How economic is organic? Results of a long-term trial at Burgrain/Lucerne, Switzerland

Padruot M. Fried ¹, Urs Zihlmann ¹, Fredi Strasser ¹, Ruedi Tschachtli ², Helmut Ammann ³, David Dubois ¹

Abstract
Long-term trials are necessary not only to judge agronomic and ecological indicators when studying organic farming, but also to analyze and describe economic parameters.

From 1997-2002, an organic arable farming system (Bio) was compared with two Integrated farming systems (IP intensive and IP extensive) on 6 plots in a 6-year crop rotation at Burgrain near Lucerne, Switzerland. The 6 plots were subdivided into 3 subplots of 0.65 ha each.

In the organic system, the input of fertilizer and pesticides was substantially reduced, which resulted in a yield reduction of 19% over all 4 arable crops and of 14% if the temporary lays are included. Nevertheless, the organic system showed an excellent net profit, mainly due to the higher prices paid to the farmers for the organic products. The influence of the direct governmental payments was less pronounced.

(1) Agroscope FAL Zurich-Reckenholz, POB, CH-8046 Zurich, Switzerland, 0041 44 377 7111,
padruot.fried@fal.admin.ch, www.reckenholz.ch
(2) Landw. Bildungs- und Beratungszentrum LBBZ, CH-6170 Schüpfheim, Switzerland, 0041 41 980 3038,
ruedi.tschachtli@edulu.ch
(3)Agroscope FAT Tänikon, POB, CH- 8356 Ettinghausen,Switzerland, 0041 52 365 1190,
helmut.ammann@fat.admin.ch