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INVESTIGATOR: Cassity-Duffey, K. B.; Coolong, TI, W..; Basinger, NI, TU.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
200 D.W. BROOKS DR
ATHENS, GEORGIA 30602-5016

BREAKING NEW GROUND: REDUCING PERENNIAL WEEDS AND IMPROVING SOIL FERTILITY FOR SOUTHERN FARMERS TRANSITIONING TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: In 2019, Georgia had 102 certified organic farms and currently represents only 0.6% of the nation's organic farms in Georgia (USDA-NASS, 2019). In contrast, for conventional fresh vegetable production, GA ranks number four in the nation and has a $1.2 billion farm gate value (CAED, 2022). Given the large conventional vegetable industry, Georgia is not capitalizing on increased consumer demand for organically grown produce. Nelson et al. (2015) determined in a survey of Georgia farmers, that the perception and potential for lower crop yields and a lack of demonstrated success were the top influences that prohibited the adoption of organic certification or practices. In the 2022 National Organic Farmer Survey conducted by the Organic Farming and Research Foundation (OFRF), farmers ranked controlling weeds (67% of respondents) and nutrient management (43% of respondents) as two of the top four production challenges. Further, the OFRF recommend research for integrated weed management that is farmer collaborative, "fine tunes" current methods (tillage and tarping), and for research and develop strategies that manage weeds and restore soil health during transition production (Snyder et al., 2022). Addressing weed management, soil fertility, and organic matter are of critical need to encourage more organic vegetable producers and increasing the scale of organic production in the Southeast U.S. It is difficult for organic small to mid-sized farmers to acquire land given current land costs. In Georgia, The Conservation Fund's Working Farm Fund is working directly with Georgia Farmers to acquire land, conserve farmland, and scale up organic production for the wholesale market with a goal of reaching 200 farmers. However, available land is often unmanaged farmland that was previously in old pastures. This derelict land comes with the potential for compaction, residual herbicides, poor soil fertility, and persistent weeds, especially Bermuda grass. These issues represent further challenges to organic producers and can cause significant lags in their time to profitable production. Cover crops have been shown to decrease weed populations, increase soil carbon, increase soil N fertility, decrease soil bulk density, and increase yield in following cash crops. While tarping (silage or black plastic) land slated for production has shown to be effective on weed control, this method is not always affordable or practical for farmers in mid-size farms and does not improve the soil fertility or organic matter. Based on methods for no-till drilling forages into Bermuda pasture in the South we propose a method for no-till drilling cover crops directly into derelict land and will create on-farm tests for farmers to measure weed pressure and potential for residual herbicides. Through on-farm field studies and studies conducted at the University of Georgia research farm, we will determine how different cover crops and different cover crop entry time (Fall versus Spring) can impact weed species and following vegetable crop production. Through these studies, we will address how different competition mechanisms of weed suppression we can outcompete and deplete perennial weeds (through shading) in this land while simultaneously improving soil fertility and quality for the following cash crops. Through developed tools, on-farm demonstrations, online and written Extension outreach, and through collaboration with non-profits and farmer-collaborators, we will share this information with farmers, Extension, agricultural professional, and the scientific community. Providing farmers with more access to research (based on their needs), we can address issues in organic production in the Southeast and help aid in farmer profits and availability of organic produce. REFERENCESCAED: University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development. Ag Snapshots 2022. Available at: https://caed.uga.edu/content/dam/caes-subsite/caed/publications/ag-snapshots/20 22CAEDAgSnapshotsWeb.pdf (Accessed 11 April 2022).Nelson, M.C., E. Styles, N. Pattanaik, X. Liu, and J. Brown. 2015. Georgia farmers' perceptions of production barrier in organic vegetable and fruit agriculture. Presented at the Southern Agriculture Exonomics Assocaition's2015 Annual meeting Atlanta, GA. Jan 31-Feb 3 2015.Snyder, L., M . Schonbeck, and T. Velez. 2022. Outcomes and recommendations from the 2020 National Organic and Transitioning Farmer Surveys and Focus Groups. Organic Farming Research Foundation. Santa Cruz, CA. Available at: https://ofrf.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/OFRF National-Organic-Research-Agend a-NORA 2022.pdf. (Accessed 5 Apr. 2022). USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Survey. 2019. Organic Survey. Available at: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online Resources/Organics/ index.php (accessed 11 April 2022).

OBJECTIVES: Breaking new ground is a difficult task for any farmer. New organic farmers and farmers transitioning to organic vegetable production often purchase or expand on land that has previously been in pasture or is derelict farmland (land that has been previously farmed but not recently managed). In the Southeast U.S., this land is usually the most affordable and commonly available land for new farmers and has the added benefit that it can rapidly undergo organic certification due to having previously laid fallow. However, breaking new ground and turning this land into productive cropland can be time consuming, laborious, and expensive. This land is commonly in need of heavy fertility inputs and is dominated by perennial weed species, especially Bermuda grass which can be incredibly difficult to kill and persistent in the South. Our long-term goals are to create research-based management strategies focused on farmer needs that will lead to reduced inputs and time, increase the number of organic certified acres, incentivize the switch to organic vegetable production, and encourage more sustainable practices in Georgia and the Southeast. Our project directly addresses farmer identified needs for alternative and rapid approaches to combat perennial weeds and poor soil fertility on derelict farmland primarily composed of old pasture. Through the use of no-till drilled cover crops directly into derelict land and Bermuda grass pastures, farmers can decrease weeds and hasten soil fertility as they transition this land to organic cash crop production. Additionally, through a state-wide survey, we will identify common weed and fertility issues encountered by farmers that purchase this type of land. Using this information, we will create on-farm tools that address weeds and residual herbicides. By doing so, we help farmers identify issues and aid in land-use decisions that often lead to the lag in profitable production for organic farmers on new land. Specific objectives of this grant are to:Survey land commonly available for organic transition in the Southeastern U.S. and evaluate weed community composition, residual herbicide carryover, soil fertility, and soil organic matter.Develop two on-farm diagnostic tools: 1) the Germinable Seed Bank Assay and 2) the Residual Herbicide Assay in Southern Soils for use by farmers and Extension.Reduce weeds and improve soil fertility and quality in derelict land/pasture through no-till drill cover crops by determining the effect of management practices on weed suppression, cover crop quality, soil N fertility, soil organic matter, and vegetable cash crop yield and health compared to traditional tillage techniques and silage tarping. Management practices under investigation will include: a) no-till drill cover crop entry time (planting fall or spring), b) cover crop species, and c) the addition of poultry litter at cover crop planting.Ensure timely research-based information through outreach and education to help farmers, agricultural professionals (Extension Agents, NRCS, FSA, Consultants), and students make the best decisions possible when transitioning new land to organic production.