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Bringing Organic to the Hill: How OFRF is Making Waves in D.C.

Written by Vinnie Trometter

When people think of organic food these days, they might picture a well-stocked grocery store, a local farmers’ market, or their favorite organic snack. What most people don’t picture? A day of meetings on Capitol Hill.

But that’s precisely where you’ll find us.

With the future of agricultural policy in flux and renewed attention on domestic food security, climate resilience, and sustainable farming practices, it’s more important than ever that organic farmers—and the science that supports them—have a seat at the table.

OFRF has been working hard to increase our presence in Washington, D.C., to make sure organic farmers have a voice in the decisions shaping agriculture policy. And what’s been especially encouraging lately is this: organic farming is something both sides of the aisle can get behind.

As OFRF’s point person in D.C., I spend my days walking the halls of Congress, meeting with lawmakers and their staff, and talking about the value of organic farming research. We work closely with coalition partners and farmer representatives to ensure organic perspectives are heard and reflected in policy decisions. What’s striking is that whether I’m in a Democrat’s office or a Republican’s, the conversations almost always land in the same place: organic farming research matters.

With some offices, the conversation might start with a concern about the trade deficit, increasing domestic food production, or improving public health. For others, conversation may focus on sustainability, conservation, and environmental health. But in the end, the key point is the same—investing in organic research benefits farmers in all parts of the country.

Rep. Nunn (IA-3, R), Alice Runde (NOC), Gordon Merrick (OFRF Sr. Policy & Programs Manager), Vinnie Trometter (OFRF Policy Fellow) during the 2025 NOC Fly-In

Left to right: Rep. Nunn (IA-3, R), Alice Runde (NOC), Gordon Merrick (OFRF Sr. Policy & Programs Manager), Vinnie Trometter (OFRF Policy Fellow) during the 2025 NOC Fly-In

I usually begin with a simple fact: the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has said that innovation and technology are the main contributors to economic growth in U.S. agriculture. Then, I connect the dots. For example, investing in organic research helps reduce the organic trade deficit, supports American farmers, and ensures consumers get access to food that’s both nutritious and responsibly grown.

From there, we talk specifics. At OFRF, we’re focused on a handful of key programs in this year’s federal budget:

We shape our advocacy based on what farmers tell us they need—through direct conversations, guidance from our Organic Stewardship Council, and insights from thousands of survey responses in the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA).

Each one plays a unique role in boosting productivity, supporting farmer-led innovation, and helping small and mid-sized organic producers thrive. And when we show congressional offices how these programs are already helping researchers and farmers in their own states? That’s when the conversation really clicks.

We’ve found that staying rooted in the facts builds trust. We keep our messaging focused on economic impact, real-world results, and the growing demand for organic food, which now tops $71 billion annually. That resonates whether someone’s priority is market competitiveness or environmental stewardship.

And yes, we’re hearing the concerns about tight budgets. But we also hear this: “These are small investments with big returns.”

The truth is, organic agriculture doesn’t belong to one political party. It’s about innovation, health, economic opportunity, and smart stewardship of our land. And that’s something everyone can get behind.

As OFRF continues to expand our presence in D.C., we’re proud to be a bridge between science, policy, and the people who grow our food. We know this work matters—and we’re grateful to be carrying it forward, one conversation at a time.

From DC, 

Vinnie

circular headshot of Vinnie Trometter

By |2025-05-20T16:41:06+00:00May 20th, 2025|News|

Lessons from Organic Seed Usage Farmer Listening Session

Certified organic producers share their challenges and opportunities in organic seed use

Written by Brian Geier

In the sixth Seeds of Success: Farmer to Farmer Networking Session, held on March 5, 2025, nearly 40 participants gathered virtually to share their thoughts and firsthand experiences using and producing organic seed. The session was co-hosted by the National Organic Coalition (NOC), Organic Seed Alliance (OSA), Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), Organic Farmers Association (OFA), and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (OEFFA). Like all Seeds of Success sessions, this was a facilitated, farmer-to-farmer conversation designed to support farmer-driven solutions, information sharing, and the identification of areas for future research and support.

Understanding the Organic Seed Requirement

The USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) requires the use of organic seed unless the seeds farmers need, including equivalent varieties, aren’t commercially available, per the Seeds and planting stock planting standard (7 CFR 205.204).

The purpose of the current organic seed exemption is to provide a transition time for the seed industry to catch up to demand and to allow organic growers to find suitable varieties to transition to, with the goal of eventually achieving 100 percent organic seed sourcing. The allowance for non-organic seed is important for growers who lack access to appropriate organic seed for their operations. While it is no one’s intention to force organic growers to use organic seed that may not be optimal for their operations, continuous improvement in organic seed sourcing is essential to incentivizing growth in the organic seed supply and strengthening organic integrity. 

The dialogue from participants in this networking session is summarized below and will help guide advocacy for balanced solutions that strengthen organic integrity and the seed supply.

The State of Organic Seed report from the Organic Seed Alliance provides insights on organic seed usage and an action plan to increase organic seed supply while fostering decentralized organic seed grower networks.

Key Insights from the Listening Session

Seed Grower and Researcher Perspectives 

  • Organic seed availability: Availability varies by crop and scale. Small-scale farmers can often source organic seeds, but large-scale operations struggle, especially for grains, cover crops, and certain vegetables.
  • Challenges in organic seed supply: Limited year-round availability, lack of regionally adapted varieties, and difficulties in securing non-proprietary and open-pollinated (OP) seeds.
  • Improving NOP seed regulations: Calls for 100% organic seed requirements, incentives for seed stewardship, cost reductions for certification, and stricter enforcement of organic seed sourcing.
  • Handlers & certifiers’ role: Processors often dictate seed choices, limiting organic adoption. NOP could regulate processor demands and improve certifier tools for verifying organic seed availability.
  • Organic seed database: A centralized database could help track seed availability and genetics, but concerns exist over maintenance, participation, and potential large-scale buyouts by industrial players.

A Delicata squash seed crop cures in bins at White Oak Farm and Education Center, Oregon.

Producer Insights 

  • Organic seed value: Many farmers see organic seed as important for soil health, resilience, and expanding organic acreage. However, cost and availability remain major concerns.
  • Barriers to organic seed use: High costs, limited availability, and documentation challenges make it difficult for some farmers to use exclusively organic seed.
  • Recordkeeping & compliance: Some producers find documentation burdensome, while others see it as manageable or even beneficial for farm planning.
  • Suggestions for NOP: Farmers suggest stricter organic seed regulations, incentives for seed saving, and better coordination with seed breeders to address regional challenges.
  • Seed breeding needs: More transparency, regional adaptability, and climate-resilient varieties are key priorities for growers. Many emphasize the importance of seed saving and collaboration.

Voices from Technical Service Providers, Policymakers, and Educators

  • Organic seed challenges: Farmers struggle with sourcing organic seed due to cost, limited availability, and contract restrictions. Wholesalers often don’t prioritize organic-specific varieties.
  • Mentorship & seed production: Limited mentorship opportunities for organic seed growers. Some interest exists, but infrastructure and certification barriers remain.
  • Certifier & inspector role: Inspectors find it difficult to enforce commercial availability rules and assess variety choices. A shift to acreage-based benchmarks for organic seed use may be more feasible.
  • Database for organic seed: Need for a centralized, up-to-date seed availability database, but challenges exist in funding, maintenance, and neutrality. Potential for regional databases or collaboration with certifiers.
  • NOP & seed policy: Calls for stronger organic seed regulations, incentives for growers, and addressing handler influence on seed selection.

Looking Ahead

We are incredibly grateful to our co-hosts for this session — NOC, OSA, OFA, and OEFFA — whose collaboration, recruitment, and facilitation support made the conversation possible.

We are looking forward to disseminating these findings with the National Organic Standards Board, the National Organic Program, and the entirety of the organic seed industry spectrum (from growers, to seed breeders, retailers, and researchers). Based on the interest of participants and registrants, we are looking at hosting similar iterations of the conversation, making space for more voices and perspectives.

For another perspective and complementary summary, we recommend reading this recap of the listening session from the National Organic Coalition, which includes additional context and reflections.

About the Seeds of Success Series

OFRF has partnered with the Organic Farmers Association (OFA) and National Organic Coalition (NOC) to lead a series of virtual farmer-to-farmer networking sessions. These facilitated events will be engaging opportunities for farmers to share their challenges and successes, and will be accompanied with relevant resources you can use.

To learn more about these and other events from OFRF visit: https://ofrf.org/events/

Funding for this series is provided by a cooperative agreement between OFRF and USDA- NIFA to highlight research investments made through both OREI and ORG grant programs.

Learn more about the Organic Agriculture program at USDA-NIFA at:  https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/organic-agriculture-program

By |2025-05-16T19:25:06+00:00May 15th, 2025|News|

Spring Storms in Policymaking: How Organic Research is Affected by Reconciliation

Written by Gordon Merrick and Vinnie Trometter

If you have been following the twists and turns of the recent policy developments in Washington, D.C., you may have heard about something called “reconciliation.” It’s a powerful tool used by Congress to “reconcile” current revenue & spending priorities with past revenue & spending allocations. Reconciliation is a process that is largely out of the public’s eye, primarily due to the rushed nature in which this tool is usually employed. For advocates of organic farming and publicly-funded agricultural research, reconciliation can have profound implications on the future of important programs.

What is Reconciliation? What’s going on right now?

Reconciliation is a fast-track budget process that allows Congress to adjust spending, revenue, and debt limits with a simple majority vote, bypassing the usual 60-vote threshold for policy changes in the Senate. While reconciliation bills are limited to budget matters (generating revenue, adjusting spending, or amending the debt limit), they can have sweeping policy implications by changing the structure or availability of funding that critical programs and agencies rely on.

Right now, House and Senate leaders are exploring reconciliation as a vehicle for securing spending cuts and tax reforms before the end of the fiscal year. Speaker Johnson and conservative members of the House have pushed for a total cut of $1.5 trillion across federal spending, with the House Agriculture Committee tasked with up to $230 billion of that total. That places major Farm Bill programs, especially those tied to nutrition, commodities, conservation, and research, squarely at issue in this process.

To make this all more urgent, the goal of this process is to get legislation on the President’s desk by Memorial Day, May 26. That is an astoundingly fast timeline with long-lasting implications.

What’s at Stake for Organic Research?

Like most of American agriculture, the Farm Bill authorizes most of the research, extension, and data work that supports organic agriculture. This includes funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), the Organic Markets and Data Initiative (ODI), and broader programs that also fund organic agriculture projects like the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI).

All of these programs ensure that organic and transitioning to organic producers have access to regionally-relevant science, economic tools, and opportunities for system-level innovation. They fund partnerships between farmers, researchers, Land-Grant Universities, and nongovernment organizations to answer practical questions and improve long-term viability of the U.S. organic sector. But, if the longstanding Farm Bill coalition is fractured by including some controversial funding changes without bipartisan buy-in, then any incentive to pass a robust, bipartisan Farm Bill in the 119th Congress could evaporate. That would leave these essential research programs running on authorities from 2018 legislation written for a radically different moment in time.

An Already Strained System

The Research, Education, and Economics (REE) agencies are already strained: over 15,000 USDA employees are accepting the USDA’s second Deferred Resignation Program. This includes over 1,600 in the REE agencies, representing a massive loss of institutional knowledge and capacity, particularly in agencies already short-staffed like Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

At the same time, organic research funding is already disproportionately low. Organic products account for over 6% of U.S. food sales and more than 15% of produce sales, yet less than 2% of USDA’s research budget and less than 1% of ARS’ funding goes to organic topics. That gap has helped fuel a surge in organic imports, while U.S. acreage and exports stagnate. New data from the USDA’s 2025 Organic Situation Report reinforces that, without major investments, the U.S. will fall further behind in meeting growing domestic and export demand with homegrown production.

Organic farmers and the researchers and extension professionals they rely on deserve better than a legislative game of chicken. Reconciliation wasn’t designed to replace the Farm Bill, and without a new Farm Bill that responds to today’s challenges, we risk the opportunity to meet the needs of today’s farmers to overcome tomorrow’s challenges.

Call to Action

We don’t need to shoehorn Farm Bill legislating into reconciliation cost-saving. We need a Farm Bill built on bipartisan cooperation, one that reinvests in rural communities, public research, and organic agriculture systems.

The coming weeks are going to be critical. As committees move toward decisions, it is essential that members of Congress hear from constituents who care about the future of organic agriculture. Public investments in organic research are not a luxury, they are a backbone of a resilient, regionally-adapted, and economically-vibrant food system.

Call your Representative and Senators. Show up at district events. Tell your story. A far-reaching and forward-looking Farm Bill is still possible; but only if we demand it.

Eat well and breathe deeply,

Gordon & Vinnie

By |2025-05-08T13:56:48+00:00May 8th, 2025|Gordon's Policy Corner, News|

OFRF-Funded Organic Strawberry Researcher Receives Prestigious Sustainability Leadership Award

Written by Elizabeth Tobey, OFRF Communications Manager

In 2019, Dr. Joji Muramoto became the first Cooperative Extension Specialist in the University of California (UC) system dedicated specifically to organic agriculture. This week, he will receive an award from the Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI) at UC Davis for his contribution to organic agriculture research.

The 2025 Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award recognizes and honors the legacy of Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger by celebrating the leadership of an individual who has worked to promote agricultural sustainability.

Some of the most significant scientific advancements in strawberry research have been made by Dr. Muramoto and Dr. Carol Shennan at UC Santa Cruz, where they have pioneered alternatives to methyl bromide in commercial strawberry production. The practices of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), an alternative to soil fumigation for the control of soil pathogens and nematodes, developed by Dr. Muramoto and colleagues, have been widely adopted among organic and conventional strawberry growers in California.

From an early age in suburban Tokyo, Japan, Dr. Muramoto was interested in the organic movement. “Organic farmers there told me repeatedly, ‘Soil is the foundation of farming.’ That’s when I got interested in soil science,” he says. As he advanced in his career, he found that helping growers was especially rewarding. “My passion is to help organic and conventional farmers make their farms more sustainable: ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just.”

Dr. Muramoto’s influential research focuses on enhancing soil health and promoting the sustainability of organic agriculture in California through transdisciplinary agroecological approaches. Since 1996, he has conducted research and extension on fertility and soil-borne disease management in organic strawberry and vegetable production and fumigant alternatives in conventional strawberry production in coastal California.

The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) began following Dr. Muramoto’s research in 1997 when we helped to initiate the work with a research grant. OFRF awarded additional grants in 2003 and 2010, which have since been leveraged to secure more than $5 million in funding from state and federal agencies to support this pivotal work. “I thank OFRF for its support from the beginning of my career at Santa Cruz,” Dr. Muramoto said when we reached out to congratulate him on this award. We applaud researchers like Dr. Muramoto, whose work exemplifies the ways that organic research can lead to innovative solutions that benefit the whole farming community, conventional and organic alike.

With organic agriculture as the fastest-growing sector in the United States’ food market, accounting for over 6% of total food sales and 15% of all produce sales, we believe it should receive a proportionate amount of research funding. However, organic research currently receives less than 2% of USDA’s research funding, and less than 1% of the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) research budget. Additionally, the research agencies at the USDA have not been spared from the current administration’s budget cuts and widespread firings.

Agricultural research is the backbone of the technical and financial assistance programs operated by the USDA that ensure food security, food safety, environmental sustainability, and economic vitality for the United States. We are committed to continuing to advocate for the funding that organic agriculture research deserves, enabling scientists like Dr. Muramoto to continue to pave the way towards sustainable solutions for all farmers.

Read more about our Policy Priorities here, and explore additional research in our new searchable resource database, The Organic Research Hub.

This story was adapted from a press release by UC Davis and a previous story OFRF released about Dr. Muramoto’s work.

By |2025-05-06T19:51:50+00:00May 6th, 2025|News|

OFRF Urges NOSB to Keep Driving Bold Farmer-Centered Organic Research

Written by Gordon Merrick, OFRF Senior Policy & Programs Manager

To continue to efficiently utilize organic research funding, it is important to have multiple conduits of information between farmers, the larger organic sector, and the researchers investigating the topics and questions needed to continue the sector’s significant growth. That is why OFRF continues to advocate for research that is farmer-informed, systems-based, and currently relevant. There is no more important conduit and platform for this work than the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB, the Board) annual research priorities and the process to develop them.

This month, OFRF submitted formal written comments and delivered oral testimony to the NOSB during its Spring 2025 Meeting held virtually. These comments emphasize the Board’s unique and crucial role in guiding national organic research investments, address some persistent gaps plaguing organic producers and the community, and present possible new research priorities for the NOSB to discuss.

Why the NOSB Matters

The NOSB’s research agenda-setting may not generate headlines like some of its other works, but the impact is still significant. These priorities serve as a research roadmap for USDA agencies, including the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the Economic Research Service (ERS). They’re referenced in NIFA’s competitive grant Request for Applications, policy briefings, and even Congressional Appropriations materials.

Most importantly, these priorities reflect the lived experiences of the entire organic sector, from production to processing to consumers. Public comment, materials reviews, and real-time farm and organic business feedback shape the priorities, ensuring they remain responsive to emerging challenges.

As OFRF emphasized in our comments, this process bridges the gap between science and policy. It validates grassroots knowledge and channels it into formal research that drives practical solutions, builds trust between diverse communities, and informs the future of organic agricultural production and supply chain management.

Persistent Gaps

OFRF’s comments call for a renewed focus on several long-standing research gaps that are vital to regulatory compliance and farmer success:

  • Copper fungicide alternatives: A decade-old priority still lacking scalable, crop-specific solutions.
  • Methionine replacement in poultry feed: Critical for maintaining animal welfare and production benchmarks while meeting organic standards.
  • Livestock breeding: More work is needed to evaluate and develop breeds suited to pasture-based and organically managed systems.
  • Organic pork production: With the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) rule finalized, the sector needs research on compliant housing, feed, and market development.
  • Organic nursery stock: A foundational gap for orchards and vineyards that remains largely unstudied in a systematic way.
  • Microbial inoculants and biostimulants: Widely marketed but under-evaluated, these products are a source of frustration and uncertainty for farmers.

These are not niche concerns but barriers to growth for entire segments of the organic industry. OFRF has recommended that the NOSB continues to reaffirm these issues as research priorities moving forward.

An apprentice in the pepper field at Trouvaille Farm (2024 OFRF Farmer-Led Trial researcher)

An apprentice in the pepper field at Trouvaille Farm, part of OFRF’s 2024 Farmer-Led Trials cohort.

New Frontiers

In addition to persistent gaps, OFRF’s comments elevate emerging issues that are gaining urgency within the organic community but have yet to be formally recognized by NOSB as research priorities. These priorities are less agronomic, but social and economic topics, like:

  • Farmer mental health and quality of life;
  • Labor conditions in organic production;
  • Urban and peri-urban organic systems; and
  • Organic risk management tools

Each of these issues touches on the broader vision of what organic can be: a model for ecological stewardship, social fairness, and economic resilience. As the organic sector continues to grow and diversify, these priorities reflect the lived experiences of producers and communities who are shaping its future. Without research to back that vision, the sector risks stalling in the face of increasing complexity, and missing opportunities to lead on truly transformative change.

Path Forward

OFRF’s message to the NOSB is hopefully clear: Don’t Stop Now. Keep setting bold, responsive research priorities. Keep building partnerships that turn those priorities into funded, actionable projects. And keep amplifying the voices of farmers, farmworkers, organic businesses, and communities that make the organic food system a living, evolving sector. With USDA research funding already stretched thin, it’s more important than ever that every dollar is guided by a grounded, farmer-centered vision. NOSB’s research recommendations play a pivotal role in ensuring that happens.

We thank the NOSB for its continued leadership and look forward to collaborating with the organic community to turn these priorities into reality. Stay tuned for more updates on our advocacy, and if you’re a researcher, technical service provider, or farmer with a story to share—we want to hear from you!

View the full copy of OFRF’s submitted written comments here.

By |2025-05-01T14:46:18+00:00May 1st, 2025|News|

Organic Research in the Balance: What’s Happening in Wisconsin

Written by Brian Geier, OFRF Communications Manger. This article was originally published in the Spring 2025 Organic Broadcaster by Marbleseed.

In labs in Wisconsin and Indiana, researchers are studying how microbial communities found on different varieties of carrots might help lead to disease resistance on organic farms. At a field day in Illinois, ten varieties of carrots are served on paper plates to attendees, who taste and rate the sweetness, texture, and color. And on forty farms across the country, farmers try the new carrot varieties on-farm, via a decentralized trial service called Seedlinked. All are part of the “Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture” (CIOA) project, led by Dr. Phillipp Simon at the University of Wisconsin (UW) and partnered with the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). The effort aims to develop and release new seed lines that can support a surging organic carrot industry that already represents 12% of the carrots grown in the US and is valued at over $120 million annually.

Advanced breeding lines of carrots are being evaluated at the Hoagland Lab at Purdue University, a partner on the CIOA project. To learn more, visit CIOA’s eOrganic page. Photo credit: Purdue University.

The CIOA is one of several projects developed and led in Wisconsin that are responding to the needs of various organic industries and doing critical work to empower farmers to elevate their operations. It serves as just one example of how the organic community in Wisconsin is leading the way toward new innovations through research, helping to advance organics nationwide.

Organics in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is undoubtedly a leader in organic farming. It ranks 5th in the nation in terms of organic market value, after having grown 16% in just two years to $312 million in 2021. The state has the highest number of organic farms of any state outside California, with 1,455 certified operations, representing 8% of the nation’s total. And, Wisconsin is the nation’s leader in the number of organic farmers statewide in several commodities: field crops, livestock and poultry, layer chicken farms, and pig farms. 

By many indicators, the growth trend for organic in Wisconsin is poised to continue: the state ranks second in the number of non-certified farms with transitioning organic acres, an indicator of the potential for growth in a state’s organic sector. And according to UW, the majority of organic farmers in the state (80%) plan to maintain or increase their organic production.

Federally-Funded Research in Wisconsin

To begin a discussion on Federal funding, it can be useful to decode some alphabet soup. Organic research funding reaches Wisconsin through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) via the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), the Organic Transitions Program (ORG), and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Project leads are often researchers at universities, but many projects involve collaborative teams of researchers in other states, and many have organic farmers collaborating in research as well.  

Project leads often have ongoing connections to organic farmers, and ideas for research can come from a variety of places including formal surveys or simply through discussions with growers. According to the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda, a comprehensive survey of organic producers across the country conducted by the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), organic farmers in the Great Lakes ag-ecoregion have identified three key research concerns: 

  • Climate adaptation and resilience. 
  • Weed, pest, and disease management.
  • Soil health.

NIFA has awarded over $19 million in grants to the state’s research institutions for organic research to address these and other concerns. These grants translate to over $380 million in economic activity, since every dollar invested in agricultural research generates about $20 in benefits, according to a long-term study by the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). UW has played a crucial role, securing and investing $8 million of those grants. The ARS has historically funded 20 projects in the state researching organic topics, but currently, only two of those remain active, revealing a gap in the institution’s portfolio.

Innovative Projects Ongoing in Wisconsin

Research led by Dr. Yang, left, seen here standing in his lab alongside business collaborator Daniel Burgin, is bringing new biological agents to organic growers that can help protect apple, tree, and citrus trees from disease. Photo credit: UW.

Organic research underway in Wisconsin serves a diverse range of production systems, from vegetables to tree fruits and dairy. 

Besides the CIOA, which is funded through OREI, another project at UW-Madison, led by Dr. Rebecca Larson and funded by ORG, is partnering with organic dairy farmers through the Organic Valley Cooperative. The team is developing life-cycle analysis models for eight dairy-producing regions so farmers can measure and meet conservation goals. Also funded by ORG but headquartered at UW-Milwaukee, a project led by Dr. Ching-Hong Yang is working to boost the efficacy of a bacterial strain in controlling fire blight in organic apple and pear trees. Dr. Yang, along with a business partner and researchers at the University of Florida, is also testing the same strain for efficacy in lessening the severity of citrus greening.

Wisconsin’s organic producers have a diverse range of operations, and the challenges that organic farmers face are varied. Researchers are answering the calls with strong collaborations, multi-state networks, and dissemination components to bring key findings that farmers can use to inform decisions on their operations. 

Resources and Insights from Research Completed in Wisconsin

Celery variety trials at UW. Photo credit: The Organic Center.

The Organic Alternatives to Conventional Celery Powder project, led by Dr. Erin Silva at UW, addressed a constraint of the organic processed meat industry. This was a timely project, as the National Organic Program (NOP) was about to sunset the allowance of non-organic celery powder. But the question remained: can organic systems produce celery powder with the nitrate content needed for curing meat? The project verified that organic production systems can produce celery powder with sufficient N content for the industry.

Another project, called Connecting Community to Strengthen Organic Seed Breeding and Research and led by the OSA, responded to an urgent need to recruit and train a new generation of plant breeders specializing in cultivar development for organic systems. Plant breeders whose methods comply with organic standards have become an endangered species. The needs of organic seed farmers were collected and presented in OSA’s 2022 State of Organic Seed Report. And yes, 2022 is the same year as OFRF’s NORA report mentioned above. In fact, OFRF and OSA collaborated on an OREI-funded project to conduct the surveys and produce both reports!

OSA’s seed-breeding project conducted the Student Organic Seed Symposium (SOSS), an annual networking and professional development opportunity for graduate students in plant breeding and seed production for organic systems. The symposium was held at West Virginia University to convene a greater geographical and ethnic diversity of students. A speed-mentoring activity amongst participants was found to be especially valuable in identifying the next steps in their professional development. Reflecting on the Symposium, one seed-breeder-in-training stated: “It takes all of us (farmers, researchers, chefs, storytellers) to further our aims of creating genetic diversity and adapting to climate change.”

While research projects in Wisconsin may have been born from the challenges that Wisconsin’s organic farmers face, the knowledge and resources created by projects in the state have made significant contributions to the broader organic community.

Advocacy to Protect Federal Funding for Organic

Certified organic produce now makes up more than 15% of total produce sales in the United States. Organic dairy and eggs now constitute more than 11% of the total market. And overall, organic sales have doubled over the last 10 years and in 2024 made up about 6% of the total US food market. By most measurements, organic food is trending upward nationally, not just in Wisconsin. Most notably, the growth of organic sales is consistently outpacing the growth of the overall food market. To say it another way, we might be heading into a future that is more and more organic! 

But will we get there? 

Despite the growth of the organic sector, organic agriculture research funding makes up less than 2% of the total research budget at the USDA, and less than 1% of the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) budget. Additionally, much of the research focused on conventional agriculture relates to chemical applications or genetic traits—technologies that organic producers do not, and if certified, can not, use. To put it another way, organic research benefits all farmers, including conventional ones, but not the other way around.

In order to sustain the growth in organic acreage, producers, and products, it is crucial that more USDA funding be organic and applicable to all farmers. National policy priorities identified by OFRF include:

  • Increasing USDA’s research funding for organic research through both competitive grant programs at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and intramural research at ARS to reflect its market share and growth trajectory.
  • Fully funding the Organic Data Initiative to provide the necessary market analysis of an increasingly sophisticating sector. 
  • Expanding the accessibility and applicability of technical and financial assistance programs for organic farmers. 

At the time of this article’s writing (early 2025), uncertainty abounds within the organic community as federal funds for a number of programs related to organic farming, addressing climate change or support for specific farming communities ,are currently inaccessible due to executive action by the new administration in January. A federal judge recently ruled against the, but congressionally appropriated funds for active, ongoing organic research, conservation practices, and other services that organic farmers and researchers rely on remain inaccessible. This is causing immense uncertainty and disruption. 

The moment calls for steadfast advocacy and a commitment to organic research programs. OFRF offers resources and ways to get involved: join OFRF’s newsletter to stay informed, share your story if you are a farmer or researcher impacted by interruptions or resumptions of Federal funding, and visit OFRF’s advocacy page to learn more.

By |2025-04-30T14:26:06+00:00April 30th, 2025|News|

Our 2024 Annual Report is Here

We’re celebrating the release of our Annual Report! Featuring three stories from farmers, researchers, and organic advocates, this report highlights the impactful work we’ve accomplished in 2024. This past year, our mission to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems has taken us from farm fields to capitol steps to research labs, and we’ve had the opportunity to work with many passionate people who exemplify the heart of the organic movement. We hope you’ll take a moment to read their stories, see what we’ve built together in 2024, and learn more about what’s to come in 2025.

Innovating No-Till Farming with Occultation Tarping

By Rhianna Simes, M.S.Ed. of Verdant Phoenix Farm & Nursery

At Verdant Phoenix Farm, our mission has always been clear—no-till, organic farming rooted in soil health and long-term resilience. For over a decade, I’ve worked to integrate my understanding of soil health with the need to terminate weeds on my farm. I am striving to grow a regenerative ecosystem on our farm that not only sustains itself but thrives. To do this, we rely upon occultation tarping to manage weeds, protect soil structure, and foster biological activity in the soil.

Then, in 2020, the Almeda Wildfire swept through southern Oregon, altering the landscape around us. While the fire didn’t change our farm’s approach, it was a stark reminder of how critical soil health is in the face of disruption. It reinforced what I’ve always known: a thriving ecosystem isn’t just about growing food—it’s about building resilience from the ground up, even in the face of climate uncertainty.

For over 15 years, I have relied on occultation tarping–a technique that uses tarps (I opt for repurposed vinyl billboards) to smother weeds and enhance biological activity while keeping the soil horizons intact. Unlike tilling, which disrupts soil structure, occultation fosters the conditions for a biologically rich, self-sustaining soil ecosystem. With inspiration from the Soil Food Web and the One Straw Revolution, I saw firsthand that this method worked, but I was eager to research the impacts on soil health and weed termination. It was a dream come true to learn more through a hands-on, in-the-field, research-based trial. This project helped me measure the impact and refine my approach so that I can share it with others as part of our farm’s educational work.

That’s why I applied for OFRF’s Farmer-Led Trials program. With their support, I designed and carried out a research trial to compare the effects of tarping versus tilling on soil health and weed suppression. OFRF’s financial assistance offset project costs, and their technical support was invaluable. They provided guidance on structuring the trial, assistance with data analysis, and the expertise I needed to translate my fieldwork into measurable research that benefits other organic, no-till farmers like me. The OFRF team is great to work with!

This project gave me the confidence I needed to pursue further research, and even leverage additional opportunities—from joining The Soil Inventory Project to securing a Western SARE Farmer/Rancher grant to continue to research and legitimize occultation as a technique for no-till farmers and beyond.

My on-farm trial reaffirmed what I’ve always believed: when farmers have the resources to explore and refine organic practices, new strategies are developed, and this innovation helps the entire movement.

Researcher Quan Zeng standing in front of a brick wall, wearing black-rimmed glasses and smiling at the camera

A Win for Organic Research: Dr. Quan Zeng’s Fight Against Fire Blight

By Dr. Quan Zeng, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

When I met with staff from Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro’s office earlier this year, I wasn’t there to discuss politics—it was about a disease threatening apple and pear orchards across the country. Fire blight, a bacterial infection, has already cost U.S. farmers over $100 million annually. Organic growers who lost access to streptomycin and other antibiotics in 2014 due to resistance and ecological impact concerns are in desperate need of alternatives.

At my lab, we’ve been working on a breakthrough: identifying naturally occurring yeasts that trigger plants’ natural defenses, offering organic farmers a sustainable way to fight fire blight. Early trials are promising, but as with all agricultural research, progress depends on reliable funding. The USDA’s Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) made our work possible, but federal research funding is declining, and organic research receives less than 2% of the USDA’s total research budget.

That’s why meeting with Rep. DeLauro’s office was critical, given her seat as a leader in the Appropriations Committee. Without continued investment in organic research, all farmers are left without the tools they need to adapt and thrive. And without OFRF’s advocacy and facilitation, these conversations might not happen. OFRF doesn’t just push for more organic research funding; they aim to connect impacted communities like researchers and farmers directly with policymakers, making sure science informs policy and policy leads to real solutions for farmers.

The impact of agricultural research goes far beyond individual farms. Every $1 dollar invested in public agricultural research generates $20 in public benefits, improving resilience, reducing pesticide use, and shaping climate-smart farming practices. Yet, despite these clear benefits, public funding for agricultural research has dropped over 20% over the past two decades. If we don’t act, we risk falling behind in developing the solutions farmers need to navigate a changing climate.

In March, staff from Rep. DeLauro’s office are planning to visit my lab to see this research in action. It’s a small but important step toward securing stronger investment in organic research at the federal level. Conversations like this, sparked by OFRF’s work, are how we transform research into meaningful change for farmers.

Returning to My Roots: How OFRF Helped Me Grow as a Farmer and Advocate

By Dakota Moore, Moore Family Farms, former OFRF intern

Farming is in my blood. For generations, my family has worked the land at Moore Family Farms in North Carolina. When my father and I began transitioning to organic, we knew we were investing in our farm’s future. However, through my internship at OFRF, I discovered something even bigger—how organic farming is part of a movement, one that connects research, policy, and farmers like me in ways I never imagined.

As an intern, I worked on OFRF’s new Organic Research Hub, a one-of-a-kind platform designed to connect farmers with the latest organic research. Sorting through peer-reviewed studies on soil health, water dynamics, and weed suppression, I realized research isn’t just for scientists—it’s for farmers. These findings provide real solutions to challenges we face every day, but only if they reach the people who need them. That’s where OFRF comes in, making sure critical research doesn’t sit on a shelf but gets into farmers’ hands through on-farm trials, webinars, technical resources, and advocacy.

But OFRF’s work is about more than research grants and policy wins—it’s about making sure farmers like me have the support we need to succeed. One of the highlights of my internship was co-presenting in OFRF’s Seeds of Success webinar, “Adding the O: Farmer Perspectives on Transitioning to Organic.” Sharing our farm’s journey and hearing others navigating the same path reminded me that organic farming isn’t just about production methods—it’s about community. Farmers need other farmers.

As I return full-time to Moore Family Farms as farm manager, I’m bringing back more than just knowledge—I’m bringing connections, confidence, and a deeper understanding of how organic farming fits into the bigger picture of agriculture in the U.S. But organic farming’s future depends on continued investment in research, funding, and policies that support farmers like me. That’s why I’m committed to staying engaged—not just as a farmer, but as an advocate. And I know that, with organizations like OFRF leading the way, we’re planting the seeds for something bigger than any one farm—we’re growing a movement.

By |2025-04-25T16:12:29+00:00April 25th, 2025|News|

Why the Trade War Increases the Need for More Organic Farming Research

By Vinnie Trometter, OFRF Policy Fellow

Hi! I’m Vinnie Trometter, the new policy fellow at OFRF. I want to take a moment to introduce myself: Prior to coming to OFRF, I worked in policy fields related to pesticide safeguards, reference prices, and crop insurance. I also have a background in the commodities trade and have worked in international trade organizations around the world. I have also had multiple op-eds about agriculture and the steel industry published in outlets like the Chicago Tribune, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Boston Herald. It seems only fitting then that my first blog post for OFRF be about the elephant in the room, tariffs.

Few sectors of the economy will feel the brunt of the ongoing trade war more than agriculture. Retaliatory tariffs placed on our producers will drive foreign buyers of U.S. agricultural products elsewhere while the tariffs we place on other countries will make import products farmers depend on more expensive. To make matters worse, there is little clarity on how the White House plans to support farmers during this period of uncertainty.

In terms of exemptions, thankfully all food products coming from Mexico and Canada that are United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) compliant have been exempted. Many agricultural inputs, such as fertilizer, potash, and herbicides, have also been exempted. However, these victories do nothing to lessen the blow for farmers who trade with countries other than Canada and Mexico or depend on items that have escaped duties.

Organic farmers, who are less dependent on exports and almost devoid of reliance on foreign agricultural inputs, will still face challenges caused by the trade war. Tariffs could cause inflation and eat away consumer demand for organics that are priced at a premium compared to their conventional alternatives. Things like farm equipment will go up in price since those items, and the parts for those items, are made all over the world.

Ultimately, the total list of foreign items tariffed, exempted, and then the items created in the United States which have been tariffed as retaliation is extensive. All tariff-affected items on a country-by-country basis can be found here

How can Organic Farming Research help Mitigate Costs Associated with the Trade War?

Prior to the trade war, demand for organics was poised to grow significantly. According to the Organic Trade Association (OTA)’s 2024 Organic Survey, sales in organic products were projected to grow by 28% through 2025 compared to 2021 numbers. This trend is consistent with a recent 2025 Economic Research Service (ERS) study showing that the organic market in the United States has grown from $11 billion to almost $64 billion over the last two decades.

However, funding for organic research is less than one percent, or $15 million, of the total Agriculture Research Service (ARS) research budget. Furthermore, less than two percent of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)’s competitive grants go towards researching organic topics.

Increases in funding for programs that focus on organic production and competition, like the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) and the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), could be a way to help both conventional and organic producers weather the storm. Since chemical application is restricted for organic farmers, resource optimization and leveraging a farm’s natural environment are critical for success. Organic farming research innovations around production can help conventional operations reduce input costs and improve soil health to maintain or increase yields. In this way, conventional operations can mitigate risk caused by supply chain disruptions.

The Organic Science and Research Investment Act (OSRI)

The most direct path for increasing the funding for OREI and ORG funding is through the passage of the Organic Science and Research Investment Act (OSRI). First introduced by Senator John Fetterman in 2023 in the 118th Congress, and reintroduced April 10th, 2025 by Senators John Fetterman (PA) and Adam Schiff (CA), the OSRI Act would:

  • Provide stair-stepped funding increases for OREI from $60 million to $100 million through the duration of the Farm Bill.
  • Provide Congressional authorization and direction for the Researching the Transition to Organic Program (RTOP), currently known as the Organic Transition Research Program (ORG), with an authorization for appropriations of $10 million a year for the next two years and $20 million the following year.
  • Bolster funding for the Organic Production and Market Data Initiative (ODI). Providing $10 million over the life of the Farm Bill. ODI data is essential for risk management products and targeted market development.
  • Direct ERS to conduct a full, systematic evaluation of the economic impact organic agriculture has on rural and urban communities, taking into account economic, ecological, and social factors.

Organic and conventional producers would greatly benefit from the passage of OSRI because organic research findings are applicable to all agriculture. It would also help producers mitigate supply chain risks by replacing the function of foreign chemical products with natural solutions. Find out if your Senators have signed on to support the OSRI act and reach out to thank them or ask them to do so. Contact gordon@ofrf.org for more info.

Eat well and breathe deep,

Vinnie

By |2025-04-10T17:45:41+00:00April 14th, 2025|Gordon's Policy Corner, News|

OFRF Announces 2025 Farmer-Led Research Trials Cohort

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nine organic farmers across the country selected to receive technical support for next round of innovative on-farm research trials

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 14, 2025 — The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is excited to announce the next cohort of organic farmers that will be leading on-farm research trials with OFRF technical assistance in 2025.

Organic farming takes a great deal of dedication, financial investment, and continuous trial and error to adapt to an array of challenges from pests, diseases, soil management, and climate change. In order to address the specific challenges certified organic and transitioning-to-organic growers face, it is essential that farmers help lead efforts to identify problems and trial solutions. In this effort, OFRF provides technical assistance to a small cohort of organic growers each year through our Farmer-Led Trials (FLT) program.

Built in the spirit of curiosity and collaboration, the FLT program provides support to farmers so that they can try new practices, inputs, varieties, or animal breeds that can improve profitability and environmental sustainability.

“Every season, we adjust our growing methods and try out new techniques. But inevitably the season gets busy, we lose track of outcomes and end up with incomplete impressions of what worked or didn’t,” explained Lindsay Klaunig, owner and operator of Trouvaille Farm in Ohio and a participant in OFRF’s 2024 FLT program. “With the FLT program, I had support in designing a solid project, and [assistance] to allow me to allocate time and focus to data collection and analysis.”

The following is the full list of farmers selected for the 2025 FLT cohort:

  • Rollin Baker and Mike Lucas of Farmacea in Munith, Michigan.
  • Kay Bell of Passion Garden in Waco, Texas.
  • Ed and Terri Crowley of Mesta Meadows, LLC in Glenallen, Missouri.
  • Jill Martinez of Garcia Road Farm in El Prado, New Mexico.
  • John O’Meara of O’Meara Family Farm in New Sweden, Maine.
  • Samantha Otto of The Woven Trifecta in Whitehall, Michigan.
  • Markisha Parker of Parker Farm in Warren, Ohio.
  • Anthony Reyes of Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center in Carnation, Washington.
  • Kristin Swoszowski-Tran of Ledoux Grange, LLC in Mora, New Mexico.

To learn more about OFRF’s Farmer-Led Trials program, please visit our program page for updates and to read testimonials from the 2024 cohort. Additionally, we encourage curious farmers to check out OFRF’s free guidebook, Farmers Guide to Conducting On-Farm Research, for guidance on structuring your farm experiments so the results are useful, reliable, and repeatable.

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About Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, with a remote team based across the U.S., works to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems. OFRF cultivates organic research, education, and federal policies that bring more farmers and acreage into organic production. For more information about OFRF, please visit our website: www.ofrf.org.

Media Contact:
Ashley Dulaney, Communications Director, OFRF

ashley@ofrf.org

By |2025-04-15T16:32:45+00:00April 14th, 2025|News|

Real Talk on EQIP: One Organic Farm’s Journey Through Federal Funding

The Story of Three Feathers Farm

(Versión en español a continuación / Spanish version below)

By Jazea Kalea Smith, OFRF Fall 2024 Policy and Communications Intern, and OFRF staff

OFRF is currently working to increase farmer and community awareness of the federal funding opportunities available to organic and transitioning farms. As part of our work with the West/Southwest region of the USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), we’re spotlighting the experience of one farm—Three Feathers Farm in California—that received funding and support through the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Their story offers a transparent look at what it’s really like to work with NRCS: the benefits, the obstacles, and the lessons they’ve learned. We hope other farmers can use their experience to navigate the process of applying for and implementing EQIP contracts more easily.

Meet Three Feathers Farm

Organic farmer, Héktor Calderón-Victoria, crouches in field to inspect irrigation and soil at Three Feathers Farm in California.Three Feathers Farm is a small, BIPOC-led organic farm located on four-and-a-half acres in Morgan Hill, California, a mere twenty minutes south of San Jose, on the ancestral lands of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.

Founded by Héktor Calderón-Victoria and Dilip Sharma in 2022, the farm grows a mix of modern and traditional culturally relevant crops such as corn, pepper, beans, squash, onions, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, flowers, culinary herbs, basil, and cucumbers. Their mission is to steward the land while providing food that serves and reflects the diverse communities that came before, and the ones that surround them now.

“I think for us, farming is not just a place for growing food, but a place where community comes together,” says Héktor. “It’s where people can bring different mindsets and lifestyles and economic backgrounds. Our mission is that we want to be able to be as diverse as our soil and our crops that we grow.”

In 2023, after a year of preparation—cleaning, designing, sourcing necessary farming equipment, studying the needs of the soil, the climate, pest pressure, and diseases, and prepping the site for practices such as cover cropping and composting—Three Feathers Farm officially began production. They quickly worked to establish relationships with local restaurants, non-profits, food banks, and even their local school district, an uncommon success for a new, small-scale operation.

From the start, they knew they would need funding to implement sustainable practices that aligned with their values. They found EQIP through their local Resource Conservation District office, which helped point them to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Working With NRCS and Putting Conservation Into Practice

So far, Three Feathers Farm has received two NRCS-EQIP contracts. The first, awarded in 2023, was for a hedgerow border along the farm’s property line, which has been completed. The second, approved in 2024, supports the construction and maintenance of two high tunnels.

Getting to those signed contracts, however, took time, persistence, and a steep learning curve. The process began with a farm visit from a local NRCS field agent, followed by the creation of a conservation plan—a prerequisite for applying. Next came a series of forms, eligibility checks, and application submissions, including registering with the Farm Services Agency (FSA) to obtain a farm number, which Héktor, as a new farm owner, hadn’t realized was required.

“That was the biggest obstacle for us was—trying to understand what side of the USDA you go to for certain things, where you submit different paperwork, who to talk to. It felt like the two offices (FSA and NRCS) weren’t in communication with each other,” he explained.

Despite this complication, Three Feathers pushed forward, ultimately securing contracts for two impactful conservation projects:

Hedgerows for Biodiversity

The hedgerow project funded the planting of a variety of native species along a border fence, helping prevent erosion, attract beneficial insects, and buffer wind. It also supported the construction of a barn owl nest box to naturally manage rodent pressure from squirrels and field mice. Maintenance, like regular irrigation and mulching, is required as part of the contract’s ongoing terms.

Prior to the stewardship action taken by Héktor and Dilip, no conservation practices had been applied at the Three Feathers Farm site. “We know this project will improve our water quality, reduce erosion for where the hedgerows will be, and increase biodiversity of the site that we have, by bringing beneficial insects and birds,” Héktor stresses.

High Tunnel Hurdles When Funding Doesn’t Flow Fast

The high tunnel contract, approved in late 2024, was designed to support two season-extending structures, with supplemental guidance on soil management like mulching and cover cropping under the tunnels. The high tunnels would allow the farm to grow sensitive crops through cooler months, protect against late frosts and intense rain events, and increase income stability through longer harvest periods.

But by March 2025, six months after the contract was signed, construction had not begun.

The main reasons: funding logistics and uncertainty. EQIP contracts typically reimburse farmers only after projects are completed and verified by a field agent, often several months or a year after costs have been incurred for project materials or contracted labor. Three Feathers Farm would need to front around $50,000 to complete the high tunnel installation before receiving any reimbursement. This can provide a financial challenge, especially for small farms who may not have access to a bunch of capital to front the cost of a conservation project.

“We’re not just big bags of money,” Héktor laughed. Often the solution for some farmers is to pull out an FSA loan or CDFI loan, but this takes a lot of time and effort and isn’t necessarily feasible for all farmers.

Compounding the issue was the timeline and lack of transparency in the process. Although their contract was approved in September 2024, they were still unclear when reimbursement would be available, which documents were required, and whether any updates had been processed six months later.

“Something that I had a really hard time with is that there is no centralized platform where all of the documents live to show what has been submitted, what contracts do we have, and when these contracts are done,” Héktor said.

They later learned that they could have applied for advance payment as a Historically Underserved operation—a USDA designation that can allow farmers to receive partial funding earlier. This option is still a reimbursement, but farmers are able to submit their receipts immediately after the expense is incurred, rather than having to wait until project completion. Covering expenses for a few weeks instead of several months or a year can make a huge difference in the financial viability of a project for a small farm.

However, Héktor expressed frustration that the option for advance payment was not disclosed to them at the time when they submitted their application. They only learned later that they could have been eligible for the advance payment option. At that point changing the application would have required restarting the whole process, creating a major setback to their project timeline.

“If we had it would have been a very different story,” said Héktor.

In the meantime, the farm is still working to identify financing options or partners to help them move forward with the project.

EQIP Lessons and Hurdles

While Héktor was quick to confirm that “these programs have been incredibly beneficial to our farm” he also pointed out some challenges that they experienced in working with the USDA. These challenges offer valuable lessons for other farmers interested in participating in federal support programs, and also give insight to improvements that NRCS agencies could implement in the processes used and staff training provided.

Navigating FSA and NRCS Requirements

Héktor emphasized that one of the earliest hurdles was not knowing that registering with FSA and obtaining a farm identification number was required before applying for NRCS programs like EQIP. For beginning farmers, this step—and the need to navigate two separate USDA entities—isn’t always intuitive.

The USDA is a large and complex organism with many different agencies working within it. This “doesn’t make it easy for small scale producers to navigate and to understand the complexities of the US government program,” Héktor explained

Language Matters

Despite participating in two different EQIP projects, Héktor pointed out that he and his business partner weren’t clear on exactly which Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) their projects actually supported. CPSs are methods that the NRCS has found to address Resource Concerns.. These technical terms tend to be second nature to NRCS agents, but can leave farmers in the dark.

It would be helpful, Héktor suggested, if NRCS agents were better equipped to speak in terms that are familiar to farmers, helping them understand the connection between their farming practices and the conservation goals of the agency. That way “when we are talking to our elected officials or talking to other organizations we can actually tell them what we’re doing as part of these contracts,” Héktor said.

Communication Gaps and Outdated Systems

Héktor cited communication and use of technology as one of the major challenges that Three Feathers Farm experienced throughout the process of working with a USDA contract.

“The application for both FSA and NRCS felt very archaic,” Héktor said. They were “relying on methods and platforms that weren’t user-friendly or conducive to effectively being able to submit and track documents. It just felt like there’s got to be an easier way.”

This led to a lot of uncertainty about what paperwork needed to be submitted and whether everything required had been properly received by NRCS. It was difficult for Three Feathers Farm to know if they were missing any key documents or steps, Héktor explained, “which added to the stress of the application process, for both me and my business partner.”

“Despite these challenges, we worked diligently to navigate the system by carefully double-checking and following up on each of the steps,” Héktor said, a key tip for other farmers applying for these programs.

Long Delays and Understaffing

“We experienced huge wait times, sometimes 2-4 months, to schedule even just a visit from our field agent,” Héktor explained. “This delay had a significant impact on our ability to move forward with submitting our applications for programs we wanted to apply to–like hedgerows and high tunnels.”

While he stressed that their local field agent was helpful and supportive, it was clear that understaffing limits how quickly farmers can move forward. “They probably have so many farmers they have to respond to that it’s not possible for them to give us the attention that we need,” he added.

For Three Feathers Farm, this made it hard to get a response and meant that they had to constantly be reaching out to their NRCS office to push the project along and make sure things were on track.

Agent Awareness of Practices that Apply to Organic Farms

Héktor expressed a desire for more familiarity on the part of NRCS agents with the programs that could work on an organic farm, pointing out how helpful it would be if they were more able to suggest practices for farmers to consider implementing that are compatible with the organic method.

“We found that agents were not always fully aware of the practices and programs that could apply to our farm,” Héktor mentioned. “I think as a result we sometimes miss out on new or existing programs that could be beneficial to our operation.”

Because of this, Héktor pointed out the importance for farmers to be proactive in asking for support, and doing the work of familiarizing themselves with the programs that are available.

Project Timelines and Reimbursements

Three Feathers Farm was approved for their high tunnel project in September 2024, but by early March 2025, they still hadn’t been able to break ground. Delays—both in scheduling and in understanding the materials sent as part of the contract—have slowed the process. The timeline from application to implementation to reimbursement can be longer and more complex than expected, especially for new applicants who may not anticipate these challenges or factor them into their planning.

While an Advance Payment option exists to help eligible farmers get reimbursed sooner, it wasn’t offered upfront.

Don’t wait until you’re ready to build. Ask detailed questions about timelines and whether you qualify for Advance Payment.

Advice to Others

Despite the challenges, Héktor wants other farmers to know the programs are worth it—if you’re ready to do some extra legwork.

“It taught us that we needed to be really persistent, to pay attention to the details, and to advocate for ourselves,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and don’t assume the agencies will volunteer all the information you need. You have to advocate for it.”

Héktor acknowledges that these programs have eliminated the significant long-term financial burden from incorporating these practices onto Three Feathers Farm, “enabling us to now invest in our sustainable practices without jeopardizing our farm’s [financial] sustainability. The guidance and technical assistance that we’ve received have really streamlined our processes, contributing to our broader goal of environmental stewardship.”

Looking Ahead: Stewardship, Research, and Resilience

Three Feathers Farm became USDA Certified Organic in early 2024, but Héktor and Dilip’s long-term vision goes beyond infrastructure or certification. They see organic farming as part of a broader movement rooted in environmental stewardship, food justice, and cultural resilience.

“We’re in continual kinship with the soil, crops that we grow, and the surrounding nature in our area,” Héktor said.

For Three Feathers Farm, organic isn’t just a label—it’s a responsibility to their community and future generations. That includes advocating for better research, more accessible programs, and a stronger voice for small farms in federal conversations.

Héktor has traveled to Washington, D.C. as an advocate with the National Young Farmers Coalition and continues to speak out about the importance of policy that reflects the lived experiences of diverse farmers. He highlighted the lack of research on culturally relevant crops and the needs for greater recognition of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in agricultural research.

“A lot of the crops we grow don’t have data behind them for pest and disease management,” he explained. “That forces small farms like ours to do our own research, which takes time we don’t always have.”

Preservation is a common thread in their motivations to go organic, culminating in the greater goal of protecting the land for future generations. Both human and animal communities benefit from land free of chemical pesticides and herbicides, and the choice to receive organic certification is largely about providing accountability. Three Feathers Farm wants its community to know that they “did their due diligence,” and feel that the organic label communicates that.

Although achieving certification was an arduous process, the technical support and monetary backing of a number of organizations and agencies played a large role in enabling the farm to reach this goal. One critical factor that sped up their application timeline was the fact that previous farming operations on that plot had ceased more than twenty years before, meaning that the three-year transition period for land rehabilitation was unnecessary—a requirement Héktor noted can deter some farmers with fewer resources.

OFRF continues to advocate for more research funding that centers BIPOC producers, and to develop resources to help all farmers access the support they need to thrive. As climate change accelerates and challenges deepen, farms like Three Feathers remind us what’s at stake–and what’s possible when farmers have the right tools.

Ready to Apply? Here Are a Few Helpful Resources

If you’re a farmer considering applying for EQIP or other NRCS programs, here are some helpful tools to get started:

Hablemos en serio sobre EQIP: El recorrido de una granja orgánica a través de los fondos federales

La historia de Three Feathers Farm

Por Jazea Kalea Smith, pasante de Políticas y Comunicaciones de OFRF en otoño de 2024, y el personal de OFRF

En OFRF, actualmente estamos trabajando para aumentar el conocimiento entre agricultores y comunidades sobre las oportunidades de financiamiento federal disponibles para granjas orgánicas y en transición. Como parte de nuestro trabajo con la región Oeste/Suroeste del Programa de Asociación para la Transición a la Producción Orgánica (TOPP) del USDA, queremos destacar la experiencia de una granja: Three Feathers Farm, en California, que recibió fondos y apoyo a través del Programa de Incentivos a la Calidad Ambiental (EQIP, por sus siglas en inglés) del Servicio de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS).

Su historia ofrece una mirada honesta a lo que realmente implica trabajar con el NRCS: los beneficios, obstáculos y lecciones aprendidas. Esperamos que otras granjas puedan usar esta experiencia para navegar el proceso de solicitud e implementación de contratos de EQIP.

Conozca a Three Feathers Farm

Three Feathers Farm es una pequeña granja orgánica dirigida por personas BIPOC, ubicada en cuatro acres y medio en Morgan Hill, California, a solo veinte minutos al sur de San José, en tierras ancestrales de la Tribu Muwekma Ohlone.

Fundada por Héktor Calderón-Victoria y Dilip Sharma en 2022, la granja cultiva una combinación de cultivos modernos y tradicionales con relevancia cultural, como maíz, chile, frijoles, calabazas, cebolla, lechuga, rábanos, jitomates, flores, hierbas culinarias, albahaca y pepinos. Su misión es cuidar la tierra mientras ofrecen alimentos que sirvan y reflejen a las diversas comunidades que los antecedieron y que los rodean actualmente.

“Yo creo que para nosotros, la agricultura no es solo un lugar para cultivar alimentos, sino un espacio donde la comunidad se reúne”, dice Héktor. “Es un sitio donde las personas pueden traer distintas formas de pensar, estilos de vida y trasfondos económicos. Nuestra misión es ser tan diversos como lo son nuestro suelo y los cultivos que cultivamos”. 

En 2023, después de un año de preparación—limpiar el terreno, diseñar, conseguir el equipo agrícola necesario, estudiar las necesidades del suelo, el clima, las plagas y enfermedades, y preparar el sitio para prácticas como cultivos de cobertura y compostaje—Three Feathers Farm comenzó oficialmente su producción. Rápidamente establecieron relaciones con restaurantes locales, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, bancos de alimentos e incluso con su distrito escolar local, lo cual es un logro poco común para una operación nueva de pequeña escala.

Desde el principio, sabían que necesitarían financiamiento para implementar prácticas sostenibles que coincidieran con sus valores. Descubrieron EQIP a través de su oficina local del Distrito de Conservación de Recursos, que los orientó hacia el Servicio de Conservación de Recursos Naturales (NRCS) del USDA.

Trabajar Con el NRCS y Poner la Conservación En Práctica

Hasta ahora, Three Feathers Farm ha recibido dos contratos EQIP del NRCS. El primero, otorgado en 2023, fue para una cerca viva a lo largo del límite de la propiedad, la cual ya ha sido completada. El segundo, aprobado en 2024, apoya la construcción y mantenimiento de dos túneles altos.

Sin embargo, llegar a esos contratos firmados tomó tiempo, persistencia y una proceso de aprendizaje difícil. El proceso comenzó con una visita de campo por parte de un agente local del NRCS, seguida de la creación de un plan de conservación—un requisito previo para la solicitud. Luego vino una serie de formularios, verificación de elegibilidad y presentación de solicitudes, incluyendo el registro en la Agencia de Servicios Agrícolas (FSA) para obtener un número de granja, algo que Héktor, como nuevo propietario de una granja, no sabía que era necesario.

“El mayor obstáculo para nosotros fue tratar de entender a qué parte del USDA acudir para ciertas cosas, dónde entregar distintos formularios, con quién hablar. Sentíamos que las dos oficinas (FSA y NRCS) no se comunicaban entre sí”, explicó.

A pesar de esta complicación, Three Feathers siguió adelante, y finalmente logró asegurar contratos para dos proyectos de conservación con gran impacto:

Cercas vivas para la biodiversidad

El proyecto de cercas vivas financió la siembra de una variedad de especies nativas a lo largo de una cerca perimetral, ayudando a prevenir la erosión, atraer insectos beneficiosos y amortiguar el viento. También incluyó la construcción de una caja nido para lechuzas como forma natural de controlar roedores, como ardillas y ratones de campo. Como parte de los términos del contrato, se requiere mantenimiento continuo, como riego regular y acolchado.

Antes de que Héktor y Dilip implementaran estas prácticas de manejo, no se había aplicado ninguna práctica de conservación en Three Feathers Farm. “Sabemos que este proyecto mejorará la calidad del agua, reducirá la erosión en el área donde estará la cerca viva, y aumentará la biodiversidad del sitio que tenemos, al atraer insectos y aves beneficiosas”, enfatiza Héktor.

Obstáculos en Túneles altos cuando el financiamiento no llega rápido

El contrato para los túneles altos, aprobado a fines de 2024, fue diseñado para apoyar la construcción de dos estructuras que extienden la temporada de cultivo, con orientación complementaria sobre el manejo del suelo, como el acolchado (“mulching”) y el cultivo de cobertura (“cover cropping”) dentro de los túneles. Estos túneles permitirían a la granja cultivar cultivos sensibles durante los meses más fríos, protegerlos de heladas tardías y lluvias intensas, y aumentar la estabilidad de ingresos mediante periodos de cosecha más largos.

Pero en marzo de 2025, seis meses después de firmar el contrato, la construcción aún no había comenzado.

Las principales razones: logística financiera e incertidumbre. Los contratos EQIP normalmente reembolsan a los agricultores solo después de que los proyectos se completan y un agente de campo los verifica, lo que a menudo ocurre varios meses o incluso un año después de que se hayan incurrido los costos de materiales o mano de obra contratada. Three Feathers Farm necesitaba desembolsar alrededor de $50,000 para completar la instalación antes de recibir algún reembolso. Esto puede representar un desafío financiero, especialmente para granjas pequeñas que quizás no cuenten con capital suficiente para cubrir los costos por adelantado.

“No somos sacos grandes de dinero”, se rió Héktor. A menudo, la solución para algunos agricultores es recurrir a un préstamo de FSA o de una Institución Financiera de Desarrollo Comunitario (CDFI, por sus siglas en inglés), pero esto requiere mucho tiempo y esfuerzo, y no siempre es factible para todos.

El problema se agravó con los plazos y la falta de transparencia en el proceso. Aunque su contrato fue aprobado en septiembre de 2024, seis meses después todavía no tenían claro cuándo estaría disponible el reembolso, qué documentos se requerían y si se habían procesado actualizaciones seis meses después.

“Algo que me costó mucho fue que no hay una plataforma centralizada donde estén todos los documentos, que muestre qué se ha enviado, qué contratos tenemos y cuándo están finalizados esos contratos”, dijo Héktor.

Más adelante se enteraron de que podían haber solicitado un pago adelantado por ser una operación designada como “Históricamente Desatendida”—una categoría del USDA que permite a los agricultores recibir una parte de la financiación más pronto. Esta opción sigue siendo un reembolso, pero los agricultores pueden presentar sus recibos inmediatamente después de incurrir en los gastos, en lugar de tener que esperar hasta la finalización del proyecto. Cubrir los gastos por unas semanas en lugar de varios meses o un año puede hacer una gran diferencia para la viabilidad financiera de un proyecto en una granja pequeña.

Sin embargo, Héktor expresó su frustración porque esa opción de pago adelantado no se les presentó cuando enviaron su solicitud. Solo más adelante supieron que podían haber sido elegibles. Para entonces, cambiar la solicitud habría requerido reiniciar todo el proceso, lo que habría representado un gran retraso para su cronograma.

“Si lo hubiéramos hecho, habría sido una historia muy diferente”, dijo Héktor.

Mientras tanto, la granja sigue buscando opciones de financiamiento o socios que los ayuden a avanzar con el proyecto.

Lecciones y obstáculos con EQIP

Aunque Héktor rápidamente confirmó que “estos programas han sido increíblemente beneficiosos para nuestra granja”, también señaló varios desafíos que enfrentaron al trabajar con el USDA. Estas experiencias ofrecen lecciones valiosas para otros agricultores interesados en participar en programas federales de apoyo, y también resaltan áreas en las que NRCS podría mejorar sus procesos y la capacitación de su personal.

Navegando los requisitos de FSA y NRCS

Héktor enfatiza que uno de los primeros obstáculos fue no saber que debían registrarse con FSA y obtener un número de identificación agrícola antes de aplicar a programas NRCS como EQIP. Para agricultores principiantes, este paso—y la necesidad de navegar entre dos agencias diferentes del USDA—no siempre es intuitivo.

“USDA es un organismo grande y complejo con muchas agencias distintas trabajando dentro de él. Esto no facilita que los productores a pequeña escala entiendan y naveguen la complejidad de los programas del gobierno estadounidense”, explicó Héktor.

El lenguaje importa

Aunque participaron en dos proyectos diferentes de EQIP, Héktor señaló que ni él ni su socio comercial tenían claridad sobre cuáles “Estándares de Prácticas de Conservación” (CPS, por sus siglas en inglés) apoyaban realmente sus proyectos. Los CPS son métodos que NRCS ha determinado que abordan problemas de recursos. Estos términos técnicos son naturales para los agentes de NRCS, pero pueden dejar a los agricultores en la oscuridad.

Sería útil, sugirió Héktor, que los agentes de NRCS estén mejor capacitados para comunicarse en términos más comprensibles para los agricultores, ayudándoles a entender la conexión entre sus prácticas agrícolas y los objetivos de conservación de la agencia. Así, “cuando hablemos con funcionarios electos u otras organizaciones, podamos realmente explicar lo que estamos haciendo como parte de estos contratos”, dijo Héktor.

Brechas de comunicación y sistemas obsoletos

Héktor mencionó que uno de los principales desafíos que Three Feathers Farm experimentó fue la comunicación y el uso de tecnología a lo largo del proceso de trabajar con el contrato de  USDA.

“La aplicación para FSA y NRCS nos pareció muy anticuada”, dijo Héktor. “Dependían de métodos y plataformas que no eran fáciles de usar ni ayudaban a enviar y rastrear documentos de forma efectiva. Sentíamos que debía haber una manera más sencilla”.

Esto causó mucha incertidumbre sobre qué documentos debían enviar y si NRCS había recibido todo correctamente. “No sabíamos si faltaban papeles importantes o pasos del proceso”, explicó Héktor, lo que aumentó el estrés tanto para él como para su socio.

“A pesar de estos desafíos, trabajamos con diligencia para navegar el sistema revisando cuidadosamente cada paso y haciendo seguimiento”, dijo Héktor un consejo clave para otros agricultores que estén considerando aplicar a estos programas.

Largos retrasos y falta de personal

“Experimentamos tiempos de espera muy largos, a veces de 2 a 4 meses, solo para agendar una visita de nuestro agente de campo”, explicó Héktor. “Este retraso tuvo un impacto significativo en nuestra capacidad de avanzar con la presentación de solicitudes para programas como las cercas vivas y los túneles altos”.

Si bien destacó que su agente local fue servicial y solidario, quedó claro que la falta de personal limita cuán rápido los agricultores pueden avanzar. “Seguramente tienen muchos agricultores a los que deben responder y no pueden darnos la atención que necesitamos”, añadió.

Para Three Feathers Farm, esto hizo que fuera difícil obtener respuestas y significó que debían estar en constante contacto con su oficina local de NRCS para impulsar el proyecto y asegurarse de que todo siguiera avanzando.

Conocimiento de prácticas aplicables a la agricultura orgánica

Héktor expresó su deseo de que los agentes de NRCS estén más familiarizados con los programas que pueden aplicarse a granjas orgánicas. Señaló lo útil que sería que los agentes pudieran sugerir prácticas compatibles con métodos orgánicos.

“Nos dimos cuenta de que los agentes no siempre estaban completamente informados sobre las prácticas y programas que podrían aplicarse a nuestra granja”, mencionó Héktor. “Creo que a veces eso hace que perdamos oportunidades en programas nuevos o ya existentes que podrían beneficiarnos”.

Por eso, resaltó la importancia de que los agricultores sean proactivos al pedir apoyo y se tomen el tiempo de familiarizarse con los programas disponibles.

Cronogramas de proyectos y reembolsos

Three Feathers Farm recibió la aprobación para su proyecto de túnel alto en septiembre de 2024, pero para principios de marzo de 2025, aún no habían podido comenzar la obra. Los retrasos, tanto en la programación como en la comprensión de los materiales incluidos en el contrato, hicieron más lento el proceso. El tiempo desde la solicitud hasta la implementación y el reembolso puede ser más largo y complejo de lo que se espera, especialmente para quienes participan por primera vez y no anticipan estos desafíos ni los incorporan en su planificación.

Aunque existe una opción de Pago por Adelantado para ayudar a que los agricultores elegibles reciban reembolsos más pronto, no se ofreció desde el inicio.

No espere hasta estar listo para construir. Haga preguntas detalladas sobre los cronogramas y si califica para el Pago por Adelantado.

Consejos para otras personas agricultoras

A pesar de los desafíos, Héktor quiere que otras personas agricultoras sepan que los programas valen la pena, siempre y cuando usted esté dispuesto a hacer un esfuerzo adicional.

“Nos enseñó que necesitábamos ser realmente persistentes, prestar atención a los detalles y abogar por nosotros mismos”, dijo. “No tenga miedo de hacer preguntas y no asuma que las agencias le proporcionarán toda la información que necesita. Usted debe abogar por obtenerla”.

Héktor reconoce que estos programas eliminaron una carga financiera significativa a largo plazo al incorporar estas prácticas en Three Feathers Farm, “lo que ahora nos permite invertir en nuestras prácticas sostenibles sin poner en riesgo la sostenibilidad [financiera] de nuestra granja. La orientación y asistencia técnica que hemos recibido realmente agilizaron nuestros procesos y contribuyeron a nuestro objetivo más amplio de cuidado ambiental”.

Mirando hacia el futuro: cuidado del entorno, investigación y resiliencia

Three Feathers Farm obtuvo la certificación orgánica del USDA a principios de 2024, pero la visión a largo plazo de Héktor y Dilip va más allá de la infraestructura o la certificación. Consideran la agricultura orgánica como parte de un movimiento más amplio, enraizado en el cuidado del medioambiente, la justicia alimentaria y la resiliencia cultural.

“Mantenemos un vínculo constante con el suelo, los cultivos que cultivamos y la naturaleza que nos rodea”, dijo Héktor.

Para Three Feathers Farm, ser orgánico no es solo una etiqueta: es una responsabilidad con su comunidad y con las futuras generaciones. Eso incluye abogar por una mejor investigación, programas más accesibles y una voz más fuerte para las granjas pequeñas en las conversaciones a nivel federal.

Héktor ha viajado a Washington, D.C. como defensor con la National Young Farmers Coalition, y continúa alzando la voz sobre la importancia de que las políticas reflejen las experiencias reales de agricultores diversos. Destacó la falta de investigación sobre cultivos culturalmente relevantes y la necesidad de un mayor reconocimiento del Conocimiento Ecológico Tradicional (TEK, por sus siglas en inglés) en la investigación agrícola.

“Muchos de los cultivos que cultivamos no cuentan con datos disponibles sobre el manejo de plagas y enfermedades”, explicó. “Eso obliga a granjas pequeñas como la nuestra a hacer su propia investigación, lo cual requiere tiempo que no siempre tenemos”.

La preservación es una motivación constante en su decisión de hacer la transición a lo orgánico, con el objetivo final de proteger la tierra para las generaciones futuras. Tanto las comunidades humanas como animales se benefician de un terreno libre de pesticidas y herbicidas químicos, y la decisión de obtener la certificación orgánica tiene mucho que ver con rendir cuentas. Three Feathers Farm quiere que su comunidad sepa que “hicieron las cosas bien” y sienten que la etiqueta orgánica comunica eso.

Aunque lograr la certificación fue un proceso arduo, el apoyo técnico y financiero de varias organizaciones y agencias desempeñó un papel fundamental para que la granja alcanzara esa meta. Un factor crítico que aceleró el cronograma de su solicitud fue el hecho de que las operaciones agrícolas anteriores en ese terreno habían cesado más de veinte años atrás, lo que significó que no fue necesario cumplir con el periodo de transición de tres años para la rehabilitación del suelo—un requisito que, según Héktor, puede desanimar a agricultores con menos recursos.

OFRF continúa abogando por más fondos de investigación que centrados a productores BIPOC, y para desarrollar recursos que ayuden a todas las personas agricultoras a acceder al apoyo que necesitan para prosperar. A medida que el cambio climático se acelera y los desafíos se profundizan, granjas como Three Feathers nos recuerdan lo que está en juego—y lo que es posible cuando las personas agricultoras tienen las herramientas adecuadas.

¿Listo/a para aplicar? Aquí tiene algunos recursos útiles

Si usted es una persona agricultora y está considerando solicitar EQIP u otros programas de NRCS, aquí tiene algunas herramientas útiles para comenzar:

By |2025-04-25T16:18:40+00:00April 10th, 2025|Farmer Stories, News, TOPP West|
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