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Organic Trade Association (OTA) is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America.
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In organic management, rotating crops--with some rotations lasting as long as seven years--is a critical strategy for controlling insects, parasites, diseases, and weeds. Rotations also build soil organic matter and soil nutrients by including cover crops and forages. Planting a legume cover crop in August or October is a downpayment on fertility in April--with the added benefit of keeping the soil covered during the winter with living plants that protect against erosion and maintain the biological life of the soil.
Below you'll find resources that cover the basic principles and practices, as well as advice on specific rotations and cover crops and their benefits.
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Resource Listing
 Cover Crops/Rotations |
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How to Zap Pests, Build Soil with Cover Crops in Strategic Crop Rotations Two elegant tools for the regenerative farmer are crop rotation and cover crops. Crop rotation is selecting a sequence of crops for a field that... |  |
| The Art of Crop Rotation Create a line-up that ensures healthy soil; deters erosion, pests and weeds; makes effective use of resources and earns a profit. Upstate New York... | |
| Crop Rotation and Intercropping Strategies for Weed Management Research showing that cover crops have a big impact on weed suppression. | |
| Crop Rotations for Organic Systems Crop rotation is a central component of all sustainable farming systems. Crop rotation offers the most effective, indirect method of minimizing... | |
| Grain: A Farmer's Profile--Organic Crop Rotations A story about Canadian organic growers Steven, Robert and Rosemary Snider, in Alberta. The profile describes their grain rotation in detail. | |
| Basics of Crop Rotations, from SARE There are very good reasons to rotate crops. Rotating crops usually means fewer problems with insects, parasitic nematodes, weeds, and diseases... | |
| Conservation Crop Rotation Advice from the Natural Resources Conservation Service This 50-page PDF handbook looks at conservation crop rotation practices in depth, and explores their many benefits. | |
| Crop Rotation Advice from ATTRA's Guide, An Overview of Organic Crop Production This section of the organic production guidebook provides detailed information on crop rotations and how they work. Essentially a tool for annual... | |
| Crop Rotation Guide from Kansas Rural Center Crop rotations are fundamental to sustainable cropping systems. A well-designed crop rotation creates farm diversity and improves soil conditions... | |
| Crop Rotation Manuals and Spread Sheets from NEON, The Northeast Organic Network. In January 2002, the New England Small Farm Institute convened a panel of twelve experienced organic vegetable farmers to discuss crop rotation.... | |
| Crop Rotations in Organic Farms This in-depth online handbook from North Carolina State University provides a historical perspective on crop rotations, describes the many... | |
| Managing Cover Crops Profitably "Managing Cover Crops Profitably" explores how and why cover crops work and provides all the information needed to build cover crops into any... | |
| Organic Rotations Practiced by Ohio Organic Growers This article describes the common rotations among Ohio organic vegetable, specialty crop and field crop growers. | |
| Weed Seedbank Dynamics in Three Organic Farming Crop Rotations Weed management is a primary concern of organic farmers. Crop rotation is an important potential management approach for regulating weed seed... | |
| Crop Rotation is Key Player Affecting Weed Seedbanks Stubborn weed in your wheat? Then you should take a look at your rotation practices. Scientists with the Ohio Agricultural Research and... | |
| Alfalfa Crop Rotations, from University of California This fact sheet, while directed at conventional farmers, outlines rotations that will suppress weeds and pests. | |
| Alfalfa Stand Renovation: Reseed or Crop Rotation? Plant density and yield of any stand of alfalfa will eventually decline, but rate of decline will be influenced by multiple factors including... | |
| Annual Ryegrass: A Primer for Illinois Growers Fact sheet covering the uses of rye grass for weed control, soil and moisture conservation, fertility and more. Where it fits in rotation, when to... | |
| Articles on Cover Crops, from University of Florida This collection of articles covers a wide range of information on cover cropping, including articles on cover crops for vegetable production,... | |
| Choosing Cover Crops in New England This is a good, brief overview of cover crops, their benefits, and selection of crops to fit your rotation. | |
| Choosing Crops for a Crop Rotation This fact sheet from Canadian Organic Growers outlines the five major considerations when selecting crops for your crop rotation: 1. Value as... | |
| Comparison of Organic and Conventional Corn, Soybean, Alfalfa, Oats and Rye Crops in Iowa With support from the . Neely-Kinyonorganic LTAR plots became certified organic in 2000. Results from 2001 represent crop yields after one full... | |
| Comparison of Organic Management Systems and Crop Rotations to Determine Impact on Weeds An experiment was initiated in Minnesota in Fall 2002 to identify the costs and benefits associated with integrating additional crops and... | |
| Controlled Rotational Cover Cropping in the Bio-Extensive Market Garden A video of a slide presentation by Eric and Anne Nordell made at the 1996 P.A.S.A. Conference that explains their Controlled Rotational Cover... | |
| Cover Crop, Green Manure, & Crop Residue Practices in Colorado This slide presentation describes the results of a survey of 18 Colorado farmers about use of cover crops and green manures. It addresses benefits... | |
| Crop Rotation Adds Value to Irrigation It has been awhile since agricultural researchers discovered and then proved the benefits of crop rotation. Since then, most farmers have embraced... | |
| Crop Rotation Advice from Ontario Crop rotation is an integral part of the crop production system. The greatest benefit to a good crop rotation is increased yields. A well-planned... | |
| Crop Rotation and Tillage System Influence Late-Season Incidence of Giant Ragweed and Horseweed in Indiana Soybean The objective of this survey was to determine the relationship between crop rotation, tillage system, and prevalence of horseweed and giant ragweed... | |
| Crop Rotation Considerations for 2004 Management Season Rotation There are many management strategies for improving soil productivity. Crop rotation or cropping sequence is proven to be very effective in... | |
| Crop Rotations and Conservation Tillage Crop rotations increase crop yields by improving soil conditions and reducing weed and insect populations. Rotations also help producers use... | |
| Crop Rotations and Water Management Devising an appropriate plant rotation is an effective way to manage water resources. | |
| Crop Rotations as a Solution in Wisconsin Crop rotations in Wisconsin typically include corn, legumes, and small grains. Rotations that include small grains and alfalfa can significantly... | |
| Crop Rotations for Increased Productivity Crop rotation is a planned order of specific crops planted on the same field. Crop rotation also means that succeeding crops are of a different... | |
| Dairy: Crop Rotation Planning for Dairy Farms, from Penn State University Crop rotations can benefit dairy farms in many ways. An effective crop rotation meets the feed needs of the operation, improves crop yields,... | |
| Development of a Five-Year Crop Rotation Incorporating Cover Crops and Specialty Crops The primary objective of this on-farm research project in Missouri is to refine a long-term crop rotation that includes cover crops and specialty... | |
| Erosion and Lack of Crop Rotation An essay on how lack of crop rotations are robbing Ohio of its soils. | |
| Grains: Crop Rotation Effects on Soil Quality at Three Northern Corn/Soybean Belt Locatons This study examined the effects of different crop rotations on soil quality indicators as well as potential profitability. | |
| Grains: Crop Rotation Resources from the North Dakota Small Grains Page This page links to articles on crop rotations for increased productivity and profits, and information on ordering a copy of their Crop Sequence... | |
| Grains: The Role of Crop Rotations in Organic Field Crop Production The importance of crop rotation in an organic production systems cannot be overemphasized. Select a rotation sequence of production crops and cover... | |
| Hairy Vetch as a Cover Crop in New England Hairy vetch is a cover crop that is an attractive option for many growers in Massachusetts. It is hardy enough to survive the harsh winters of New... | |
| Impact of Tillage and Crop Rotation Systems on Soil Carbon Sequestration The scientific consensus is that the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are increasing. These changes in greenhouse gas emissions... | |
| Long-Term Effects of Tillage and Crop Rotation on Yield and Soil Carbon Tillage system and crop rotation have significant long-term effects on soil productivity and soil components such as soil carbon as well as on... | |
| Managing Tillage, Crop Rotations, and Environmental Concerns in a Whole-Farm Environment Tillage practices are a topic of much conversation among row crop producers due to environmental requirements and as a method to reduce production... | |
| Michigan Cover Crops, a Web-Based Resource This web site provides research results on cover crops in organic systems in Michigan; describes cropping systems; reviews cover crops suitable to... | |
| Organic Farming in North Dakota This web page from North Dakota State University Extension links you to articles, fact sheets and budgets of interest to organic farmers. It... | |
| Planning a Crop Rotation, Advice from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs This fact sheet, from Ontario's Organic Crop Production Program, covers the benefits of crop rotations in managing insects, diseases and weeds--and... | |
| Potatoes: Biological Amendments and Crop Rotations for Managing Soil Microbial Communities and Soilborne Diseases of Potato Active management of soil microbial communities is a promising approach to suppress soilborne diseases and improve crop productivity. The goal of... | |
| Potatoes: Columbia Root-knot Nematode Control in Potato Using Crop Rotations and Cover Crops The Columbia root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne chitwoodi) attacks potatoes and causes injury to tubers in the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington... | |
| Potatoes: Crop Rotations and Sequences for Potato Production Cropping sequence and length of rotation play an important role in potato production. Too often, growers are forced to base their cropping system... | |
| Potatoes: Crop Rotations--the Future of the Potato Industry in Atlantic Canada The Crop Rotation Systems for Potato Production in Atlantic Canada study, prepared by the Eastern Canada Soil and Water Conservation Centre,... | |
| Principles and Practices of Crop Rotation Crop rotations have received considerable attention for the past number of years. This attention has been concerned, in large part, with disease... | |
| Safflower in Crop Rotations in California Safflower has many benefits for crop rotations in California. Because of its aggressive root system, there can be improved infiltration rates... | |
| Successful Crop Rotations -- Key to Profitable Farming in California In the Imperial Valley, annual crops are rotated twice yearly. The most common rotations are winter vegetables or melons with wheat or sudangrass.... | |
| Summer Cover Crops in New England Summer is not the usual time to be thinking about cover crops, but it should be any time of the year you have bare ground for an extended period of... | |
| Tracing Crop Rotations Through Time: A Search for Sustainability A senior research project from St. Olaf College in Minnesota looks at crop rotations over time in the Midwest and explores the benefits they can... | |
| Use Crop Rotation and Plant Diversity To Control Insects Crop rotations can work well for pests that are relatively nonmobile, that feed on specific crops, and that overwinter in the soil as eggs or... | |
| UW-Madison Organic Research: Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems A collection of research taking place at the University of Wisconsin-Madison through the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems. Includes... | |
| Vegetables: Cover Crop Benefits for South Florida Commercial Vegetable Producers This document describes the use of cover crops in southern Florida. The intent of this document is to identify cover crops that work in Florida's... | |
| Vegetables: Cover Crops on the Intensive Market Farm Crops that are grown solely to provide soil cover or for the purposes of increasing soil fertility are referred to as cover crops or green manures.... | |
| Vegetables: Crop Rotation for Market Gardens Vegetable crop rotation significantly reduces the risk of soil-borne disease carryover. When plants of the same family are planted in the same... | |
| Vegetables: Cropping Systems to Improve Vegetable Production Under Short Crop Rotation The benefits of crop rotations on soil health and pest management are well known in agricultural systems. However, most vegetable growers have... | |
| What is Crop Rotation, and Why is it Important? A simple, basic fact sheet on crop rotations, from Penn State University. | |
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| Pathway to Organic: Producers // Processors | |
Regional Guide: United States | |
North American Directory | |
Key Resources |
Disclaimer: Organic Trade Association (OTA) is providing this information solely as a resource to the public. Although the information contained on this site is believed to be correct at the time of posting, OTA disclaims all responsibility for any damages or liability that may result from use or reliance on this web site or information contained herein
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