Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Biological soil amendments like compost are essential for organic farmers, and in some places, organic fertilizer production can be a limiting factor for organic farmers. A recent study published in the International Conference Proceedings of Uva Wellassa University, Sri Lanka  found that the biggest constraints to producing organic fertilizer were the amounts of time required for organic certification and production, the lack of certifiers, and lack of governmental support. There has been a strong and recent push by the Indian government for farmers to move away from synthetic fertilizers because of the high cost and their negative impacts on human and environmental health. To keep up with the growing demand for organic fertilizers, this study suggests that an incentive-based regulatory framework that can fast-track certification is needed.