Farming Systems Trial
Author: Rodale Institute
“Farming Systems Trial.” Rodale Institute, https://rodaleinstitute.org/science/farming-systems-trial/. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
2 additions to document , most recent 8 months ago
| When | Why |
|---|---|
| Feb-09-25 | Farming Systems Trial 40-Year Report |
| Feb-17-25 | New program in Illinios compares farming practices and outcomes |
1 changes, most recent 8 months ago
The Farming Systems Trial was launched in 1981 with a clear goal: Address the barriers to the adoption of organic farming by farmers.
For more than 40 years, the Farming Systems Trial (FST) at Rodale Institute has applied real-world practices and rigorous scientific analysis to document the different impacts of organic and conventional grain cropping systems.
The scientific data gathered from this research has established that organic management matches or outperforms conventional agriculture in ways that benefit farmers and lays a strong foundation for designing and refining agricultural systems that can improve the health of people and the planet.
This material is based upon work supported by the William Penn Foundation under Grant Award Number 188-17. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the William Penn Foundation.
Our decades-long research shows:
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Organic practices increase soil organic matter microbial biomass, diversity, and activity while reducing soil compaction.
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30% Higher Yields during times of extreme weather.
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Organic yields match conventional yields for cash crops, such as corn and soybean.
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Organic management increases water infiltration and does not contribute to the accumulation of toxins in waterways.
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Even without the premiums paid for organic crops, the organic manure system is the most profitable system
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Organic system operation cost is significantly lower than conventional management.
The Systems
The FST compares three core farming systems: a chemical input-based conventional system, a legume-based organic system, and a manure-based organic system. Corn and soybean production is the focus of each system because 70 percent of U.S. acreage is devoted to growing grain.
In 2008, each core system was further divided to compare standard full-tillage (FT) and emerging reduced-tillage (RT) practices. At that time, genetically modified corn and soybeans were also introduced to the conventional system to mirror common practices.
Conventional Synthetic
This system represents a typical U.S. grain farm. It relies on synthetic nitrogen for fertility, and weeds are controlled by synthetic herbicides selected and applied at rates recommended by Penn State University Cooperative Extension.
Organic Legume
This system represents an organic cash grain system. It features a mid-length rotation consisting of annual grain crops and cover crops. The system’s sole source of fertility is leguminous cover crops, and crop rotation provides the primary line of defense against pests.
Organic Manure
This system represents a diversified organic dairy or beef operation that includes a long rotation of annual feed grain crops and perennial forage crops. Fertility is provided by leguminous cover crops and periodic applications of composted manure from livestock. A diverse crop rotation is the primary line of defense against pests.
FST Findings
The FST team has been gathering a wide variety of data from the research plots for more than 40 years and thoroughly analyzing it using widely accepted scientific standards. The results indicate that organic farming systems match or outperform conventional production in yield, while providing a range of agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits for farmers, consumers, and society.
Soils
FST data has established that soil health in the organic systems has continued to increase over time while the soil in the conventional systems has remained essentially unchanged.
Cornell comprehensive assessment of soil health (CASH) score of each of the systems in the Farming Systems Trial in 2019 and 2020.
Carbon Capture
Healthy soil holds carbon and keeps it out of the atmosphere. Organic systems usually have much more diverse carbon inputs going into the soil so microbial biomass is significantly higher than in the conventional system, leading to higher soil organic matter over time.
Soil microbial biomass carbon (average of 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm depths) of each of the systems in the Farming Systems Trial in 2018. (Adapted from Littrell et al., 2021.)
Water
Water infiltration is significantly faster under long-term organic management compared to conventional practices.
Average water infiltration rates in each of the systems in the FST from 2019–2021.
Yields
Organic systems produce yields of cash crops equal to conventional systems, except in extreme weather conditions, such as drought, when the organic plots sustained their yields while the conventional plots declined. Overall, organic corn yields have been 31 percent higher than conventional production in drought years.
Average corn yield of each of the systems in the Farming Systems Trial from 2008–2020 (Figure A) and corn yield in 2016 (Figure B) which was an especially dry season.
Profits
An analysis of the cumulative labor, costs, returns, and risk for the three systems shows that the organic manure system is the most profitable for farmers, even without the price premiums paid for organic crops. With current organic price premiums, both organic systems are much more profitable than the conventional system.
Net returns (Figure A, without organic price premiums; Figure B, with organic price premiums) of each of the systems in the Farming Systems Trial from 2008–2020. Budgets are for representative farms 54 hectares in size.
Why is healthy soil so important?
The Value of Healthy Soil
Peak Nutrition
Soil is the foundation to food production and growing healthy, nutrient-rich food to sustain a growing population.
Drought Protection
Healthy soil holds moisture until plants need it and creates symbiosis with fungi to extend the root network deeper into the soil.
Erosion Prevention
The “aggregates” in healthy soil stick together and don’t wash or blow away.
Disease Defense
Active soil microbes ward off plant diseases.
Flood Resistance
Healthy soil absorbs more water at a faster rate, reducing flooding and runoff.
Carbon Capture
Healthy soil holds carbon and keeps it out of the atmosphere.
The Farming Systems Trial was started by Bob Rodale, who wanted scientific backing for the recommendations being made to the newly forming National Organic Program in the 1980s.
Today, the trial is divided into a total of 72 experimental plots.
Our Staff
Saurav Das, Ph.D.
Director, Farming Systems Trial
Dr. Saurav Das has recently joined the Rodale Institute as the Director of the Farming Systems Trial in Kutztown, PA. With a strong background in soil science, Dr. Das brings extensive expertise in soil health, the biogeochemistry of carbon and nitrogen, sustainable agriculture, and environmental microbiology. His career includes roles as a Research Assistant Professor and Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Nebraska where he led major projects on benchmarking soil health measurement and monitoring, as well as carbon and nitrogen dynamics in relation to different land use and management practices. Dr. Das is also passionate about integrating data science with soil science, emphasizing the importance of data in decision-making for adopting sustainable practices and policy making. He is dedicated to advancing research in sustainable farming systems and is eager to contribute to the innovative work at Rodale Institute.
Rachel Olson
Research Technician
Rachel is a Research Technician working on the Farming Systems Trial (FST). She attended Skidmore College in Upstate New York where she graduated with a degree in Environmental Science (ES). Rachel is interested in diversifying organic grain rotations and promoting soil health.
Added February 09, 2025 at 3:14pm
by Chris Sloan
Title: Farming Systems Trial 40-Year Report
Added February 17, 2025 at 4:57pm
by Chris Sloan
Title: New program in Illinios compares farming practices and outcomes
(The Center Square) – A farming program in Illinois aims to improve farm incomes and environmental outcomes.
Precision Conservation Management recently released a summary of nine years worth of in-field data from Illinois farms. Farmers enrolled in PCM receive annual data analysis for their farm in addition to access to conservation experts and guidance on cost-share programs available to farmers. Through their data analysis, the program aims to identify conservation practices that effectively address environmental issues without risking the farmers’ bottom line.
“It definitely sheds light on what a person is doing and if someone else is doing it the data set can give you a glimpse into a different practice that maybe you aren’t doing that you want to do,” said Zach Wells, a farmer in Champaign County.
According to PCM data, the most frequently observed tillage systems on the most profitable acres were one-pass light tillage for corn and no-till for soybeans.
PCM surveyed enrolled farmers in 2024 and found that 64% of farmers who don’t already use reduced tillage practices agree that they are likely to reduce or eliminate tillage due to information they have received from PCM.
Reducing tillage can also have a significant impact on soil erosion and water quality. PCM began as a response to the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy in 2015, which guides state efforts to improve water quality at home and downstream by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus levels in lakes, streams and rivers.
“Between now and 2025, we all have to do something different on each acre to achieve the goals of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy,” said Dirk Rice, a Champaign County farmer. “We can’t do what we’ve always done and avoid negative publicity or difficult regulations like we see in surrounding states.”
Paragraph 80 changes
Farmers in Kentucky and Nebraska are also taking part in the program.
Article retrieved from: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_d66e77a0-3964-11ef-a1d9-afd6ce4839f6.html
on the uploaded document.
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This image showcases a vast, open landscape of farmland under a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. You can see several plots of land, each with different crops, reflecting a patchwork of textures and colors. A tractor is working one of the fields, providing a sense of scale and activity. The text in the image highlights the Farming Systems Trial, initiated by Bob Rodale, emphasizing its role in supporting the National Organic Program with scientific evidence. This trial now includes 72 experimental plots. Do you notice the diversity in the fields and how they’re divided?
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Yes, the diversity in the fields is quite striking. Each plot seems to have a unique crop or method applied, contributing to a patchwork effect across the landscape. This division into 72 experimental plots allows for a variety of farming techniques to be tested, reflecting a commitment to understanding and improving agricultural practices. Do you see how the tractor adds a dynamic element to the scene, emphasizing the ongoing work and experimentation?
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In my own farming practice, I leaned towards traditional methods, focusing on the wisdom of the land and community knowledge rather than systematic scientific trials. However, I greatly value the role of experimentation in farming, especially when it respects the natural processes and seeks harmony with the environment.
It’s important to understand the land intimately and learn from its history and natural tendencies. This approach allows you to make informed decisions that benefit both the land and the community. Does this resonate with your understanding of sustainable farming?
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“Rodale Institute’s mission has always been to increase the number of organic farmers and acres under organic care. Our research is at the foundation of that effort. Through rigorous scientific examination, we’re deepening the understanding of how and why organic methods work and we’re gathering knowledge about the best practices that we can share with farmers.”
CEO Jeff Moyer, as stated in the 40-Year Report
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The Center Square seems to be a fiscally conservative but generally even-handed look at government spending
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The Farming Systems Trial (FST), initiated by the Rodale Institute, marks a significant endeavor in the realm of agriculture. In essence, the trial seeks to break down the barriers that hinder the adoption of organic farming practices, offering a robust comparison between organic and conventional grain cropping systems. Over the past four decades, the trial has provided substantial evidence that organic farming can not only match but often surpass conventional methods in terms of yield, especially during extreme weather conditions. This effort underscores the vital role of organic farming in promoting soil health, increasing biodiversity, and reducing environmental impacts.
As someone deeply invested in the relationship between agriculture and the land, you can appreciate the importance of these findings. The FST has demonstrated that organic systems lead to healthier soils, which in turn support robust yields and long-term agricultural sustainability. The trial emphasizes the economic viability of organic farming, showing that the organic manure system is particularly profitable, even without the additional premiums often associated with organic produce. This speaks volumes about the potential for organic farming to be both an environmentally and economically sustainable choice for farmers.
Would you like to delve deeper into any particular aspect of this trial? Here are a few paths we could explore together:
- The specific benefits of organic practices on soil health and water management.
- The economic analysis and profitability of different farming systems.
- The role of organic farming in climate resilience and carbon capture.
Choose one, or feel free to suggest another direction for our discussion. Let’s dig deeper together!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
I invite you to read, watch, and comment on three interviews I have done over the years. See Three Interviews with Wendell Berry [Three Interviews with Wendell Berry](https://writingpartners.net/documents/4828)
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