Source: Clark, Sean, Karen Klonsky, Peter Livingston, and Steve Temple. 1999. Crop-yield and economic comparisons of organic, low-input, and conventional farming systems in California=s Sacramento Valley. Am. J. Altern. Agric. 14:109-121.

Several farmers in California=s Sacramento Valley are adopting alternative methods of crop production that include reduced inputs from off the farm and organic farming. A study was conducted to test the sustainability of these methods on wheat, tomato, corn, and safflower. There were two conventional systems studied: a four-year rotation (conv-4) that rotated tomato, safflower, corn, and a double crop of beans and wheat; and a two-year rotation (conv-2), which rotated tomato and wheat. The conventional system used both synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. There were also two alternative farming systems studied. The low-input system used a reduced amount of fertilizers and pesticides as well as a winter cover crop. The organic system was characterized by the use of manure, cover crops, and mechanical cultivation. Both the low-input and organic plots in the study were rotated with tomato, safflower, corn, and beans double cropped with oats/vetch. Safflower was the only crop that did not show a significant difference in yield across the farming systems. Tomato and corn tended to respond to the different nitrogen treatments in the system. However, the bean, wheat, and oats/vetch crops tended to vary more with the yearly growing conditions than with the farming system. Both wheat and tomato performed best under the conventional systems. Corn performed better under the low input system, while beans did well using organic growing methods. The conv-2 system was very efficient economically; however, there was an increased rate of disease problems and degradation of soil structure. The organic system was the most profitable because of high price premiums; however, N demanding crops, such as tomato and corn, did not perform well under the system. Organic farming methods would be more practical for commercial vegetables. The conv-4 system was not very profitable, but it had the lowest operating costs. The most sustainable and environmentally sound farming system in the study was the low-input system because it reduced the use of synthetic materials and protected the soil with cover crops.

Abstract author: Erin Finan, 14 October 2001.

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