Incorporating Compost Improves Soil Fertility and Triticale Yield for Organic Livestock Feed.

Western Washington organic production is becoming more diverse. Transitional ground is increasing and growers producing organic vegetables for human consumption are moving onto fallow and marginal ground to increase production and improve their rotational strategies. To that end, improving marginal land, increasing soil fertility and quality, farm profitability and sustainability is the ultimate goal of successful organic producers in Western Washington. Commercial compost producers in this region are targeting organic growers as end users. In order to break into this market, they are cooperating with Washington State University Extension of Snohomish County to conduct on-farm trials with local organic producers under real-life conditions to demonstrate the value of compost incorporation. During the final year of organic transition, a Western Washington grower cooperating with WSU Extension, the Snohomish County Conservation District and Cedar Grove Composting incorporated compost in a completely randomized on-farm design to compare business as usual management (BAU) to the addition of commercially produced compost (COM) from municipal landscape and food waste in an attempt to improve soil fertility and triticale yield for organic livestock feed. Both treatments were replicated four times. Mean plant available nitrate increased six times in the COM treatment compared to BAU. While there was no significant difference in water infiltration between the two treatments, the trend was faster in the COM treatment. Triticale yield, while well below the county average due to marginal land and minimal inputs nearly doubled in the COM treatment compared to BAU. The integration of an annual grain between organic pasture and commercial vegetable production gives organic growers an opportunity to expand their rotational strategy, develop marginal ground and improve soil quality while diversifying their market channels.