Organic Field Day attracts record crowd
There was a record turnout at the 2018 edition of the Organic and Low-input Agricultural Systems Field Day and Tradeshow hosted by the Swift Current Research and Development Centre.
The day long event was hosted on August 1, with the morning featuring field trials led by staff from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. The afternoon featured a series of of presentations on a wide variety of production topics.
Dr. Myriam Fernandez, a Research Scientist at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre noted this year boasted a record attendance of 158 people from across the prairie provinces. She attributed this jump in numbers to famers trying to match the growing interest from consumers.
“I think it’s because there is an increased interest in organic. First of all in organic consumption there is quite a jump there, and you can see it in Safeway or Co-op - there is a much greater offer in organic produce. And in reflection of that there is an increased interest in conversion to organic production,” Dr. Fernandez said during the field day.
Last year they had 110 people register, so the additional growth meant they had to relocate their lunch and afternoon sessions to Walker Place.
“Every year we have been increasing in the numbers to the point that we have not been able to do it at the Research Station any more because our facilities are not big enough.”
“The fact that there are people coming from all over kind of indicates that the interest is very spread out and that we have been able to reach out to people, not only from other places in Saskatchewan but also from the west, from Alberta in particular.”
One of the key focuses of their field day was to update organic producers on research which can help them improve their practices.
“The focus of this Field Day was mostly cover crops. Cover crops for both organic producers and conventional producers are interested in that because it’s supposed to increase organic matter and control weeds without using herbicides. And also it helps control diseases so you won’t have to use fungicides.”
The event also highlighted the growing acres of intercropping, which is also aiming to control weeds, reduce disease, and improve organic matter in the soil.
“When we do intercropping, we combine a legume for nitrogen fixing, with either a competitive grass such as oats, or a competitive oilseed such as mustard. We also have flax and fall rye, which is also competitive,” she said. “We have been seeing that weed suppression in the intercrops is greater than in the mono crops,” she said.
“And in terms of the cover crops the effects seems to be greater,” she added.
“We use a variety of different grasses, in particular oats and things like Japanese Millet. And legumes such as clovers and Chickling Vetch (AC Greenfix) which was developed here, and forage pea. And we also have brassicas.”
“Those are the ones that seem to control weeds the best. Not only when you grow them by yourselves, but also when you grow them in mixtures.”
Sask Organics Executive Director Marla Carlson noted that research is helping drive higher organic production numbers.
“I’ve worked in the organic industry in Saskatchewan for 13 years, and I would say in the last even three or four years, the growth has been phenomenal. Not just in farmers interested in transitioning, but just research in general is being more supported and funded,” Carlson said.
“There seems to be, at least from my perspective, we seem to be getting away from the polarized discussions about conventional versus organic. And what we’re beginning to see is that there is some common ground in there in the middle. And that often comes around soil health. That is the language that progressive farmers - however you’re farming - are talking about, and they’re looking at ways to improve their soil health. So for me that creates events like this today where we have a cross section of folks, not only geographically but also production method - organic, transitioning, conventional, or non organic farmers. And I think when you get all of those people into a room together that’s when you get that creativity going.”
She also noted the Field Day was an important opportunity to connect research with real farm experiences.
“To have that opportunity, to have personal interaction with researchers, I think is really important.”
Carlson said Sask Organics is preparing to conduct a second membership survey following a successful initial survey a few years back which helped determine what their research needs were and what problems were they trying to solve on their farms. The results of that last survey were combined in a report which was circulated to researchers and funding bodies.
“I think the growth of the industry was going along gradually for about 25 years, and then the last five years it’s everywhere in terms of accessing organic food,” she said. “Just the awareness among consumers is rising, and farmers are wanting more information.”