Purdue University Helps Organics

A new Purdue University Web site helps livestock producers transition into the growing industry segment of organic products.

The Organic and Alternative Livestock Production Systems Web site also informs consumers about organic products and where to find them.

"This Web site is geared toward providing producers the information they need to get started in not only organic livestock production, but also grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork and poultry, as well," Paul Ebner, a Purdue Extension animal sciences specialist and the Web site's coordinator, said in a statement. "Producers will learn what changes they will need to make to their existing practices to raise U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic livestock, the kinds of feed that are allowable under the USDA standard and how to properly process organic livestock."

Visitors to the Web site can download fact sheets, Extension publications, PowerPoint presentations and videos through the site's YouTube channel "PurdueOrganic," Ebner said. The Web site also has a weblog that provides daily news from around the world on organic and alternative livestock production. The ag census reported 20,437 farms with organic production in the United States, with total sales of $1.7 billion.