Ecological, economic, and organizational dimensions of organic farming in Miami-Dade County

The purpose of this research was to determine what challenges small-scale organic farmers face in choosing their particular production, marketing, and organizational strategies in Miami-Dade County. Rapid soil assessments were used on six organic farms to determine the effects of soil nutrient management in terms of pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and phosphorus (P). Potential costs of inputs were documented for each farm to determine the largest challenges facing the profitability of organic farms. A production, marketing, and organizational analysis determined how farmers shape their inter-farm competitive and cooperative relations. Preliminary findings from soil, input, labor, marketing, and organizational factors indicate that soil health varies dramatically from farm to farm, inputs and labor constitute significant costs, and marketing, production, and organizational strategies show no signs of immediate growth.