May
12, 2005: When inspecting organic fields and farms,
I am always on the lookout for signs of soil erosion. The
National Organic Program (NOP) states in several sections
that production practices must provide erosion control. NOP
§205.200 states that “production practices must
maintain or improve the natural resources of the operation,
including soil and water quality”; §205.203 states
that “the producer must select and implement tillage
and cultivation practices that….minimize soil erosion”;
and §205.205 states that “producers must implement
a crop rotation….that….provides erosion control.”
It is usually not too hard to see at least some evidence
that the farmer is taking care to prevent soil erosion. There
are a variety of ways to do this. Contour farming, strip cropping,
terraces, and permanent waterways are all farming practices
that minimize soil erosion.
Erosion can be caused by a number of factors. One of the
most important is the lay of the land. Steeper areas, of course,
have more potential for soil erosion than flat fields but
all fields have the potential for erosion caused by spring
snow melt or heavy rains. Crop rotations which include several
years of row crops can increase the potential for soil erosion,
especially if heavy spring rains come with the field still
open for planting. Interplanting a cover crop during the last
cultivation, or planting a winter cover crop after harvest
in the fall, provides some protection from erosion while also
improving soil organic matter content.
Farmers that maintain wildlife habitat areas—plant
treelines, windbreaks, or firebreaks, repair creek banks or
retention ponds—not only minimize erosion but also show
that they are maintaining or improving the natural resources
of the farm. It is important to mark these areas on your farm
map to inform the certifying agent and the inspector that
these areas exist on your farm. You may even explain in more
detail what you are doing to maintain these areas.
Two of the questions in the Organic Farm Plan Questionnaire
ask how you monitor the effectiveness of your soil conservation
practices and how often you conduct this monitoring. Visual
observation is the most common method a farmer uses to monitor
erosion problems. While, a farmer should be on the lookout
for soil erosion problems every time he or she goes to a field,
this is especially true after a hard rain when erosion problems
become more obvious. Making a notation of any problems in
your activity log is an easy way to document your “monitoring”
activities.
As an inspector, what do I do when I see soil erosion? The
first thing I do is to listen to what you have to say about
its cause. What are your field preparation, tillage, and cultivation
practices? Are these contributing to the problem? Secondly,
I will want to know how you plan to repair the erosion. If
the farmer has already thought out a plan, it is usually a
good sign that he or she is on top of the situation. I will
also ask if the farmer has a conservation plan on file with
the Natural Resource Conservation Service, or if the farm
participates in any NRCS conservation programs. Finally, I
will ask—what are your plans to prevent such erosion
in the future?
If I see a problem, I will usually take a picture of the
eroded area to include with my inspection report so that future
inspectors can see if the area has been repaired. Depending
on the situation, you may need to seed down a permanent waterway
or extend an existing waterway. If soil erosion is commonly
occurring from spring snow melt, you may consider winter cover
cropping the offending field. If wind is the problem, treelines,
windbreaks, or cover crops can be planted to minimize the
loss of soil.
Erosion is not an inevitable result of farming. It can be
prevented. Identify problems early and give some thought as
to the cause and possible solutions, this will help guarantee
you have healthy fertile fields for years to come and keep
your certifier happy! 
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