Organic Farming Research in the Pacific Northwest • Challenges • Opportunities • Outlook

1. Organic Farming Research in the Pacific Northwest• Challenges • Opportunities• Outlook D. Granatstein, A. Stone, C. Williams, C. Miles, D. Bezdicek, C. Perillo Washington State University, Oregon State University, University of Idaho Organic pears near Chelan, WA

2. Growth of U.S. Organic Food Sales Projected $20 billion in sales by 2005 Source: Organic Trade Association

3. Leading Organic Crops - 2002 IdahoOregonWashington Hay 24% Nursery 29% Fruit 27% Pasture 23% Pasture 20% Vegetable 21% Grain 20% Hay 16% Hay 15% Other 6% Other 15% Herb 10% 84,048 ac 27,501 ac 34,238 ac

4. Top Organic Crops in WA - 2002 Cert.Trans. Apple 8075 1986 Sweet corn 4037 5 Pasture 3043 81 Wheat (sww) 2648 30 Pea 2035 0 Alfalfa hay 2008 132 Pear 1771 192 - - - acres - - -

5. The “Organic Divide” WESTEAST Certified Acres 5656 (18%) 25,312 (82%) Transition Acres 80 (2%) 3,904 (98%) # Growers 143 (34%) 276 (66%) Ave. Acres/Grower 39.5 91.7

6. PNW Organic Farming Research Accomplishments • 1979 Dryland grain, energy and economics – Holland & Kraten • 1982 N,P flow, dryland grain – Papendick & Patten • 1986 Alt. crops, rotations, mgt., conv., organic, biodynamic – Goldstein • 1987 Soil erosion, conv. vs. organic – Reganold et al., Nature 330:370-372 • 1990 Dryland database, 100 yr of research – Granatstein • 1993 Soil quality, financial performance, conv. vs. biodynamic – Reganold et al., Science 260:344-349 • 1995 Sustainable potato production – Stark, Thornton • Compost comparison, organic vs. biodynamic – Carpenter-Boggs et al. • Apple systems study, conv., IFP, organic – Reganold et al., Nature 410:926-930 • WSU faculty survey of organic projects – 50 respondents, 90 projects • 2002 WSU/OSU Organic symposium – 50 poster presentations, 220 attendees

7. (Courtesy of W. Goldstein)

9. Soil Quality Index for 1998 WSU Orchard Systems Trial – Zillah, WA Orchard System FunctionConventionalIntegratedOrganic Water entry 0.09 0.14 0.17 Water transfer 0.17 b 0.19 a 0.17 b Resist degrad. 0.14 b 0.20a 0.16 ab Sustain product. 0.13 b 0.34 a 0.36 a Total 0.71 b 0.87 a 0.86 a (Glover et al., 1998)

10. Clover ‘Living Mulch’ Spray-on Paper Mulch Wood Chip Mulch

11. Current Knowledge Base forOrganic Farming in PNW ExtensiveWeak Soil quality WeedsWater quality Diseases Insect pests Rodent controlHorticulture Crop breedingSystems research LivestockInput substitution Food quality Redesign

12. Lessons Learned 1. Focus on common values (soil health, biocontrol), not differences (pesticides, biotech)

13. Lessons Learned 1. Focus on common values (soil health, biocontrol), not differences (pesticides, biotech) 2. Recognize cross-over of research

14. Research CrossoverConventional to Organic Biocontrol of Apple Replant Disease Pheromone MatingDisruption in Apples

15. Organic Apple Acreage in Washington State Pheromone MD Alar

16. Research CrossoverOrganic to Conventional “Take care of the soil … … and it will take care of you.”

17. Lessons Learned 1. Focus on common values (soil health, biocontrol), not differences (pesticides, biotech) 2. Recognize important cross-over of research 3. Find funding – SARE program, OFRF, WA CPR biocontrol mandate, USDA organic transitions

18. Lessons Learned 1. Focus on common values (soil health, biocontrol), not differences (pesticides, biotech) 2. Recognize important cross-over of research 3. Find funding – SARE program, OFRF, WA CPR biocontrol mandate, USDA organic transitions 4. Size of organic sector – potential impact of research

19. Organic Orchard Acreage as a Percent of Total Washington Orchards ApplePear 1996 0.68 1.49 1997 0.96 1.68 1998 1.05 1.84 1999 1.36 1.87 2000 2.48 2.54 2001 3.90 5.27 2002 4.81 7.14 2002 (C+T) 5.87 7.92 Based on 2001 USDA-National Agricultural Statistics for bearing acreage

20. Diversity of Organic Crops in WA Number of crops: > 5000 ac 1 > 1000 ac 9 > 500 ac 20 > 100 ac 33 > 50 ac 48 -- Diversity can diffuse research efforts

21. Lessons Learned 1. Focus on common values (soil health, biocontrol), not differences (pesticides, biotech) 2. Recognize important cross-over of research 3. Find funding – SARE program, OFRF, WA CPR biocontrol mandate, USDA organic transitions 4. Size of organic sector – potential impact of research 5. Systems studies and component research – not either / or

22. PNW Outlook for Organic Farming More collaboration – WSU/OSU/Washington Tilth/Oregon Tilth; UI/Idaho Organic Alliance; Tree Fruit Research Commission Institutional support – WSU organic special grant; WSU organic degree program, OSU organic working group, WSU organic working group Organic livestock – potential growth area; need Animal Science and Vet. Med. involvement

23. PNW Outlook for Organic Farming cont’d Need more agroecology; redesign instead of input substitution – perennial wheat, multi-species grazing, designed diversity, cover crops/green manure White mustard green manure

24. PNW Outlook for Organic Farming cont’d Challenge: blending ‘organic’ and ‘no-till’ Direct seed organic peas, WA Strip-till organic vegetables, OR

25. PNW Outlook for Organic Farming cont’d Challenge: commoditization of organic – declining prices, off-shore competition Price trends for Barlett pears

26. Conv. Org. Int.

28. I O C

29. Closing Thought “The best way to farm hasn’t been invented. I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow.” -- Dick Thompson, Boone, Iowa farmer http://organic.tfrec.wsu.edu/OrganicIFP/archive/Index.html