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Improving Cover Crop Management in Florida Row, Vegetable and Organic Citrus Systems

Improving Cover Crop Management in Florida Row, Vegetable and Organic Citrus Systems

Summary/Abstract

Florida's 47,000 farms produce more winter vegetables and citrus than any other state. Approximately 15% of farmers contribute to 90% of the acreage and gross annual sales of fruit, vegetable and row crops. In the past decade, a significant investment has been made by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection's Water Management Districts and the University of Florida to develop Best Management Practices (BMP) management programs that will reduce the amount of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) entering surface and ground water. Cover cropping is a recommended practice standard for vegetable, row crop and citrus BMPs, however, farmers are requesting research-based recommendations to optimize cover crop benefits. This project builds on previously funded SARE grants in Florida to improve nutrient management and water quality, and expands our knowledge base by examining multiple potential benefits on each farm (weed and nematode suppression, nitrogen contribution, organic matter accumulation), as well as calculating enterprise budgets for cover crop inclusion. Farmers from a vegetable farm, citrus farm and conservation tillage row crop farm are participating in this on-farm trial. Treatments include cover crop species and cultural management variations specific to the production aims of each farm, are randomized and replicated at each location, and repeated over two years.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Our objectives are: (1) to provide farmers and information providers with quantitative data that describes the value of cover crop integration; (2) to offer improvements to the existing cover crop practice standard guidelines in the BMP manual; (3) to foster relationships and communication among our farmer collaborators; and (4) to design and deliver interesting and substantive extension programming for cover crop integration and increase adoption of cover crops within the Florida farm community. Performance targets include: (1) create a communications network of farmers and technical service providers interested in teaching, learning, and discussing cover crops; (2) produce and publish video segments featuring the farmer cooperator’s experience and lesson learned during the project; (3) host at least one on-farm field day; (4) present preliminary and final findings at county, state, and national presentations; and (5) publish findings in several forms of media including video case studies, extension newsletter articles, fact sheets, and peer-reviewed publications.

Project Content Page

2010 Proposal

Project Number: OS10-056
Type: On Farm Research/Partnership Project
Region: South
SARE Grant: $14,940

Coordinator:
Danielle Treadwell
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
PO Box 110690 , Horticultural Sciences Department
Gainesville, FL 3261
Phone: 352-273-4775
E-mail: ddtreadw@ufl.edu
Website: http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu/

Participants:
Mace Bauer
BMP Implimentation Team
UF-IFAS/FDACS
7580 County Rd 136
Live Oak , FL 32060
Phone: (386)362-1725
E-mail: mgbauer@ufl.edu
Website: http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/

Kirk Brock
Owner
Brock Farms
5083 Dills Rd
Monticello , FL 32344
Phone: (850)997-4295
E-mail: brockkirkbrock@aol.com

Michael Gunderson
Assistant Professor
University of Florida
1121 McCarty Hall B, PO Box 110240 , Food and Resource Economics Department
Gainesville , FL 32611
Phone: (352)392-1826
E-mail: mag79@ufl.edu
Website: http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/showdirectoryentry.php?id=37&membertypeid=1

Daniel Johns
Owner
Blue Sky Farms
PO Box 202
Hastings , FL 32145
Phone: (904)692-5938
E-mail: blueskypacking@aol.com
Website: http://www.sunfreshofflorida.com

Joel Love
Environmental Specialist
Fl Dept. Ag, Office Ag & Water Policy
9225 County Rd 49
Live Oak , FL 32060
Phone: (386)362-1001
E-mail: love_j@srwmd.state.fl.us
Website: http://www.suwannee.org/index.html

Ben McLean
Vice President
Uncle Matt's Organic
P.O. Box 120187
Clermont , FL 34712
Phone: (352)394-8737
E-mail: matt@unclematts.com
Website: http://www.unclematts.com/

Scott  Taylor
Director
UF-IFAS Hastings Unit
P.O. Box 728
Hastings , FL 32145
Phone: (904)692-4944
E-mail: bstaylor@ufl.edu
Website: http://hastings.ifas.ufl.edu/
This project and all associated reports and support materials were supported by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture- National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed within do not necessarily reflect the view of the SARE program or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.