This project addresses sustainable agriculture\u27s need for farmers who (1) can develop the skills to conduct research trials (some replicated) of various innovative practices, and (2) who are also willing to demonstrate practices and share results. In conjunction with university scien tists, Practical Farmers of Iowa (a private, nonprofit, educational organization) has de veloped a procedure for generating statisti cally reliable information on working farms. From 1987 to 1993, they conducted approxi mately 340 trials. The scientists benefited from having data collected at multiple sites with particular soil characteristics, or where specific management abilities are employed (sustainable agriculture technologies fre quently depend on superior management)
