AGROECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF INTEGRATING SMALL, PASTURED LIVESTOCK INTO ORGANIC GRAIN AND ORGANIC VEGETABLE CROPPING SYSTEMS

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: EVANS-ALLEN
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1014336
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2017
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2022
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
FRANKFORT,KY 40601

Performing Department
Agriculture & Environmental Science

Non Technical Summary
The annual growth rate in U.S. consumer demand for organic products has had double-digit increases every year since the National Organic Program standards were implemented in 2002, aside from the recession years of 2008-2009. Despite this rising consumer demand, the acreage of U.S. and Kentucky organic production is low relative to total agricultural acres, representing an opportunity for producers. Another opportunity for Kentucky farmers is the need to meet increasing demand for small ruminants, particularly goats, from the expanding Latino and Muslim populations in the U.S. The organic poultry sector is also an opportunity for growth given that national sales of organic broiler chickens grew 13% in 2015. Kentucky, with only seven farms producing organic broilers, may have the potential to join in this growth. These opportunities fit well with renewed interest in integrated crop-livestock production systems. When managed well, integrated systems enhance soil quality, nutrient cycling, and crop productivity. They also reduce the need for fertilizers, provide on-farm diversity (which limits financial risks), and may also help control weeds. Most of the research on integrated systems involves cattle with little information available on small livestock. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the agroecological impacts of integrating small ruminants and pastured poultry into organic grain or organic vegetable production rotations. We will focus on soil quality, water quality, weed management, and crop productivity. This research will provide information to researchers and producers that may facilitate management decisions for the integration of small ruminants and poultry into organic cropping systems.

Animal Health Component

30%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

40%

Applied

30%

Developmental

30%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
101	1599	1070	30%
102	0110	1070	30%
307	3820	1070	10%
307	3220	1070	10%
213	2300	1070	10%
102	1699	1070	10%

Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 101 - Appraisal of Soil Resources; 307 - Animal Management Systems; 213 - Weeds Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
3220 - Meat-type chicken, live animal; 1699 - Pasture and forage crops, general/other; 0110 - Soil; 1599 - Grain crops, general/other; 3820 - Goats, meat, and mohair; 2300 - Weeds;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

soil quality

groundwater quality

organic agriculture

industrial hemp

organic grains

integrated crop-livestock rotations

Goals / Objectives
1) Evaluate the impacts of the early stages of crop-livestock integration with small ruminants on soil quality, soil biodiversity, and water quality in organic grain production systems.2) Evaluate the impacts of the early stages of crop-livestock integration with poultry on soil quality and soil biodiversity in organic high tunnel vegetable production systems.3) Evaluate impacts of the early stages of crop-livestock integration on weed populations in organic grain and organic vegetable systems.4) Evaluate impacts of the early stages of crop-livestock integration in organic grain and organic vegetable systems on crop productivity.5) Compare cannabidiol (CBD) levels in industrial hemp produced aquaponically versus that grown in peat based media and evaluate industrial hemp as an alternative crop in Kentucky agroecosystems in organic, transitional, and alternative cropping systems.

Project Methods
Objective 1Experiments will be conducted on certified organic land at the Kentucky State University (KSU) Research Farm. The soil in the experimental area consists of highly productive Elk silt loam and McAfee silt loam soils. The experiment will employ a randomized complete block design consisting of four replicated 84-m x 37-m blocks. Blocks will be divided into seven 37-m x 12-m plots. In year one of the experiment, treatments within plots within blocks will be randomly assigned at the outset to Pasture 1 (P1), Pasture 2 (P2), Pasture 3 (P3), Corn (CS1), Soybean (CS2). Treatments will follow a 5-year rotation in which each of these treatments will be present in each block in all years of the experiment. Organic grains will be in a standard corn-soybean rotation for two years and the other plots will be in pasture. The pasture plots will each represent a single year in pasture portion of the overall rotation so that the pasture portion of the rotation will last 3 years in total. In year one, the assigned treatments will be Pasture 1 (P1), Pasture 2 (P2), Pasture 3 (P3), Corn (CS1), Soybean (CS2). Following year 1, the rotation will proceed sequentially. A sixth plot will be a continuous corn-soybean rotation (CCS) that does not have a pasture component in the rotation. A seventh plot will be in perennial pasture (PP), but will not have goats on the land. Cover crops, typically a grain/legume combination (such as rye-vetch or wheat-clover), will be used in winter to maintain soil quality.Goats will be allowed to graze the plot to 50% of its height and then the animals will be moved to another plot. Forage height will be monitored using a grazing stick. Plots will be allowed to recover before restocking. Goats will be stocked at a rate of 9 to 10 animals per plot and contained on the plots by movable electric net fencing. We anticipate 4 to 5 cyclings of goats through the system per year. In the third year of pasture, animals will not be put on the land in fall, rather the plot will be tilled and a rye/vetch cover crop will be planted.Soil samples will be collected to a depth of 10 cm in spring, summer, and fall. We will measure total soil organic C (TOC) using a LECO dry combustion instrument, permanganate oxidizable C (POXC) via the method of Weil et al. (2003), and microbial community composition using fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) via the method of Schutter and Dick (2000). Mineralizable N will also be measured using the method of Drinkwater (1996). To account for compaction related to goat or machine traffic on plots, bulk density on all plots will also be measured.Soil water quality under the plots will be assessed by sampling water at depth of 94 cm and measuring N, P, and dissolved organic C (DOC). Water will be sampled immediately after rain events and periodically on a seasonal basis. Sampling will be done using buried porous ceramic water samplers. Two water samplers will be place within each plot. Samplers will be central to the plot and approximately 12 m from either end. Collected water will be stored frozen and will be analyzed for ammonium and nitrate using the methods described in Chaney and Marbach (1962) and Crutchfield and Burton (1989), respectively. Total P in water will be analyzed using the method described in Watanabe and Olsen (1965). Analysis of DOC will be conducted using the methods described in Jones and Willett (2006).Objective 2An experiment will be set up in the High Tunnel Complex at KSU. Within each tunnel, 4 plots will be set up. These plots will be in a randomized complete block design where each high tunnel represents a block. Broiler chickens will be rotated through two plots in each tunnel during late spring and/or early fall. They will be housed in 2 m x 1 m mobile chicken tractors. These units will be moved 2 m to 3 m daily. When hens have moved through one plot, they will be moved to another plot in the tunnels until all plots have had birds on them. This process will be repeated until birds reach maturity (approximately 9 weeks). Broilers will be stocked at a rate of approximately 3 to 4 birds per plot.Objective 3A weed census will be conducted by identifying the weed population composition (at the species level) in both the on-farm and high tunnel research experiments. We will harvest weed biomass in a 45-cm by 45-cm area in experimental plots four times in each large plot in the on-farm study and twice in each plot in the high tunnel study. Weeds will be separated by species, dried, and the biomass will be determined (for each species) based on dry weight. The total biomass of all weeds will be determined by summation, and species biomass percentage will be calculated relative to the total biomass. We will examine the data for changes in weed population dynamics in response to integrated crop-livestock management treatments. The continuously cropped and non-grazed perennial pasture plots will serve as the control plots for comparing treatment effects on weed dynamics in the rotated plots.Objective 4Crop productivity will be estimated by measuring crop yields in both the on-farm and the high tunnel experiments described in objectives 1 and 2. Yields will be estimated using an appropriate harvest area for a particular crop and collecting all fruit, grain, and/or biomass within that area. For example, for tomatoes grown in high tunnels, we will collect all fruit in two 5-meter sections of row within a 14.7-m by 2-m plot. For corn grown in the on farm experiment, all stover, grain, and biomass in a 10-m section of two adjacent rows in the center of the plot will be collected. Two 10-m sections would be collected per plot. For grain harvest, we will also use a SPC40 specialized plot combine to collect yield data. Grains will be measured on a dry-grain basis. Vegetables will be measured either on a dry weight basis or a fresh weight basis, depending on the crop. We will examine the data for differences in yield response to integrated crop-livestock management treatments. Grain crops will be graded according to USDA guidelines for each grain, enabling greater insight on the economic sustainability of these production systems.Objective 5Industrial hemp will be tested as a grain, fiber, and/or multi-use crop in organic and transitional settings on the KSU Research and Demonstration Farm. Trials will be conducted to determine where hemp might fit into an organic grain rotation in Kentucky by substituting hemp for corn in one sequence and soybeans in another sequence. Impacts on crop productivity and soil quality will be evaluated in both organic and transitional settings. Additionally, trials will be conducted with several hemp varieties to evaluate the impacts on soil carbon and soil quality in hemp grown for fiber, grain, or both. Soil quality and crop productivity will be evaluated as described above. These experiments will be based on work currently being conducted.Another industrial hemp experiment will be conducted to compare the CBD profile of plants grown in an aquaponic setting with that of plants grown in peat-based media. In this experiment, two strains will be tested, Futura75 and Workhorse, in a randomized complete block design. This study will be conducted in the replicated aquaponic production research facility at Kentucky State University. Flowers of plants will be collected and analyzed for their cannabinoid profile at an independent testing laboratory to be determined. Additionally, yield and productivity estimates will be performed as described above.StatisticsThe majority of statistical analyses in these experiments will be conducted using SYSTAT version 13. Multivariate procedures, such as a multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) used to analyze microbial community dynamics will be carried out using PC-Ord version 5.1. Groundwater analyses will be conducted using Hydrus Groundwater Software.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The project target audience includes small-scale and limited-resource farmers, organic farmers, minority farmers, scientists, and the public, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond, who are interested in maintaining or building healthier soils through soil organic matter management and understanding impacts of livestock and biodiversity in farming systems during the course of production of organic crops in integrated crop-livestock rotations. Stakeholders also include farmers, processors, researchers, extension agents and others interested in the expanding production, processing, and marketing of hemp and hemp products in the United States. Changes/Problems:Staff turnover has posed some challenges in meeting some goals (Goal 2 and the aquaponics portion of Goal 5). The COVID-19 pandemic thwarted hiring new personnel or bringing in new graduate students. Going into year 4 of data collection, achieveing goals 2 and 5 may be beyond the practical scope of the proposal. With the other onfarm aspects of this project requiring a high labor input, we do not currently have the staff capacity to address these goals without additional personnel and as mentioned above the pandemic has made bringing on new personnel challenging. Other changes to the project are not anticipated at this time. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?COVID-19 disrupted many professional development opportunities. The PI presented at and attended the Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Meeting, Lexington, KY, March 6 & 7, 2020. The PI presented at and attended (virtually) the NIMSS S1084 Industrial Hemp Multistate Research Project virtual meeting 2020. March 19, 2020. The PI attended and presented (virtually) NOCO Hemp Expo - Hemp Earth Week Virtual Conference and Trade Show. April 22, 2020.. The program technical staff, 2 graduate students, and 3 undergraduate students also attended the Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Meeting March 6 & 7, 2020. 3 Undergraduates and 3 graduate students (2 staff members working toward a graduate degree and one graduate student on a full time research assistanship) were trained in field research and farm systems operations as part of this project in 2020. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI and a graduate student presented water quality data in several oral presentations at the Kentucky State University Third Thursday Thing Sustainable Agriculture Workshop, Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY, October 17. 2019; Feb 20, 2020. Numerous preeentations were outlined in other sections of this report. In addition to those relevant Extension outreach information was also presented in numerous inperson and virtual meetings in 2019 and 2020: Lucas, S.T. 2020. Certified Organic Hemp: Opportunity for growth, Research and Extension Update. Presented at the Appalachicanna Festival, Morehead Conference Center, Morehead, KY. February 7, 2020. (Attendees: 24) Lucas, S.T. 2020. Certified Organic Hemp: Opportunity for growth, Research and Extension Update. Presented at the Appalachicanna Festival, Morehead Conference Center, Morehead, KY. February 8, 2020. (Attendees: 47) Lucas, S.T. 2020 Organic Hemp Agronomy and Reality. Presented at the Kentucky Hemp and CBD Trade Show, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Frankfort, KY. February 15, 2020. (Attendees: 15) Chhetri, A., Lucas, S.T. 2020. Integrated Crop-Livestock Rotation impacts on Soil Water Quality in Organic Grain Production System. Presented at the Organic Third Thursday Thing Sustainability Workshop, Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY. February 20, 2020. (Attendees: 72) Lucas, S.T. 2020. Hemp Update: Research and Reality. Presented at the Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Conference 2020, Louisville Marriot East, Louisville, KY. March 6, 2020. (Attendees: 28) Lucas, S.T. 2020. Hemp update: Spring 2020 notes from the Bluegrass state. Presented online via pre-recorded video at the NOCO Hemp Expo - Hemp Earth Week Virtual Conference and Trade Show. April 22, 2020. (Attendees: Unknown - Prerecorded virtual session) Lucas, S.T. 2020. An overview of modern hemp production and industry outlook. Presented as part of a KSU virtual hemp workshop organized by Dr. Allison Young. July 23, 2020. (Attendees: 18) In addition an Organic hemp production guide was prepared during the reporting period and will be released in late 2020 or early 2021 (https://www.kysu.edu/documents/school-of-agriculture-communities-and-the-environment/anr_organichemp_01312021.pdf) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?With the exception of Goal 2, will continue according the proposal. We will need to accomplish the lab work that was postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. We will enter into the fourth year of data collection. Crop and pasture plots will be rotated according to the sequence described in the proposal and water quality and soil health samples will be collected as described in the proposal. Analysis of 2019 and 2020 data will be completed. Adjustments to the experiment are not anticipated but will be made if necessary. We anticipate soil quality, soil biodiversity, and crop productivity data to be presented during the 2020-2021 reporting period in addition to more water quality data and a publictaion based on the water quality work as well as an extension publication on Integrated Crop-Livestock Rotations.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1: Soil quality and biodiversity: In addition to soil samples collected in the previous reporting periods (2017, 2018, 2019) soil samples were collected in fall 2019, spring 2020 and fall 2020. These samples have been processed. Lab analysis of 2019 and 2020 samples has been delauyed due to COVID-19 restrictions on laboratory access (we have been processing samples in a colleague's lab at University of Kentucky while the KSU Atwood Research Facility was being renovated). Samples have been in cold storage and with the completion of the Atwood facility we anticipate being able to resume sample analysis in early 2021. Samples will be analyzed for labile carbon (potassium permanganate oxidizable C), total C, and microbial fatty acid methyl ester biomarkers. We anticipate presenting a significant amount of soil quality information from this research in the 2021 reporting period. Water quality: In addition to samples collected in the previous reporting periods (2017, 2018, 2019) , water quality data was collected in November 2019, March 2020, June 2020, September 2020 and December 2020. Analysis of late 2019 and 2020 samples has not yet been possible due to the COVID-19 lab restrictions described above, but we anticipate moving forward with analysis in the new Atwood facility in early 2021. Data from water sample work was presented in presentations detailed in the previous section. We also anticipate publishing some of the water quality umaterial in 2021. Goal 2: We have not been able to implement work towards goal number 2 (poultry in high tunnel systems) due to staff turnover as well as unforseen logistical obstacles in our established high tunnel complex. Goal 3: Weed density data was collected in spring 2020. Analysis of this data along with previously collected data is ongoing. Goal 4: Crop productivity data was collected at the end of the 2020 growing season (Sept. - Oct 2020). These data, along with those of the previous reporting periods, are being analyzed and we anticipate presenting data in the 2020-2021 reporting period. Goal 5: Staff turnover in 2019 required the aquaponic hemp study to be postponed. COVID-19 hampered the ability to replace departed personnel. We are conducting field based variety trials and measuring CBD, THC, and other cannabinoid contents along with terpenoid contents of the varieties in organic production in Kentucky. Additionally we are examining fiber and grain aspects of hemp production in organic and conventiaonal crop rotations. Data from this work is being used to inform farmers and other stakeholders interested in the expanding hemp industry. Part of this outreach includes an organic hemp production guide to be published in late 2020/early 2021.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lucas, S.T. 2019. Certified Organic Hemp, An Opportunity for Growth. Presented by S.T. Lucas at the University of Kentucky Science of Hemp Conference 2019, E.S. Good Barn, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, October 11, 2019.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lucas, S.T., Anthony, E., Chhetri, A., Van Sanford, B. and Barmore K. 2019. Research Update: Integrating Small Pastured Ruminants into Organic Grain Crop Rotations. Presented by S.T. Lucas at the Third Thursday Sustainability Workshop, KSU Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY, October 17, 2019.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lucas, S.T. 2019. Introduction to organic hemp production. Kentucky State University Small, Limited-Resource/Minority Farmers Conference, Kentucky State University ASB Auditorium, Frankfort, KY, November 20, 2019.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lucas, S.T. 2020. Certified organic hemp: Investigating crop rotations and appropriate varieties. Presented at the University of Kentucky Agriculture Research Seminar Series, Williams Lecture Hall, Plant Sciences Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. February 14, 2020.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lucas, S.T. 2020. Hemp Update: Research and Reality. Presented at the Organic Third Thursday Thing Sustainability Workshop, Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY. February 20, 2020.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Chhetri, A., Lucas, S.T. 2020. Integrated Crop-Livestock Rotation impacts on Soil Water Quality in Organic Grain Production System. Presented at the Organic Third Thursday Thing Sustainability Workshop, Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY. February 20, 2020.
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2021 Citation: Lucas, S.T. (In press). Sustainable suppression of weeds through ecological use of cover crops. In R. Islam, R. Reeder, and J. Bauman (Eds.) Cover crops and sustainable agriculture, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lucas, S.T. 2020. Certified Organic Hemp: Investigating Crop Rotations and Appropriate Varieties. Presented via Zoom at the NIMSS S1084 Industrial Hemp Multistate Research Project virtual meeting 2020. March 19, 2020.

Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The project target audience includes small-scale and limited-resource farmers, organic farmers, minority farmers, scientists, and the public, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond, who are interested in maintaining or building healthier soils through soil organic matter management and understanding impacts of livestock and biodiversity in farming systems during the course of production of organic crops in integrated crop-livestock rotations. Stakeholders also include farmers, processors, researchers, extension agents and others interested in the expanding production, processing, and marketing of hemp and hemp products in the United States. Changes/Problems:Staff turnover has posed some challenges in meeting some goals (Goal 2 and the aquaponics portion of Goal 5), but we anticipate that this has stabilized. Achieveing Goal 2 may be beyond the practical scope of the proposal. With the other on-farm aspects of this project requiring a high labor input, we do not currently have the staff capacity to address this goal. A potential graduate student has been identified to address the aquaponic hemp component of Goal 5. Other changes to the project are not anticipated at this time. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The PI attended and presented at the Kentucky Hemp Industry Association Annual Meeting, Bowling Green, KY, Feb 28, 2019. The PI presented at and attended the Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Meeting, Lexington, KY, March 1 & 2, 2019. The program technical staff, graduate students, and 3 undergraduate students also attended the Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Meeting March 1 & 2, 2019. The PI attanded and presented at the Association of 1890 Research Directors 19th Biennial Research Symposium, Jacksonville, FL, March 30-April 3, 2019. The program technical staff, graduate students, and 3 undergraduate students also attended the Association of 1890 Research Directors 19th Biennial Research Symposium, Jacksonville, FL, March 30-April 3, 2019. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI presented early water quality data in an oral presentation at the Kentucky Sate University Third Thursday Thing Sustainable Agriculture Workshop, Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY, Feb 21, 2019. Results or relevant Extension outreach information, were also presented at the Kentucky Hemp Industries Association Annual Meeting (Feb. 28, 2019), the Organic Association of Kentiucky Annual Meeting (March 1 & 2, 2019), the Association of 1890 Research Directors 19th Biennial Research Symposium, Jacksonville, FL, March 30-April 3, 2019,and the Organic Association of Kentucky - Kentucky State University 2019 Industrial Hemp Field Day (September 18, 2019) as well as other smaller events. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?With the exception of Goal 2, will continue according the proposal. A new graduate student has potentially been identified to acheive the aquaponic research in Goal 5. We will enter into the third year of data collection. Crop and pasture plots will be rotated according to the sequence described in the proposal and water quality and soil health samples will be collected as described in the proposal. Analysis of 2019 data will be completed. Adjustments to the experiment are not anticipated but will be made if necessary. We anticipate soil quality, soil biodiversity, and crop productivity data to be presented during the 2019-2020 reporting period in addition to more water quality data.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1: Soil quality and biodiversity: In addition to soil samples collected in the previous reporting period, soil samples were collected in fall 2018, spring 2019, and fall 2020.These samples have been processed and are being analyzed for labile carbon (potassium permanganate oxidizable C), total C, and microbial fatty acid methyl ester biomarkers.We anticipate presenting some of this data during the 2019-2020 reporting period. Water quality: In addition to samples collected in the previous reporting period, water quality data was collected in November 2018, March 2019, May 2019, and June 2019.Samples were not possible from July to September 2019 due to drought conditions. Data from water sample work was presented in presentations detailed in the previous section. Goal 2: We have not been able to implement work towards goal number 2 (poultry in high tunnel systems) due to staff turnover as well as unforseen logistical obstacles in our established high tunnel complex. Goal 3: Weed density data was collected in spring 2019. Analysis of this data along with previously collected data is ongoing. Goal 4: Crop productivity data was collected at the end of the 2019 growing season (Sept. - Oct 2019).These data, along with those of the previous reporting period, are being analyzed and we anticipate presentingdata in the 2019-2020 reporting period. Goal 5: Staff turnover required the aquaponic hemp study to be postponed. We are conducting field based variety trials and measuring CBD, THC, and other cannabinoid contents along with terpenoid contents of the varieties in organic production in Kentucky. Additionally we are examining fiber and grain aspects of hemp production in an organic crop rotation. Early data from this work are being used to inform farmers and other stakeholders interested in the expanding hemp industry.

Publications

• Type: Book Chapters Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2020 Citation: Lucas, S.T. (In press). Sustainable suppression of weeds through ecological use of cover crops. In R. Islam, R. Reeder, and J. Bauman (Eds.) Cover crops and sustainable agriculture, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Anthony, E., Lucas, S, Law, D. Silvernail, A, Van Sanford, B. (2018). Impact of integrated crop-livestock rotation including small ruminants on nitrate and phosphorus concentrations in water. Presented at the Kentucky Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, Nov. 2, 2018.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lucas, S.T. (2019). Hemp Research at Kentucky State University: Industrial Hemp in organic production systems. Presented at the Kentucky Hemp Industries Association Annual Meeting, Bowling Green, KY. February 28, 2019.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Van Sanford, B., Anthony, E., Lucas, S. (2019). Agroecoilogical impacts of integrating pastured small-ruminants into an organic grain crop rotation. Presented at the Association of 1890 Research Directors 19th Biennial Research Symposium, Jacksonville, FL. April 1, 2019.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Anthony, E. (2019). Impact of organic integrated crop-livestock rotation on nitrate and phosphate concentrations in subsoil groundwater. M.S. Thesis, College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment, Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY. May 30, 2019.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lucas, S., Barmore, K., Van Sanford, B. (2019) Industrial hemp in organic systems. Poster presentation at the University of Kentucky Industrial Hemp Field Day, University of Kentucky North Farm, Lexington, KY. August 21, 2019.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lucas, S., Anthony, E, Van Sanford, B. (2019). Research Update: Integrating Small Pastured Ruminants into Organic Grain Crop Rotations. Presented at the Third Thursday Thing Sustainable Agriculture Workshop, Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Frankfort, KY, February 21, 2019.

Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The project target audience includes small-scale and limited-resource farmers, organic farmers, minority farmers, scientists, and the public in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond who are interested in maintaining or building healthier soils through soil organic matter management and understanding impacts of livestock and biodiversity in farming systems during the course of production of organic crops in integrated crop-livestock rotations. Changes/Problems:Staff turnover has posed some challenges in maintaining continuity. Mr. Law moved to a different position within Kentucky State University; however, we do not anticipate making any experimental changes at this time What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the reporting period, the project has provided training for two masters level graduate students (Ellyn Anthony and Blake Van Sanford) as well as three undergraduate employees (Kimberly Barmore, Kaija Aikman, and Joshua Maddox). Ms. Anthony and Mr. Van Sanford are working towards their advanced degree through their employment and were supported in their positions as Research Assistants through Evans Allen funding. Derek Law was a Research who was also supported during the reporting period. Ms. Anthony, Mr. Law, Ms. Barmore, Ms. Aikman, and Mr. Maddox, as well as the PI, coordinated and attended the Third Thursday Organic Sustainability Workshop at Kentucky State University in February 2018. The same group also attended the Organic Association of Kentucky Annual Conference in March 2018. The PI (Dr. Lucas) presented at both events. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Initial results from the first year of data collection are being compiled. Preliminary results have been shared at state and national professional meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will enter into the second year of data collection. Crop and pasture plots will be rotated according to the sequence described in the proposal and water quality and soil health samples will be collected as described in the proposal. Analysis of 2018 data will be completed. Adjustments to the experiment are not anticipated but will be made if necessary. A portion of these results will be presented at the Third Thursday Organic Sustainability Workshop on Feb 21, 2019. A greater portion of the early results will be shared at Ms. Ellyn Anthony's Master degree defense in April 2019.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In summer 2017, we established a replicated experiment to achieve the major goals of the project. The experiment was set up in four replicated blocks on certified organic land at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm at Kentucky State University. The experiment consists treatments in a 5-year integrated crop-livestock rotation in which 3 years of goats on pasture are followed by 2 years of organic grain production. Each block consists of 7 treatments. Five of these treatments represent each year of the rotation described above: pasture year 1, pasture year 2 pasture year 3, organic corn, and organic soybean. Each of these plots will be followed by the appropriate treatment in the rotation sequence in the following year. The remaining two plots are a continuous organic corn/organic soybean rotation and a continuous undisturbed pasture plot. Pasture plots were sown with a pasture mix in fall 2017 and plots that would produce organic grains in 2018 were sown with a rye-vetch cover. Basic weed population density data was collected on plots in spring 2018 prior to crop planting. Baseline soil data were collected at the same time. Water quality samples were collected in June, August, September, and November 2018. The June sampling represented the beginning of the growing season. Data from these samples is currently being analyzed.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Anthony ER; Lucas ST. 2018. Impact of integrated crop-livestock rotation including small ruminants on ammonium, nitrate and phosphorus concentrations in soil water samples within an organically managed system. Poster presented at Student Organic Seed Symposium 2018, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. July 29, 2018.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Anthony E; Sariyildiz O; Bashyal M; Silvernail T; Sedlacek J; Lucas S. 2017. Comparative Analysis of Soil Elemental Composition Using Portable X-Ray Fluorescence In Multiple Land Use Practices. Kentucky Academy of Science 2017 Annual Meeting, Murray, KY, Nov 3-4, 2017.