The organic sector has been good at adapting and trying new ideas, but too often the benefits from these changes have remained on the farm of origin, and the wider take up is slow. Innovative farmer’s project which has funding from the Dutchy Originals has helped to bring together like-minded producers to research and trial new techniques and I have been involved in some of these projects and very helpful they have been.
At National Organic Cereals event last week, Stephen Briggs made a very valid call for more citizen science but readily admitted that it was difficult to do well.  One area that really seems missing is ongoing crop trials, whilst some in the organic sector are moving away from single varieties there remains the majority of organic crops grown as monocultures. Stephen put out a call for groups of local farmers to run simple variety or mixture trials.