Special Issue "Organic Farming and a Systems Approach to Sustainable Agroecosystems"

Guest Editor
Dr. Jennifer Reeve
College of Agriculture, Utah State University, 4820 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4820, USA
Website: http://psc.usu.edu/htm/people/faculty/memberID=594
E-Mail: jennifer.reeve@usu.edu
Phone: +1 435 797 3192

Dear Colleagues,

Organic farming systems utilize organic amendments, diverse crop rotations and cover crops to promote soil fertility and enhance soil, plant and animal health. These practices increase biologically active soil organic matter which promotes microbial activity, maintains nutrient cycling, and aids in suppression of soil borne disease. Organic amendments increase soil cation exchange capacity and act as slow release nutrient sources, reducing risks of excess nutrient loss to the environment. Soil organic matter also improves water infiltration, increases water holding capacity, mitigates compaction and prevents erosion. These benefits are well established, however, the realities facing farmers are often complex. Harsh economic and environmental conditions and or scarce organic amendments can limit the practical options available. Likewise, organic farms that focus on input substitution to maximize yields may risk environmental benefits associated with organic farming practices. Consumers of organic produce are particularly interested in the potential health benefits of organic food. However, establishing such a connection remains a challenging ongoing area of research. To overcome these problems, a systems approach to research is needed to determine locally adapted and economically viable management practices that conserve resources and are associated with environmental, social, plant and animal health.

Dr. Jennifer Reeve
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 800 CHF (Swiss Francs).

• organic farming
• soil health
• environmental quality
• social responsibility
• economic viability
• food quality
• systems approach
• sustainability