Workshop

Monday, November 15, 2010
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Stanislaus County Harvest Hall
3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, California

This free one day workshop will begin with growers discussing their own experiences with conservation tillage in organic systems in a roundtable discussion. Later, facilitated discussion will focus on reducing tillage in weed control, fertility management, and field preparation operations in organic systems. The group will generate ideas for new solutions or approaches that can be pursued through research, on-farm experimentation, and equipment or product development.

Both organic production and conservation tillage farming systems have benefits for making agriculture more environmentally friendly. However, organic production relies heavily on tillage to incorporate fertility amendments such as composts and cover crops, and to control weeds; while conservation tillage systems rely heavily on herbicides to control weeds and require specialized farming equipment. As California growers have attempted to apply the principles of conservation tillage to their organic systems, they have developed a wide variety of innovative approaches and have experienced varying results. The Conservation Tillage in Organic Systems workshop will be a venue for those growers to come together with university and extension specialists and agriculture professionals to explore conservation tillage as it is applied in organic systems.

This event is: 
supported by a grant from Western SARE Professional Development Program, a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
co-sponsored by UCCE and USDA NRCS
coordinated by the ANR Program Support Unit