College of Business and Technology

WIU Allison Farm organic field dayCollege of Business and Technology

Balancing organic and conventional production was the featured topic at the annual Allison Organic Farm Field Day Aug. 6.

Allison farmThe field day began with a complimentary lunch featuring local farm products (for example, pork, eggs, wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, celery, green beans, onions, basil and honey) on the Kane Farm, one mile west of the Allison Farm. Lunch was followed by a keynote presentation titled “Following the Market to Organics” by Gary Reding, a pioneering producer of conventional, specialty and organic crops and livestock in Greensburg, Ind. Reding discussed how he began diversifying into organics in 1999 after more than 20 years as a conventional farmer. He explained that “There is more money in doing things that are more difficult, dirty, or more highly regulated” and that he seeks out these lucrative opportunities rather than trying to compete exclusively in the commodity market. He then joined a panel of Illinois farmers to discuss the unique opportunities and challenges associated with managing both organic and conventional operations.

Activities at the Kane Farm closed with reports on organic markets by Roger Hendricker ‘73, manager of Clarkson Grain in Beardstown (Ill.), AgLeader guidance systems by Rex Garthaus of AgLeader and the CropCam system by Dale Crawford, a farmer in Sullivan (Ill.).

Following the presentations at the Kane Farm, the field day transitioned to the Allison Organic Farm for equipment demonstrations and a tour of the farm’s research plots. WIU Agriculture faculty assistant Andy Clayton ‘96 demonstrated the farm’s new AgLeader guidance system while Crawford and his son took aerial photos of the Allison Farm using their Crop Cam plane. WIU Agriculture assistant professor Joel Gruver led a walking tour of a soybean variety trial, an evaluation of Nature Safe fertilizer, a corn-following-cover-crops experiment and a corn hybrid comparison.

Approximately 100 people attended the field day. Gruver was pleased with the turnout and commented, ”I think people left this year’s field day with new awareness that diversification into organics is a profitable option for conventional farmers with exceptional management skills and that new technologies like guidance systems are compatible with organic farming.”

Historically the WIU Allison Farm has grown primarily corn, soybeans and wheat, but Gruver said he is interested in expanding the farm’s production of hay. “Three-plus year rotations are required in organics, but longer rotations including hay have added benefits such as reduced weed pressure for grain crops.”

More information about Western’s organic agriculture research program can be found at wiu.edu/ag/organicfarm.

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