The annual documentation and inspection of every farm in the program includes listing and verifying all methods and materials used in the production and handling of crops and livestock produced. The information will be useful for both farmers and researchers. Principal investigators Brian Baker, Mark Lipson , and Susanne Altermann are also evaluating the CCOF certification database as a research tool. Highlights Investigators can make only a few generalizations about organic farm management as a whole based on 1989 data analyzed so far.
Data show that cover cropping is widely used as a primary technique of soil fertility management.
The relative absence of insect and disease problems stands out for both apples and tomatoes, crops that were profiled in detail. Researchers concluded that the CCOF certification database represents a valuable storehouse of raw data. Methods Data on organic farming practices was collected on 476 farms during the 1989 CCOF certification process. General statistics were compiled for the grower population as a whole, including farm size, location and basic soil fertility management. Fertility inputs were further characterized by source.