Exploring Organic Research: Advancing Texas Organic Production

Photo: The Organic Center: Organic Research Highlights

Organic agriculture continues to expand in Texas as both farmers and consumers recognize the benefits of sustainable and ecologically sound farming practices¹. At the forefront of this growth are research initiatives that tackle challenges and create opportunities for organic producers. In Texas, we are working on several innovative organic research projects that are helping to pave the way for a more resilient, profitable, and sustainable organic agriculture industry. These projects not only foster organic agriculture growth but also contribute to improving farmer economics, boosting crop and livestock productivity, and enhancing the health of plants, animals, and people. I feel privileged to work on these projects with outstanding researchers and extension collaborators who share a passion for organic agriculture as I do, making this work both impactful and deeply rewarding.

Ongoing Research Projects in Texas Organic Agriculture

1. Research, Development, and Evaluation of Diesel Nut Oil – Crop Feedstocks Developing alternative crop feedstocks for diesel nut oil production that align with organic farming systems, offering economic and energy solutions.
2. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Humic Acid Substance (MFG 150) on Milk Production Investigating how humic acid can naturally enhance milk production, providing a sustainable approach to improving organic dairy productivity.
3. Evaluating Mastitis Treatment Without Antibiotics Utilizing AHV Exploring alternative methods to treat mastitis in livestock, supporting animal health while maintaining organic standards.
4. Producing Resilient Organic Transplants Under Controlled Environments Examining methods for producing stronger organic transplants to ensure better crop establishment and resilience in challenging conditions.
5. Hi-A Corn and Management Practices for Nutritional Food and Feed Breeding high-anthocyanin corn varieties and developing practices to maximize their nutritional value for both human consumption and animal feed.
6. Climate-Smart Organic Sorghum Partnership for Grain and Silage Production Partnering with producers to grow climate-resilient organic sorghum for grain and silage, contributing to sustainable feed and food systems.
7. Fostering Sustainable Organic Cotton Production in the U.S. Through Research and Outreach Enhancing organic cotton production through research and extension efforts that address challenges like pest management, soil health, and market development.
8. Boosting Organic Leafy Green Production Using Summer-Adapted Cover Crops in Texas Leveraging cover crops to improve soil health and create conditions for robust organic leafy green production in warmer climates.
9. Field Protocol for “Huitlacoche Delicacy: Turning the Lost Corn Crop into a High-Value Delicacy Vegetable” Creating a framework for growing and marketing huitlacoche (corn smut), turning a common crop affliction into a gourmet organic product.
10. Increasing Consumer Acceptance and Farmer Profitability by Breeding More Nutritious Cowpeas Breeding and promoting cowpeas with higher nutritional value, meeting consumer demands while improving profitability for organic farmers.
11. Advancing Discovery to Market – Organic Pre-emerge Weed Control Technology Developing organic preemergence weed control solutions to reduce reliance on tillage and labor-intensive practices, improving efficiency in organic farming systems.

What’s Next for 2025

We already have some proposals in the pipeline for submission including a few Texas Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grants, at least 2 new USDA Organic Research and Extension Initiative grants and several Southern SARE grants we are waiting on approval and a few more to apply for in May. There are always new things we need to study, new concepts to explore and always lots of questions from farmers that need an answer. Add to this list issues with climate extremes, varieties that meet organic needs, biostimulant research – the list is endless!

Why Organic Research Matters

Organic research is vital for driving innovation and addressing the unique challenges faced by organic producers. The projects mentioned above exemplify how targeted research can:

• Support Agricultural Growth: By developing resilient crop varieties², enhancing pest control methods³, and improving soil health⁴, organic research ensures consistent production and increased yields.
• Improve Farmer Economics: Projects focused on reducing input costs, increasing marketable yields, and creating value-added opportunities (like huitlacoche) directly impact farmer profitability⁵.

References

1. Organic Trade Association. Consumer Perception of USDA Organic and Competing Label Claims. Euromonitor International, April 2024. ↩︎
2. “Organic Farming and Soil Health: A Review.”
   The Organic Center. Available at: https://www.organic-center.org/sites/default/files/project/2020/03/soil-health-review_shadetully.pdf ↩︎
3. “Integrated Pest Management Strategies in Organic Farming.”
   Bulletin of the National Research Centre, Springer Open. Available at: https://bnrc.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s42269-024-01226-x ↩︎
4. “Organic Farming and Soil Health: A Review.”
   The Organic Center. Available at: https://www.organic-center.org/sites/default/files/project/2020/03/soil-health-review_shadetully.pdf ↩︎
5. “The Economics of Integrated Organic Farming: Cost-Benefit Analysis.”
   Husfarm. Available at: https://husfarm.com/article/the-economics-of-integrated-organic-farming-cost-benefit-analysis ↩︎