system with organic no-till corn because they can’t get enough biomass on them in the time frame they need them to. But she’s heard of success with these species in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Nebraska. front and four in back — with the front added weight or down pressure is anoth- rank overlapping the back. The sections er factor no-tillers should consider in Choose the can also flex, so they’re able to crimp selecting a roller-crimper. Right Tool every part of the field consistently. If a no-tiller opts for a roller- 2The next factor in succeeding with a Groff recommends growers with crimper separate from the planter, roller-crimper is the tool itself. While there undulating fields avoid roller-crimpers they’ll need to decide whether to put are a variety of shapes, sizes and styles of that have sections wider than 10 feet, it in front of or behind the planter. roller-crimpers available on the market, explaining that a roller-crimper of that size Groff says this is more of a personal Groff says they can all get the job done. may require multiple trips across the field preference that shouldn’t make a “If you have a roller-crimper that to fully crimp dips in the field. difference in the effectiveness of the was designed to roll cover crops, they’re Another option is a tool like roller-crimper if it’s being used in a similar enough to say there’s not one Underground Agriculture’s ZRX roll- true no-till situation. that’s better than another,” he says. er, which attaches to planters and fits The Rodale Institute suggests farm- But there are some factors no-tillers one roller-crimper per row. This will ers run their roller-crimper in front should consider when choosing one for follow the contours of the field bet- because they discovered when they their operation — one of which is whether ter and eliminate an additional pass in rolled it behind, it wasn’t able to effec- their fields have a lot of contours. the field, which can reduce compac- tively terminate the cover crop that was This is important because a bigger tion while saving time, labor, machine in the tractor tracks. roller-crimper on undulating terrain won’t wear and tear and fuel, says Silva. But it “They had planted their cover crop effectively roll parts of the field where the can make the option of roller-crimping in tilled ground, so in the spring when soil may be a couple inches lower. before planting more challenging. they went in and rolled it, their tractor In this case, it might be best to use Rolling a second time may be nec- tracks made an indentation in the soil a roller-crimper that consists of smaller essary if the roller-crimper wasn’t enough that it didn’t really crimp the sections. For example, the 10-foot aggressive enough on the first pass. This cover crop and it came up in the tracks,” roller-crimper Groff developed for his is why having the ability to make the Groff says. “In a good no-till situation farm has 22-inch sections — four in the roller-crimper more aggressive through you won’t leave tractor tracks, so you

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010-013_5 Tips for Rolling-Crimping Covers in Organic No-Till_Organic Report_0619.indd 11 6/20/19 2:45 PM shorter-season cover crop species so it will reach maturity earlier. With soybeans it’s possible to plant soybeans into cereal rye at the boot stage and then roller-crimp the rye at anthesis, which is around the V2-V3 stage for soybeans. This allows soybeans to be planted 2-3 weeks earlier, rather than waiting until after the rye has been rolled and crimped. Silva says the roller-crimper doesn’t AVOID LODGING. Having a cover crop lodge can result in its stems lying in dif- significantly damage the soybeans at ferent directions, which can make planting more of a challenge. To avoid this, that stage. If the soybeans are too early no-tiller Steve Groff will often roller-crimp his cover crop before a rain or wind in maturity — before V1 — then the event so that the stems will be parallel to his rows. He’ll come back later with roller-crimper may hurt the stand. the roller-crimper when it’s time to terminate it. don’t need to put it on front. That’s not just need to grease the bearings, Groff Roll Twice to as important.” says, noting that you hardly ever need to Prevent Lodging Marion, Ill., no-tiller Terry Dahmer sharpen the blades. It’s also a fast task, 4While no-tillers must wait until the uses a 30-foot I&J Mfg. roller-crimper with Groff driving 9-10 mph when he crop has reached 90% of its life cycle to in front of the tractor so he can pull his roller-crimps. be successfully terminated by a roller- air seeder behind. The challenge with The challenge is deciding when to crimper, they may need to roller-crimp this setup, he says, is it’s hard to correct use them. This depends on what cover more than once to avoid problems with the roller-crimper while driving. crop species are growing and their stage lodging at planting time. “Whenever you’re trying to correct of maturity. The biggest challenge Groff faces this, you’re trying to slide that roller With cereal grain crops, Silva says with roller-crimping is when a wind sideways,” says his son, Adam Dahmer. they need to be rolled and crimped at or storm event causes his cover crop “Empty weight, this thing weighs over anthesis, which is the flowering stage of to lodge. 7,000 pounds. When it’s on the ground the crop. This often results in the stems of the you have no weight on your front end. This is when anthers will be hanging cover crop lying across the ground in So where you drop the roller is where off of the grain heads and yellow pollen every which way, making it difficult it’s rolling.” will be shedding. After roller-crimping, for his planter to cut through the cover Tractor horsepower is another con- the cover crop should lie on the ground and achieve good seed-to-soil contact. sideration. Groff says the amount need- as a flat mat — not spring back up and Hairpinning may also occur. ed depends on the type of roller and continue to grow, she notes. While lodging has been linked histori- its weight. The heavier it is, the more No-tillers should also err on the later cally to excessive soil fertility, Silva says, horsepower you’ll need to lift it up. side of anthesis to ensure successful ter- a lack of genetic breeding may also be a As a general guideline, 100 horse- mination, Silva adds. reason why it occurs with cereal rye. power is preferred for the 10-foot, “We want to see anthesis occur- “It may be cereal rye that hasn’t been 2,500-pound roller-crimper that Groff ring throughout the rye head as well as necessarily selected for lodging resis- has, but he says no-tillers should work throughout the field,” she says. “We tance,” she adds. with their equipment dealer to match the don’t want to push it early because the “It tends to be more susceptible to right tractor to a roller-crimper. earlier we push it, the more regrowth lodging as compared to winter wheat Whichever size or style of roller- and bounce back we’re going to have.” and some other cereal grains. If we get crimper a no-tiller ends up choosing, If the cover crop does re-grow it a storm with a lot of rain or wind, it just Silva says the No. 1 thing it should do will compete with the subsequent cash tends to go down.” is always provide effective termination. crop. That’s why perennial grasses don’t Groff adds that lodging is also more “A lot of things can work, but a work in this system, Silva says — they likely to happen in organic no-till systems farmer wants to choose the strategy that do not have the same life cycle as an because of the thicker cover crop seeding allows the technique to work most con- annual grass. rate. The thicker the stand, he says, the sistently over a wide variety of field and With broadleaves and legumes, they increased potential for it to lodge. environmental conditions,” she says. need to reach full bloom or early pod Because of this, Groff recommends set, she says. organic no-tillers plan on rolling their Roll at the Because cover crop termination cover crop twice, which will not only Right Time has to occur later than it would in a prevent lodging but also help complete- 3One of the benefits of rolling and conventional system, organic no-tillers ly terminate the cover crop. crimping covers for termination is the may need to plant cash crops into the While Groff is not in organic produc- tool is low maintenance, as no-tillers cover crop before rolling or select a tion, this is a strategy he’s used on his own

pg. 12 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

010-013_5 Tips for Rolling-Crimping Covers in Organic No-Till_Organic Report_0619.indd 12 6/20/19 2:46 PM “We want to see anthesis occurring throughout the rye head and throughout the field. We don’t want to push it early. The earlier we push it, the more regrowth and bounce back we’re going to have…” — Erin Silva farm. One year Groff roller-crimped crim- some back in the tillage days to know terminate mechanically no matter what, son clover when it was around 30-40% when you till and don’t till.” because you really do need to be adap- flowered, about 3 weeks before planting, Until that intuition is there, Groff tive with respect to this management because heavy rain was expected and he says growers should err on the side of system.” knew the cover would go down. being proactive against lodging. “It In a true organic system where her- “It won’t stop growing,” he says. doesn’t cost much to roll and lodging bicides are not an option, this means “I’m still going to get the benefits over is difficult to overcome. It’s difficult to either tilling or mowing. the next 3 weeks, but my main stems are plant through it.” Groff says that Underground going to be lined up parallel to planting.” Silva notes that roller-crimping the Agriculture’s RowMow weed manage- To terminate the cover crop, Groff cover crop multiple times is not a prac- ment system, which was designed to says no-tillers will need to roller-crimp tice she has tried in her research, but control weeds by mowing between the again over the cover crop at the time they in addition to Groff’s strategies, she rows in organic no-till soybeans, could would have if the cover was still standing. recommends no-tillers make sure their be used for keeping cover crops under Groff notes that lodging isn’t as much planters are in the best shape possible control as well. of a concern with succulent legumes like for cutting through a thicker, uneven “The biggest concern in organic crimson clover and hairy vetch because residue mat, if lodging does occur. farming is not getting weed control if they’re much easier to cut through than a you don’t have a good solid stand of species like cereal rye or triticale. Be Flexible cover crops,” he says. Determining when to make that first The final piece of advice Silva It’s why he and Silva encourage pass with the roller-crimper depends 5and Groff offer organic no-tillers is to no-tillers to start small — preferably no on the cover crop stand, Groff says, stay flexible and understand that it’s not more than 10-20 acres in the beginning, explaining that growers will eventually a perfect system. Silva says. Groff adds no-tillers need have a gut feel for the right time as they “If the cover crop looks less than to learn the limitations of the practice continue this practice over time. ideal in the spring — it looks skimpy, before expanding, while staying nimble “If I could look at the field, I could or you got it in too late, we had a lot of and being prepared to make decisions tell you in 5 seconds what to do because winterkill — just be ready for a plan B,” on a field-by-field basis. I’ve got the experience” he says. Silva says. “There is no exact prescription,” he “I’ve done this so long now it’s intu- “Don’t get too locked into a mind- says. “Success is a summary of many itive to me. Just like it’s intuitive for set of you’re going to roller-crimp and little management decisions.”

ROLLER-CRIMP TWICE. While hairy vetch is easy to terminate with a roller-crimper due to its succulent and tender stems, Steve Groff says no-tillers may need to go over it twice to prevent lodging, because it tends to pull other species down with it. Both photos are of hairy vetch that was roller-crimped twice.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 13

010-013_5 Tips for Rolling-Crimping Covers in Organic No-Till_Organic Report_0619.indd 13 6/20/19 2:46 PM No-Till, Cover Crops and Organic

No-TillHow They Research Provide Solid Did It Ground For Organic Transition Iowa grower Levi Lyle was well prepared to go organic by the time he made his move, making for a smooth transition.

By Martha Mintz, Contributing Editor farm to no-till when Levi was just a “As a kid I didn’t realize the long- young boy. term impact no-till would have on our hirty years of no-till had Levi Soils gradually improved over the farm, but it turns out it perfectly pre- Lyle’s soils in excellent shape decades with the addition of cover crops pared us to transition to organic,” Levi and primed for transition to pro- in 2014 pushing soil health to new highs. says, noting their continuously increas- Tducing organic corn and soybeans. His The strength of his soils, in part, are what ing soil organic matter (SOM) and father, Trent, unknowingly started gave Levi the confidence to start transi- biological activity on their 60 organic them down the organic tioning to organic production. Weather acres. Thriving soils both hold water path by converting permitting, he’s set to harvest his first cer- through dry periods and in years like the Keota, Iowa tified organic corn crop in 2019. 2019 have a greater capacity to absorb

OPENING DOORS. Levi Lyle was able to have a custom designed roller-crimper fabricated and is working with a local manufac- turer for larger-scale production. PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON JOHNSON

pg. 14 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

014-017_Levi Lyle_Organic Report_0619.indd 14 6/20/19 2:46 PM excessive rain. “As small farmers being pinched for profit, I made the case to my Dad that venturing into organics would help us increase our profit margins.” When Trent was skeptical at first, Levi knew he needed to gain his father’s confidence by becoming better informed. He decided to become an expert available labor and profitability and the the fuel cost of the extra pass,” he says. by talking to as many organic farmers weeds were still there. At the time, no one in the Midwest was as he could. This led to a job as an Keying into current research helped commercially producing roller-crimpers, organic inspector. him see an alternate path for his sys- so Levi worked with a local manufac- While visiting farms across Iowa, tem, sidestepping the weed troubles. turer to fill the void. It comes in at 1,300 what he found were formidable chal- In the research work of Jeff Moyer of pounds — allowing for front mounting lenges. He observed many central Iowa The Rodale Institute and Erin Silva with — and the ability to fill it with water for organic farmers struggling to manage University of Wisconsin-Madison he increased weight if needed. the soybean portion of their rotation. found a promising potential solution. “Extra weight has proven mostly Inability to control weed pressure “Their work with roller-crimping unnecessary. The only times I’ve added pushed many out of organics. made me realize I needed to incorporate water are when the rye stand is thin, Row cultivation of soybeans taxed growing cereal rye and using a roller- which isn’t good for organic production crimper to be successful in an organic anyway,” he says. system,” he says. He hopes to begin manufacturing the roller-crimpers for distribution soon. Crimping For All Levi had already started playing with cereal rye cover crops on his conven- “The paperwork tional acres. Those initial covers were terminated early in the spring to make is part of the sure corn and soybeans could grow without interference. learning curve of For organic, though, he needed to let rye grow much longer and use a roller- being organic. crimper to terminate. But roller-crimpers weren’t readily available in Iowa. With a good “I could see the frustration of organic soybean growers in my area system in place, it and knew cereal rye could help. The only answer was to bring a roller- becomes second crimper to our area,” he says. Levi built his own roller-crimper, nature after a rented it out to area organic farmers and started transitioning 60 acres of his farm year or two…” to organic production, too. The success of roller crimpers for Levi opted for the Rodale model organic producers, however, starts with roller-crimper. The crimpers are in a a good stand of cereal rye growing in ‘V’ or chevron shape. The design cuts the fall. Levi drills 2 bushels (around the pounds per square inch in half 100 pounds) of cereal rye per acre. compared to a straight-bar implement, “I see some people getting by with a reducing compaction, he says. lower seeding rate but with the backup The ‘V’ shape provides constant plan of cultivating with a high-residue contact with the ground along the row cultivator,” he says. curved surface, distributing the weight Levi and his father decided to plant of the implement evenly. More even soybeans on 15-inch rows as opposed distribution means the overall weight of to the 30-inch rows recommended by the implement can be reduced, allowing roller-crimping research. This means they Levi to mount it on the front of his trac- can use a lower soybean seeding rate tor for one-pass rolling and planting. (180,000 seeds per acre) and still get a “Mounting it on the front eliminates quick canopy, but the rows are too narrow

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 15

014-017_Levi Lyle_Organic Report_0619.indd 15 6/20/19 2:46 PM “We want to wait until the rye has pollinated so it will lay down, die slowly and make a nice mulch for weed prevention …” for them to cultivate if weeds become an soybeans twice with cereal rye cover failure and return to a conventional sys- issue. That’s why a good cereal rye stand crops between. tem. I don’t want that to happen to me,” is so critical and the reason the 30-inch Normally it isn’t allowed to grow a he says. rows are usually recommended. crop two years in a row, but Levi was Instead he’s investigating ways As he moves into growing organic able to make the case of not switching to no-till corn successfully by com- corn, he plans to use a 105-day hybrid each year because he was growing a mitting some acres to a joint research to allow for earlier cereal rye seeding fully mature cover crop between the project with Iowa State University and after harvest. On the flip side, he holds soybean crops. University of Wisconsin-Madison. off until June to plant soybeans so he Corn requires more labor and input For his trial, he planted fava beans in can plant and roller-crimp his cereal rye costs and must be sold at commodity early spring 2019. Despite a cool, wet in one pass. prices during transition, making avoid- spring they were 6 inches tall by mid- “We want to wait until the rye has ing growing it during the transition a May. In June he will roller-crimp and pollinated so it will lay down, die and financial benefit. no-till corn into the cover crop. make a nice mulch for weed prevention,” Cereal rye helped the agronomic The hope is they will be controlled he says. “It’s time to roll when pollen transition. Levi had seen weeds quickly by the roller-crimper and will have pro- starts to flake off the seed head, usually get out of control in those first years for duced a fair amount of nitrogen (N) for in June. It usually works out to about other farmers, but he was able to roller- the corn. 10 days after conventional farmers are crimp the thick cereal rye cover crop for “Getting weed suppression and N planting — but in 2019 I was ahead of excellent weed management. production will be critical for successful them because my rye cover crop helped “I had very clean soybean fields organic no-till corn,” he says. manage the excessive moisture.” during the transition and now I’m excit- Part of the reason they chiseled was During his transition years he pro- ed to grow my first organic corn crop,” to incorporate hog manure for their fer- duced 55- and 45-bushel soybeans he says. tility. Levi has hopes his soil health and respectively. Even giving up some He’s not quite ready for no-till the strategic use of covers can do away yield, he easily made up the profit dif- organic corn, though. After 2 years of with that need. ference by eliminating herbicide cost soybeans and cereal rye, they chiseled “I buy into what Ray Archuleta says and trips through the field. the soon-to-be certified acres in prepara- about soil microbial activity allowing tion for planting organic corn. you to cut back on the use of traditional Working Transition “At this time, I don’t have the confi- fertilizers,” he says, noting research that Levi encourages those looking at dence to no-till organic corn. Baby steps says otherwise inaccessible nutrients in going organic to discuss with their cer- are important. I’ve seen organic farmers the soil are made available to crops by tifier the potential option of growing dive in with large acreages, have a crop increasing soil biological activity. PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON JOHNSON WEED SOLUTION. No-tilling into a thick, roller-crimp terminated cereal rye cover crop allowed Levi to transition to organic without developing the weed problems that often plague early organic producers.

pg. 16 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

014-017_Levi Lyle_Organic Report_0619.indd 16 6/20/19 2:46 PM PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON JOHNSON LEARN AND APPLY. Instead of jumping in with large acreages, Levi experiments on a small scale. Here, corn emerges through a roller-crimped cereal rye and Austrian winter pea cover crop.

“I’m closely monitoring phospho- “I prefer the grass buffer, preferably Fresh Ground rus, potassium and micronutrients in my in EQIP or the Conservation Reserve Levi has found while many farm- field with the hope my cover crops and Program (CRP) as then I don’t have to ers profitably make the transition to soil life provide them. This would mean manage it like a crop and I still get paid organic production, profitability alone even greater profitability and opens the for it,” he says. isn’t enough to sustain a farmer’s possibility for future generations to con- From buffers to cleanouts, every motivations. tinue farming in this way,” Levi says. activity must be carefully document- To him, organic farming means ed. Levi opts for a 3-ring binder with a community that can support more Clean and Record dividers for the different sections of small producers, which in turn support Transitioning to organic while still organic certification. more local businesses to service those maintaining conventional acres — It contains his application paper- producers. It means keeping the local known as parallel production — means work, non-GMO affidavits from his school open and giving the next gener- a few extra steps for Levi to avoid con- seed and input providers, documenta- ation an opportunity to farm. taminating his high-value organic crops. tion for timing of field work, cleanout “It’s those reasons, not just prof- “I have to make sure the planter records and more. “It really isn’t a bur- its, that get me excited about organic doesn’t have any GMO seed and that den to document, and the result is I have production and push me to perfect the combine auger and hopper are an excellent record of the practices I’m and expand my organic production,” flushed. Grain bins must be cleaned using on the farm,” he says. he says. and swept and implements are power washed to ensure there is no chemical residue,” he explains. A buffer crop helps him maintain separation in the field. Regulations do not designate a specific buffer, just an appropriate barrier as determined by the farmer. This could even be a row of trees, Levi explains. He opts to make one pass around the outside of his organic field with his 6-row combine. Those bushels are lumped in with the rest of his conventional harvest. He then cleans his combine again and harvests organic fields. He also uses grass buffers that are a part of an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) project. The PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON JOHNSON 20-foot strip gives him good space from DOUBLE UP. A lighter roller-crimper allows Levi to mount it to the front of his the neighboring conventional farm. tractor for one-pass cereal rye termination and soybean planting.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 17

014-017_Levi Lyle_Organic Report_0619.indd 17 6/20/19 3:11 PM Organic No-Till Keeps Farming Interesting, Organic No-TillHow They Full of Profit Potential Did It Indiana grower Mike Shuter enjoys a good challenge, and battling no-till organic weed pressure has given him a good riddle to untangle.

By Martha Mintz, Contributing Editor When juggling the combination of Brian and Patrick, and predicts at least no-till, soil biology preservation and three of his grandchildren may want to ears still stain the shirt I organic production, Shuter says it’s crit- continue the family business. was wearing that day,” ical to be flexible. Not only is a Plan B Together they crop 3,200 acres, says Mike Shuter of the necessary, but a Plan C, D and F, too. It which includes 255 certified organic day“T he had to do some light cultivating can be complicated, but Shuter loves it. acres with another 365 acres headed for to control weeds in an organic corn field “I don’t know of any harder way transition; finish 8,000-9,000 hogs and with a 35-year history of being no-tilled. of farming than organic no-till, but I maintain 80-100 head of beef cattle they Weeds have been the greatest chal- like the challenge. I’ve seen 45 years fatten and sell direct to consumers. lenge in the transition to no-till/strip-till of crops now, and it just makes it fun to organic production for the Frankton, farm,” he says. Wrestling Weeds Ind., farmer. This problem is further He also sees his regenerative and Shuter has seen a predictable increase complicated by Shuter’s drive to protect organic crop production practices as in weed pressure during his 4 years of the biology he’s built in his soil. Every securing a future for his children and organic production. His first line of action he takes requires him to consider grandchildren. He farms with his sons, defense is cover crops, but there are no the impact on soil life — life guarantees as he’s discov- he’s convinced is key to his cur- ered. Fall 2018 cover crop rent and future success in rais- seeding went poorly due ing organic corn and soybeans. to cold, wet conditions and “Our motivations for going the covers failed to thrive. organic were to reduce chemi- So come spring the weeds cal use and to take advantage of were at an advantage — higher prices,” Shuter says. weeds that now need to be addressed if yields are to be Soil-Centric maintained. Their journey started in There are options for 2015 when they began transi- organic growers, even tioning fields to organic pro- no-till organic growers, duction, a journey which has but Shuter isn’t a fan of shone a bright light on the most beyond cover crops importance of soil biology and for his soil-centric opera- what all it can do to further tion. In spring 2018 he reduce inputs in both organic used a flame system on and non-organic acres. some weeds. The resulting “We’re concentrating more inferno of using this tool all the time on promoting soil in a no-till organic system biology: microorganisms, chock-full of cereal rye mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria LIKE MINDS. Mike Shuter (center) and his sons, Brian (left) residue wasn’t ideal. in the soil that can actually feed and Patrick agree that working to perfect organic no-till pro- “The flamer can make duction is likely the key to long-term profitability for their the crop by freeing up nutrients generations and those that follow. A team at home is a great one heck of a big fire when already in the soil, among other start, but they also look far and wide for other organic inno- it gets going in the resi- benefits.” vators with which to brainstorm. due,” Shuter says. That’s

pg. 18 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

018-021_Mike Shuter_Organic Report_0619.indd 18 6/20/19 2:47 PM a problem because he wants to keep his residue to protect his soils and became concerned the heat of the resulting large fire could impact his soil organisms. He holds similar concerns for the electric shock weed-killing systems. “They only kill weeds above the crop canopy, and I can just envision what that giant electric shock going through the soil would do to the soil life,” he says. “I don’t First Line of Defense “regenerative” — as Shuter prefers to want to kill all my little friends that are Cover crops will still be the primary describe it — operations they use this working under the soil for me.” weed control tool in part due to their to broadcast cereal rye into standing Unhappy with current options, the multi-function purposes of building crops. But for organic, Shuter uses a Shuters decided to come up with their soil health, making nutrients in the soil higher rate and gets excellent seed- own plan — killing weeds with excep- plant-available and producing nitrogen to-soil contact. To this end he instead tionally hot water. The goal is to hit (N). They’re also a critical part of the uses his drill to seed the cover crop weeds with water that is 220-230 F, blis- transition process for the Shuters. directly after harvest. tering the plants and causing them to To start the process, they need to quit After his last conventional corn crop, dehydrate and die. he drills 120-150 pounds of “The process won’t affect cereal rye per acre. He then drills our soil biology in any way,” “I don’t know of any soybeans into standing green Shuter says. cereal rye, roller-crimping the A Miller Nitro self-pro- harder way of farming than cover crop with an I&J Mfg. pelled sprayer serves as their roller-crimper within a day or base, providing ready-made organic no-till, but I like two of planting. water supply and booms. They “You want the cereal rye added a system to heat water the challenge. I’ve seen 45 to be in anthesis, which means under pressure to hotter than pollinating, for rolling to work. boiling. It’s then applied under years of crops now, and it That means planting beans a lit- hoods specially designed to tle later,” he says. Historically protect the growing crop. They just makes it fun to farm…” they’ve drilled beans in demonstrated the system in fall 2018 using any synthetic fertilizer or chemis- 7½-inch rows, but intend to switch to and are working to perfect it and get try by September 1 and continue on for planting in 30-inch rows in 2019. it in the field in 2019. They intend to 36 months without those inputs before “If we use 30-inch rows we can use it to control small weeds without earning organic certification. plant the soybeans a bit earlier and then disturbing their residue mat. The Shuters built a cover crop wait a couple weeks for the rye to reach “I don’t envision it totally taking the seeder by rigging up their Miller anthesis and roll it,” he says. “That’s not weeds out. We’ll probably need to use Nitro self-propelled sprayer with drop possible with the drill, because with the it 2-4 times per season to get us through tubes on its 120-foot boom. In both 7½-inch rows we’re essentially rolling until the crop canopies,” he says. their no-till/strip-till conventional or down a significant amount of the rye

ADAPT, OVERCOME. The Shuters have a knack for engineering their way around a tough challenge. They’ve adapted their Miller Nitro sprayer to broadcast cover crops into standing crops (seen here) and reworked it into a water weeder to provide weed control in organic crops.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 19

018-021_Mike Shuter_Organic Report_0619.indd 19 6/20/19 2:47 PM Another trick Shuter uses is to position his no-till corn acres next to neighboring fields growing soybeans when possible. Further protection is gained by concentrating his organic acres in a certain area to reduce the number of acres bumping up against conventional crops. “We try to keep most of the acres we’re transitioning to organic together in a block to reduce the risks,” Shuter says. “It would be a nightmare to have them all scattered about.” Embrace the Paperwork Part of maintaining organic certification is documentation. “You need to document everything WATER WEEDER. The Shuters wanted a weed control option that would be safe you’re doing,” says Shuter, who mostly for their soil life. Unlike fire or electricity weed control tools, or tillage, this just writes everything down in a notebook. custom-built machine kills weeds by scalding them with super-hot water. This includes how the sprayer, planter, with that seeding pass, and we don’t various avenues of contamination that drill, strip-till unit, tender trucks and other want to do that until the timing is right.” can destroy their value-added status. equipment are cleaned, when and what Their transition plan is to raise two The Shuters have grown seed beans input applications were made and pretty crops of soybeans with a cereal rye for 30 years, so they already had a much every other farm activity related to cover crop in between, so they simply well-established process for identity organic production. Having standard oper- repeat the same process the following preservation of their crop. ating procedures (SOPs) is helpful. year. They’ve worked with their organic They have bins dedicated to organic “Developing your own SOPs, along certifier to start their process in the fall soybeans and corn and make sure to with following the established SOPs for so they get a cereal rye cover, soybeans, clean bins, belt conveyors and harvest certification, makes it easier to document. cover, soybeans, cover and corn. The equipment to avoid cross-contamination “All the record keeping can be pain- corn crop can then be harvested as certi- with their conventional crops. ful, but if you get it so you’re just redoing fied organic. Cross pollination is a little more a lot of the same things each year you A cover-crop mix is used ahead of complicated. A buffer strip of some sort don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get organic corn as opposed to the straight is required between organic and conven- everything recorded,” he says. cereal rye. tional crops, but that won’t necessarily A lot of practices will also need a In fall 2018 they drilled oats, hairy stop pollen, Shuter says. certifier’s approval. vetch, crimson clover, Balansa clover To be extra careful, he maintains a “For our water weeder we had to and Austrian winter peas after soybean good dialogue with his upwind neighbor communicate with the certifiers about harvest. But, as noted, a cold, wet fall about plans for their bordering fields the fact we would likely need to run meant nothing much came up. that have the most potential for contami- muriatic acid through the heater every In normal conditions, the oats would nating the organic crop. once in a while to remove scale. We had likely winterkill and the Shuters would For 2019, his neighbor’s plan was to to get approval for that. Luckily, I’m a spread poultry litter or hog manure on plant 111-day corn while Shuter intend- records nerd and I enjoy the process,” the remaining cover in the spring. The ed to plant a 105-day crop. Trying to get he says. cover would then be roller-crimped in the field as early as possible to plant ahead of planting. his 105-day corn even further reduces Reaping Rewards Shuter uses strip-till practices for the risk of cross pollination. Marketing an organic product is also his organic corn for added fertility He notes his years of no-till and strip- an enjoyable task for Shuter, as the pre- and weed control. He’s able to add a till mean even in wet years he is often able miums are so rewarding. It does require pelletized poultry litter product with his to get into the field faster than his conven- a shift in thinking. strip-till bar. His cover crop mix, when tional-tillage neighbors, in part due to soil “Most people are selling their grain it works, will also provide a significant structure and residue and in part due to not to an ethanol plant or a grain accumu- source of N. needing to do any soil preparation. lator that’s just amassing a commodity Of course, spring of 2019 pushed to sell. With organics, you have a more Avoiding Contamination that to the limit for most farmers, caus- valuable crop that you’ve got to market From planting to marketing, it’s ing Shuter and many others to move to more often than not to, essentially, an critical to protect organic crops from their backup, backup plans. end user,” he says.

pg. 20 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

018-021_Mike Shuter_Organic Report_0619.indd 20 6/20/19 3:50 PM STICKING TO STRIP-TILL. While Mike Shuter strives to maintain as close to a no-till system as possible on his organic acres, he still finds it necessary to strip-till fertilizer ahead of his organic corn. He uses this 24-row Misenhelder Welding toolbar with Orthman 1tRIPr row units and a Salford fertilizer air cart. He uses a pelletized poultry litter in addition to the nutrients supplied by his cover crops.

He’s fortunate to have a good organ- Unusually Prepared biology, and the fact that those organic corn market just 30 miles down the Shuter credits his exceptional soil isms can free up nutrients locked in road. He’s also looking at the possibility health earned through 35 years of no-till the soils that the tests aren’t showing, of growing food-grade organic corn to and 8 years of using cover crops for set- we realize we’re not going to need all tap into the organic division of nearby ting him up for no-till organic success. those inputs.” Grain Millers, a specialty grain process- “I would hate to transition from con- He feels using hog and poultry ing facility. ventional farming to no-till organics manure, along with growing nutrients Marketing strategy starts during the because the soil isn’t in the right place with cover crops to grow value-added transition to organic methods. Part of to support the system,” he says. crops, is the better route. It will take the reason Shuter opted to grow 2 years “Continuing to use no-till as we experimentation and weathering some of soybeans during the transition period made the shift to organic production failures, but he’s prepared himself for is that the non-GMO corn market in the was the only option for us because we the challenges. area is saturated. “My advice to others who might He knew he could get better try organic no-till is to be pre- premiums on non-GMO soybeans. “Be prepared to change pared to change your plans. The “I found a food-grade export- more agile you are, the better your er looking at giving $2.25 per your plans. The more chance of getting a positive result. bushel over Chicago Board of You have to work with whatever Trade price for non-GMO soy- agile you are, the better cards you’re dealt,” he says. beans,” he says. That’s great for Sometimes it’s tough to take, profits, but Shuter expects clos- your chance of getting a such as when he had to take a er to $19 per bushel for organic Hiniker row cultivator to the weeds soybeans and $10.50 per bushel positive result. You have in his no-till organic corn crop. for organic corn. to work with whatever He only disturbed about 2 “Our yields may take a hit, inches of soil, but it was a diffi- especially when we struggle with cards you’re dealt …” cult decision. It just pushes him to cover crops, but with not having come up with better backup plans the expense of synthetic fertilizer and didn’t want to destroy the soil and soil for the future, such as his water weeder. getting a premium, we still sort out bet- biology we had built.” Also helpful to Shuter is networking ter than conventional,” he says. He sees organic no-tilling, and rely- with others. His conventional corn averages 180 ing on his soils to provide nutrients, as “Find a group of supporters that bushels per acre, hitting 212 bushels in a more efficient way of raising a crop are doing similar things and pick their the exceptional conditions of 2018. His than applying large volumes of expen- brains. Those people don’t have to be organic corn, on the other hand, yield- sive inputs. in a 30-mile radius of you, either. Go to ed just 70 bushels due to weed pres- “We’ve spent decades applying conferences, share ideas and find a men- sure and still trying to figure out fertility fertilizer based on soil tests that show tor,” he says. needs, mainly how to provide N. what nutrients are available with an acid Even with help, organic no-till is fairly “We didn’t lose money and I’m confi- extraction, but that’s not showing what new territory for nearly everyone, present- dent we can double that yield pretty easily a crop can get to,” he says. ing Shuter with a formidable challenge — as we get things figured out,” he says. “As we come to understand soil but one he enjoys taking on.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 21

018-021_Mike Shuter_Organic Report_0619.indd 21 6/20/19 3:50 PM Green Fallow, Less Tilling Organic

No-TillHow They Builds Organic System Did It Will Glazik and family are using cover crops, longer rotations and minimal tillage to raise organic crops while also improving soil health.

By Martha Mintz, Contributing Editor weed control in my soybeans,” Will says. A good strong stand also crimps better for more thorough control. et bigger’ or ‘get different’ were the clear paths To ensure a thick and thriving stand, Will seeds a heavy stretching to the horizon for Paxton, Ill., organic rate of 150-200 pounds per acre. Since his drill maxes out at no-tiller Will Glazik’s father, Jeff, back in the 100 pounds per acre, he makes two passes to seed. early‘G 2000s. “I halve the rate and plant the field at opposite angles, “Coming out of the late ’90s, the farm economy wasn’t essentially making an ‘X,’” he explains. They then plant doing so hot,” Will Glazik says. His parents were working off- farm jobs in addition to farming 400 acres. Things were headed down a bleak path. “They had to make the decision to either get bigger or get different.” Getting bigger meant trying to compete with neighbors for land and edge out other area farmers. They always wanted more farming neighbors, so for that and many other reasons they opted for finding a different market. They started transitioning to organic farming in 2002 and were certified by 2004. The next big change came when they shifted their views on soil health. Will and his brother, Dallas, earned degrees in agronomy from the University of Illinois. He was exposed to a variety of farming practices while working for a crop production company. At a cover crop expo, he met fellow farmer Jacki Davis. She wanted to have the healthiest soil she could while raising organic crops. Eventually, through helping her achieve her goals, Will came around to her way of thinking, too. Now the Glaziks are using cover crops, longer rotations and minimal tillage to raise organic crops while also building soil health. Raising Rye, Revenue Will, Dallas and Jeff work the farm — now 1,000 acres — together raising soybeans, wheat, oats, cereal rye and several varieties of corn. They’re also experimenting with peas, barley, buckwheat and spelt. Some of these crops are earmarked specifically for the distillery they started, Silver Tree Beer and Spirits. They’ve been making vodka for 3 years and look to add more products to utilize a wider variety of their organic crops. “Creating our own value-added markets and finding others has allowed us to be more experimental in our search for no-till organic rotations and conservation practices that otherwise may not be economical,” Will says. Cereal rye, established ahead of no-tilled soybeans, has been among the family’s first keys to minimizing tillage. LESS IS MORE. Will Glazik has removed all coulters and row cleaners from his planter, allowing his double-disc “In my area I need to get cereal rye planted by Sept. 1 or I openers to plant soybeans with minimal disruption to his won’t have a strong enough stand to get a good mat and full protective mat of cereal rye.

pg. 22 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

022-025_Will Glazik_Organic Report_0619.indd 22 6/20/19 2:47 PM soybeans and run the roller-crimper later. They run the planter and crimper straight across the field, intersecting the “X” so neither implement is running straight down the cereal rye rows. This is critical for weed control, he says. “If I planted soybeans in the same direction as the rye and then rolled it, the rye would lay down right in the row and leave 7½ inches of bare soil. Instead, I rectly timed roller-crimping, he notes low. About 25% of our acres are in plant perpendicular or at a slight angle so he only gets about 85% control on the green fallow every year,” Glazik says, when the rye lays down it makes a full cereal rye cover crop. noting very few organic farmers uti- coverage mulch,” Will says. There is always some that survives and lize this concept. “Green fallow allows The family has experimented with sets seed that germinates in the fall, and us to keep cost of production low, low rolling-crimping timing, initially crimp- that can cause problems in the rotation. enough to make a profit even at conven- ing first and then planting soybeans. “We used to plant wheat after soy- tional market prices.” They’ve now settled on planting first beans, but the cereal rye becomes a Of course, they market their crops and then crimping. weed in the wheat field. We were still at a premium, allowing them to be even “I start planting soybeans early, the able to market it, but we took some dis- more profitable while still utilizing a first part of May on good years, and counts on it,” he says. green fallow. then crimp after the soybeans come up The 30-inch rows do give Will the “Green fallow is a way for us to take in late May or early June,” Will says. option of using a 1500 Kinze high- care of our soils so they can take care of The soybeans will have 1-2 true residue cultivator to knock down weeds. us and reduce our production costs even leaves. The roller crimper can run over He can set the V-shaped plow shares further throughout the rotation,” he says. them without killing them at this stage, to ride ¾-1 inch under the soil to just cut For the green fallow, they use mostly allowing for better control of the species that will winter kill with the cereal rye with the roller-crimper. exception of the red clover and alfalfa “You must wait until the cereal “The Glaziks run the they use as the base of their mix. rye is at full anthesis for good con- After soybean harvest, volunteer trol. It should be past pollination and planter and crimper cereal rye blankets the ground. As setting seed, but the seed shouldn’t soon as possible in the spring, they yet be viable,” Will says, but laughs straight across the field drill field peas and flax along with that if the seed becomes viable it one-cut red clover (or alfalfa on acres just means he’ll have an even better intersecting the ‘X’ so they intend to graze). cover crop come fall. The mix is mowed in summer Glazik uses an I&J Mfg. roller- neither implement is to make way for seeding the sum- crimper. He says the brand of the mer cover crop mix, which usually tool is not important, but it has running straight down includes buckwheat, cowpeas and to be heavy. They shoot for 150- small amounts of sorghum-sudangrass. 200 pounds per foot of width. The the cereal rye rows…” They use other cover species as weight is needed to tackle the quantity the growing point of the weed without needed to address specific concerns. of rye it will face. disturbing the soil or residue mat much. Fenced fields are grazed with their herd “The rye should be 5-6 feet tall and “Normally the beans are near cano- of grass-fed beef. so thick you can’t see the ground. That py by the time cultivating is necessary, The surviving cover crop species are will be anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 so shifting the residue a bit isn’t that terminated using a field-scale rotavator pounds of biomass,” Will says. big of a deal. tillage tool 2 days prior to planting corn. Some of the rye is knocked down “The trick, though, is to cultivate in Will sets the tool to run very shal- when soybeans are planted into the the same direction you laid down the low, about 3 inches, allowing him to still-growing crop but stands back up. rye. Think of it like combing your hair get a complete kill on the cover crop Soybeans are planted in 30-inch — you don’t want to go against the and weeds without disturbing the rows with an 8-row White 6100 plant- grain,” he says. whole soil profile. er. Will removed all row cleaners and Eventually he’d like to no-till corn, no-till coulters, simply maintaining Green Fallow but his experiments have yet to pan out. sharp double-disc openers with rubber To further reduce issues of cereal rye He’s done some small test plots with closing wheels. “The rye will be about being a weed in the following crop, Will no-till organic corn. “I’ve raised a crop, 3 feet tall at planting and I don’t have has also gone to planting a green fallow but it’s not been a successful crop,” he any issues,” he says. cover crop after soybeans. says, noting it ran 50-75 bushels an acre Even with a strong stand and cor- “I’m a firm believer in green fal- with low test weights.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 23

022-025_Will Glazik_Organic Report_0619.indd 23 6/20/19 2:47 PM nutrients,” he notes. “I also took a cut- mix of cowpeas, turnips and buck- ting of hay off before planting, which wheat,” Will says. took away all my fertility.” He says the biggest issue with the Where he didn’t have orchardgrass, rotation is ensuring he has time to plant the yields looked better. He also when he needs to. The green-fallow recently discovered a Canadian red cover helps with that, plus it provides clover with potential. It flowers in late needed nutrients. May to early June and is terminated “We don’t use much off-farm by mowing. fertility. We’re trying to grow most of “Where I tried that clover without it,” he says. They do bring in 1 ton of the alfalfa the corn did really well, turned chicken-layer manure per acre, although I didn’t measure the yield,” Will says. Adding small grains is helping “With on-farm increase the acres he can no-till and expand the rotation. The current plan is storage you have to no-till oats into corn stalks, then seed Berseem clover with oats. A cereal rye more control on cover crop will be seeded into the clover after oat harvest and they hope the clo- when and how ver will winterkill. Next up, they’ll no-till soybeans into you market the cereal rye, a year of no-till green fal- JUST A SHAVE. A 1500 Kinze high- low, then just one rotavator pass prior to your crop…” residue cultivator rides ¾-1 inch under residue to knock down planting corn. per year and use lime and gypsum weeds and any volunteer rye with “I will plant Berseem clover and where needed as indicated by soil tests. minimal soil disturbance. It slides cowpeas with the corn. The cowpeas The manure is broadcast onto the green right under the residue, cutting the are mixed in the planter box along fallow with corn being the next crop up. plants off at their growing point. with the corn and I use the insecticide “The goal is to grow the best cover But he’s learned a lot. The first year boxes to sprinkle about 5 pounds per crop possible and then leave it there he tried he was using orchardgrass in his acre of Berseem clover over top of the on the ground to break down and green fallow mix. corn row. I’ll then cultivate it with the feed the soil,” Will says, noting some “It was a strong competitor to the low-disturbance cultivator when corn forage on some fields is removed by corn and sucked up extra moisture and is 4-5 leaves tall and broadcast a cover grazing or haying.

SPEEDING RECOVERY. Though he still needs some tillage ahead of corn, Will Glazik helps the soil recover and build a protective cover by interseeding crimson or Berseem clover and other cover species that will continue growing to protect the soil after harvest.

pg. 24 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

022-025_Will Glazik_Organic Report_0619.indd 24 6/20/19 2:47 PM “The green fallow is a way for us to take care of our soils so they can take care of us and reduce our production costs even further throughout the rotation...” — Will Glazik

Maintaining Separation “I know organic farmers raising see — but know is there in my fields — Another major undertaking in the 220-bushel corn, 60-bushel soybeans working to build my soils.” organic world is having to keep excep- and 100-bushel wheat. No-till can be a And he’s making those strides with tional records to maintain certification. bit of a yield drag in organic systems, the help of others. “Marketing is probably the easiest part but it doesn’t matter,” he says. “I’m He’s the co-founder of the IDEA of being organic,” Will says. “You’ve raising a crop with a lot fewer input Farm Network, a learning community of raised a crop a lot of people want and costs, less labor and less machinery more than 430 innovative farmers con- are willing to pay a premium for. We using no-till.” stantly pushing the limits toward better work with a number of brokers.” It may be a challenge, but Will is methods for growing row crops. The Glaziks do raise food-grade excited about the direction his soils are They host a very active Google corn, which ups the ante on protect- headed as he reduces tillage and focuses group and hold formal meetings and ing their crops from contamination. on soil health. informal “tailgate sessions.” “For food grade they’re very strict on “When I worked as a conventional Through these platforms, people how much GMO they will allow in the agriculture crop consultant I saw a lot of can learn from their peers and ask even corn,” Will says. no-tillers be very successful at changing basic questions without embarrassment. Their main strategy is working their soils,” he says. “It can be discouraging as someone with their neighbors, talking with “They took in and held more water who is trying new things. All the neigh- them in the winter months to find out and the biology of their soils was bors think it’s weird and you’re the talk what hybrids they’re planting. Then amazing compared to their neighbors. of the coffee shop. the Glaziks select hybrids that won’t I’m now seeing similar results because “The IDEA Farm Network gives start tasseling and pollinating until the I have a great diversity of insects, them the chance to get together and feel neighbors’ crops are finished. That earthworms and so much more I can’t like they’re a part of something.” may also mean pushing planting back by a couple weeks. They raise hybrid yellow corn plus two varieties of open-pollinated corn with GA1 recessive gene codes for smaller pollen tubes. This deters other dent-corn pollen and further minimizes the risk of contamination. They raise Rebellion and a red corn, Bloody Butcher, for use in their distillery. For crops headed off farm, Will is a big believer in using on-farm storage as a marketing tool. “Some brokers will take the crop right out of the field, but you may pay in lost premium,” he says. “With on-farm storage you have more control on when and how you market your crop.” Will has pushed the pencil and knows he may be raising less crop than others, but that the profits are better — which allows him to take some yield hits when experimenting with no-till LESSON LEARNED. An attempt to no-till corn into a living cover crop failed due production practices in an organic to the mix he used, including orchardgrass, which proved difficult to control system. He also thinks it’s smarter. and was a hefty competitor for water and nutrients.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 25

022-025_Will Glazik_Organic Report_0619.indd 25 6/20/19 2:47 PM Cover Crop, Fertilizer Tips for No-Till Organic Corn Applying more fertility to fields with high N carryover from manure, legume use may not be needed beyond cover crop mineralization.

By Steven Mirsky, USDA-ARS weeds and by releasing allelochemi- and hairy vetch (12 pounds per acre) Research Ecologist cals (which inhibit the growth of other seeded early using a small grain drill plants) during cover crop residue (Table 1). onsistent weed control and decomposition. Cover crop seeding would cost nitrogen (N) availability are High cover crop biomass approximately $60 per acre. The N con- important factors in determin- production is the key to achieving tent of the cover crop ranged from 85 ingC yield in organic no-till corn pro- season-long weed suppression from a to 173 pounds per acre across the sites duction. Utilizing cover crop mulches cover crop mulch. (Table 2). for weed control can reduce organic Cereal cover crops can achieve high Cereal rye dominated cover crop bio- producers’ dependency on cultivation, biomass production but have limited mass in the mixture at all sites (Table thereby reducing weed control failure value for early-season N release, while 2). Hairy vetch contributed more due to unfavorable weather. legume cover crops can provide sub- to overall cover crop biomass in the Planting a cover crop mixture of stantial N release but often do not pro- Kinston environments, which had low cereal and legumes can provide the dual vide season-long weed control. N carryover from previous management benefits of weed suppression and fertili- (Table 2). ty provision. Managing Cover Crops Cover crop termination was targeted Depending on nitrogen carryover from Using a cereal and legume cover for soft-dough stage for the cereal rye previous management, additional fertilizer crop mixture can simultaneously pro- and 100% flowering for the hairy vetch. may be required beyond that provided vide N and suppress weeds. Early fall At several sites we experienced through cover crop mineralization to max- cover crop establishment using a grain good success planting corn into a cover imize corn yield. drill can aid in achieving high biomass. crop that was terminated 1-3 weeks This article discusses cover crop man- Two years of research at the before planting. agement and starter fertilizer consider- Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab This may be attributed to cleaner ations for producers interested in organic (Beltsville, Md.), North Carolina State slicing through the cover crop mulch no-till corn production. University (Kinston and Salisbury, by the planter due to drydown of the Cover crops can be terminated with a N.C.), and The Rodale Institute cover crop between termination and roller-crimper, creating a weed suppres- (Kutztown, Pa.) resulted in high cover corn planting. sive mulch. A cover crop can suppress crop biomass production from a mix- Soil moisture can also be weeds by reducing light availability to ture of cereal rye (90 pounds per acre) replenished when planting is delayed

Table 1. Cover crop management and corn planting for each site Site Cover Crop Planting Roller-Crimping 1 Roller-Crimping 2 Corn Planting Beltsville 2013 9/15/12 5/31/13 6/21/13 6/21/13 Beltsville 2014 9/27/13 6/5/14 6/19/14 6/19/14 Kinston 2013 10/11/12 5/8/13 5/16/13 5/8/13 Kinston 2014 9/27/13 5/12/14 5/20/14 5/29/14 Kutztown 2014 9/13/13 6/6/14 None 6/6/14 Salisbury 2013 9/27/12 5/15/13 5/28/13 5/29/13 Salisbury 2014 9/18/13 5/14/14 5/22/14 5/22/14 Source: USDA

pg. 26 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

026-028-Cover Crop Start Fertilizer_Mirsky_Organic Report_0619.indd 26 6/20/19 2:48 PM Table 2. Cover crop biomass and N content Cereal Rye Biomass Hairy Vetch Biomass Total Cover Crop Cover Crop N Content Site (lb/acre) (lb/acre) Biomass (lb/acre) (lb/acre) Beltsville 2013 12,673 1,108 13,781 158 Beltsville 2014 4,807 1,871 6,678 85 Kinston 2013 – – 5,649* 108 Kinston 2014 5,354 3,244 8,598 164 Kutztown 2014 10,428 1,926 12,354 173 Salisbury 2013 – – 8,720* 132 Salisbury 2014 6,983 2,062 9,045 150 * Note: Cover crop biomass was not separated by species at the Kinston 2013 and Salisbury 2013 sites. Source: USDA

following cover crop termination. ditions do not allow for a clean slice in organic fertilizer materials that vary in Recommendations differ about when the cover crop residue, the residue must N content and price. to terminate cover crops via roller- be moved from the crop row with the This research study evaluated: top- crimping, and successes have occurred Yetter residue managers to ensure good dressing different rates of poultry litter, with terminating the cover crop both seed-to-soil contact. subsurface banding organically certi- before planting and at planting. When planting conditions permit, the fied pelleted materials, and applying no Extensive cover crop regrowth Yetter residue managers can be raised, additional fertility beyond that provid- between the first and second cover crop allowing for minimal movement of the ed through cover crop mineralization roller-crimping events was not observed cover crop residue from the crop row. (Table 3). in most sites. At the Kinston 2013 This minimizes in-row weed pressure. All starter fertility treatments were site we did observe some cover crop If possible, producers should have a evaluated across the same cover-crop regrowth and a second roller-crimping flexible planter design that can provide mix of cereal rye (90 pounds per acre) event occurred at corn spiking. options for cover crop residue move- and hairy vetch (12 pounds per acre). Excellent weed suppression was ment depending on planting conditions. The subsurface starter fertilizer treat- observed in 6 of the 7 sites. Weed Perfect stands were not achieved ments were applied via a John Deere 7200 suppression was compromised at the across these sites; however, stands planter equipped with dry fertilizer hop- Kinston 2013 site where only 5,649 were better than achieved with previous pers that delivered a subsurface band of pounds of cover crop biomass per acre research in this system. fertilizer. Pelleted fertilizers were used for was achieved (Table 2). the subsurface-banded treatments. The Kinston 2013 site had low N Using Starter Fertilizer Setting the dry fertilizer hop- carryover from previous management, To maximize corn yield, additional pers for maximum fertilizer delivery and this restricted cereal rye growth. fertilizer may be required beyond that allowed pelleted fertilizer to be deliv- The result was less cover crop biomass, provided through cover crop mineraliza- ered at 575-625 pounds per acre. Keep which compromised the ability of the tion. Surface-broadcasting or “topdress- in mind when using pelleted fertil- cover crop mulch to suppress weeds. ing” poultry litter is a popular fertility izer materials that hopper openings management strategy for organic corn can still plug up if the hoppers have Achieving producers in the Southeast because it is tapered output tubes. Respectable Stands convenient and relatively inexpensive. At the Beltsville, Md. 2013, Planting into heavy cover crop bio- If topdress poultry litter applications Beltsville 2014, Kinston 2014, Salisbury mass can be a challenge for some organ- continue to become more regulated due 2013 and Salisbury 2014 sites, corn ic producers. to environmental concerns, producers yield was greatest with the high- The lead researchers in this proj- may be limited to using other organic fer- rate topdress poultry litter treatment, ect have been continuously modifying tilizer sources and application techniques. and was reduced with the low-rate no-till planters to create a planter design Many organic producers still have topdress poultry litter treatment and the that will plant reliably and efficiently dry-fertilizer hoppers on their planters subsurface feather meal treatment. Corn into heavy cover crop biomass. that can be utilized to provide starter yield was lowest and similar between Current planter modifications fertilizer. Loose litter doesn’t flow well the subsurface poultry litter and no include both heavy-residue slicers and from the dry fertilizer hoppers but pel- added fertility treatments at these sites. Yetter residue managers mounted to an leted material works well. Organic pro- Feather meal is an expensive fertilizer added front toolbar. When planting con- ducers can choose from several pelleted source but did provide yield increases at

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 27

026-028-Cover Crop Start Fertilizer_Mirsky_Organic Report_0619.indd 27 6/20/19 2:48 PM Table 3. Starter fertility treatments Fertility Treatment Rate N Applied (lb/acre) Cost ($/acre) Topdress Poultry Litter 4 T/A 240 120 Topdress Poultry Litter 2 T/A 120 60 Subsurface Feather Meal* 575–625 lb/acre 75–82 280–305 Subsurface Pelleted Poultry Litter** 575–625 lb/acre 17–19 57–63 No Added Fertility – – –

* Feather meal source was NatureSafe Blending Base (13-0-0). ** Pelleted poultry litter (3-2-3) was obtained from Perdue AgriRecycle. Notes: The same cover crop mixture was planted across all fertility treatments. The 2 T/A topdress poultry litter treatment was not tested at the Kinston 2013 site. Source: USDA

these five sites compared with no fertility. Summing it Up critical to provide adequate N through For producers on a site with moder- In the subsurface and no added fertil- starter fertilizer applications to ensure ate N carryover from previous manage- ity treatments at this site, the corn crop crop competitiveness with weeds and ment and limitations on topdress poultry was not competitive with weeds, and high corn grain yield. litter use, subsurface banding feather heavy weed pressure in these treatments At the Kutztown 2014 site, corn meal is a viable option for increasing adversely affected corn yield. grain yield was similar among all starter corn grain yield. But the economics of At this site, corn yield did increase fertility treatments. using feather meal may be limiting. with the subsurface poultry litter treat- This study site has a long history of The Kinston 2013 site had low N ment, which only provided 17-19 legume and manure use and therefore high carryover from previous management, pounds of N per acre. N typically releas- N carryover from previous management. which was reflected in the lower cover es more rapidly from poultry litter than Results from this site indicate that crop biomass achieved at this environ- from feather meal. it may not be necessary to apply addi- ment (Table 2). The corn yield increase observed tional fertility to sites with high N car- Corn yield was greatest with the with the pelleted poultry litter treatment ryover from a long history of manure topdress poultry litter treatment, and compared to the no-added-fertility and legume use, beyond that provid- corn yield was not affected by the pres- treatment can likely be attributed to ed through cover crop mineralization, ence or absence of weeds within this enhanced corn competitiveness early in to maximize corn yield. Additional treatment. This is likely attributed to the season from rapid nutrient release research on sites with high N carryover high N provision enhancing the corn’s from the poultry litter. If a producer is necessary to confirm results observed competitiveness with weeds. is on a site with low N carryover, it’s at this study site.

PILE IT ON. Rolled-and-crimped cover crops in organic no-till systems provide a mulch layer for the cash crop, both prevent- ing weed growth and breaking down gradually during the growing season to provide a long-term slow release of nutrients. No-tillers should aim for their cover crop to produce at least 2½ tons of dry matter per acre to effectively suppress weeds.

pg. 28 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

026-028-Cover Crop Start Fertilizer_Mirsky_Organic Report_0619.indd 28 6/20/19 2:48 PM New Soil Amendments, Fertilizers Cater to Organic No-Till Systems These all-natural nutrients, inoculants and other products help support profitable no-till practices that also meet tough organic standards.

By No-Till Farmer Editors ° NutraLime OP pelletized limestone pro- s the market for organically produced food has increased vides quick soil acidity adjustment and elemental calcium and in the U.S. and worldwide, so have efforts by manufac- magnesium for producing top yields in production agriculture. turers to offer naturally derived fertilizers, soil amend- The OP designation means this dispersing granule (DG) Aments, crop protectants and other products. product is OMRI-listed, unlike The Andersons NutraLime DG, The following is a brief roundup of some of the leading which is sold into conventional markets. The OP granules are products on the market that are compatible with organic pro- held together with a water-soluble binder, allowing the product duction methods. to disperse back into powder when it comes in contact with Most of the products below are listed with the Organic water (rain, irrigation, dew) after it’s applied. Materials Review Institute (OMRI), an international nonprofit This allows the product to begin to modify the soil pH organization that determines which input products are allowed for levels within 2 weeks. NutraLime OP is available in 2 use in organic production and processing. versions, a pelletized high-calcium lime (30% calcium and 4% OMRI-listed products are allowed for use in certi- magnesium) and a pelletized dolomitic lime (20-21% calcium fied organic operations under the USDA National Organic and 9-12% magnesium). Program. Find out more about the OMRI program and listed products at www.omri.org. ° Humic DG granules from The Andersons The Andersons contain 70% humic acid, ° NutraSoft OP is an 10% humic acid precursor, fulvic acid and humin. OMRI-listed pelletized The OMRI-listed product is formulated with dispersing gypsum with 21% calcium and 16% sulfur. The OP designa- granule (DG) technology to create spherical, ultra-dry particles tion means this dispersing granule (DG) product is OMRI- that rapidly disperse into thousands of microparticles upon listed, unlike The Andersons NutraSoft DG, which is sold into contact with moisture. Humic DG granules’ increased surface conventional markets. area, when compared to screened humate, has been measured The OP granules are held together with a water-soluble to be four times more efficient. binder, allowing the product to disperse back into powder The Andersons has tested Humic DG in organic corn produc- when it comes in contact with water (rain, irrigation, dew) tion for the past 2 years and found consistently positive results, after it’s applied. These uniform pelletized gypsum granules according to information distributed by the company. In 2017 and are user-friendly and can be applied easily in a variety of 2018 in Wisconsin, Humic DG was applied at a rate of 10 pounds ways, from broadcast to precision placement. an acre in furrow, with manure broadcast pre-plant. Both years NutraSoft OP will loosen hard-packed and heavy clay yielded a similar result, with a yield advantage of 10.2 and 10.8 soils, allowing for better root growth and water penetration bushels per acre, respectively, compared to the treatment where and retention, the company says. It’s also an effective only manure was applied. conditioner for soils that are high in sodium, as it will remove harmful salts that prevent seed germination and are damaging ° Black Gypsum to plant growth. DG granules pro- Many organic farmers apply NutraSoft OP over the row vide a homogeneous blend of gypsum and humic acid, containing during planting, sometimes using old insecticide boxes. With 17% calcium, 13% sulfur, and 10% humic acid. The OMRI-listed this application, the company says, growers have witnessed a product features dispersing granule (DG) technology, a spherical, slight decrease in the weed germination timing window due ultra-dry granule that rapidly disperses into thousands of micro- to the calcium and sulfur dispersing in the row. particles upon contact with moisture.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 29

029-030_Roundup of Organic Products_Organic Report_0619.indd 29 6/20/19 2:48 PM These microparticles deliver calcium, sulfur and carbon Oro Agri directly into the soil. The DG technology allows for reduced ° Oroboost is an adjuvant for use in application rates as compared to other agricultural-grade gypsum organic agriculture. It is compatible with products — which makes this an economical soil amendment, and will improve the performance of foliar- the company says. applied organic insecticides, fungicides, Black Gypsum DG lets growers apply both gypsum and herbicides and nutrients, the company says. humic acid in one pass. Proprietary Orowet technology used to The Andersons tested Black Gypsum DG in organic corn formulate Oroboost provides flexibility in production in Wisconsin. In 2017 and 2018, Black Gypsum how it functions as an adjuvant. At lower DG was applied at a rate of 150 pounds an acre, broadcast pre- rates, it is a superior spreader that gives contact pesticides plant with manure. The portion of the trial treated with Black excellent coverage on the leaf surface. When Oroboost is Gypsum DG yielded 15.4 and 7.4 bushels per acre, respectively, used at higher rates it penetrates the leaf surface, allowing its greater than manure alone. patented TransPhloem technology to move systemic pesticides and nutrients throughout the plant for rapid translocation. ° Fulvic LQ is an OMRI- The critical first step in foliar-applied, organic pest control is listed, high purity 4% fulvic getting good coverage of the leaf surface with pesticide sprays. acid. This formulation con- Oroboost provides excellent wetting and coverage of the leaf tains a high concentration of the measurable fulvic fraction surface. It also delivers a greater number of droplets and a more of humic substances, helping plants to better realize their full uniform droplet size that contributes to its excellent spray cover- genetic potential, the company says. age compared to other adjuvant types, the company says. Fulvic LQ’s properties increase bioavailability of the nutrients it accompanies in the tank and drastically increase absorp- ° Oro-RZ adjuvant can be added to the tion into the plant, says the company. spray tank with all soil-applied fungicides, In both conventional and organic trials performed by The insecticides, herbicides and nutrients. It Andersons, adding Fulvic LQ has consistently increased yield improves the penetration and uniform dis- because it feeds soil microbes that help growers mine more tribution of spray applications in the soil mineral nutrition from their soils. profile to deliver better pest control and plant nutrition, the company says. ° SmartPhos DG Most crops have an in-soil portion that Natural is a pelletized is the target of disease or insect attacks. A soft rock phosphorus fungicide or insecticide application needs to (P) and spreads exceptionally well compared to other forms surround these plant parts to protect them against infestation. With of soft-rock P, the company says. The OMRI-listed product is its ability to distribute a spray application thoroughly throughout made with the same dispersing granule (DG) technology that the soil profile, Oro-RZ envelops these portions of the plants with is formulated into The Andersons’ lime, gypsum and humates. the pesticide solution to protect them against attack. The actual available P in the first year will be closer to 8% The key to optimal pre-emergent weed control is to with soft-rock P being a slow-release source. It has immediate create an uninterrupted blanket of herbicide, horizontally and in-season availability as it dissolves and delivers P directly into vertically, within the soil profile where weed seeds germinate. the soil upon contact with water. Oro-RZ’s penetrating and spreading ability distributes a pre- While an organic farmer relies heavily on manure for emergent herbicide application uniformly within the soil to nitrogen (N) and P credits, the option to spread SmartPhos DG prevent gaps in protection. Natural in a user-friendly granule can target low P soils with a slow-release form of P. Groundwork BioAg ° Rootella mycorrhizal Sure Crop inoculants are produced by ° Activate is a bio- Groundwork BioAg for commercial agriculture. Based on stimulant containing a beneficial fungi, mycorrhizal inoculants increase crop yields, concentrated fulvic acid especially under stress conditions, the company says. Growers electrolyte liquid. It assists in breaking down and solubilizing can also reduce fertilizer application rates, notably P. elements for quicker adsorption by plant cells. This allows Rootella products are pure mycorrhizal inoculants based on for better efficiency of nutrients that are either stored in the over 30 years of research, 100% natural and highly effective. soil profile or applied as fertilizer, the company says. All Rootella products — with the exception of Rootella T and OMRI-listed Activate also promotes photosynthesis and Rootella X — are suitable for use in organic farming according metabolic activities by the plant and can increase a crop’s abil- to USDA National Organic Program (OMRI and CDFA-OIM) ity to withstand drought or other stressful growing conditions. and European regulations (EC 834/2007). Activate can be applied at planting, as a sidedress or foliar or Mycorrhizal inoculation by application of Rootella products through irrigation systems. It may be applied with most fertilizer restores the mycorrhizal balance and significantly improves solutions or in combination with water. plant nutrient uptake.

pg. 30 Going After Bigger Profits with Organic No-Till www.No-TillFarmer.com

029-030_Roundup of Organic Products_Organic Report_0619.indd 30 6/20/19 2:48 PM Resources for Marrying No-Till Organic Methods There are many government- and privately-funded incentives and informational resources to help no-tillers going the organic route.

By No-Till Farmer Editors the growth of more organic farms SARE throughout the Midwest region. The Sustainable Agriculture any farmers will remem- Research and Education Program ber the challenging journey USDA (SARE) provides a variety of competi- they faced when converting The USDA provides organic tive grants for research, education, and theirM farm to no-till practices years or certification cost share opportunities outreach activities that support sustain- even decades ago. Switching a produc- for organic producers and handlers. able agricultural systems. The program tive farm operation from conventional Organic producers and handlers encourages site-specific experimenta- to organic practices also has inherent can visit over 2,100 USDA Farm tion, and many grants have focused on management challenges and risks, but Service Agency (FSA) offices to organic production or marketing. possibly big rewards as well. apply for federal reimbursement to No-tillers who need help starting, assist with the cost of receiving and PRIVATE SOURCES improving or expanding an organic maintaining organic certification. The Pipeline Foods Farm farm can find a variety of sources for Program options include: Profit Program provides consulting funding and technical support from ** National Organic Certification services for farmers transitioning to both government and private sources. Cost Share Program (NOCCSP): The organic production. https://www.pipe- NOCCSP is available to producers and linefoods.com/about-the-fpp/ THE RODALE INSTITUTE handlers (e.g., all four scopes of cer- Whole Foods Local Producer The Institute offers an Organic tification) in all 50 States, the District Loan Program provides low-interest Transition Course that outlines the of Columbia, the American Samoa, loans for independent local farmers and theory and practice of organic agricul- the Commonwealth of the Northern food artisans. https://www.wholefoods- ture. It includes lessons on soil health Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth market.com/mission-values/commit- and management; compost; plant health; of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United ment-society/loan-program-details best practices for fighting weeds, pests, States Virgin Islands. The Lakewinds Organic Field and disease organically; livestock man- ** Agricultural Management Fund provides financial assistance for cur- agement; business plans and marketing; Assistance (AMA) Organic rent and transitioning Minnesota farmers. certification and more. Certification Cost Share Program: The Additionally, The Rodale AMA is available to certified organic pro- Institute is now offering consulting ducers (only crop and livestock opera- services aimed at helping conventional tors) in 16 states designated by Congress: farmers transition to an organic system. Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Utilizing a team of researchers, farm- Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New ers, educators and other experts, the Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, consulting service provides farmers with Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, the information to start growing organic Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. crops for market, while simultaneously In 2011, the USDA held a major improving soil health, increasing the conference in Washington D.C. to farm’s resilience and supporting long- examine findings from research on the term financial stability. agronomic, economic, ecological, and The Institute will open quality-of-life performance of organic the Midwest Organic Center at farming systems. Conference proceed- Etzel Sugar Grove Farm (part of ings are published in the online inter- the Indian Creek Nature Center) in disciplinary journal Crop Management. Marion, Iowa in 2019. The center Most sessions were recorded live and will provide resources and support for are available on the Oregon State exten- Iowa’s organic farmers and enhance sion website, https://eOrganic.info.

www.No-TillFarmer.com Special No-Till Management Report No. 61 pg. 31

031_Help for No-Till Organic Transition_Organic Report_0619 USE THIS ONE.indd 31 6/20/19 2:49 PM mfg.

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