Risk Management Guide for Organic Producers

Edited by Kristine M. Moncada and Craig C. Sheaffer 

About this publication 

Organic agriculture intrinsically has greater risk than conventional agriculture because of the greater complexity in crop management issues such as fertility, weed control and pest control. Consequently, there is a need for information directed to organic producers on managing risk. This publication will help growers understand the risks that are associated with organic production and make choices that will minimize those risks.

The fourteen chapters of this manual cover a wide range of production topics that are relevant to organic farmers. Each chapter can function as a stand-alone document for those only interested in a certain topic, although the chapters were designed to be read consecutively.

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Rotation
• Chapter 3: Soil Health
• Chapter 4: Soil Fertility
• Chapter 5: Weed Biology
• Chapter 6: Weed Management
• Chapter 7: Weed Profiles
• Chapter 8: Transitioning
• Chapter 9: Corn Production
• Chapter 10: Soybean Production
• Chapter 11: Small Grains
• Chapter 12: Forages
• Chapter 13: Winter Cover Crops
• Chapter 14: Alternative Crops

At the end of each chapter are quizzes to gauge your risk in a given topic. Electronic versions of the quizzes at the end of the chapters are also available. 

We are greatly indebted to our learning group network of Minnesota organic producers. Without their perspectives and input on the concept and contents, this publication would not have been possible. We would also like to thank the Southwest Research and Outreach Center, the Southern Research and Outreach Center, and Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station for their collaboration on this project.

This manual was funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency through a Research Partnership Grant titled “Tools for Managing Pest and Environmental Risks to Organic Crops in the Upper Midwest”. Other research support for this project was through the “Beyond Corn and Soybean: Alternative Organic Crops for the Upper Midwest” grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

For more information about this publication, please contact:
Kristine Moncada
Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics
411 Borlaug Hall
1991 Upper Buford Circle,
St. Paul, MN 55108
monc0003@umn.edu