Module 4: Transition to Organic Crop Production

Module 4 introduces the challenges and opportunities facing farmers considering transition to organic crop production. Learn strategies used by organic farmers to control weeds, insects, and diseases in their crops. Get to know the allowable inputs and amendments and their purposes. Understand the role of crop rotation in organic systems as it relates to weeds, insects, diseases, and soil fertility. Know which record keeping categories are important in certified organic crop production. Understand the importance of buffer zones between organically and conventionally managed fields. (For a more in depth analysis of the principles and practices of organic crop production, students are encouraged to take the Organic Field Crop Management course.)

An excerpt from Module 4:
Organic producers take a holistic approach to pest control. This approach is based on creating an agricultural ecosystem in which pest problems, whether they are due to insects, weeds, or diseases, are minimized. This is achieved by three main measures;
· Cropping diversity using good rotations and intercropping.
· Organic soil management to stimulate a diverse and active community of soil fauna.
· The careful use of selected biological control techniques derived from naturally occurring plant extracts and minerals.
"A crop that might be wise to avoid including in your crop rotation is one that tends to turn into a weed if not properly managed. For example, our buckwheat is a great green manure, but it thinks it's a perennial and comes back to infest the fall rye and the neighbour's fields." Part of an on-line discussion posted by an IN202 student.