b'The Unintended Limits of Organic FarmingCHAD HUTCHINSONGlobal director of potato research and market supportTriCal Grouptricalgroup.comI HAD A CONVERSATION someproduction, we need to keep in mindactually achieve a meaningful, functional, weeks ago that has really stuck with me.these truths: true regenerative agriculturesustainable impact. The conversation was with Joy Youwakim,practices must be functional rather thanSometimes the best of intentions bring an agroecology scientist at Biome Makers.restrictive; outcome-oriented ratherabout unintended consequences and limits Specializing in DNA sequencing of thethan rules-based. We need solutions thatto actual positive change. If we define real microorganisms in agricultural soil, Biomeimprove crop production efficiency and thecrop production sustainability as producing Makers provides analysis and tools forgrowers whole economic position whilemore food and fibre (potatoes!) per acre validating farm decisions and improving soilpreserving land, soil health, and waterwhile preserving the soil for the next biological health. You might remember Joyresources. generation, then lets commit ourselves to from the Q&A article we posted in JanuaryIn the potato farming world, we arefinding real options that solve for the full about soil health. In our chat, Joy succinctlyfacing pressure to change to productionequation. We dont want to think we are and articulately put words to the argumentpractices that are less reliant on aggoing forward when we are actually moving against agriculture limiting itself to organic.chemicals. The concept is positionedbackwards. Together as a community She said: Organic has its place, but itsas better for the environment. Notunified in this definition, we can farm land really important to define what organicsurprisingly, this resonates with consumers.productively and sustainably now and in isand what it isntespecially in theHowever, when retailers have a goalthe future.context of sustainable ag. Organic has rulesto provide evidence of their positiveThere is a whole community dedicated and limits, but it doesnt necessarily alwaysenvironmental impacts, such as via ato finding real options that balance translate to maximum actual regenerativelabel like organic, we need to ensure theproduction with sustainability while impact.metrics that sound good represent whatlimiting unintended consequences. With As agriculture steps more fully intois actually best. We cant lose sight of thethe right perspective and priorities, we can discussions about organic or sustainableonly important metric: whether effortsstrike a balance.To Get Healthy Potato Plants, we Have to Feed the SoilGREG PATTERSON CEO and founderA&L Canada Laboratoriesalcanada.comSOIL IS NOT INERT. Given the propermicrobiome in a modern potato field? Itrole in delivering these nutrients to plants. conditions, it is a vibrant ecosystemfullinvolves maintaining a delicate balance ofThe goal is to build up the kind of organic of life. nutrients for the plants we grow. Properlymatter that truly enhances soil health and In nature, soil is kept healthy by thebalanced fertility systems not only yieldsoil quality. Its not merely about piling natural process of the plant life cycle. Plantsbetter crops with higher quality buton organic amendments; rather, its about drop their leaves and the stems and rootsalso enable plants to cultivate beneficialproviding the soil with the right conditions decay. This organic matter returns to the soilorganisms in the soil. These organisms canso that it can develop its own defense system.and feeds the beneficial organisms that liveimprove soil structure and even help theIn parts of the world where the soil has in that soil, which collectively make up whatplants fight off diseases. been farmed aggressively for centuries, we call the microbiome. Constant recyclingWhile we may still need pesticides andmicrobes are starved of nutrients. In of nutrients provides a stable environmentfungicides, a well-balanced soil fertilityCanada, we are farming in relatively new for these living organisms, which results inprogram can enhance the effectiveness ofsoils, meaning that the nutrients within the healthier plants. these inputs. By optimizing soil quality,soil have not yet been totally depleted. That Agriculture disrupts this process. Whenplant performance, and plants ability tosaid, if we dont take time to feed our soil we harvest a crop, were preventing thatdefend themselves against environmentaland give it what it needs, well eventually organic matter from returning to the soilchallenges, we can leverage all available toolsreach a point where our soil becomes all but and feeding the microbiome. Over time,to support plant health and foster symbioticdevoid of the nutrients needed to feed those that leads to soil that can no longer sustainrelationships within the soil ecosystem. beneficial microorganisms. a healthy microbiome. Soil that cantWhen we prioritize soil health andIts time to pay closer attention to sustain microbial life simply cant sustain aunderstand the importance of maintainingachieving that delicate balance in soil healthy crop. the proper balance of nutrients, wefertility for the long-term benefit of both the So, how do we achieve a healthy soilrecognize that the soil itself plays a crucialsoil and the plants it sustains. SPUDSMART.COMSpring 202431'