Many farmers believe modern ag technology doesn’t apply to organic production. And there is some truth to that. Many organic farmers have small, 40-acre operations where technology isn’t used. But for large-scale organic row-crop operations, a lot of the technology used on conventional farms can still be utilized, and often will result in a higher […]
Tag: Economics
Organic farm profitability, bank financing, crop insurance, etc.
Podcast: Going Large Scale Organic with FarmTank
J.P. Rhea, AgriSecure co-founder, recently joined the FarmTank podcast to discuss his journey to and learning from large scale organic farming. “You have to adapt to survive, there’s no complaining and we’re not entitled to grow whatever we want. We have to figure it out, run a business, and make money” — J.P. Rhea Listen to […]
5th-Generation Farmer Profits with Hog Manure in Organics
When Rusty Olson saw that the farm economy was “sliding sideways,” he started looking for opportunities to bring in more revenue from the farm. A fifth-generation farmer in Garner, Iowa, he had recently achieved his goal of expanding the family corn-and-soybean operation from 1,000 acres to 2,000. He wanted to focus on the farm and […]
Organic Transition Success Sits on a 3-Legged Stool
Becoming an organic producer does not happen overnight. Obtaining organic certification requires a 36-month period where a field has not had any prohibited substance or genetically modified crops on it. These 3 years known as the transition process can either set your organic operation up for success or struggles. To help ensure success, we recommend […]
Hidden Organic Acres? 6 Scenarios For a Faster Transition
The transition period to organic can be a challenging time for farmers. For 36 months you’re growing crops organically while still selling them at conventional prices, and it’s not unusual to see a yield drag along with higher costs. But there are some situations where you can go directly into organic or significantly reduce the […]
Protect Organic Profits with the Right Crop Insurance
One of the biggest concerns farmers have about transitioning into organics is that they’ll lose their crop insurance. But that’s a myth — there is government-subsidized crop insurance for both organic and transition acres, and the program is better today than it’s ever been. But take note. Guarantees, coverage details, building your actual production history […]
Profits and Soil Health Draw 4th-Generation Farmer to Organics
Chuck Thompson was tired of living hand-to-mouth. Like many farmers, he grew up on a traditional, corn-and-soybean operation in Humboldt, Iowa, and returned to it after college. Today, he and his brother farm with their father, making them the fourth generation of the family farm. But in the last decade, the Thompsons have struggled to […]
Clinic and Field Tour Demonstrates Organic Profit Opportunity
Consumer demand for organic food has increased by 300%+ in the last decade, feed grade organic corn is trading at over $9.00 per bushel, however, the U.S. is importing organic corn and soybeans! Join the AgriSecure Organic Clinic and Field Tour on August 6, 2019, to hear and see how we are deploying our organic […]
More Services for Organic Row Crop Growers
The rapid increase in consumer demand for organic food products is well documented and largely understood. U.S. farmers however, have been slow to respond and are only adding organic acres slowly. As a result, there are attractive price premiums relative to the conventional crop counterparts. Corn & Soybean Digest covers the growth in services aimed at helping […]
Barriers to Organic Grain Production — and Solution Providers
Why aren’t U.S. farmers keeping up with demand for organic feed and food grains? The overall growth of certified U.S. organic production continues to behind demand, despite increasing farmer interest in converting all or some of their acres to organic. Lauren Manning of AgFunder explores how important barriers to entry impact farmer adoption and highlights […]