Offered Papers Theme C: Delivering the Benefits from Grassland
Description
The National Assembly Government of Wales is providing incentives for organic farming through its agri -environment schemes and has set a target of 10% by 2010. The organic systems in Wales are grassland based, including some with crop rotations and grass-clover leys. Reseeding currently relies on 60% conventional seed, but this derogation to the organic standard of 100% will be removed by August 2005. Conventional methods of seed production are not acceptable under organic standards. Following farmer discussion group meetings highlighting the difficulty of sourcing and the cost of organic seed, a feasibility project to tackle some of the practical challenges of organic seed production was set up with the IGER Grassland Development Centre and local farmers. The key challenges for Welsh and UK organic seed producers range from weed control to harvesting methods (Marshall & McCalman, 2003) as well as creating links between farmers and seed companies to build a local organic forage seed industry. Building on on-going plot work at IGER, this project is developing techniques for field-scale seed production working with a group of farmers and seed companies.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Organic Herbage Seed Production in Wales - Working with Farmers to Develop the Technology
The National Assembly Government of Wales is providing incentives for organic farming through its agri -environment schemes and has set a target of 10% by 2010. The organic systems in Wales are grassland based, including some with crop rotations and grass-clover leys. Reseeding currently relies on 60% conventional seed, but this derogation to the organic standard of 100% will be removed by August 2005. Conventional methods of seed production are not acceptable under organic standards. Following farmer discussion group meetings highlighting the difficulty of sourcing and the cost of organic seed, a feasibility project to tackle some of the practical challenges of organic seed production was set up with the IGER Grassland Development Centre and local farmers. The key challenges for Welsh and UK organic seed producers range from weed control to harvesting methods (Marshall & McCalman, 2003) as well as creating links between farmers and seed companies to build a local organic forage seed industry. Building on on-going plot work at IGER, this project is developing techniques for field-scale seed production working with a group of farmers and seed companies.
