Overview

Insect pests, weeds, and diseases are major challenges for organic vegetable and fruit growers. While some climate events, like heavy rains, drought, fluctuating temperatures, and high winds are growing in concerns. This project, funded by the USDA Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, explores the utility of netting protection systems as a solution to these challenges. Researchers from the University of Kentucky, Iowa State University, Cornell University, and The Organic Center, seek to overcome these challenges in the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast.

Objectives

1. Determine which crops benefit the most from pest and climate protection. For each region, teams are focusing on melons, brassicas, green beans, and eggplant.
2. Evaluate and optimize the cost-effectiveness of these protection systems. State teams will develop strategies for rotating the protection system across spring, summer, and fall crops to optimize efficiency.
3. Understand organic farmer, consumer, and industry perceptions of row cover protection systems.
4. The project will communicate new findings regarding protective row covers to farmers, consumers, and industry through national outreach efforts. For more information visit our outreach website at Crops Under Cover.

Project timeline

The project commenced in 2024 and will continue for four years:

Year 1

• Field experiments and seasonal crop rotations to test the effectiveness and profitability of the row covers will take place.
• Outreach: Communicate benefits, challenges and overall findings of the project to farmer, public and industry through national outreach (e.g., social media videos, farmer-lead demonstrations, research field days, winter conference presentations, and webinars).

Year 2

• Field experiments continue.
• National organic grower survey evaluating the perceptions of protective row covers.
• Outreach continues.
• On-farm demonstrations with organic farmers.

Year 3

• Field experiments continue.
• Farmer interviews regarding perceptions and adoption of protective row covers.
• Consumer willingness-to-pay study to understand organic consumer preferences.
• On-farm demonstrations with organic farmers.
•  Outreach continues.

Year 4

• Outreach continues.