Strawberries from Denison Farm Corvallis, Oregon Organic Agriculture Dr. Alex Stone, Dept. of Horticulture What is Organic Agriculture? Organic Fertility The production of crops and animals without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Soil and soil management is the foundation of organic production. Organic growing systems are soil based, care for the soil and surrounding ecosystems, and provide support for a diversity of species while encouraging nutrient cycling and mitigating soil and nutrient losses. “An organic farm, properly speaking, is not one that uses certain substances and avoids others; it is a farm whose structure is formed in imitation of the structure of a natural system.” - Wendell Berry IFOAM Norms, 2002 Fundamental Principles from Stockdale et al, 2001 Advances in Agronomy 70 ...To the maximum extent feasible, Organic Farming Systems rely on crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, offoff-farm organic wastes, and aspects of biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and tilth, to supply plant nutrients, and to control insects, weeds and other pests. (USDA) Maintaining longlong-term soil fertility by maintaining SOM levels, fostering soil biological activity, and careful mechanical intervention 1 Nitrogen selfself-sufficiency through the use of legumes and biological N fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials, including crop residues and livestock wastes Weed, disease and pest control relying primarily on crop rotations, natural predators, diversity, organic manuring, manuring, resistant varieties, and limited thermal, biological, and chemical interventions Supplementing crop nutrients, where necessary, by using nutrient sources which are made available to the plant indirectly by the action of soil microorganisms and chemical reactions in the soil The extensive management of livestock, paying full regard to their evolutionary adapations, adapations, behavioural needs, and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding, and rearing. from Stockdale et al, 2001 (Advances in Agronomy 70) Careful attention to the impact of the farming system on the wider environment and the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats photo courtesy of the Wild Farm Alliance What’ What’s science got to do with it? Hand out soil samples Reganold et al, 2001. Sustainability of three apple production systems. Nature 410:926-929 (organic, integrated, and conventional apple production in WA) 2 Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming Organic Management Improves Soil Quality Mäder et al, 2002 (Science 296:1694) Mäder et al, 2002 Reganold et al, 1987 and 2001 Andrews et al, 2002 Bullock et al, 2002 Drinkwater et al, 1995 and more… more…. VERY WELL DOCUMENTED Biodynamic 21 year systems trial: Therwil, Therwil, Switzerland Biodynamic/organic, conv, conv, conv + FYM Winter wheat, potato, grass/clover rotation Yields: WW (90% of conv), conv), potato (58(58-66% due to K fert and late blight), grass/clover (equiv) Nutrient input 3434-51% lower in org Energy required to produce crop dry matter unit was 2020-56% lower in organic Conventional The soils were different…. Mäder et al, 2002 Mäder et al, 2002 Impact of longlong-term conventional and organic farming on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Organic matter increases, nitrogen is conserved AMF spore abundance and species diversity higher Glomus spp similarly abundant in both systems Acaulospora and Scutellospora more abundant in organic (esp (esp// A. paulinae and A. longula) Oehl, F.; Sieverding, E.; Mäder, Paul; Dubois, D.; Ineichen, K.; Boller, T. and Wiemken, A. (2004) Impact of long-term conventional and organic farming on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Oecologia(138):pp. 574-583. 3 Use of Manure Raw manure requires an interval of 120 days between application and crop harvest, where the edible portion of the crops destined for human consumption are in contact with soil, and 90 days for crops crops whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface or soil particles. Impact of organic crop management on food quality: Secondary Metabolites To meet organic standards and harvest within this interval, animal animal manure must be composted by the process specified in the NOPS. The process includes an initial Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of between 25:1 and 40:1, and temperatures between 131° 131°F and 170° 170°F for three days in the case of inin-vessel or static aerated pile system or for 15 days in the case of windrow composting system, during which which period the materials must be turned a minimum of five times (7 CFR CFR Part 205.203 (c)(2)). Quercetin From Wikipedia, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quercetin is a flavonoid. flavonoid. Quercetin has demonstrated significant antiantiinflammatory activity because of direct inhibition of several initial processes of inflammation. inflammation. For example, it inhibits both the manufacture and release of histamine and other allergic/inflammatory allergic/inflammatory mediators. mediators. In addition, it exerts potent antioxidant activity and vitamin CC-sparing action. Quercetin also shows remarkable antianti-tumour properties. A recent study in the British Journal of Cancer shows that when treated with a combination of quercetin and ultrasound at 20 KHz for 1 minute duration, skin and prostate cancers show a 90% mortality within 48 hours with no visible mortality of normal cells. Quercetin may have positive effects in combating or helping to prevent cancer, prostatitis, heart disease, disease, cataracts, cataracts, allergies/ allergies/inflammations, inflammations, and cancer, prostatitis, respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. asthma. Recent studies have supported that quercetin can help men with chronic prostatitis, prostatitis, possibly because of its action as a mast cell inhibitor.[2] inhibitor.[2] http://www.seedalliance.org/uploads/pdf/ProceedingsPapers.pdf What is organic milk? Quercetin suppresses viral disease Why is there a boycott against Horizon milk? Why should anyone care? ml-1 At 5 ug caused 70% inhibition of local lesion development of tomato ringspot virus in Chenopodium quinoa Interferes in viral life cycle Malhotra et al 1996 grazing during the entire growing season, but not less than 120 days, and providing a minimum of 30% dry matter intake during the growing season any cattle brought onto a certified organic dairy operation will have been managed organically from the last third of gestation 4 Jon Bansen, Bansen, Double J Jerseys, Monmouth, Oregon http://cookingupastory.com/?s =jon+bansen http://cookingupastory.com/?s= Herd Health (Hardeng and Edge, 2001) Norwegian Dairy Herd Recording data sets Matched three conv: conv: one org herd (based on size and region: 31 org, 93 conv) conv) Org herds typified by lower intensity production and lower use of concentrates, more varied feedstocks, feedstocks, longer spring calving, older cows, access to the outdoors, more complex breeding composition Organic : conventional odds ratios Mastitis, ketosis and milk fever incidence were all lower on organic farms Low disease incidence in organic herds has been reported previously (e.g. Weller and Bowling, 2000) Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’ Children’s Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides These differences in composition are related to grazing, or forage-based diets Antioxidants, could protect against mastitis Research supported by the EPA Work conducted by Lu et al.: Conjugated linoleic acid, linked to reduced risk of obesity Dept of Environ and Occupational Health, Emory University Dept of Environ and Occupational Health Sci, Sci, Univ. of WA, Seattle National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta. 5 Organic Diets and OP Exposure MDA = metabolite of malathion 23 elementary school students Substituted organic foods for 5 days Collected firstfirst-morning and prepre-bedtime urine samples Analyzed for OP residues Levels of specific metabolites of malathion and chlorpyrifos were significantly lower while children were eating organic foods Conclusion: “an organic diet provides a dramatic and immediate protective effect against exposures to OP pesticides that are used in ag production…” production…” TCPY = metabolite of chlorpyrifos Secondary Metabolites Quercetin From Wikipedia, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quercetin is a flavonoid. flavonoid. Quercetin has demonstrated significant antiantiinflammatory activity because of direct inhibition of several initial processes of inflammation. inflammation. For example, it inhibits both the manufacture and release of histamine and other allergic/inflammatory allergic/inflammatory mediators. mediators. In addition, it exerts potent antioxidant activity and vitamin CC-sparing action. Quercetin also shows remarkable antianti-tumour properties. A recent study in the British Journal of Cancer shows that when treated with a combination of quercetin and ultrasound at 20 KHz for 1 minute duration, skin and prostate cancers show a 90% mortality within 48 hours with no visible mortality of normal cells. Quercetin may have positive effects in combating or helping to prevent cancer, prostatitis, heart disease, disease, cataracts, cataracts, allergies/ allergies/inflammations, inflammations, and cancer, prostatitis, respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. asthma. Recent studies have supported that quercetin can help men with chronic prostatitis, prostatitis, possibly because of its action as a mast cell inhibitor.[2] inhibitor.[2] http://www.seedalliance.org/uploads/pdf/ProceedingsPapers.pdf 6 Quercetin suppresses viral disease Ecological agriculture is constantly evolving At 5 ug ml-1 caused 70% inhibition of local lesion development of tomato ringspot virus in Chenopodium quinoa Interferes in viral life cycle Malhotra et al 1996 “The best way to farm hasn’ hasn’t been invented. I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow.” tomorrow.” -- Dick Thompson, Boone, Iowa farmer http://cornucopia.org/index.php/who-owns-organic/ 7 Interesting Questions Should there be a GMO buffer requirement for an organic farmer growing corn, and if so, what should it be? You are a cotton farmer in 1) Texas and 2) Africa. Weigh the benefits and risks of growing your crop using 1) a GMO cultivar and 2) organic methods. Why are WalWal-Mart, McDonalds, and other multinationals offering organic products? Would you feed your children organic food? Why or why not? 8