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Nebraska among leaders in organic farming acresGRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP)--Nebraska ranks among the top 10 organic farming states, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nebraska was ninth nationally last year in certified organic crop acres (77,280) and 10th in certified organic pasture acres (17,665). In organic farming, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are avoided. Organic farmers largely rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity. In raising organic livestock, producers do not use feed additives or growth hormones, among other things. Among the top organic crops in 2005 in Nebraska were grains (37,015 acres), hay (20,625), beans (7,208) and oilseeds (2,381). Top certified organic crops were wheat (17,948), corn (11,251), soybeans (6,953), alfalfa (8,192) and other hay (12,165). In Nebraska, the number of certified organic cows was 1,556, including 828 beef cows, 67 dairy cows and 661 other cows. For the first time, all 50 states had some certified organic farmland last year. U.S. producers dedicated more than 4 million acres of farmland, 2.3 million acres of cropland and 1.7 million acres of rangeland and pasture to organic production systems in 2005, the report said. Leading the nation in certified organic cropland was California (220,000 acres), mostly for fruit and vegetables. Other top states for certified organic cropland include North Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Texas and Idaho. More than 40 states also had some certified organic rangeland and pasture in 2005, although only four states--Alaska, Texas, California and Montana--had more than 100,000 acres, the report said. The nation had fewer than 1 million acres of certified organic farmland when Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. By the time USDA implemented national organic standards in 2002, certified organic farmland had doubled. Organic acreage doubled again between 2002 and 2005, the report said. Organic livestock sectors have grown even faster. Caren Wilcox, executive director of the Organic Trade Association, said the government should do more to motivate more farmers to switch to organic production. "Consumers are demanding more and more organic products for their families, and farmers are working to meet that demand," Wilcox said. The report said that the obstacles to adoption by farmers include high managerial costs and risks of shifting to a new way of farming, limited awareness of organic farming systems, lack of marketing and infrastructure and inability to capture marketing economies. Still, many U.S. producers are embracing organic farming in order to lower input costs, conserve nonrenewable resources, capture high-value markets, and boost farm income, the report said. B 3 1/1/07 4 Star NE Date: 1/25/07
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