Organic farmers are being invited to take part in an innovative organic weed management project.
Weed control is a major technical constraint to organic food production. The future uptake and success of organic systems, in an increasingly competitive market, will rely on overcoming the weed problems that hamper the sector.
This four year, Defra-funded project led by HDRA, the organic organisation, in collaboration with Elm Farm Research Centre, Adas, Horticulture Research International and Agricultural and Rural Livelihood Systems, has been running for a year.
“This project is exceedingly popular with organic farmers. The initial meeting last year was full to capacity with a waiting list,” said Dr Margi Lennartsson, head of research and development at HDRA. ëWeeds are a common link between all farming systems and the broad research approaches taken mean the information generated is relevant to all organic farmers.”
The farmer-driven project is focussing on perennial weeds, systems approaches and knowledge collation and dissemination. This meeting will bring together farmers, growers, researchers and other interested parties to be updated on the projects progress and take part in deciding the direction of the work.
This second open forum meeting, to be held at HDRA's, headquarters at Ryton Organic Gardens, will provide a summary of science and farmer knowledge collated to date and include small group discussion sessions focussing on farmer case studies.
A dedicated website has been created www.organicweeds.org.uk and this meeting will launch the site to farmers, with demonstrations of how to make the best use of the rapidly expanding weed management information the project is generating. It is hoped that the site will become a ëone stop shop' for organic weed management, and a very dynamic site where farmers can interact and exchange information.
There will also be the opportunity to take part in next season's research trials. Information gathered from farmers has highlighted a range of research being undertaken on farms and also many potentials areas for further work. There will be a choice of simple trials that farms can get involved in, to gather much needed information from commercial situations.
Becky Turner, project leader, said: ëThis is an excellent opportunity for farmers, researchers and advisors to work together on a topic that is a technical constraint on all farms. This participatory approach has been so welcomed because it is facilitating an exchange of knowledge between practitioners allied with a compilation of research findings.'
For further information including registration details for the open forum meeting please contact Becky Turner, on 024 7630 8200, or email: bturner@hdra.org.uk.
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