Cost Effects of Adding Poultry to Organic Vegetable Production Systems in California, Iowa, and Kentucky

This study evaluates the economic viability of integrating poultry into organic vegetable crop rotations over three years in Kentucky and Iowa and two years in California. Given the growing global demand for food and heightened environmental awareness, understanding the financial implications of such integrated systems is crucial. Our comprehensive experiment compared integrated poultry-vegetable rotations with vegetable-only systems, assessing costs, revenues, and key factors influencing profitability. While integrating poultry reduced vegetable production costs by up to 10% in some cases, overall system costs increased due to high poultry expenses. Break-even poultry prices averaged $8/lb for low-density systems and $7 for high-density systems in Kentucky and averaged close to $6/lb in Iowa and California. Break-even analyses showed modest reductions in vegetable prices in integrated systems, such as Kentucky’s broccoli ($1.06/lb vs. $1.20/lb in controls), but these savings were region-specific and minimal. This study highlights the need for cost-effective management strategies to improve the economic viability of integrated systems. Our findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders aiming to balance sustainability with financial returns in organic farming.