R.D. Offutt Farms

About our Farm

Building Organic Equity – One Field at a Time – with Smart, Strategic Nutrient Management

While it may sound like a variation of the classic cliché, the phrase “farming one field at a time” is a motivational mantra for achieving sustainability goals at the Little Falls, Minn., location of R.D. Offutt Farms (RDO).

For more than 50 years, the progressive family-owned farm business has prided itself on the responsible, smart production of potatoes. Today, it operates more than 15 locations in four Midwest states, including 10 in Minnesota.

“Our goal is to develop potatoes that will remain high-quality, require fewer inputs and resist disease,” says Aaron Buehler, farm manager at the Little Falls operation. “This process can take years to accomplish, but we are excited about our progress and remain committed to achieving industry-supported, positive crop outcomes.”  

After more than 20 years with RDO, Buehler continues to see a return on the farm’s ongoing investment in sustainable practices through the adoption of science-driven strategies that increase economic return, improve operational efficiency, and promote environmental responsibility.

Natural Nutrition 

To grow a productive, profitable potato crop year after year, especially in Minnesota’s notoriously variable soils. Precision farming tools, including John Deere’s iTEC Pro (Intelligent Total Equipment Control) system, AutoTrac guidance, and RTK-level correction, have reduced fuel consumption, field overlap, and tillage passes at the Little Falls location. 

During the last decade, Buehler says they’ve reduced tillage by 30%, and the only pass they make now is with a chisel plow ahead of spring planting with a 6-row Spudnik 8060. The decrease is significant considering the farm’s long-term investment in organic fertilizer application as a natural method for building soil health and improving moisture retention. 

For more than 30 years, the farm has spread locally sourced turkey litter in spring, a practice that Buehler says has contributed to more consistent potato production and reduced reliance on commercial fertilizers. 

“We find that organic fertilizer adds organic matter, which improves soil health and water retention, resulting in potatoes that flourish. The soil at Little Falls contains low disease levels,” Buehler says. “We are so happy with the results that during the last six growing seasons, RDO more than tripled its use of organic fertilizer, expanding application at seven other RDO farms.”

Measuring to Manage

Buehler expects the operation’s commitment to turkey litter will continue to grow and hopes recent university partnerships will further quantify and validate the benefits of organic fertilizer as an economic, efficient path to improving farm sustainability. 

As part of ongoing research measuring the benefits of long-term turkey manure

application, the University of Minnesota is sampling and comparing soils from Little Falls to other farm sites in the state. The farm is also working with North Dakota State University to study the results of turkey manure application along with a combination of turkey manure and environmentally smart nitrogen (ESN) on tuber yield to determine if the organic source is a viable substitute for conventional nitrogen. 

While more innovative nutrient management is critical to the longevity of the operation, Buehler acknowledges that it’s part of a broader, more comprehensive plan. For example, RDO farms seeded more than 18,000 acres of cover crops in 2021 to reduce erosion, sequester carbon and complement other sustainability practices already in place.

RDO is also working with manufacturers to develop high-speed irrigators for crop protection and potentially increase plant uptake and minimize waste of chemical applications. 

“Since our beginning, we have been committed to using science-driven, sustainable practices to meet our customers’ needs, ensuring our farm’s productivity today and well into the future,” Buehler says. “These practices help reduce the need for inputs such as nutrients and pesticides while optimizing our yield.”