Developing a Tillage Reduction Research Proposal for Western Washington Organic Vegetable Farms.

Improving soil quality through tillage reduction has become the ultimate challenge for organic growers who consider tillage their number one weed management tool. Organic growers in Western Washington are looking to researchers and educators to facilitate the adoption of reduced tillage techniques, but the resources simply do not exist in this region with the combination of unique climate, soil properties and topography.  In order to address this, working through a USDA Organic Research and Extension Initiative planning grant, we proposed to identify production methods that effectively integrate cover crops and reduced tillage technologies to improve soil quality and reduce weed pressure and seed bank populations on organic farms through a comprehensive array of research station and on-farm experiments. By evaluating profitability of reduced tillage cropping systems on these farms, as well as the contributions made to ecosystem services, and life cycle impacts, we could better understand how these practices can be assimilated into the greater system of agricultural production in the maritime Northwest. This integrated research and extension project proposal has been driven by grower interest.  The formation of a syndicated resource and production advisory group that included farmers, research and extension personnel and other key resource specialists has focused investigator’s efforts on the need to implement reduced tillage technologies and share ideas to a wide audience while identifying tools and strategies most effective at encouraging behavior change. Building on a current research symposium and developing a logic model and concept mapping system were critical methods in the proposal process.