Tag: sustainable-agriculture

Texas Organic Experience Comes to the National Organic Standards Board

Texas organic grower and produce-industry leader Jed Murray has been appointed to the National Organic Standards Board, bringing practical experience in organic production, marketing and policy to the national organic program.

USDA has announced five new appointments to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), and one of those appointments is especially important for Texas organic agriculture: Jed Murray of Texas.

For many people outside Texas, Jed may be known today as Director of Government Relations for the Texas International Produce Association. But for those of us who have worked in Texas organic agriculture, there is much more to the story.

Jed has actually been part of Texas organic agriculture. He has grown organic vegetables, packed and marketed them, worked with retailers, advocated for growers, and helped us explore how Texas-grown organic products could reach larger markets.

I have known Jed for many years, and he has consistently supported Texas organic growers and efforts to expand opportunities for organic agriculture. He brings to the NOSB practical experience with what it takes to make organic agriculture work from the field all the way to the consumer.

Why the National Organic Standards Board Matters

The NOSB is not simply another USDA advisory committee.

Congress established the 15-member board under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on organic standards and, particularly, on substances used in organic production and handling. USDA appointed Jed to one of the board’s Public Interest/Consumer Interest Group seats for a five-year term through January 2031.

The NOSB deals with issues that eventually become very practical decisions on organic farms and in organic businesses.

The board reviews substances petitioned for addition to or removal from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, conducts the five-year sunset review of materials already on that list, and develops recommendations concerning organic production, handling and policy. Since its establishment, the NOSB has made more than 600 recommendations to USDA.

For an organic farmer or handler, these decisions can determine whether a fertilizer, pesticide, livestock health product, sanitizer, processing aid or other material can be used—and sometimes the specific restrictions placed on its use. Changes to the National List ultimately occur through USDA rulemaking following NOSB recommendations.

In other words, discussions at the NOSB can eventually affect what happens in a Texas organic field, greenhouse, packing shed, dairy, feed mill or processing facility.

Jed Brings More Than an Interest in Organic Agriculture

USDA’s announcement notes that Jed has 20 years of agricultural experience, including 13 years in the vegetable industry. He currently serves as Director of Government Relations for the Texas International Produce Association and Managing Partner of 9 Kids Compost LLC. His involvement also includes the Texas Department of State Health Services Food Safety and Defense Task Force, Texas Vegetable Association and the Texas A&M Vegetable & Fruit Program.

Those credentials are impressive, but they don’t fully explain why his appointment should matter to Texas organic growers.

Jed was an owner and partner in Tenaza Organics in South Texas, where he was directly involved in commercial certified-organic vegetable production. Tenaza produced crops such as parsley, broccoli, beets, spinach, Swiss chard, kale and cabbage and supplied large retailers and restaurants throughout Texas, with some production moving into export markets.

That means Jed understands organic agriculture from the production side—not simply from meetings, policy discussions or reports.

He knows what it means to plant an organic crop, deal with weather and production risk, manage a highly perishable product, meet buyer expectations, maintain organic integrity and then find a market willing to pay for what was produced.

Organic Farming in the Real World

South Texas agriculture can also provide some hard lessons.

Jed and Tenaza experienced firsthand the devastating February 2021 freeze. A year later, he described how the farm had been doing well before suddenly losing essentially its crop during the freeze. I was there in the summer of 2021 and Jed’s crew was working overtime to plant more crops to make up the losses.

Experiences like that give a person a different understanding of agricultural policy.

Organic standards have to protect the integrity of the organic label, but they also have to function on real farms facing drought, freezes, hurricanes, insects, diseases, labor challenges, market changes and the thousand other things agriculture can throw at a producer.

I believe that practical agricultural perspective is particularly valuable on the NOSB.

He Has Already Helped Shape Texas Organic Agriculture

Jed’s involvement with Texas organics has extended well beyond his own farm.

When Texas A&M AgriLife began a project in 2022 to examine opportunities for expanding markets for Texas-grown organic produce, Jed was an important industry collaborator.

At the time, I described him as an avid organic grower, a member of the Texas Department of Agriculture Organic Advisory Board, and an exemplary cooperator with AgriLife Extension. He also provided ideas about opportunities for exporting Texas organic produce.

The TDA Organic Agricultural Industry Advisory Board has an important mission of its own: helping the Commissioner of Agriculture assess, develop, promote and expand the Texas organic agricultural products industry.

So Jed’s new national role follows years of engagement with many of the same questions here in Texas: How do we protect organic integrity while also helping organic agriculture grow? How do we connect farmers with markets? How do regulations affect producers? And how do we maintain consumer confidence in the organic label?

Recognized for Leadership in the Produce Industry

Jed’s work has also been recognized beyond Texas organic circles.

In 2022, American Vegetable Grower selected Tenaza Organics as its Central Region Grower Achievement Award winner. The recognition highlighted not only the farm’s production but Jed’s advocacy for fresh produce, growers, agricultural education and Texas-grown products.

His produce-industry experience also gives him an understanding of the entire organic supply chain—from the farmer to the consumer.

Organic agriculture begins with production practices, but USDA Organic is ultimately a consumer-facing label operating within a federal regulatory system. Maintaining that label requires understanding farmers and handlers while never losing sight of the consumer trust on which the entire organic market depends.

Jed’s experience in production, marketing and public policy gives him insight into each part of that chain.

USDA is getting someone with national produce-industry experience. Those of us in Texas organic agriculture know it is also getting someone who has been in the organic field, worked with organic growers, helped market organic crops and supported the growth of our organic industry for many years.

I am very pleased to see Jed Murray take that experience to the National Organic Standards Board!

More Resources

USDA Announces Five New Members to the National Organic Standards Board
USDA’s announcement and biography of Jed Murray.
Read the USDA announcement

National Organic Standards Board
Background on NOSB membership, responsibilities, meetings and activities.
USDA National Organic Standards Board

NOSB Recommendations
More than 600 recommendations involving organic production practices and materials are available through USDA.
View NOSB recommendations

National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
Learn how substances are evaluated and regulated for organic crop, livestock and handling operations.
USDA National List information

Helping Expand the Market for Texas-Grown Organic Produce
Texas A&M AgriLife’s 2022 look at expanding domestic and international opportunities for Texas organic produce, including Jed’s involvement.
Read the AgriLife Today article

Tenaza Organics – Grower Achievement Award Regional Winner
A look at Tenaza Organics, its crops, markets and Jed’s work promoting produce and Texas growers.
Read the Growing Produce article

Lessons from a Study on Hay Variability: Insights for Organic Producers

Hay quality can vary considerably among bales from the same field. Proper sampling and forage testing help organic livestock producers understand that variability and make better feeding decisions.

Technical content updated June 2026 to include recommendations for collecting representative hay samples.

Start with a Representative Hay Sample

I wrote this longer article back in October of 2024, but since we are in the midst of cutting hay right now, I thought an update would be a good thing! Before discussing the surprising variability found among individual hay bales from a single field, it is important to remember that a forage analysis is only as good as the sample submitted to the laboratory. Many producers still collect a handful of hay from the outside of a bale and send it for analysis. Unfortunately, this approach often provides misleading results because leaves, stems, and different portions of the bale are not represented equally.

The preferred method is to use a hay probe attached to a cordless drill and collect core samples from a minimum of 20 representative bales within a hay lot. A hay lot should consist of hay from the same field, cutting, forage type, and harvest period. I carry a bucket with me and put each core in the bucket as I sample a bale. The core sampler is a 24″ model since almost everyone has round bales today. The individual cores are combined into a single composite sample (the bucket), mixed thoroughly, and submitted to a forage testing laboratory.

The picture above is a clip I copied from a longer article in Hay and Forage Magazine, April 2025 edition. The article is just a good reminder of proper sampling, but the best part of the article is a list of all the places to order a hay probe. Just click on the picture or here Hay Probes to see the list!

How Much Can Hay Vary Within One Field?

When it comes to hay production, many farmers assume that bales harvested from the same field will contain similar nutrient levels. The differences across fields was evident in a recent article by Michael Reuter in Progressive Forage1. His article and data show us all, the significant differences even among bales from the same field. Understanding and managing these differences can make a big impact, especially for organic farmers who want to optimize livestock nutrition and maintain a consistent quality of forage.

The following table from the article1 presents the nutrient composition and analysis of 20 individual bales randomly sampled from an 86-acre hay field, which was managed as a unit and harvested all at the same time:

What the Bale Data Showed

The analysis of the 20 hay bales showed surprising variability in key nutrients such as Crude Protein (%CP), fiber content (measured as %ADF and %NDF), and essential minerals like Calcium (%CA) and Phosphorus (%P). Summary statistics of the nutrient composition are presented below:

Crude protein, for example, varied from 9.7% to 15.9%. This 6.2 percentage point difference could significantly influence the nutritional value of hay fed to livestock.

Fiber levels also differed substantially. The ranges in Acid Detergent Fiber (%ADF) and Neutral Detergent Fiber (%NDF) directly affect how digestible the hay is and how much livestock will eat. Calcium and phosphorus levels, which are critical for bone health and metabolic functions, also showed noteworthy differences between bales.

Why Does Hay Quality Vary?

Even within a field managed and harvested as one unit, soil fertility, plant maturity, species composition, moisture, weeds, topography and microclimate can vary enough to influence forage quality. In organic fields, uneven manure or compost distribution can add another potential source of spatial variability:

  1. Soil Fertility Differences: Organic amendments like compost or manure may not be evenly spread across the field. Variability in soil nutrients can cause different areas of the field to produce hay with varying nutrient levels.
  2. Crop Rotation and Plant Diversity: Rotating different crops or allowing natural diversity in the field is beneficial for soil health, but it can also lead to differences in how well each crop absorbs nutrients.
  3. Pest, Weed, and Microclimate Effects: Organic fields often have more variability in pest pressure, weed growth, and microclimates. These differences can lead to uneven growth, which in turn affects nutrient content.

Managing Hay Variability

To minimize these differences and provide more consistent forage quality, farmers can take several practical steps:

  • Soil Testing: Regularly test soil across different sections of the field. This helps identify nutrient deficiencies or hotspots, allowing targeted amendment application.
  • Even Amendment Application: When applying compost, manure, or other organic fertilizers, try to ensure even distribution across the field. Variability in amendment application is a key factor in nutrient inconsistency.
  • Use Cover Crops: Cover cropping can help improve soil structure and increase nutrient cycling, which leads to more uniform plant growth.
  • Monitor Harvest Stages: Harvesting at a consistent plant maturity stage across the field can help reduce variability. Plants harvested at different growth stages can differ significantly in nutrient content.
  • Matching Regular Soil and Forage Testing: Applying soil nutrients based on soil tests and then testing multiple hay bales gives a clearer picture of the overall nutrient profile from start to finish. Testing hay allows adjustments in livestock feeding to meet nutritional needs effectively and maybe even save money!

Why This Matters for Organic Livestock

In organic livestock systems, purchased feed supplements must meet USDA organic requirements, and compliant organic feed ingredients can be expensive. Maximizing the nutritional value and consistency of farm-produced forage can therefore reduce purchased-feed needs and improve ration management. Variable hay quality can significantly impact livestock health, as inconsistencies in nutrition may lead to reduced growth rates, lower milk production, or other health issues. Moreover, optimizing the quality of on-farm forage can reduce the need for expensive purchased supplements and any organic supplements are not cheap.

Maintaining consistent forage quality also supports animal welfare, which is a core value of organic and sustainable farming. Healthy, well-fed animals are more resistant to disease, aligning with the organic principle of promoting natural immunity and reducing intervention.

The Take-Home Message

Variability is a natural part of farming, but with informed management, we can turn that variability into an opportunity for learning and improvement—ultimately providing better feed for our livestock and keeping our farms resilient.

Sources and Further Reading

1.Data Source: October 1, 2024 issue of Progressive Forage written by Michael Reuter, Analytical Services Technical Manager at Dairy One Cooperative Inc. and Equi-Analytical Labs.

Building Local Hybrid Seed for Organic Farms (A Project to Watch)

One of the biggest limitations I continue to see in organic grain and dairy systems—especially here in Texas and across the southern region—is not just fertility or weed control. It is genetics. We simply do not have corn hybrids that are truly adapted to our heat, drought, and water-limited environments.

A new on-farm project as part of a Southern SARE grant is being led by Seth Fortenberry (New Deal Grain) is working directly on that problem. This work is supported through the Southern SARE program, which is designed to fund practical, on-farm research that can be quickly adopted by other farmers—making it a strong fit for advancing organic systems in our region.

What This Project Is About

This on-farm project is focused on building local hybrid corn seed production for organic systems. Instead of relying on seed developed and produced in the Midwest, the goal is to produce non-GMO hybrid seed right here in the South, under the same conditions farmers actually face.

A key part of this project—and one I think is worth highlighting—is the direct connection to public plant breeding. The hybrids being used in this work, including TAMZ106 and TAMZ107, were developed by Dr. Wenwei Xu, Texas A&M AgriLife Research corn breeder in Lubbock. His program has focused heavily on stress tolerance—heat, drought, and disease—which is exactly what our organic systems require in this region.

Why This Matters to Organic Farmers

From my perspective, this is where things get interesting.

  • Better adaptation – Hybrids developed by Dr. Xu are bred under Texas High Plains conditions, not Midwest environments
  • Improved water use – Critical for anyone pulling from the Ogallala
  • Stronger performance under stress – Organic systems don’t have “rescue tools,” so genetics matter more
  • Public breeding impact – This project creates a direct pathway for AgriLife-developed genetics to reach organic farmers
  • Local seed supply – Keeps value in our region and reduces dependence on outside companies

In simple terms, this project is trying to align genetics (G) with management (M) and environment (E)—something we know makes a big difference in organic systems.

What to Expect Moving Forward

This project is just getting started, but over the next two years we will be:

  • Producing parent lines and hybrid seed under organic conditions
  • Testing hybrids on working organic farms
  • Hosting field days and sharing results
  • Building toward a reliable regional seed supply

I will be involved on the Extension side—helping get information out, organizing field days, and making sure growers can see and evaluate this work in real conditions.

Final Thought

If we are serious about growing organic production in Texas and the southern region, we have to address seed. This project is a practical step in that direction—connecting public breeding with real-world organic production.

And I would add this—projects like this only work because of long-term investment in breeding programs like Dr. Xu’s. Without that foundation, we would not have the genetics to even begin this conversation.

More to come as we get into the field this season.

Scaling Organic Agriculture: Why Farm Size and Technology Are Not the Problem

A common critique I hear—often from people who genuinely support organic—is that large-scale organic farms and advanced technology somehow “lose the ideals” associated with organic agriculture. The image many people carry is a small farm with diverse plantings, hedgerows, wildlife habitat, and hands-on management. In contrast, when they see a large organic operation using sensors, software, GPS-guided equipment, and streamlined logistics, they sometimes conclude that it is no longer “true organic.”

I understand where that reaction comes from. But as an Extension Organic Specialist, I also find it deeply frustrating, because it reflects a misunderstanding of what organic agriculture is and what it must become if it is going to have real impact. If we want organic to remain a small niche system, then we can keep it mostly hand-scale. But if we want organic to become mainstream—meaning millions of acres managed under organic standards—then organic will necessarily look like agriculture: mechanized, planned, measured, and managed with modern tools.

Organic is a Production Standard, not a Farm Size

The most important clarification is this: organic is defined by a regulated production and handling standard, not by farm size or “farm aesthetics.” In the United States, organic is governed under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), which sets requirements for:

  • prohibited and allowed substances
  • soil fertility and crop nutrient management
  • pest, weed, and disease control approaches
  • recordkeeping, traceability, and annual inspection
  • avoidance of excluded methods (including genetic engineering)

A farm can be 20 acres or 20,000 acres and still follow the same legal standard. Scale does not automatically determine whether a farm is ecologically sound, ethically managed, or agronomically competent. I have seen small farms that are poorly managed and large farms that are exceptionally well managed. The reverse is also true. The difference is not the size—it is the management system and the accountability.

Why “Big Organic” Triggers Concern (and Why Some of It is Valid)

Concerns about large-scale organic often fall into a few categories:

  1. Minimum-compliance farming
    Some fear that large operations will do the least required to meet certification rather than aiming for continuous improvement in soil function and ecological resilience.
  2. Simplified landscapes
    Large farms can have fewer field borders, fewer habitat features, and fewer “visible signs” of biodiversity. This is a real risk if the production system is not designed intentionally.
  3. Monoculture and rotation weakness
    Large farms can drift toward narrow crop sequences, especially when markets or processing infrastructure favor a few commodities.
  4. Values and trust
    Organic is a consumer trust program. When consumers associate “corporate” with “profit over stewardship,” they worry the label becomes marketing rather than meaning.

These concerns should not be dismissed. They are worth discussing. But the mistake is assuming that technology or scale automatically causes poor outcomes. Poor outcomes come from poor management decisions, weak incentives, or weak enforcement—not from tractors, sensors, or data.

Technology is Not Anti-Organic: It Can Improve Stewardship

Organic farming is not defined by low technology. It is defined by the intentional avoidance of certain synthetic inputs and the use of systems-based management to support crop productivity and soil health. Technology can support that goal.

1) Sensors and irrigation efficiency

Water management is one of the clearest examples where technology aligns with organic principles. Soil moisture sensors and irrigation scheduling tools can:

  • prevent over-irrigation
  • reduce nutrient leaching and runoff risk
  • improve root health and drought resilience
  • reduce disease pressure associated with prolonged leaf wetness and saturated soils

In real-world farming, “using less water” is not a public relations statement—it is a measurable conservation outcome.

2) Nutrient management and nitrogen efficiency

Organic nitrogen (N) does not usually come from synthetic fertilizers. It comes from:

  • composts and manures
  • cover crops (especially legumes)
  • mineralization of soil organic matter
  • allowed inputs such as certain mined minerals and biological amendments

But organic nitrogen is also less predictable in timing and availability than synthetic N. Precision tools that improve the timing and placement of nutrients can reduce losses and improve crop response. Better nutrient planning is not “industrial.” It is good agronomy.

3) Weed and pest monitoring systems

Organic systems often rely on prevention, competition, timing, and mechanical control. Technology supports this by improving decision-making:

  • mapping weed pressure zones
  • documenting scouting results
  • tracking crop stage and pest thresholds
  • improving spray timing for allowed products that are highly timing-dependent
  • strengthening records for compliance and traceability

Organic does not become less organic when it becomes more measured. In many cases, it becomes more defensible and more reliable.

The Scaling Reality: Organic Cannot Become Mainstream Without Looking Like Agriculture

Here is the contradiction I see repeatedly:

  • People want organic to expand and become a major part of agriculture.
  • But they also want organic to remain small, hand-scale, and “pre-modern.”

Those two goals cannot fully coexist.

If organic expands into a mainstream system, it will require:

  • mechanization and labor efficiency
  • stable supply chains and processing capacity
  • agronomic decision support tools
  • investment in equipment, storage, and logistics
  • advanced recordkeeping and traceability systems

These are not signs that organic has failed. They are signs that organic is being implemented at a scale where it can influence land stewardship and food systems in meaningful ways.

A useful analogy is medicine: we may admire the “natural” remedies of the past, but if we want health outcomes at population scale, we use systems, research, logistics, and quality control. Organic agriculture, if it is to influence millions of acres, will also require systems and quality control.

The Real Question is Not “Small vs Large” — It’s “Well-Managed vs Poorly Managed”

When we focus on scale, we miss the more important scientific questions:

  • Is soil organic matter improving over time?
  • Is aggregate stability improving (meaning the soil holds together better under water impact)?
  • Is infiltration increasing and runoff decreasing?
  • Are nutrients cycling efficiently, or being lost through leaching and erosion?
  • Is biodiversity supported through rotations, habitat, and reduced toxicity risk?
  • Are weeds being managed through integrated strategies rather than emergency reactions?
  • Are pests managed through ecological approaches and targeted interventions?

These are measurable outcomes. They are also where organic systems can succeed or fail, regardless of farm size.

A “Both/And” Vision for Organic

Organic agriculture needs both:

The ecological heart of organic

  • soil building
  • rotations
  • biodiversity
  • prevention-based pest management
  • conservation practices that protect water and habitat

The infrastructure and tools to function at scale

  • organic seed systems and breeding programs
  • equipment and mechanical weed control innovation
  • precision irrigation and nutrient planning
  • traceability systems that protect market integrity
  • research-based decision support tools

If we demand the heart without the infrastructure, organic stays fragile, expensive, and limited.
If we build infrastructure without the heart, organic becomes hollow and purely transactional.

The goal is not to keep organic small. The goal is to keep organic meaningful.

Closing Thought

I want organic to remain grounded in stewardship and biological systems. I also want organic to be agronomically credible, economically viable, and scalable enough to matter. That means I will continue supporting farmers—large and small—who are doing the hard work of growing crops under organic standards while improving soil function and resource efficiency.

Organic should not be judged by whether it “looks old-fashioned.”
Organic should be judged by whether it produces food and fiber with integrity, measurable conservation outcomes, and long-term resilience.

References (U.S. Organic Standards)

USDA National Organic Program Regulations (7 CFR Part 205)
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-205

USDA AMS National Organic Program (program overview)
https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-program

From the Field: Choosing Wheat for Organic Systems

On Thursday, November 13th, Dr. Brandon Gerrish, State Extension Small Grain Specialist planted our first Texas Organic Wheat Variety Trial at Todd Vranac’s certified organic farm in Rule, Texas. This test is an opportunity to evaluate wheat lines under authentic organic production conditions. This irrigated farm, managed organically over many seasons, offers an environment that conventional research plots often cannot replicate.

Wheat trials help us look at agronomic traits of wheat as well as evaluate our production systems in organic!

Each variety in the trial allows us to observe how wheat responds when relying on soil biology for nutrient cycling, competing with weeds without herbicides, and performing under the constraints of organic fertility sources. As organic wheat acreage expands in Texas, field-based evaluations like this are essential for identifying varieties that align with the agronomic realities of organic systems and for improving the recommendations available to growers.

Why Organic Variety Testing Isn’t Optional

One of the most important conversations I’ve had this year was with Dr. Jackie Rudd, Dr. Gerrish and the TAMU wheat breeding team this past August at the Small Grain Breeding Group meeting. We talked about the gap that still exists between conventional breeding and organic production, and why organic growers need data generated in organic fields.

The traits that matter most in organic systems differ from what many conventional trials measure. Organic producers need wheat that can do things like:

1. Emerge from deeper planting depths

Organic growers often plant deeper to reach moisture and to make mechanical weed control possible. With deeper rooting we can use rotary hoes or tine weeders to take our early season weeds and start cleaner. But many modern semi-dwarfs simply don’t have the coleoptile length to handle that depth. Lines with longer coleoptiles or alternative dwarfing genes (like Rht8) stand a better chance of thriving in these conditions.

2. Fight disease with genetics, not chemistry

Stripe rust, leaf rust, stem rust, Fusarium head blight, BYDV—these aren’t just occasional threats in organic wheat. Without fungicides, genetic resistance to disease becomes the primary protection for diseases. Multi-gene and adult-plant resistance are particularly valuable.

3. Use nutrients efficiently through the soil microbiome

Organic wheat depends on soil biology to help acquire nutrients. Varieties with strong root systems, mycorrhizal associations, and efficient nutrient uptake consistently do better in slow-release, biological systems. Traits like enhanced nitrate transporter activity or strong remobilization of nutrients during grain fill make a visible difference in yield.

4. Outcompete weeds

Early vigor, aggressive tillering, and a fast-closing canopy are necessary to yield production. These are the traits that help organic wheat shade out early warm season weeds and other winter annuals long before the weeds become yield-limiting.

5. Deliver high-quality grain for a premium market

Organic buyers want protein, strong gluten, good milling quality, low DON (a mycotoxin), and consistency. They also increasingly look for functional food traits like higher mineral content (iron, zinc, even selenium). The right variety can put an organic grower into a higher-value market.

This Year’s Trial

The trial this year includes a mix of public and private genetics—everything from long-standing varieties like TAM 114 and Smith’s Gold to experimental Oklahoma and Texas lines, plus new materials such as Green Hammer, Paradox, High Cotton, and Guardian. Click the link below to see the trial information.

Wheat Variety Trial in Excel

Organic tests like this will help answer important questions about how “conventional varieties” preform growing under organic conditions:

  • Which varieties take off fast enough to hold back early weeds?
  • Which can take advantage of irrigation while still operating under organic nutrient constraints?
  • Which lines show strong fall vigor and winter hardiness?
  • Which have the disease packages organic growers rely on?
  • Which varieties convert organic fertility into grain yield the most efficiently?

Organic Grower Research is Very Important!

Hosting a trial like this requires commitment, and I’m grateful for Todd Vranac’s willingness to put research into his organic acres. Organic agriculture depends on exactly this kind of farmer-researcher collaboration because:

  • It takes place under the conditions organic growers actually face.
  • Weather, weeds, fertility, and soil biology are real—not simulated.
  • It gives producers confidence that variety recommendations apply to their own operations.
  • It builds a shared knowledge base across the organic community.

As we go through the season I hope to share updates from the trial, including stand counts, disease observations, and eventually yield and quality results. Organic growers across Texas need these answers, and trials like this give us the data to make better variety recommendations year after year.

Testing varieties in organic fields doesn’t just improve one season’s crop. It strengthens the long-term resilience of organic grain production in the Southern Plains. And it helps breeders refine the traits that matter most for growers working in biologically driven systems.

Other Resources:

Texas Organic Agriculture: Expanding from Farm to Market

The Texas organic industry continues to grow on both ends of the supply chain—from the farms that grow organic crops and livestock to the companies that process, package, and distribute them. As of October 2025, the state lists 412 certified organic grower operations, including farms that produce crops, livestock, and wild crops on 512,000 Texas acres. At the same time, the number of certified organic handlers—processors, distributors, and packers—has climbed from 457 in 2023 to 694 in 2025, a 52% increase in just two years.

Who’s Growing Organically in Texas

Organic production in Texas is anchored by key field crops such as cotton (175 farms), peanuts (147), and wheat (132)—mainstays of the High Plains and Rolling Plains, where organic systems are well adapted to semi-arid soils and rotations. Corn (51) and sorghum or milo (49) are part of diversified feed and grain operations, while rice (25) remains strong along the Gulf Coast. Forage crops like alfalfa (25) and grass (40) support both organic livestock and soil health, while vegetable operations (21) range from small local farms near urban markets to large commercial producers serving regional buyers.

Among these 412 operations, 28 are certified for livestock, including 20 cattle and 8 poultry operations. The cattle operations include both grass-fed beef and organic dairy systems, emphasizing rotational grazing and homegrown forage to meet organic standards. The poultry farms focus mainly on pasture-based egg and broiler production, serving local and specialty markets. Together, these farms show how organic agriculture in Texas is evolving into an integrated system linking crops, forages, and livestock within the same ecological and market framework.

A Rapid Rise in Certified Handlers

The sharp increase in certified organic handlers—from 457 to 694—signals strong momentum beyond the farm gate. Much of this growth is tied to the USDA’s Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule, implemented in 2023. This rule requires certification for more middle-market entities such as brokers, traders, and distributors who take ownership of organic products. The result is a more transparent and traceable supply chain, but also a measurable expansion in the number of certified businesses operating within it.

Texas’s 694 organic handlers now represent a wide range of activities. The largest sectors include fruits and vegetables (285), beverages (125), grains, flours, and cereals (105), nuts and seeds (111), seasonings and flavorings (102), and oils and oleoresins (71). These categories show that Texas’s organic sector is growing not only in raw production but in value-added processing, product manufacturing, and consumer-ready goods. Additional activity in livestock feed (23), dairy and dairy alternatives (27), meat, poultry, and eggs (35), processed foods (47), and fiber, textiles, and cotton (20) rounds out the picture of a maturing organic industry.

A Strengthening Organic Ecosystem

The combined growth in organic growers and handlers marks a new phase for Texas organic agriculture. Producers are supplying more raw organic commodities, and a growing network of handlers is processing, packaging, and marketing those products—creating a more complete and resilient organic system. The enforcement of SOE has helped formalize this network, ensuring that products remain traceable from farm to table. What was once a scattered mix of farms and processors is now forming into a connected supply chain—one capable of supporting long-term growth in the Texas organic market.