Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or bird flu has recently been reported in several nearby states and poses a significant threat to commercial and backyard (fewer than 75,000 birds) flocks. While reports of the impacts on pastured flocks have been limited so far, there is an increasing concern, particularly in areas with high concentrations of poultry operations.

Join Mike Badger of American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Pasa’s Executive Director and a pastured poultry producer, along with Chris Pierce, President of Heritage Poultry Management Services, to learn about the current situation with HPAI in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Thanks to the Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence for sponsoring this webinar.

Recorded March 9, 2022

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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and local agencies receive thousands of complaints about drifting pesticides each year. We at Pasa also have received several reports from farmers in our community who experienced instances of pesticide drift and even accidental spraying directly on their fields. In addition to health concerns, the consequences for the contaminated farms often involve loss of the crops, loss of certification, and the need for remediation — all of which cost money and time. What can you do if this happens to your farm?

During this listening session, we hear from farmers who have dealt with this issue and we review the current best practices for reporting and seeking compensation for pesticide drift. We also hear from legal and policy advisors and organic certifiers and discuss potential changes for how to address and prevent this issue going forward.

Recorded July 23, 2021.

Additional resources:

Pesticide Action Network • North America
Drift Watch
“Liability coverage for chemical drift,” The Grapevine Magazine
“What to do when pesticide drift happens,” Ohio Farmer

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Building and preserving soil health is a fundamental component of a secure food system that effectively protects ecosystems and communities. Our Soil Health Benchmark Study is designed to help farmers monitor and evaluate the nuanced soil health strengths and challenges that can exist simultaneously within their fields.

The study was developed and is administered by Pasa Sustainable Agriculture in collaboration with more than 100 vegetable, pastured livestock, and row crop farmers and partners including the Cornell Soil Health Laboratory, Future Harvest and the Million Acre Challenge, Penn State Extension, Rodale Institute, and Stroud Water Research Center.

The study, which began in 2016, is one of the largest and most diverse community soil health research projects in the nation, amassing data from a wide range of farm scales and management systems, soil types, and farmer experiences.

Download our Soil Health Benchmarks 2021 Report below for a detailed review of our study and findings to date. You can also read a summary of our findings here on our blog.

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By implementing IPM techniques, farmers can prevent problems before they happen and better control those that do.

During this webinar, organic systems pioneer Eric Nordell from Beech Grove Farm shared his “weed the soil, not the crop” approach to weed control, which has influenced organic farmers around the world for more than 30 years. We also hear from Sam Hitchcock-Tilton from Lakeshore Technical College, who discusses how to prepare your farm for effective weed control and review mechanical tools available for controlling weeds efficiently.

This webinar was offered free of charge through support from a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

More webinars from our Fundamentals of IPM series

Greenhouses & Hoophouses

Recognizing & Managing Disease in Vegetable Crops

Perspectives from the Orchard

In the Field

Learn more

Check out our list of additional IPM resources!

The post Fundamentals of IPM: Weed Management Panel appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

They say “What gets measured, gets managed.” Given that there is a lot to manage on a working farm, effective record-keeping tools are essential to the success of any farm business.

During this webinar, we introduce FarmOS: A free, flexible, and powerful web-based tool for managing farm records for everything from crop planning, to pest management, to livestock inventories.

Among other capabilities, FarmOS lets you map your crop fields, view soil maps, and use modules to track when to plant, cultivate your fields, and apply soil amendments. You can also use FarmOS to contribute to Pasa’s Soil Health Benchmark Study and our other farm-based research projects.

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The post Exploring Connections Between Soil Health & Nutrition at Blackberry Meadows Farm appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

The post Stuck in a Rut: Stagnant Organic Matter Levels at Bending Bridge Farm appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.