Sustainable cropping systems for dairy farms in the Northeast
This interdisciplinary research project will test the hypothesis that a dairy farm with a sustainable cropping system can minimize off-farm inputs and environmental impacts and also be productive, profitable, and sustainable. Strategies to be tested include no-till or rotational no-till, manure injection, crop rotations with legumes, intercropping perennials and cover crops, roller crimping, and the use of a vegetable-oil-powered tractor. The research farm operates at 1/20 scale, and the long-term goal is to have a better understanding of management strategies for dairy farms with sustainable cropping systems, to develop publications and educational materials, and to develop case study farms around the region using an online farm model. Funded by NE-SARE.
Project contact: Heather Karsten, hdk3@psu.edu
