permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@metalab.unc.edu>]

http://metalab.unc.edu/london   InterGarden   
london@metalab.unc.edu   llondon@bellsouth.net
-
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 06:02:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Kate Smith <katesmith_007@yahoo.com>
To: sanet-mg@shasta.ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: North American Organic Study


Good Morning SANETeers,

A growing coalition of researchers, sustainable agriculture
organizations, community activists, farmers, and consultants have
begun to conceptualize a North American Organic Study (NAOS).

The coalition intends to apply rigourous statistical design, data
collection, and analysis to the comparison of organic farming
practices with other methods of crop production.  We already have
interested compatriots from Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and New
Jersey.  No one yet from Canada or Mexico.  Our hope is to have farm
sites in as many locations as possible.

We are at the very beginning of what is envisioned to be an on-farm
multi-state and multi-country collaboration that will produce
rigourous research results to address the question, "What are the soil
quality effects of organic farming practices and does this have an
impact on the nutritional value of the crop grown?"

The research question, objectives and statistical design will evolve
as others join the collaboration and we have an opportunity to talk to
each other.  If possible we will establish a website for coordination
of activities.

We invite anyone with interest in this idea and project to join our
effort.  If you would like more information or wish to indicate
interest, please email me at katesmith_007@yahoo.com.   

Funding has not been secured and we ask for any leads or ideas for
finding it.  Each state and province will have a coordinator and
receive funding to support the data gathering.  The data will flow
into a centralized analysis site for the meta-analysis.

Now all we need to do is find the funding, do a "kick-butt"
statistical design, identify farmer collaborators, collect quality
data, complete the analysis, and publish the results.  Piece of cake.

Join us or at least wish us luck.  Kate





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