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

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.