Abstract Organically managed grass-clover leys are often claimed to improve soil quality and are considered as a cornerstone of sustainable agricultural practice. However, we lack long-term data to understand the effects of long-term organic management on soil quality and farm productivity. Therefore, in this study we evaluated soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrient status in relation to grass-clover ley yields after converting a ruminant feed farm to organic management. At Tingvoll research farm, organic milk production was established in 1989, replacing the previous conventional sheep farming. Records of purchased and sold materials and products were applied to calculate annual farm gate nutrient budgets. Since 1990, composite soil samples (0–20 cm depth) have been taken every 5–7 years for determination of SOM, pH, and soil nutrient status. On several fields, ley yields have been recorded annually. The mean air temperature increased during 1991–2021, while SOM concentration in the cultivated fields decreased overall from 10.3% to 7.8%, especially in soil with high initial SOM concentration. We observed a sharp decline in extractable phosphorus (P) following the conversion to organic farming, reflecting the changes in the farm nutrient budget. These shifts contributed to reduced dry matter yield of the grass-clover ley. Overall, the findings highlight long-term changes in soil fertility and ley productivity after the conversion to organic management, and the system capacity to sustain production while adapting to climatic and management challenges.

Abstract Organic farming (OF) provides multiple services to society, such as resource conservation, but generally results in lower yields. This creates the necessity for innovation. The way innovations in OF are perceived and communicated can either promote or hinder their implementation and is decisive for future direction of OF. To gain insight into these perceptions, a survey was conducted during the Organic Field Days, an agricultural fair for OF. The survey targeted relevant stakeholder groups and explored (i) what types of innovations are considered acceptable for OF, (ii) how important these innovations are perceived to be, and (iii) which innovations and strategies are seen as having the highest development potential for OF. In total, 291 questionnaires were analyzed. The results show that technical, ecological and social innovations are highly valued, whereas technological processes in breeding (CRISPr/CAS; hybrid breeding) are rated as less important or even rejected. Adaptation to climate change and resource conservation are seen as the most important challenges for OF and are rated as more important than high yields, which received very heterogeneous assessments The establishment of functioning regional value chains is rated as having the greatest development potential for OF. Finally, technology and digitalization alongside the principle of naturalness, are not viewed a mutually exclusive and are both considered important for the further development of OF.

Abstract Certified carbon farming has emerged as a business model for climate action, yet its integration with organic farming remains controversial due to additionality requirements and debates about organic farming's carbon sequestration potential. This study examines how organic farmers perceive the agronomic feasibility, economic and operational compatibility of carbon farming with their organic farming system. Using Q methodology, we interviewed 20 German organic, non-carbon farming certificated farmers in 2024. Our analysis identified three distinct factors, and one of the factors exhibiting a bipolar structure, i.e. this results in four perspectives: environmental advocates viewing carbon farming as complementary to organic practices, operational skeptics questioning feasibility within intensive cropping systems, autonomy-focused farmers concerned about additional restrictions, and technical pragmatists recognizing climate benefits while doubting compatibility of organic and carbon farming. Integration barriers include additionality requirements excluding early adopters, conflicts between organic weed management and reduced tillage practices, and skepticism about carbon markets. Unlike previous research treating organic farmers as homogeneous, our study provides the first analysis of diverse perspectives within this community. These findings offer crucial insights for developing carbon farming policies that accommodate the varied operational realities of organic agriculture.

Abstract Carrots play a crucial role in organic farming, where selecting the suitable genotype is essential due to the limited use of pesticides and fertilizers. Due to the variability in hybrid offspring, open-pollinated genotypes are becoming increasingly attractive. This study evaluated one hybrid (H), two open-pollinated genotypes (OP1 and OP2), and three new breeding lines (BL1, BL2, and BL3) under organic conditions. Six field trials were conducted in Germany over two years (2020/2021) to assess marketable and non-marketable yield, dry matter (DM) content, morphological traits, disease resistance against Alternaria dauci and Erysiphe heraclei and leaf stability determined by applying pulling force on foliage and rating on a 1 (very unstable) to 9 (very stable) scale. From mixed-model analysis, significant differences were observed in four traits across genotypes. BL1 had the lowest yield (49.39 t ha −1 ), while OP2 had the highest (72.38 t ha −1 ). BL1 showed the highest DM content (15.0%), while OP2 had the highest DM yield (9.4 t ha −1 ). Leaf stability varied, with OP2 showing high stability (7.88) compared to H (5.64). The results highlight OP2 as suitable for organic farming due to its high yield and leaf stability. Open-pollinated genotypes, including new breeding lines, offer competitive options to hybrids, providing farmers with a broader range of choices. Further research should focus on testing additional genotypes under diverse conditions to support organic carrot production.