Abstract
After thirty years of research, Rodale Institute’s Farming Systems Trial (FST) still remains a relevant catalyst for change in American agriculture. FST is America’s longest running side-by-side field experiment comparing organic and conventional production systems. Starting in 1981, following on the heels of the 1980 USDA study on organic production, FST was implemented to address several of the transition issues identified in the study as potential barriers to farmers adopting organic production strategies.