Growing Organic Vegetables

Organic Seed - where are we?
Sometime in the future certified organic growers worldwide are going to be required to use Certified Organic seed. In Canada this may be within the next few calendar years. Currently (2004), in British Columbia, the COABC standard recommends the use of certified organic seed, but allows for the use of non-organic seed, if they are untreated. The third draft of Canadian National Standards states non-organic, untreated seeds may be used if an equivalent organic variety is not available from within the farm, or from other sources (i.e. commercially available). This version parallels the USA requirement. All standards specify that the non-organic seed must be treated only with substances in accordance with the standard. The prohibited list includes: use of synthetic fungicides, pesticides, fumigants and genetically engineered seed, treatments, or inoculants.

Recent information received via the Canadian Embassy in Brussels confirmed that the EU is continuing with their seed derogation that was to expire Jan 1, 2004. Quoting from a press release "Organic farmers will have to go to greater lengths to find the organic seed that they want to sow from the beginning of 2004, after the European Commission adopted a new Regulation on August 14. Under the 1991 Regulation on organic production (2092/91/EEC), farmers have always been allowed to use non-organic seeds if they cannot find the organic seeds they need locally. But from 2004 onwards, the new rules mean that farmers will have a national database to help them find the organic supplies they need from a local seed producer. They also impose greater bureaucracy on those organic farmers applying for permission to use conventional seeds in their production.

The waiver allowing organic farmers to use conventional stock was designed to compensate for the time lag between supply and demand in the burgeoning organic industry. "We realised that if we asked farmers to use only organic seeds, we would not have much production", explained Cristina Rueda at the European farm lobby, Copa-Cogeca. The waiver was introduced in the original organic production Regulation, but was due to expire at the end of 2003. However, with statistics on organic farming varying wildly between Member States and a persistent shortfall in organic seed supply, it is still needed today. The new rules adopted on August 14 extend it indefinitely, but place greater restrictions on its use.

From the beginning of 2004, Member States are required to set up and run an organic seed database, which will help to match seed suppliers with organic farmers. Although it will not be mandatory for suppliers to register their products in the database, they will benefit from doing so in cases where they cannot sell all their stock through the usual channels. And before a farmer can get permission to sow conventional seed, both he and the authority responsible for verifying claims will have to look in the database for any appropriate offers of seed. Registration in the database will be subject to a small fee, aimed at financing the system, and the Commission will review the system in 2006 to see how well it is working. A sharp decline in the number of applications to sow non-organic seed is expected as the figures help supply to match demand."

Planning Ahead

When mandatory use of certified organic seeds comes, this requirement will challenge producers who have not included seed saving in their farm management plan. Maybe this is the golden time to explore this option. If so, read Chris Well's "Growing Vegetables for Seed - Crossers and Selfers" piece and then check out the Seeds of Diversity Canada's reading list.

If you begin to search for certified organic seed, your first preference would likely be to find a local source. At this time in British Columbia, a few farms have certified organic seed but they are very rare. Search in the COABC database for "seed" to find who has certified any available. Be sure to record the farm's certification body and certification number in your farm records.

Remember to verify that your non-organic organic seed were not treated with any materials prohibited in the standards, or genetically engineered. The most up to date seed company lists: Seeds of Diversity's Resource List 2003.

- by Joanne Warren Jan 5, 2004; revised March 15, 2004

Other Seed Sites of Interest
The Changing Nature of Seed Ownership and Control in Canada
Organic Seeds Available in Canada (Internal link)
Report Addresses Trend to Privatize Seeds (Land Stewartship Project)
Planting Seeds Project
Organic Seeds, Heirloom Seeds, Untreated Seeds, Seed Suppliers
Suppliers of Seed for Certified Organic Production (ATTRA)
Growing Vegetables for Seed (Chris Wells on Cyber)
The Safe Seed Sourcebook - Your Resource for GE-Free Seeds (CRG)
Farmers' Privilege Under Attack (GRAIN)

Types of Organic Matter Additions (NCSU)
Fertility Management (NRCS)
Manures for Organic Crop Production (ATTRA)

Organic Weed Control: Many Little Hammers! (OMAFRA)
Cover Crops Deter Root-Damaging Nematodes in Vegetable Systems (SARE)

Mustard in nematode control and other potato diseases - Pesticide Action Network
Mustard ". . . planted after a wheat harvest in August or September. Fields spring to life with the green and yellow crop in two to three weeks. It is incorporated back into the soil after six weeks of growth." (Capital Press) According to PANNA chemist Dr. Susan Kegley, "Mustard plants produce small amounts of MITC, the same active fumigant that is produced when metam sodium reacts with water. Unlike synthetic MITC, the mustard plant produces very small amounts of this chemical in the soil over the entire growing season, rather than in one high-dose treatment, so the levels emitted are very small, and therefore pose less toxic risk than with chemical-based farming methods." Mustard is proving especially effective on curbing nematodes and "early die" in potatoes. The crop also helps hold soil in place, and plowing in this green manure enhances soil percolation.

Planned Crop Rotations (ATTRA)

Cover Crop Resource Page (UC SAREP)
Green Manures & Cover Crops (ATTRA)
Green Manure Crops for Vegetable Farms (OSU)
Green Manure Crops Seeding Rates (KSU/pdf)
Using allelopathic and cover crops to suppress weeds (OACC)

Organic no-till for vegetable production? (New Farm)
Cover Crops for Organic No-Till Mulch Systems (New Farm - includes a chart)
Covered up: A look at no-till options (New Farm - an html slide show)

A cover crop roller without all the drawbacks of a stalk chopper (New Farm)
Mulching (ATTRA)
Ten Steps Toward Organic Weed Control (UVM)
Using Plastic Mulches & Drip Irrigation for Vegetable Production (NCSU)

Intercropping & Companion Planting (ATTRA)

Tillage & Cultivation (ATTRA)
Soil Compaction: The Silent Thief (UMC)
Pursuing Conservation Tillage Systems for Organic Crop Production (ATTRA)
Market Farm Implement (Pennsylvania)
Use of Mechanical Cultivators for Market Vegetable Crops (Ag-Can/pdf)
Small Farm Machinery, Equipment, Hand tools Information
Scythe Supply

Weed control in organic vegetable cultivation (FiBL) [PDF, 900k]
Non-chemical weed management for row crops (Kansas Rural Center) [PDF, 140k]
Weeds Guardians of the Soil (A manual by J. Cocannouer)
Weed Management For Organic Crops (UCDavis/pdf)
Non-Chemical Weed Management for Row Crops (KansasRC/pdf)
New Cultivation Tools for Mechanical Weed Control in Vegetables (UConn)
Flame Weeding for Vegetable Crops (ATTRA)

Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners (ATTTRA)
How to Build a PVC Hoophouse (Travis Saling)
How to Improve Profitability Through Season Extension (UMOC)

Practices & Materials Permitted in some Organic Certification Programs (NCSU)
Phenology Web Links: (1) Sequence of Bloom, Floral Calendars, What's in Bloom; (2) Birds, Bees, Insects and Weeds (ATTRA)
Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control (ATTRA)
Plant Disease Management For Organic Crops (UCDavis/pdf)
Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America (Cornell)
Alternative Controls for Late Blight in Potatoes (ATTRA)
Silver Scurf of Potato (Cornell)

The Worrisome Lowdown on the Wiley Wireworm
Wireworm damage in root crops can be damned annoying and frustrating for the home gardener, and plain devastating to the commercial grower. Wireworms damage newly planted seeds, feed on the roots of young plants, and devalue root crops. Losses in potato production alone in the Lower Fraser Valley of British Columbia were estimated at between $500,000 to $800,000 reported in l994. To read rest of article click here.