ASHS 2024 Conference

In the changing landscape of horticulture, sustainability and organic practices have taken center stage. As of the 2021 USDA Organic Certified Survey, 17,445 certified organic farms representing 4,895,279 acres operated in the United States. Our research aims to understand the motivations and barriers that producers encounter when transitioning from conventional to organic production. Mississippi State University partnered with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln as part of the USDA AMS Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) whose focus is on supporting mentorships, helping overcome barriers, and educating producers. Following a TOPP-sponsored workshop in November 2023, it was noted that both beginning and experienced farmers were very interested in the process of transitioning to organic production. Participants noted their decision to transition was “very much influenced” by economics, market demand, environmental concern, health, and ethics. A review of literature revealed that, while there is a significant body of research on sustainable practices, there remains a gap in understanding the challenges that producers face. To bridge this gap and address the key findings from our workshop, a 43-question national survey was developed. It addressed motivations and barriers while also gathering demographic data to contextualize responses. Producers were questioned about cover crops, crop rotation, no-till farming, and composting among other practices. Social, environmental, and technical concerns were also addressed. Responses included motivations driven by environmental consciousness as it relates to soil health, reduced synthetic chemical inputs, and the goal of improving and maintaining biodiversity on their farms reiterating our previous findings. Producers indicated that they are encouraged by the amount of information available concerning organic production practices; however, they noted a knowledge-implementation gap. Financial constraints and space limitations were also concerns. The survey functions as the inception point for a case study following a beginning farmer in Calhoun City, Mississippi as they adopt organic principles in a region where the use of these growing practices is less than common. The insights gathered from the workshop, national survey, and case study will guide the understanding of producers’ motivations and will serve to inform policymakers, extension services, and the horticulture community at large. This ongoing project and its explorations are not only timely but also critical in shaping a future where horticulture aligns with the ethos of conservation and social equity.

Research in plant ecology and sustainable farming advocate for increasing crop diversity on farms over monocultures. Crop diversity provides many ecosystem services, but mainstream farming relies heavily on mechanical and chemical solutions known to degrade land quality to ensure optimal yields. For centuries, Indigenous peoples in North America maintained sustainable cropping systems characterized by crop diversity and minimal inputs, such as the Three Sisters system. To integrate this knowledge into current research, we collaborated with Indigenous corn growers in Wisconsin interested in growing their traditional corn varieties with cover crops seeded between the rows. Growers are interested in knowing which cover crop mixtures synergize well with their corns while suppressing aggressive weeds. Single and mixed plantings of winter wheat, clover, and chicory/plantain were sown after corn planting while establishing a hand-weeded and weedy control. From 2021 to 2023, we found the triple mixture to lower weed biomass at the end of the season while also having the highest total relative yield, indicating cover crops in this mixture accumulated more biomass than their single plantings. No corn yield was collected in 2022, but low nutrients impacted corn yield in 2021, which was lower overall compared to the 2023 corn yield. Within 2021, weed pressure played a significant role in reducing corn yield, but the single planting of clover and winter wheat had higher yields than the control left weedy and comparable to the control with no cover crops or weeds. In 2023 all cover crop treatments and controls did not differ significantly indicating these corn varieties have a potential higher tolerance from weed or cover crop competition. Indigenous growers now have data relevant to their corn varieties and their goals to preserve their traditional food systems. The trial and error from these experiments was integral to the relationship building between UW-Madison and our Indigenous partners, creating a shared learning environment to better understand sustainable farming practices. From this project, we have developed a framework to guide agricultural research with Indigenous communities centered on the principles of traditional Indigenous farming.

In the past decade, there has been a significant rise in initiatives by public sector programs, independent seed companies, and farmer-breeders aimed at developing organic varieties in the United States, particularly targeting farmers engaged in direct-to-consumer sales. Flavor has emerged as a paramount trait for these farmers, driving collaborative breeding efforts involving a diverse array of stakeholders, including farmers selling to restaurants, farmers markets, and CSAs, as well as chefs at farm-to-table establishments, and plant breeders focusing on organic systems. Since seed regulations in the US allow seed to be sold without a registration process, varieties identified as well-suited and high-quality by collaborating farmers and chefs can quickly become available commercially. While diversified organic vegetable farmers often prefer not to produce their own seed, they wish to be actively engaged in the selection processes and support plant breeders focusing on organic systems (Hubbard and Zystro, 2016). The Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) strives to bridge the gap between plant breeders and consumers by facilitating unique opportunities for stakeholders to assess in-development vegetable and grain cultivars, share insights, and actively contribute to variety development. CBN's outreach events span across various regions, including Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Wisconsin, New York, and Italy, focusing on identifying desirable traits, discerning consumer preferences, tailoring varieties to organic farms and palates, and celebrating local foods. These participatory public gatherings provide breeders with invaluable input rarely accessible otherwise. By integrating culinary professionals, farmers, and consumers into the breeding process, breeders gain deeper insights into preferred traits while also fostering broader awareness and understanding of organic plant breeding. CBN impact is evaluated through post-event surveys completed by attending farmers, chefs, distributors, retailers, and consumers. In 2020, 144 Variety Showcase surveys were collected, with 96% expressing intentions to disseminate gained knowledge, reaching an estimated >2,075 individuals in person and >258,000 through social media. Furthermore, 81% indicated that newfound knowledge would influence their work through expanded networks (34%), revised buying practices (25%), and informed decision-making (41%), among other outcomes such as forging new collaborations and partnerships. Participating breeders, seed companies, and farmers report moderate to significant positive effects to CBN, with 75% reporting impact on their business operations. Notably, CBN's most valued impact lies in "creating buzz in the community around specific vegetables and varieties" (48%) and "facilitating collaboration among breeders, growers, chefs, and consumers" (35%). Remarkably, 80% of respondents stated they had commenced growing a variety following a CBN event.

Urban agriculture, which encompasses both home use and commercial sales, has shown positive impacts on enhancing sustainable agriculture and food security, especially for disadvantaged and underrepresented citizens. The benefits of community gardens/farms have been found to be extensive, including improved quality of life and nutrition, enhanced economic security and environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship and employment, and community commitment. In a new Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach project, the ISU Organic Ag program (OAP) will be working with urban farms in Iowa to create a Community of Practice network that will promulgate best management practices and sharing of results among farmers and agency staff supporting this clientele group. Because the majority of urban farms use organic practices, these farms will be surveyed for critical pest issues; suitability of organic treatments for specific pests; and economic viability of these strategies. In addition, farmers will be queried on the potential for organic certification, including group certification. A statewide Urban Ag group, created in 2023, identified the following needs, based on urban farmers’ interests: Land access and utilization; Education and program access; Production needs, including managing soil health and irrigation; Food safety and food insecurity; and Business development. A Directory of Expertise in Urban Ag was developed to highlight six specialists focused on urban ag in Iowa at Iowa State University; four at federal agencies (NRCS, RMA, FSA), three in state and municipal government (IDALS, City of Des Moines); two at government-associated programs (SWCD), and eight at non-profit, non-governmental institutions (NGOs). Working with county Extension staff, Master Gardeners, 4-H, NRCS, SWCD, and urban ag NGOs and farmers, this project seeks to advance Urban Ag through: 1) Demonstration sites showcasing innovative nutrient and pest management techniques, bee keeping, food safety practices, and marketing; 2) Field Days held at key urban farm partners with adjoining Farmers’ Market tours; and 3) A series of webinars, videos and pamphlets covering these topics, and translated for Spanish, Burmese and Congolese audiences–the most prominent groups of immigrant urban farmers in Iowa. Evaluation will assess knowledge and behavioral change related to addressing key food security concerns in urban spaces, community well-being, and sustainability indicators, including soil and water quality.

A gradual shift in the evaluation of crop quality has taken place, led by analytical scientists with the advancement of instrumentation and system-based technology (system biology). Metabolomics, one of the emerging omics techniques, provides a complete and unbiased chemical analysis within an organism. Information obtained through metabolomic analysis may range from identifying beneficial compounds for human health to toxicants, can help solve challenges faced by the agricultural industry. Current phytochemical studies focusing on organically-grown crops have typically focused on individual compounds or classes of compounds that may be affected by production practices. This study compared metabolomic profiles between organic and conventionally-grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) fruit to systemically access the quality and nutritional value of tomatoes under different growing conditions. Two tomato cultivars (‘Estiva’ and ‘Tomimaru Muchoo’) were grown with three different treatments (organic field, organic high-tunnel, and conventional field) and were assessed for metabolomic analysis using gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry (GC‒MS) and liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry (LC‒MS). Target metabolites included various primary and secondary metabolites covering a wide range of metabolic pathways, involving citrate cycle, pyruvate metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, alkaloids biosynthesis, shikimate pathway, salicylic acid pathway, plant hormone biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavone, flavonol, and flavonoid biosynthesis, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and so on. Differentially expressed metabolites (potential biomarkers) between organic and conventional tomatoes were selected, and a core metabolic network was identified by pathway enrichment analysis. Major variations between groups were observed in the network related to plant secondary metabolisms (e.g., plant defense signaling). This is likely due to varying amounts of external stresses between organic and conventional tomatoes by the difference in pesticide input. The organic high-tunnel group also showed some distinct metabolic responses within the secondary metabolisms, probably because of its unique growing conditions. The selected biomarkers and identified metabolic network provided insights into biochemical processes influenced by different cultivation methods. This work will contribute to the evaluation of organic farming practices in the US.