6/7/09

Growing profitable crops without crop protection products

On 15 July, Romeo Sarra of Peepout Farm, Haverfordwest SA62 3LS, will host an event that illustrates the organic farmer’s approach to growing horticultural produce. It is being organized by Organic Centre Wales as part of the Farming Connect Organic Development Programme and is suitable for both organic and conventional farmers and growers.

Romeo has been organic since 1990 and currently grows arable, potatoes and a wide range of vegetable crops. This makes Peepout Farm a natural choice of venue to demonstrate that the ban on a wide variety of crop protection products announced earlier this year need not be as devastating as it would appear.

Roger Hitchings, from the Organic Advisory Service Elm Farm, will lead the event, which will also be an opportunity for growers to share their own experiences.

Organic growers have developed food production methods that are based on natural processes and cycles. They have access to a handful of insecticides and fungicides but are only allowed to use them as a last resort; herbicides are banned altogether. Instead they control pests using crop rotations (including fertility building phases), variety selection, timing of sowing, physical barriers and mechanical weeding.

“There aren’t many crop protection products being developed at the moment and even fewer that can immediately replace the withdrawn chemicals,” said Philip Jones of Organic Centre Wales, the event organiser. “Organic farming practices could plug that gap for some growers.”

“Organic farming methods are a viable alternative to using crop protection products; they have served the organic sector well for decades and there is also appreciation from consumers when they know that fewer chemicals have been used,” said Kerrin Buckler, Manager of the Centre for Alternative Land Use which has responsibility for the Farming Connect Land Management Development Programme.

The event will run between 1.30 and 4.00pm. To book a place, contact: Philip Jones on 01970 622100.

Ends

Further information Philip Jones, Organic Centre Wales, Aberystwyth University 01970 622100, e-mail pij@aber.ac.uk 

Kerrin Buckler, Centre for Alternative Land Use, Bangor University 01248 680450 e-mail k.buckler@bangor.ac.uk.

Notes for editors

1. Organic Centre Wales is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government to provide information on organic food and farming to producers, food businesses, consumers and others. It is based at Aberystwyth University and run by a partnership consisting of the ADAS, the Organic Research Centre Elm Farm, and the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University.

2. The Organic Conversion Information Service (01970 622100) is funded by WAG to provide information to producers considering conversion – an information pack and up to three free on-farm visits are available.

3. Farming Connect, working closely with its partner organisations, provides one to one support, knowledge, expertise, training and advisory services tailored to the needs of farmers in Wales. Many of these services are fully funded or subsidised and the service is both flexible and accessible. You can register with the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813 or contact Farming Connect directly at your nearest WAG Divisional Office. OCW is funded by Farming Connect to deliver the Organic Development Programme.

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