Growing specialty and organic grains can add income to your farm operation, distribute risk, and add extra crops to your rotation for greater systems resilience. Still, insuring these crops is often more complex than insuring conventional commodity crops. This fact sheet was developed with collaborators from the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, Center for Rural Affairs, Northbourne Organic Crop Insurance LLC, Artisan Grain Collaborative and American malting Barley Association. It covers:

• Information on types of crop insurance including multi-peril insurance, crop hail insurance and whole farm revenue protection.
• How to determine policies and guarantees under federal multi-peril insurance.
• Stipulations to keep in mind for organic and specialty grains.
• Comparing revenue protection vs yield protection.

Hemp used to be an important crop in Wisconsin in the early 20th century and recent legal changes mean farmers can once again grow industrial hemp. The preliminary results of our research trials are presented here to help guide future work. Some of the initial results include:

• Planting later (early June) may be beneficial for hemp production in Wisconsin.
• While planting on 30” rows may have a positive impact on stand counts and weed biomass, it is not yet clear if farmers should move away from the standard production guidelines of drilling on 7.5” rows.
• Methods for mechanical weed control may need to be adjusted based on planting depth.
• Planting deeper may allow for more mechanical weed control without impacting stand counts.

Blind cultivation provides early-season control of both in-row and inter-row weeds, giving crops a competitive advantage and improving effectiveness of row cultivation later in the season. It is commonly used in organic corn and organic soybean production systems. Tine weeders and rotary hoes are popular blind cultivation tools and this fact sheet provides crop-specific recommendations for both pieces of equipment.

From poultry feed to oat milk to premium whiskey, there are a growing range of market opportunities for organic small grains. If you are interested in adding a rotation of small grains to your operation, this resource provides an overview of some potential market options and contracts in the Upper Midwest with information on their use according to a 2022 study of small grain farmers.

• In 2021 the upper Midwest experienced an unusual fall armyworm infestation.
• Fall armyworms can be devastating for corn and also feed on a variety of grasses.
• The only organic management option in northern regions is well-timed foliar sprays. These treatments are most effective in early larval stages, so timing is critical.
• Pest monitoring programs can assist with management decisions, including updates from the University of Wisconsin-Madison at https://ipcm.wisc.edu/wcm/ and University of Missouri’s fall armyworm monitoring network (https://ipm.missouri.edu/pestMonitoring/faw/index.cfm).

• Sunflowers can increase diversity in grain crop rotations, which is important for managing fertility, insects, weeds and diseases
• They can contribute to the diversification of farm revenue through access to a variety of markets
• Sunflowers are a versatile crop that is adapted to grow in a variety of soil types and climates
• They can be incorporated into a wide range of organic rotations, including soybean, corn and wheat