Presented at the OAC final meeting:
Transitioning to Organic Agriculture: Ecology, Economics and Marketing, August 29-31, 2005
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC)
Wooster, Ohio

There were three overarching objectives of the IFAFS project that were addressed collectively by the OAC, embracing research, education, and outreach.

Objective 1
Facilitate the collection, integration, and dissemination of existing and consortium-generated production, environmental, and economic information on organic agriculture.

SCOAR
The Scientific Congress on Organic Agricultural Research (SCOAR) was formed as a national collaborative network of organic producers, investigators, and educators. Its mission is “to plan and promote research and information-exchange for understanding and improving organic agricultural systems.” A national Steering Committee was formed, with core participation by members of the OAC. Two national meetings and several regional/topical meetings were held in 2001 and 2002. As a result of these meetings and recruitment through the OFRF Web site, a network database of about 1,000 participating producers, scientists, and others has been compiled. These participants continue to receive
e-mail bulletins from the SCOAR project with news about organic agricultural research activity. Eight such “SCOAR Bulletins” have been produced. OFRF is undertaking a redesign of the SCOAR network for future activities. In addition to the meetings and bulletins, three main activities were pursued:

(1) Development of a National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), using input elicited in the various meetings. This effort produced recommendations for implementation of the Organic Research and Extension Initiative created by Congress in the 2002 Farm Bill, and a more extensive compilation of research outcomes focused on whole-systems management (forthcoming).

(2) Development of a concept paper for describing the multiple benefits of organic agriculture as justification for organic research and extension initiatives. This effort did not reach completion, but is being pursued by the Organic Farming Research Foundation.

(3) Management of the www.organicaginfo.org Web site (details follow).

www.OrganicAgInfo.org
This major on-line reference and database devoted to organic agriculture and targeted to producers, extension personnel, and researchers was publicly launched by the Consortium in January 2003. Now managed by OFRF, it is an ongoing national effort to provide a comprehensive “knowledge management infrastructure” for organic agriculture. It is hosted and programmed by the National Center for Integrated Pest Management at North Carolina State University, with assistance from a Working Group that includes SCOAR Steering Committee members and staff of the National Agricultural Library and the Sustainable Agriculture Network. The site currently incorporates over 670 individual research reports, outreach publications, or other information resources which are searchable by topic, region, author, keyword, or commodity. The site is available for Consortium members and others to share their research results. Farmers and others can also share practical information on this Web site. All submissions are reviewed for relevancy by one of the 26 expert reviewers. A proposal to fund rapid growth of the site’s content and outreach to the organic community has been submitted to the USDA Integrated Organic Program, under the direction of OFRF, in partnership with the National Center for Appropriate Technology, the National Agricultural Library, and the National Center for IPM.

Field Days, Workshops, and Educational Materials
The IFAFS project supported numerous outreach activities targeting established organic farmers and farmers in transition to organic production in Iowa, North Carolina, and Ohio and at SCOAR Conferences. Collectively these events were attended by thousand of farmers, consumers, and others interested in organic agriculture. Virtually all aspects of organic agriculture emphasizing local and regional relevance were covered. Information was provided on production of field crops, vegetables and fruits, pest management, livestock management, and marketing. In conjunction with these activities, the project has generated over 100 extension and research presentations, articles, and news releases on organic agriculture, including a major effort to develop a training manual led by North Carolina State University.

Objective 2
Conduct production research that will support transitioning and existing organic farmers at the component, system, and whole farm level.

Systems Research Impacts
Large-scale farming systems experiments in Iowa, Ohio, and North Carolina generated data that contributed to an increased understanding of biological, physical, and economic factors affecting the transition from conventional to organic production and provided a scientific foundation for outreach efforts. Further, the effects of transition strategies on subsequent productivity, soil properties, biological dynamics, and economic returns were determined in multiple environments (three states). Scientific impacts include 89 publications, posters, or abstracts to date. More than 30 graduate students (many funded outside IFAFS) have been or are being trained in programs in direct or close association with this project. More than $2.0 million in additional grant support has been generated.

Component Research Impacts
Component research on pest management and fertility strategies identified specific tactics and inputs that can be used to optimize available soil nutrients and minimize the effects of diseases, pests, and weeds in transitional organic fruits, vegetables, and grains

Objective 3
Facilitate the development of local, regional, and international market opportunities for organic growers.

With demand in the U.S. for organically grown products increasing at over 20 percent per year, a major goal for our project was making marketing information more available to farmers and helping to facilitate new marketing opportunities.

Consumer Preferences
A major study led by Tufts University has identified consumer interests and preferences for organic products, in addition to providing very valuable information for farmers as to how to prioritize production to match with consumer demand for specific products.

Increased Marketing Opportunities
Major studies and workshops were conducted in North Carolina, Ohio, and Iowa to identify both present and future capacity for production of organic crops and livestock products and opportunities for direct and retail sales of organic products. A major effort was established in developing new international markets for organic products, specifically focused on high-value markets for soybeans and soybean products, including a major farmer-to-consumer exchange program with Japan.

The 2005 Scientific Meeting
The fourth scientific meeting of the OAC, “Transitioning to Organic Agriculture: Ecology, Economics, and Marketing,” brings together scientists, educators, and farmers to summarize progress on the complex issues and challenges addressed during the five years of the program, assess progress on program objectives, and plan future strategies. These proceedings provide a summation of the work of the past five years.