Pasture-raised poultry integrated into cover crop systems offers a promising avenue for small-scale organic producers. However, how cover crop management affects broiler performance and product quality in chicken-based integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) remains poorly characterized. A two-year experiment was conducted on certified organic land at the Purdue University Meigs Horticulture Research Farm (Lafayette, Indiana, USA) to evaluate how cover crop management affects growth performance, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics, and meat color of slow-growing broilers in an organic ICLS. Treatments were chicken integration with access to high forage (ICLS-HF) or low forage (ICLS-LF), arranged in a randomized complete block design with four blocks. Cover crops were an oat/pea/turnip mixture in 2024 and a cereal rye/pea mixture in 2025. Freedom Ranger broilers were used in 2024 and Red Sasso broilers in 2025, with approximately 46–50 birds per treatment integrated for 42–46 days per season. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models, with treatment, year, and their interactions as fixed effects and block within year as a random effect. Cover crop mowing reduced forage availability (P < 0.01) and, in 2025, resulted in lower crude protein (9.04 vs. 11.6% DM, P = 0.004) and higher acid detergent fiber (29.1 vs. 28.4% DM, P = 0.049) compared to non-mowed plots. Despite these differences, cover crop management did not significantly affect any measured performance, carcass, or meat quality variable in either year (P > 0.05). Production year was the dominant source of variation: Freedom Rangers in 2024 achieved higher live weights (2.78 vs. 2.04 kg, P < 0.001), lower feed conversion ratios (2.85–2.90 vs. 3.13–3.51), and greater breast yields (~26 vs. 17% of carcass weight, P < 0.001) than Red Sasso broilers in 2025. However, year is a composite term confounding broiler genetics with climatic conditions, cover crop species and maturity, and sampling time, so these effects cannot be attributed to any single factor. Leg yield (thigh and drumstick included) remained stable across years and treatments (31.5–34.0%, P > 0.05), suggesting that outdoor rearing supports leg muscle development independent of forage management. These findings indicate that cover crops can serve as a viable pasture component in organic chicken-based ICLS without compromising animal performance.

Cereal rye (CR; Secale cereale L.) is widely used as a winter cover crop in soybean (Glycine max L.) production systems to reduce soil erosion and capture residual soil nitrogen (N). However, soybean responses to CR residue depend on biomass quantity and residue quality, both of which are strongly influenced by CR seeding rate. To evaluate the effects of CR seeding rate on biomass production, residue carbon (C) and N dynamics, and subsequent soybean performance, a two-year field experiment was conducted during the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 growing seasons in southern Illinois. This study was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications and included a no-cover crop control and four CR seeding rates (14, 28, 42, and 56 kg ha−1). CR biomass increased linearly with increasing seeding rate across years, whereas C accumulation showed a significant year × seeding rate interaction, increasing linearly with seeding rate in 2024 but not in 2023, while tissue N concentration declined with increasing seeding rate across years and residue C:N ratio increased in both years, with a stronger response in 2024. Soybean biological yield was not affected by CR seeding rate; however, soybean grain yield remained stable at low to moderate seeding rates (14–42 kg ha−1) and declined at the highest rate (56 kg ha−1). Yield reductions at high seeding rates were driven primarily by decreases in seed number and harvest index. Principal component analysis showed that seeding rate was the dominant driver of CR biomass and residue quality, whereas environmental conditions explained most year-to-year variation. Economic analysis indicated that net returns were maximized at moderate seeding rates, particularly at the minimum financial incentive-eligible rate of 34 kg ha−1. These results suggest that moderate CR seeding rates can optimize residue benefits while maintaining soybean yield and profitability.

Conservation agriculture (CA), based on minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention, and crop diversification, is promoted as a climate-smart approach to improve smallholder farmers’ resilience amid increasing climate change-related shocks and soil degradation in sub-Saharan Africa. However, CA adoption remains low, and literature on CA profit efficiency is scanty. This study assesses the profitability and profit efficiency of conventional tillage-based agriculture (CT) and CA practices in Zambia. Using a three-wave annual panel dataset of 1,938 household-level observations across contrasting farmer typologies, we apply panel stochastic frontier analysis and a panel tobit model to analyze profit efficiency and identify determinants of efficiency levels. Results show that CA practices, especially minimum tillage with crop rotation, had higher gross margins but lower profit efficiency, with inefficiencies of up to 27.78% for minimum tillage with crop rotation compared to 18.70% for CT. Principal component analysis identified three farmer typologies: asset- and income-poor, asset- and income-rich, and asset- and income-moderate. Notably, asset- and income-rich farmers achieved the highest profit efficiency under CT and full CA (minimum tillage with crop rotation and mulching), while asset- and income-poor farmers achieved the highest efficiency under minimum tillage, minimum tillage with crop rotation, and minimum tillage with mulching. Input costs (notably fertilizer and labor), maize prices, and farmer characteristics such as education, household size, and cooperative membership significantly influenced profit efficiency. The findings underscore the need for context-specific CA promotion, tailored to farmer typologies.

Maintaining agricultural productivity and soil health in the U.S. Midwest amid changing weather patterns is a critical challenge. Using a system-dynamics model previously calibrated and validated against 2002–2022 Iowa data, we conducted the first century-scale (2023–2122) evaluation of four agricultural production systems: conventional corn–soybean cropping with/without rye cover crops (CwCC, CwoCC), and integrated crop–livestock systems with/without grazed rye cover crops (ICLSwCC, ICLSwoCC), under intermediate and high-temperature trajectories. Under the high-temperature scenario, cropping-only systems and ICLSwoCC reach peak farm wealth in 60–70 years, then stagnate or decline, while environmental quality steadily deteriorates. In contrast, ICLSwCC sustains strong wealth accumulation and the highest environmental scores for the entire 100 years, driven by temperature-stimulated rye biomass that supports larger herds (~8.2 million cow-calf pairs versus ~925,000 currently) and enhanced manure nutrient cycling. System rankings remain consistent under the intermediate scenario, though absolute divergences are smaller. Labor–leisure trade-offs persist in both ICLS variants. These exploratory scenarios indicate that only ICLSwCC simultaneously maintains long-term profitability and soil health under substantial temperature increase, making it the most resilient strategy among those examined for the U.S. Corn Belt.

The use of digital tools could optimise farm management by facilitating data collection and processing. The literature provides an overall view of what digital tools represent in ruminant livestock farming and highlights the importance of studying digital toolkits. In sheep farming systems, the diversity of production systems could lead farmers to combine digital tools to meet their specific needs. This article examines how farmers use digital tools to understand how sheep farmers build their digital toolkits. The present study contributes to this objective by providing feedback on the tools used by sheep farmers and the integration of these tools into farms. The study was carried out in four French regions where sheep production is well established. A total of 75 surveys on farms were conducted, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A variety of digital tools were recorded, with each farm using, on average, three tools. The 22 tools identified were grouped into five categories. Digital management tools were the most widely used (85% of farmers used at least one tool in this category), while automation tools were the least used category. The diversity of tools observed may be due to the specific characteristics of each farm and the way farmers perceive the digital tools they use. An analysis of farmers’ digital toolkits, defined as all of the tools a farmer owns, highlights the absence of a standard configuration. Each farmer builds a digital toolkit tailored to their operating conditions and objectives. Furthermore, two levels of digital tool use emerged: digital tools integrated into the routine management of farms, which are used more frequently, and digital tools used with greater variability, reflecting targeted or periodic use. Future research into the data used by farmers could provide a better understanding of how they use digital tools to manage their flocks and contribute to the development of tools that align with their practices and needs. This would involve identifying the data used by farmers, their role in the decision-making process, and any changes (or lack thereof) in animal management and farmers’ work.

With the introduction of an undergraduate degree in 2017, the University of Vermont became the first land grant university to offer an interdisciplinary Food Systems degree at the undergraduate, master’s, and PhD level. By many metrics, food systems education at University of Vermont has flourished over the past decade, but opportunities remain to fully implement a transdisciplinary program for the future. In this paper, we reflect on our collective efforts to achieve interdisciplinarity within the food systems curriculum and take stock of the core strengths of our undergraduate programming. Based on lessons learned from a decade of food systems education at University of Vermont, this paper will look ahead to propose a vision for preparing future undergraduates for meaningful employment in the sustainable food system economy. To achieve this, we conduct a mixed methods case study which analyzes administrative data alongside insights gathered from students, alumni, and faculty to identify program strengths and key inputs needed to facilitate impactful career paths for food systems graduates in the coming decade. While early aspirations for our programs to ‘do it all’ were not fully realized, a set of key strengths relevant to our local and regional food economy have emerged, providing opportunities to offer students high-quality training and prepare them for impactful careers.

Crop diversification plays a central role in agricultural sustainability transitions, which require not only ecological innovation but also economic viability at the farm level. Despite robust evidence of ecological benefits, the socioeconomic implications of diversification remain insufficiently examined. This study analyzes the economic performance of crop diversification and community-supported agriculture (CSA) schemes in small-scale horticultural systems in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. Drawing on detailed production and marketing data from three farms and using a participatory action research (PAR) approach, we simulated farm performance with the Profit Impact Simulator for Horticultural Farms, a framework that calculates profitability based on the temporal dynamics of cash flow.

We modeled three crop portfolio scenarios—a highly diversified system (BES1, 35 crops), a moderately diversified system (BES2, 6 crops), and a low-diversity system (BES3, 3 crops)—and identified a systematic diversification gradient: profit rates decline from 409% (BES1) to 347% (BES2) to 239% (BES3). This gradient is driven not by differences in end-of-cycle revenues but by the temporal structure of cash flows each portfolio generates: in highly diversified systems, short-cycle crops generate early income that offsets the financing needs of longer-cycle crops, reducing committed capital and increasing capital efficiency.

CSA participation further improved financial viability, reducing committed capital by 24% and raising the profit rate from 409% to 519%. These findings suggest that diversification and consumer-based financing are complementary strategies that enhance liquidity stability and reduce dependence on external credit, with important implications for smallholder economic sustainability and sustainable food system transitions.

Diversified farming systems enhance agroecological resilience, biodiversity conservation, and climate adaptation, yet their adoption remains constrained by uncertain market access and weak supply chain linkages. While consumer demand for sustainably produced foods continues growing, the role of supply chain intermediaries in transmitting (or blocking) market signals that create opportunities for diversified farms remains poorly understood. This study identifies how procurement managers’ preferences for food labels predict their sourcing behavior for fresh market specialty crops. Using survey data from 378 purchasing managers, we applied principal component analysis to identify two underlying dimensions of buyer preferences toward 15 certified and non-certified food labels: Practice-Based Labels emphasizing production transparency and Credence-Based Labels prioritizing third-party verification. Cluster analysis identified three distinct buyer segments. Label Advocates (27%, predominantly wholesalers) require both label dimensions at high rates and source from diversified farms most frequently. Market-Driven Buyers (34%, mixed wholesalers and restaurants) prioritize established certifications and show moderate diversified farm sourcing. Skeptics (39%, predominantly restaurants) demonstrate minimal label engagement and the lowest diversified farm sourcing. Results indicate that label preferences predict actual procurement behavior: buyers valuing sustainability labels actively source from diversified operations and perceive these products as core to their portfolios. These findings offer strategic pathways for farmers to target Label Advocates through transparent sustainability narratives or Market-Driven Buyers through third-party certifications. Our findings help inform policy interventions addressing certification costs and supply chain coordination to expand markets for diversified agriculture. By revealing how intermediary buyers’ sustainability preferences translate into actual procurement decisions, this research identifies actionable pathways for strengthening market incentives that support transitions toward diversified, resilient agricultural systems.

Agroecological systems aim to mimic natural ecosystems by promoting interactions between plants and animals, creating synergies that enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability. However, most crop-livestock systems focus on cereals or forage crops with ruminants, while other associations, particularly involving uncommon livestock species, remain rare. To address this knowledge gap, this proof-of-concept study evaluated the benefits and limitations of a novel rabbit–apple association for both plants and animals. To assess the benefits of trees for rabbits, 72 growing rabbits were placed in an apple orchard (AO) and 72 in a grassland (GL). These benefits were measured in terms of alternative feed sources (apples and grass), a milder microclimate (shade), protection from aerial predators, and health and welfare indicators. Rabbits in the AO accessed a greater diversity of feed sources, reducing pelleted feed intake by 4.7% compared with rabbits in the GL. Apple trees provided shade, lowering the daily thermal amplitude by 1.5 °C compared to the GL. Under these conditions, rabbits exhibited adequate growth (average live weight 2.4 kg at 73 days) and maintained good health. Only one rabbit died from myxomatosis, and no predation occurred. The benefits of rabbits for the trees were assessed in two areas of the AO, with rabbits (n = 215 trees) and without rabbits (n = 55 trees). These assessments included measures of soil mineral fertility and the consumption of grass and fallen fruit. Areas with rabbits had 29.6% more potassium content in the soil than in areas without rabbits. Daily consumption of grass (54 g of dry matter per rabbit) and fallen apples (up to 230 g per rabbit), combined with the improvement of soil minerals, may reduce the need for fertilizers and mechanical weeding. Despite tree guards, 16.3% of trees exposed to rabbits showed some damage, mainly due to poorly fitted guards or the size of rabbits allowing animals to gnaw above the guard. Properly designed protection can mitigate this risk, which remains lower than damage caused by other livestock species. In summary, this proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of integrating rabbit and apple production within the same production area. The observed mutual benefits suggest this approach could contribute to more sustainable farming. Further research is needed to confirm these results in the long-term, and optimizing management practices may address the observed limitations.

Food loss remains a major challenge for sustainable food systems, contributing to food insecurity and climate change. In Africa, smallholder farmers lose up to 40% of their produce postharvest. While most interventions focus on reducing losses early in the value chain, repurposing deteriorated produce into alternative socioeconomic uses offers a complementary and under-explored pathway. In smallholder farming systems, repurposing commonly involves converting deteriorated produce into livestock feed, compost, biochar, or other productive uses. However, such practices remain limited, with deteriorated produce often discarded without consideration of alternative uses. Drawing on circular economy and food waste valorization perspectives, this study explores the underlying socioeconomic and agricultural-related conditions that shape farmers’ participation in food waste revalorization. Using cross-sectional survey data from 1,001 smallholder vegetable farmers in Ghana, we employ binary logistic regression to identify the determinants of food waste repurposing. Results show that gender, land access, wealth, credit access, and livelihood diversification significantly influence repurposing decisions. Farm-level factors, including crop type, yield, food loss levels, access to agricultural advisory services, market distance, and prior adoption of sustainable land management practices, also significantly predict repurposing. These findings highlight the importance of socioeconomic capacity and access to resources in shaping engagement in circular food waste revalorization. This contribution further demonstrates how logistical constraints and gaps in technical know-how shape the end use of deteriorated produce. Food waste revalorization initiatives will benefit from targeted investments in extension services, training, credit access, and broader promotion of sustainable farming practices.

This commentary describes advances in knowledge over the past decade on how incorporating relatively small amounts of perennial vegetation at targeted locations in agricultural landscapes can lead to substantial, disproportionately large ecosystem benefits. We highlight research demonstrating the potential for perennial vegetation within agricultural landscapes to sustain crucial ecosystem services—including regulating water, carbon, and nutrient cycles and supporting biotic interactions—while simultaneously provisioning food, fiber, and energy. We also discuss several emerging frontiers where new research is leading to a deeper understanding of how to target perennial-based practices and policies to achieve desired outcomes. We emphasize scientific and technological advances for improving the design of perennial integration, support tools for practitioners, perennial crop and livelihood diversification, and transdisciplinary approaches for co-generation of knowledge and application. Finally, we call for increased action, including research, education, stakeholder engagement, and policy development, toward strategic integration of perennials in agroecosystems.

Agricultural land in many countries is increasingly leased. This shift presents a unique set of challenges for decision-makers in the context of the European green transition. The objective of the present paper is to explore how agricultural land management and production differ based on whether land is owner-operated or leased and to understand the impacts of these dynamics on food system resilience and sustainability. Harnessing the high level of detailed field data for 2.5 million hectares and accurate land ownership records in Denmark, the present paper explores field-scale agricultural land use differences by tenure across broad categories (e.g., agroforestry, permanent grasses), and within crop rotations (based on distinct crop categories over 7 years, e.g., wheat, legumes, intercropping). Across broad categories, a higher proportion of owned land was utilized for forestry, agroforestry, and energy forestry, whereas a higher proportion of leased land was managed under environmental policies (low-input managed fields such as set aside buffer zones, flower strips, and mini wetlands). Most agricultural land is managed in rotation (approximately 70%). The average length of crop rotations was similar between owned and leased land. The crop categories included in rotation also varied little for legumes and intercrops, with marginally more maize, vegetables, and rye grown on leased land and marginally more environmental, mixed cereals and barley on owned land. Future research exploring how ownership, policy initiatives, and decision-making interact with farm-scale variables, detailed soil maps, and agricultural and natural land use decisions at various landscape scales could further the European transition toward sustainable and resilient agricultural land use and food systems.

Algae feed supplements, often in the form of seaweed, show promise for reducing enteric methane emissions from dairy cows. Organic dairy farmers also use algae feed supplements as a nutritional supplement and to treat health problems of dairy cows, given that organic certification prohibits the use of many synthetics available to conventional dairy farmers. Measuring the health and nutrition claims of organic dairy farmers regarding algae feed supplements and comparing the claims with perceptions of dairy nutritionists and the findings in the scientific literature can provide useful findings for assessing whether algae feed supplements would be useful for farmers of all types, where appropriate. Through surveys and bibliometric analysis, we examined how organic dairy farmers, dairy nutritionists, and academic literature perceive these supplements. We found strong positive correlations between academic literature and nutritionist perceptions, and between farmer and nutritionist perceptions. Farmers and nutritionists overlapped regarding the nutritional benefits (source of vitamins and minerals) of algae feed supplements. But farmers cited direct health or therapeutic benefits (e.g., treating pink-eye) more often than nutritionists did, and nutritionists were more likely to cite methane reduction as an outcome of feeding algae. Notably, we found no significant correlation between academic literature and farmer perceptions, indicating that organic dairy farmers’ opinions might be shaped by hard to measure and validate observation and experiential knowledge.

Wild bees in agricultural landscapes face multiple stressors, including habitat loss and pesticide exposure. As demand for sustainably produced agricultural products increases, it is essential to understand how sustainable practices influence wild bee communities. Bee responses to such practices were assessed across 26 vineyards in Canada over 2 years. Wild bees were sampled alongside vegetation and floral resources to evaluate the effects of cover cropping, mowing frequency, alternate row management, organic farming, and certified sustainable management on bee abundance, diversity, and community composition. Vegetation height between vine rows was the strongest positive predictor of both bee abundance and diversity, while vegetation cover and floral abundance also had positive associations. A higher proportion of flowers from cover crop species was negatively associated with bee abundance, specifically for pan-trap collected bees. Alternate row and organic management had limited effects on bee abundance and diversity, while certified sustainable management showed a slight negative impact on bee diversity, as well as reduced floral richness and vegetation height. Community composition analyses revealed that both the bee communities and flower communities differed between vineyard management types, though the use of cover cropping and alternate row management did not differ between organic, certified sustainable, and conventional sites. These findings suggest that reduced mowing frequency may be an effective strategy for supporting wild bees, while other sustainable practices, such as cover cropping, organic farming, and certified sustainable management, may require enhanced research approaches to detect effects or further refinements to improve their conservation outcomes.

Organic vegetable production relies on ecologically based practices; however, insect pest management remains a major constraint, particularly in Brassica crops. Organic insecticides often provide inconsistent control, are expensive, and require repeated applications. Mesotunnels, medium-sized tunnels (0.9–1.0 m tall) covered with insect netting, have emerged as a pest management tool for organic vegetable growers. They function as physical barriers that exclude pests while maintaining near-ambient microclimatic conditions. This two-year field study was conducted during the fall growing seasons of 2024 and 2025 on certified organic land at Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station in Ames, Iowa, to evaluate the effectiveness of mesotunnels for pest management and season extension in organic napa cabbage (Brassica rapa var. pekinensis cv. ‘Minuet’). Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications: (i) Mesotunnel, (ii) Mesotunnel + OMRI-listed insecticide, (iii) OMRI-listed insecticide (pyrethrins, Bacillus thuringiensis, and potassium salts of fatty acids), (iv) Low tunnel, and (v) an untreated control. Weekly pest scouting quantified the abundance of key Brassicaceae pests, including caterpillars, flea beetles, harlequin bugs, and aphids. Microclimate variables, including temperature and relative humidity, were continuously monitored at canopy height within each treatment. Marketable and nonmarketable yield were assessed at harvest using USDA commercial grading standards. Across both years, mesotunnel-based treatments consistently reduced insect abundance and produced the greatest number and weight of marketable napa cabbage heads relative to the control. Mesotunnels also advanced crop maturity, resulting in a higher proportion of marketable heads at the first harvest compared with open-field conditions. This is likely associated with modified microclimatic conditions that supported vegetative growth and reduced pest pressure. These findings demonstrate that mesotunnels provide an effective, non-chemical pest management strategy that enhances yield and reduces reliance on organic insecticides in organic napa cabbage production systems.

Social scientists express concerns that perspectives on new genetic engineering techniques, such as gene editing, are becoming polarized and entrenched and that those entrenched positions could hinder the formation of alliances needed to make the new technologies available. Without such alliances, potential solutions to agronomic challenges, food security, climate change, improving nutrition, and reducing food waste may never be implemented. This paper explores whether these competing perspectives are as entrenched as they are often portrayed. Through intensive interviews, I ask German scientists to share their perspectives on the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that gene edited crops would be regulated the same as transgenic crops. Using the concepts of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism to analyze those scientists’ perspectives, I discover that both techno-optimistic and techno-pessimistic scientists are generally less entrenched and more reflective when presented with competing perspectives. Furthermore, four of the scientists offer potential policies and practices that could resolve some disputes and could even overcome obstacles to promoting social and ecological benefits from the new technologies.

Agricultural research in North America has shifted across three paradigms in the last century. Each research paradigm has a different assumption of what the research and innovation process is, the expected outcome of the research, and the focus of change within an agroecosystem. Now research institutions and networks are in the process of shifting from the research paradigm of eco-technology, which prioritizes technology as a means for limiting the negative impacts of agriculture, to a transformative research paradigm. However, there is limited knowledge on how to support an intentional paradigm shift toward transformative research. This case study aims to identify the research capacities and characteristics of transformative research in agriculture using interviews with leaders in the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network. Semistructured interviews with 18 research leaders across the network reveal characteristics of transformative research and lock-ins that limit their ability to transform the research at their site. Four transformative research characteristics and capacities are identified, and lock-ins at different levels of the scientific system are identified that prevent transformative research from occurring. We propose stakeholder engagement as a tool to facilitate a paradigm shift in agricultural research. Tools for integrating stakeholder engagement within the research process are discussed, including stakeholder typologies and stakeholder engagement typologies. A focus on using stakeholder engagement as a means to create transformation by increasing a research site’s capacity includes facilitating stakeholder engagement that (1) supports systems-level innovation and social outcomes, (2) emphasizes research that fosters learning and adaptation processes, (3) incorporates multiple ways of knowing within research, and (4) increases perceived agency to create systems-level change. This research provides a methodology and tool for understanding how research paradigms shift and evolve.

Few frameworks are currently available to assess the flows of ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDSs) from and into livestock farming systems (LFSs). We estimated these flows using the Barn, a graphical tool designed to represent the integration of LFS into their surrounding landscapes. This tool uses bi-directional arrows to depict flows of multiple types of ES and EDS. Based on five contrasting lamb meat systems, we estimated that the flows of ES that support lamb meat production, such as the provision of forage and nitrogen fixation, were often associated with EDS, such as wolf predation or rodent outbreaks. These EDSs were particularly detrimental for the LFS that depended more on ES than on external inputs. We also observed that few operational indicators exist for quantifying EDS. The results show that deriving benefits from ecosystems implies interacting closely with the environment, which can generate disadvantages. This result also reveals a trade-off between ES and EDS, which has received little attention so far. This highlights the need to better assess and mitigate EDS, to prevent them from hindering the transition toward more sustainable practices that aim to reduce external inputs.