Latest OFRF News
OFRF Grantee Releases Early-Yielding Red Pepper Variety
February 12, 2021—OFRF research grantee Sarah Hargreaves celebrates the release of a new early-yielding pepper variety called Renegade.
Gray Organic Farms
January 19, 2021 – Stephen Gray and his family are the third generation to farm their land in Ashkum, Illinois, which they are transitioning to organic using practices such as cover crops and minimal tillage to build the soil and reduce disruption to soil life.
Research Advances Cucumber Lines Resistant to Bacterial Wilt and Downy Mildew
January 14, 2021—In 2019, OFRF provided a second grant to Edmund Frost of Common Wealth Seed Growers to assess resistance to both bacterial wilt and cucurbit downy mildew among selected cucumber seedstocks.
New OFRF Grant Explores Best Practices for Virtual Peer-to-Peer Farmer Learning
December 17, 2020 - To increase understanding of how virtual peer-to-peer learning can help more farmers increase their knowledge and improve their practices, OFRF has awarded a grant to Sarah Brown at Oregon Tilth.
OFRF and FFAR Fund Research on Enhancing Nutrition of Organic Potatoes While Building Healthy Soils
November 30, 2020 - OFRF and FFAR awarded a grant to Dr. Inna Popova at the University of Idaho to examine effective weed management strategies that promote healthy soils and nutritious potatoes.
Webinar: Reducing Production Risks through Organic Soil Health Practices for the South
November 20, 2020 - This webinar explores the potential of soil restoration and improvement to reduce risk, stabilize yields, and build resilience in the Southern U.S.
The election is over, but the work starts now
November 17, 2020 - With a new administration, it is more important than ever to make organic voices heard. OFRF has delivered a transition letter to the Biden-Harris Administration with action steps they can take immediately to increase support of organic agriculture at USDA.
Managing Organic Fertility on Diversified Organic Farms
November 10, 2020 - Building healthy soils is the foundation of successful farm management. However, efficiently managing soil fertility remains a challenge for organic farmers.
Organic Crop & Seed Breeding for Adapting to Climate Change
October 20, 2020 - Most modern crop cultivars have been bred and selected to perform well in conventional farming systems over wide geographic ranges. As a result, organic farmers have relatively few options for purchasing regionally adapted cultivars suited to organic production.
Research Addresses Structural Barriers to Building Soil Health
November 3, 2020 - In the U.S., the number of Latinx farmers continues to increase, even as the total number of farmers decreases. Providing resources for this farming community is critical to creating a more equitable food system and ushering in a new generation of diverse farmers.
