Grow your network and learn at your own pace.
The Organic Field Crop Course by OATS is a training course for advisors, consultants, agronomists, and agricultural professionals on the art and science of organic field crop production.
This course will prepare you to work one-on-one with transitional and certified organic field crop farmers. It provides high quality, science-based information that you need to advise your farmer clients.
The course covers all aspects of field crop production in the northern tier of the United States. Crops featured include corn, soybeans, small grains, pulses, and forage crops, and includes regionally specific information.
"Just started the OATS training, and the production quality is absurdly good. I like the videos a lot so far too, very nice to have something so focused on agronomy and providing sources for everything"
— Ben Lehman, Course participant
Get prepared to offer the following services:
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Agronomic consulting
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Transition planning
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Input sourcing
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Rotation planning and marketing support
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Troubleshooting
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Operations support
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Navigating certification
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Record keeping services
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Moral support
What you will learn
This course provides a holistic understanding of organic field crop production. Organic farms are complex systems and each decision affects numerous other aspects of the farm. You will understand the breadth of what organic farmers must balance when making decisions - not just agronomic considerations, but also marketing, management, and profitability - so that you can provide the best advice to your clients.
- Systems thinking & long-term strategies for success in organic production
- Managing risk during transition
- Building strong crop rotations
- Leveraging healthy soil for a healthy crop
- Managing weeds, pests, & diseases
- The certification process and record-keeping
- National Organic Program (NOP) rules and regulations
- Marketing and Profitability
- Roles for organic advisors
What you get when you enroll
- Expert course facilitator
- 48 self-paced video lessons
- 6 live, online sessions featuring guest speakers, Q&A, and discussion of lesson content - hosted monthly
- Discussions with cohort of peers
- Access to a wide network of organic field crop experts
- Written content online
- Supplementary materials for deeper dives
- Lesson quizzes to test your learning
- Exercises to put lessons into practice
- 1-day, in-person event
- Final exam
- Certificate of completion
Table of Contents
- Lesson 6.1 Organic Weed Control and the Meaning of 'Clean Fields'
- Lesson 6.2 Knowing Your Weeds
- Lesson 6.3 Keep Weeds from Emerging
- Lesson 6.4 Kill the Weeds That Do Emerge Part 1
- Lesson 6.5 Kill the Weeds That Do Emerge Part 2
- Lesson 6.6 Long Term Weed Control
- Lesson 6.7 Farmer Perspectives on Flame Weeding
- Lesson 6.8 Farmer Perspectives on Blind Cultivation
- Lesson 6.9 Farmer Perspectives Cultivators and Alternative Tools
- Lesson 6.10 Farmer Perspectives on Weed Control Timelines
- Quiz 6
Farmers Featured in the Video Lessons

John Wepking
WISCONSIN

John Wicks
MONTANA

Rick Mittleider
NORTH DAKOTA

Jason Federer
INDIANA

Michael O'Donnell
INDIANA

Harold Wilken
INDIANA

Boyd Charles
WISCONSIN

Eric Madsen
IOWA

Jerry Matzner
MINNESOTA

Tom Cotter
MINNESOTA
Subject Matter Experts Featured in the Video Lessons

Adam Davis
University of Illinois

Paul Dietmann
Compeer Financial

Bryce Irlbeck
AgriSecure

Colin Wiegman
Merchandising Expert

Joseph Kibiwott
Timeless Food

Léa Vereecke
Rodale Institute

Steven Mirsky
USDA ARS

Ryan Schmid
Ecdysis Foundation

Margaret Smith
Albert Lea Seed
FAQs
When do facilitated cohorts begin?
We run facilitated cohorts on a quarterly basis. Look for announcements in the "bundles" section of the course catalog (https://courses.organicagronomy.org/).
Do you offer scholarships or financial assistance?
Yes! Contact [email protected] to learn more.
Can you invoice my company/organization instead of paying by credit card?
Yes! If your employer requires an invoice to remit payment, email [email protected]. We will send you an invoice and a login code to access the course materials.
Do you offer a guarantee?
We offer a 10-day money back guarantee so long as you have viewed 10 videos or less.
I'd like to send my team to the course, do you offer bulk pricing?
Yes! Contact [email protected] to inquire about bulk pricing.
How long will it take me to complete the lessons?
We estimate that each lesson will take approximately 25 minutes to complete. This includes reading the online written materials, viewing the 7-15 minute instructional video, and taking the lesson quiz. We estimate that total time investment for the full course (online content, exercises, Zoom sessions, in-person event, and final exam) requires 40 hours to complete. The zoom sessions meet once a month for 6 months.
When will my access expire?
You have access to the course content for 12 months from your date of enrollment.
Do I need any qualifications to start the course?
We do not have any formal prerequisites to take this course. We recommend that you have an understanding of general agriculture principles and experience working in agriculture. This course assumes prior knowledge of field crop production practices and offers an extension of that knowledge into organic-specific practices and requirements.
Will this course enable me to find employment as an organic advisor?
This course will help set you apart from other advisors and consultants. It will provide you with the foundational knowledge you need to consult organic field crop farmers. In the near future, OATS will be launching a directory of organic advisors to help farmers find the advice that they need.
What do graduates do when they have completed this training?
Past OATS trainees put their knowledge to work in many different ways. Some are employees of input companies, some are independent consultants, and yet others are agricultural educators. Our trainees put their new knowledge to work by expanding their client base to include transitioning and certified organic producers.
Will I obtain a certificate or official course credits?
After completing the online materials, quizzes, exercises, live zoom sessions, in-person event, and achieving a passing score on the course final exam, you are eligible to receive the OATS Organic Field Crop Course Certificate of Completion. Certificates are non-accredited.
Participants are eligible to receive Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) continuing education units (CEUs).
What if I have more questions?
Contact [email protected] to learn more.
"Take this information to other agronomists across the US."
- Past Participant