CONTACT:
Bob Scowcroft or Jane Sooby, 831-426-6606

OFRF Solicits Pest Management Research Proposals

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (October 10, 2005) - The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, is pleased to issue a call for proposals to conduct research on managing weeds, insects, and diseases using organic methods in the intermountain west and in the midwest.

Through partnership with EPA’s Sustainable Agriculture Initiative, the funds will be available to farmers, scientists, extension agents, and other interested research partners in EPA Regions 5 and 8.

Region 5 includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin and 35 tribal nations in those states. Region 8 includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and 27 tribal nations in those states.

Proposals will be due Dec. 15, 2005, and funding decisions made in March 2006.

The Organic Farming Research Foundation funds organic research and education projects in North America, and has awarded 230 grants totaling over $1.5 million in support of organic farming research and education projects since 1990. More than $680,000 of these grant funds have specifically supported research on weed, insect, and disease pest management in organic farming systems

For more information on the OFRF grants program, including a list of previously funded projects, guidelines for applications, and a free guide to conducting on-farm research, contact OFRF at 831-426-6606, or e-mail jane@ofrf.org. Complete information is also available on-line at http://www.ofrf.org.

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