Sustainable Specialty Crop Production Theme
D. Adeline Yeh and Kuan-Ming Huang
Yunsun Park, Seong D. Yun, Kuan-Ming Huang, and Brandy E. Phipps
Specialty crops can make US agriculture more diverse, helping improve water quality, bird diversity, and strengthen farm economic resilience. This study explores their agroecosystem benefits, how their impact varies by region, and how farmers and policymakers can use this knowledge to promote both sustainability and profitability in agriculture.
Nick Berenson, Amanda Solliday, Daniel Tregeagle, and Melinda Knuth
This study examines sustainability practices in ornamental horticulture based on national trends and a 2023 North Carolina survey. We find strong links between plant diversity, IPM, and water conservation, but weaker ties to native plants. Results highlight the need for flexible, context-specific outreach to support grower sustainability goals.
D. Adeline Yeh, Christina Estela Brown, and Brittney K. Goodrich
This article examines the U.S. pollination service market for specialty crops, highlighting recent trends, grower challenges from declining pollinator health, and associated production costs. We review policy initiatives aimed at improving pollinator health to ensure stable pollination services and foster resilient specialty crop production systems.
Mohammed Beroud, Xiaoli Fan, Miles Dyck, and Linda Y. Gorim
Soil liming has the potential to raise farm incomes and support the cultivation of high-value, pH-sensitive crops such as pulses. But adoption remains limited. Many farmers view soil acidification as a slow process and question whether lime works at all. When the benefits seem unreliable, the incentive to invest weakens.
Kuan-Ming Huang, Will Maples, and Chang Liu
Sweetpotatoes are a popular staple and specialty crop. This article provides an overview of commercial sweetpotato production processes in the United States, highlighting sustainable practices at each production stage and the main uses and destinations of US sweetpotaotes. The marketing opportunities and challenges in adopting sustainable practices are also discussed.
