BIO-INTENSIFIED FIELD CROP ROTATIONS IN THE UPPER MIDWEST: QUANTIFYING EFFECTS UPON PEST MANAGEMENT AND YIELD.

Our long-term goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the ecology of organic cropping systems. More specifically, we will develop an understanding of how key ecological factors influence the pest management considerations of organic farmers under a range of cropping regimes in the upper Midwest region.Specific objectives:Survey: in a four-year, three-state study, assess the weed, disease and beneficial and pest insect populations impacting corn, soybeans and small grains under both a "standard" and "ecologically-intensified" rotation system.Economic analysis: using data collected from both university farms and working commercial farms, assess the costs and benefits associated with these varying rotations.On-farm demonstrations: Commercial organic farmers in each state will implement these practices at their farms, including field day demonstrations, in the final two years of the project.Extension and outreach: Our team is comprised of extension specialists spanning multiple disciplines. With a combination of field days at university and grower farms, coupled with real-time SMS surveys and a regional grower advisory panel, we will transmit results and plans as the work unfolds, affording us the opportunity to course correct and alter the approach as needed.Recommendations: At the conclusion of the project, we expect to collate the results into a comprehensive set of recommendations, including university fact-sheets, that will comprise a knowledge base that will fill a current void in unbiased, research-based guidance for the most progressive organic field crop producers.