Browse Organic Stories - Page 4

University of Georgia organic agriculture experts and economists are teaming up to present the Organic Farming Workshop to provide farmers with new ways to maximize the ecology and economical sustainability of their farm.

The Georgia Urban Ag and Outdoor Expo seeks to educate the public on the roles that urban and traditional farming play in supplying food to a continually growing nation. To that end, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension poultry scientist Claudia Dunkley and UGA Extension agent Steve Pettis will be among the host of presenters at the event.

University of Georgia horticulturist David Knauft will be among the organic agriculture experts presenting at the 2016 Georgia Organics Conference set for Feb. 26-27 in Columbus, Georgia.

Led by increases in forestry and livestock values, Georgia’s agricultural output increased by $484 million in 2014, making agriculture, once again, the largest industry in the state with a value of $14.1 billion. According to the most recent University of Georgia Farmgate Value Report, published earlier this month, the value of Georgia’s livestock and aquaculture industries increased by almost 36 percent from 2013.

A tiny fly is having a huge impact on American fruit farmers. Known as spotted wing drosophila, the insect is costing famers more than $700 million a year in lost produce and prevention costs.

Women own 13.6 percent of America’s active farms and their farms produce almost $13 billion worth of goods each year. Just like male farmers, they need access to business and technical information to help make their farms successful. But while many pride themselves on not needing a “women’s only” class on how to work the land or run a business, many other women simply feel more comfortable learning around other female farmers.

Organic and sustainable agriculture experts from the University of Georgia will host their fourth annual Organic Twilight Tour on Tuesday, June 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' Durham Horticulture Farm, 1221 Hog Mountain Road, Watkinsville, Georgia.

The market for organic produce increases every year as does the number of farmers stepping up to meet that demand, but the number of seed companies catering this growing market is still relatively limited.

Organic vegetable farmers in the Southeast now have a successful model for planting summer cover crops with high-value, cool-season crops, thanks to a University of Georgia study. The two models use a series of crop rotations to increase yields, control insects and diseases, improve crop quality and build soil biomass.