?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Improving+the+Availability+of+Organic+Forage+Seed+in+Wales&rft.creator=Marshall%2C+Athole&rft.creator=McCalman%2C+Heather&rft.subject=+Pasture+and+forage+crops&rft.subject=+Education%2C+extension+and+communication&rft.subject=+Crop+husbandry&rft.description=The+EU+regulation+requiring+organic+farmers+to+use+100%25+organic+herbage+seed+is+looming+closer.+Currently+they+are+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98enjoying%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+a+derogation+from+this+because+suitable+seed+is+not+available.+For+2004+seeds+mixtures+had+to+contain+at+least+50%25+organic+seed.+This+breathing+space+before+full+100%25+organic+seed+is+required+is+giving+the+organic+industry+time+to+improve+the+availability+of+suitable+species+and+varieties.+Historically+there+was+a+viable+herbage+seed+production+industry+in+the+lowland+and+southern+areas+of+Wales.+This+area+turned+to+livestock+production+during+its+more+profitable+periods%2C+with+specialist+arable+and+herbage+seed+production+switching+largely+to+south+east+England.+The+agronomic+potential+remains+in+Wales+but+now+needs+to+be+developed+to+meet+specific+organic+needs.%0D%0AA+recent+survey+of+organic+farmers+in+Wales+(see+Gwlad+issue+26)+identifiedpersistence%2C+total+annual+yield+and+early+spring+growth+as+the+most+important+characters+in+a+seeds+mix.+Sourcing+organic+seed+of+such+forage+varieties+is+essential+for+the+continued+development+of+the+organic+sector.+Following+a+series+of+farmer+discussion+group+meetings+where+these+concerns+were+highlighted+a+feasibility+project+funded+by+Farming+Connect%2C+is+looking+at+the+potential+of+producing+organic+forage+seed+in+Wales.%0D%0AExperimental+plot+work+at+IGER+has+been+addressing+some+of+the+challenges+in+organic+forage+seed+production.+Four+farmers+from+organic+discussion+groups%2C+with+a+range+of+farm+types+and+systems+are+involved+in+developing+this+work+by+hosting+field+scale+demonstration+plots.+Field+plots%2C+designed+with+farmer+involvement%2C+have+focused+on+the+feasibility+of+different+approaches+to+forage+grass+seed+production+(plans+are+in+Appendix+A).+Initially+the+emphasis+has+been+on+weed+control%2C+crop+nutrition+and+integration+of+forage+seed+production+into+the+farming+systems+using+seed+crops+of+perennial+ryegrass%2C+hybrid+ryegrass+and+timothy.+Harvesting%2C+drying+and+cleaning+of+seed+have+also+been+addressed.+The+first+demonstration+area+of+the+hybrid+ryegrass%0D%0Avariety+AberLinnet+was+successfully+harvested+in+2003%2C+with+further+areas+harvested+in+2004.%0D%0ATo+involve+all+stakeholders%2C+the+project+included+Organic+and+Seed+Certification+bodies%2C+as+well+as+seed+companies+to+progress+organic+forage+seed+production+in+Wales+and+to+develop+a+better+understanding+of+the+challenges+involved.%0D%0AAchievements+to+date%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Successful+farmer+participation+and+development+of+this+as+a+route+to+developing+organic+herbage+seed+production+agronomy+and+harvesting+techniques.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Inclusion+of+other+stakeholders+in+meetings%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Herbage+seed+yields+at+potentially+commercially+viable+levels+on+most+sites%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Identification+of+areas+for+further+work%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Publication+of+results+and+project+progress+at+a+range+of+levels+from+Gwlad+and+organic+e-+bulletin+to+scientific+and+farmer+conferences+in+Wales%2C+UK%2C+Europe+and+Australia.+(Details+in+Appendix+B)%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Dissemination+of+results+obtained+at+farmer+group+meetings+in+England+and+Wales.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+An+overview+factsheet+is+in+progress%0D%0AIdentification+of+the+gaps%3A%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Lack+of+farmer+confidence+to+proceed+to+commercial+enterprise.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+A+need+to+address+further+technical+issues+highlighted+as+a+result+of+the+initial+work+(eg+clover+variety%2C+weed+control).%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Designing+sound+rotations+that+meet+with+certification+standards+(organic+and+seed)+needs+to+be+addressed.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Integration+of+seed+production+into+a+range+of+arable+and+or+livestock+systems+is+important+to+the+viability+and+practicality+of+organic+herbage+seed+production.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+The+expertise+and+confidence+of+the+organic+growers+needs+to+be+developed.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Developing+farm+scale+harvesting%2C+drying%2C+distribution+and+marketing+with+farmers%2C+and+other+stakeholders.%0D%0A%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%A2+Lack+of+active+organic+seed+processor+and+marketing+presence+in+the+area%0D%0AThe+next+Phase%0D%0AThis+should+be+viewed+in+two+parts%3B+in+the+short+term+we+need+to+ensure+continuity+of+cropping+on+the+farm+sites+and+dissemination+of+information%2C+building+on+the+successes+of+the+initial+project%3B+the+longer+term+aims+are+the+development+of+infrastructure%2C+cooperation+of+interested+stakeholders+(eg+seed+companies%2C+machinery+rings%2C+certification+bodies)+and+scaling+up+to+a+commercially+viable+level+from+the+farm.&rft.date=2004&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F11082%2F1%2Forganic%2520forage%2520seed%25202005.pdf&rft.identifier=Marshall%2C+Athole+and+McCalman%2C+Heather+(2004)+Improving+the+Availability+of+Organic+Forage+Seed+in+Wales.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F11082%2F