Iowa Organic Association Encourages Farmers to Consider Transition as Market Grows

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – From dairy to corn, the possibilities for organic farming are nearly endless. But getting there isn’t always easy.

That’s why the Iowa Organic Association invited local farmers to learn more about what it means to transition from standard to organic farming.

“One of the main tenets of organic farming is, of course, not using chemical pesticides, sprays like that. So we use a lot of cover crops. We even do a lot of no-till in organic farming,” said Ethan Book, education and outreach coordinator for the Iowa Organic Association.

According to the USDA, the number of certified organic farms across the country has increased by nearly 3,000 since 2008.

This does not mean that it is automatically more profitable, since organic farming can produce lower yields.

But Ethan Book of the Iowa Organic Association says the practice is becoming more popular as more people start to care about things like soil health.

“Consumers are starting to think about what they want and how they want to consume, what they want to consume when they buy their food… They’re reaping those benefits not only from the soil and the crops that are growing in healthy soils, but also from the amount of water that can infiltrate onto farms,” Book said.

As demand for organic products grows, Book hopes Iowa farmers will stay open-minded about it and maybe even try it themselves.