Several on-farm research projects involving herb production and marketing have been funded by USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grants (see www.sare.org). A research project conducted at New Mexico State University from 1994 to 1998 incidentally involved organic production methods. Perhaps the most complete organic herb trials, carried all the way through to formation of a producers’ co-op and successful marketing, have been carried out by Renne Soberg of Soberg Farms in Minnesota, whose research on producing and marketing native medicinals was funded in successive stages by SARE (FNC97-178, “Native Minnesota Medicinal Production Feasibility Study”) and by Minnesota
Department of Agriculture alternative crops grants. Reports published in MDA’s Minnesota Greenbook series for 1998 and
2000 provide details of Soberg’s success in
1.selecting and establishing suitable varieties,
2.adapting equipment and facilities to accommodate herb production,
3.successfully demonstrating commercial production of selected herbs under Minnesota conditions, and
4.identifying a bulk market. (See Renne Soberg’s Management Tips for Organic Herb Production.)
In 2001 Soberg organized an herb producers’ cooperative and secured a contract with a national buyer. Herb display plots are maintained at the University of Saskatchewan and Purdue University, while the University of Kentucky protects
wild stands of black cohosh, ginseng, and goldenseal for research purposes. University of Kentucky Extension has conducted “workshops to teach growers how to produce ginseng and goldenseal under seminatural and organic conditions.”(5) Since most universities doing organic research opt for a waiver of certification, any economic data generated does not accurately reflect farmers’ costs incurred for certification and record keeping.
 
Several on-farm research projects involving herb production and marketing have been funded by USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grants (see www.sare.org). A research project conducted at New Mexico State University from 1994 to 1998 incidentally involved organic production methods. Perhaps the most complete organic herb trials, carried all the way through to formation of a producers’ co-op and successful marketing, have been carried out by Renne Soberg of Soberg Farms in Minnesota, whose research on producing and marketing native medicinals was funded in successive stages by SARE (FNC97-178, “Native Minnesota Medicinal Production Feasibility Study”) and by MinnesotaDepartment of Agriculture alternative crops grants. Reports published in MDA’s Minnesota Greenbook series for 1998 and2000 provide details of Soberg’s success in1.selecting and establishing suitable varieties,2.adapting equipment and facilities to accommodate herb production,3.successfully demonstrating commercial production of selected herbs under Minnesota conditions, and4.identifying a bulk market. (See Renne Soberg’s Management Tips for Organic Herb Production.)In 2001 Soberg organized an herb producers’ cooperative and secured a contract with a national buyer. Herb display plots are maintained at the University of Saskatchewan and Purdue University, while the University of Kentucky protectswild stands of black cohosh, ginseng, and goldenseal for research purposes. University of Kentucky Extension has conducted “workshops to teach growers how to produce ginseng and goldenseal under seminatural and organic conditions.”(5) Since most universities doing organic research opt for a waiver of certification, any economic data generated does not accurately reflect farmers’ costs incurred for certification and record keeping.
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