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Applications Now Open for Two USDA Programs Geared Toward Organic and Transitioning Producers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(May 17, 2022) – Certified organic and transitioning to organic agricultural producers and handlers can now apply for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) and the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). These United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs help producers and handlers cover organic certification cost and other related expenses. Applications are open now and due October 31, 2022.

The two USDA programs cover costs incurred from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022. Organic and transitioning agricultural producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office and/or participating State agency to apply. “The FSA, and the USDA broadly, are committed to making sure our Nation’s organic producers and handlers have the tools they need to continue positively shaping our local and regional food systems,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

According to OFRF’s 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) report, cost of organic certification ranked third as a top non-production challenges among more than 1,100 organic producers surveyed. “By helping with organic certification costs – long identified as a barrier to certification – USDA has helped producers participate in new markets while investing in the long-term health of their operations,” said Ducheneaux.

The Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program and the Organic Certification Cost Share Program are important to many organic and transitioning producers. OFRF has put significant effort into advocacy to ensure funding for these programs, such as championing organic provisions included in the 2018 Farm Bill. Most recently, OFRF and allied organizations authored a group letter of support to extend last year’s OTECP application due date which was successfully implemented.

“If someone is considering getting certified, they should definitely look into the program as it can reduce some of the financial burden,” says organic farmer and OFRF Board Chair Bryan Hager. Hager has previously participated in the cost share program to certify his farm, Crager Hager Farm.

More information is available on the OTECP and OCCSP webpages.

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About Organic Farming Research Foundation

Organic Farming Research Foundation 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.

http://www.ofrf.org/

Policy Contact

Gordon Merrick, gordon@ofrf.org

Media Contact

communications@ofrf.org

By |2023-12-12T17:13:54+00:00May 17th, 2022|News, Press Release|

OFRF Awards 2021/22 Grant to Research Climate Resilience for Coffee Producers Using Organic Practices

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), in partnership with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture (FFAR), is pleased to award a 2021-22 Organic Research grant to Alejandra Guzman-Luna, affiliated with Universidad Veracruzana and in collaboration with the Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative at the University of Vermont. Guzman-Luna has nearly 15 years of experience working with farmers and Indigenous communities in Mexico.

OFRF’s grant program funds research on organic production systems and the dissemination of these research results to organic farmers and agricultural research communities. The 2021/22 grant cycle prioritized early career researchers and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) applicants, and awarded on-farm projects focused on climate mitigation and resilience.

The awarded team will research climate change resilience with coffee smallholder producers by extending organic practices to staple crops in Mexico. They have three objectives to address the perceived lack of viable organic alternatives in staple crop production: conduct a participatory diagnosis of the challenges of growing staple crops organically; co-design and establish four experimental and educational plots; and systematize the results and widely disseminate them. 

As a result of OFRF’s research, education, and outreach efforts, thousands of farmers have received pertinent research and training information. Results from all OFRF-funded projects are available to access for free in an online database.

Thank you to FFAR and our research partners for making the 2021/22 organic research grant program possible.

OFRF Research Grant Partners

 

By |2022-06-17T21:43:52+00:00May 11th, 2022|News|

OFRF Awards 2021/22 Grant to Research Organic Farming System Options Addressing Coffee Leaf Rust

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), in partnership with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), is pleased to award Kanalani Ohana Farm a 2021-22 Organic Research grant. OFRF’s grant program funds research on organic production systems and disseminates these research results to organic farmers and agricultural research communities. The 2021/22 grant cycle prioritized farmers, early career researchers and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) applicants, and awarded research projects focused on climate mitigation and building on-farm resilience.

Kanalani Ohana Farm will research organic farming system options for control of Coffee Leaf Rust on five organic farms in Kona, Hawaii. Colehour Bondera (MS and MEd) is a second generation farmer and will serve as research project lead. Their research team will test a systems-level approach to Coffee Leaf Rust management by increasing microbial biodiversity, using on-farm and island-made inputs, and sequestering more carbon through increased soil organic matter. This project was conceived, developed, and will be carried out by organic farmers. University of Hawaii organic system faculty will assist with analyses. 

As a result of OFRF’s research, education, and outreach efforts, thousands of farmers have received pertinent research and training information. Results from all OFRF-funded projects are available to access for free in an online database.

Thank you to FFAR and our research partners for making the 2021/22 organic research grant program possible.OFRF Research Grant Partners

By |2022-05-11T19:18:31+00:00May 11th, 2022|News|

Now is the Moment to Help OFRF Support Organic Farmers

Sunflowers at Hirzel FarmsEvery five years a U.S. Farm Bill is voted into law by Congress, directing hundreds of billions of dollars to flow into the food and agriculture systems.

The 2023 Farm Bill is right around the corner and now is the moment to act.

Help support farmers and advance organic agriculture in the 2023 Farm Bill. Thanks to a generous donor, contributions made today will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000!

OFRF heard loud and clear from organic and transitioning farmers and ranchers about their needs in the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda and OFRF touring ARS fields with member of Congresswill be focusing our 2023 Farm Bill efforts on the following to address the challenges they are facing:

  • Increase the amount of funds dedicated to organic research at the USDA.
  • Push organic agriculture as a climate solution across USDA agencies and ensure organic and transitioning farmers receive resources they need to be successful.
  • Support the expansion of organic farming systems.

Together we can ensure organic farmers are properly supported for the following five years. And remember, the work to affect policy change isn’t just needed in the six months before a Farm Bill, but instead it requires constant pressure, collaboration, education, commenting, and relationship-building all year long.

There are many ways to give to OFRF. And don’t forget: donate today and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to a generous donor.

By |2022-05-10T22:13:48+00:00May 10th, 2022|News|

Soil Health Practices Across the U.S.

2022 National Organic Research Agenda CoverThe Organic Farming Research Foundation 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) is a report informed by surveys and focus groups conducted in 2020 with over 1,100 certified organic farmers and ranchers across North America.

What Farmers Said

  • In the NORA report, 83% of respondents reported used crop rotations at least sometimes, with the majority responding usage as very often.
  • 88% of survey respondents used cover crops and green manures, with almost half of respondents indicating they cover crop very often.
  • Only 19% of respondents indicated they intercropped very often and 36% reported never intercropping.

Download OFRF’s Soil health and organic farming guide books.

Cover Cropping by Region
Respondents from the South tended to use cover crops more often than in other regions. This may reflect the greater need for cover crops in the rotation to replenish soil organic matter (SOM) and nitrogen (N) in Southern region soils, which tend to lose SOM rapidly and have lower inherent fertility than soils in cooler parts of the U.S. (Duncan, 2017).

Cover crop use frequency was second highest in the Corn Belt region, where two-thirds of respondents grow field crops.

Conversely, the colder climates and shorter growing seasons in the Great Lakes and Northeast regions can impose logistical and economic constraints on integrating cover crops into annual crop rotations (Delate, 2013; Sheaffer et al., 2007). These challenges could contribute to less frequent use of cover crops.

Crop Rotations by Region
At least 88% of respondents in the most agro-ecoregions used crop rotations to some extent. However, within in the Pacific region, 35% of respondents reported never using crop rotations.

Across All Agro-Ecoregions
Perennial conservation plantings play important roles in agro-ecosystem health and in meeting NOP requirements to conserve biodiversity in organic operations. Across all agro-ecoregions, 74% of survey respondents reported maintaining some of their certified land in one or more of the following:

  • buffer strips or border rows (54%);
  • hedgerows, windbreaks or shelterbelts (35%);
  • wildflower strips (17%);
  • and other plantings such as woodland, prairie, or other natural areas (7%).

Other Conservation Practices to Help Improve Soil Health

Conservation Cover: Establish and maintain either introduced or native grasses, legumes and forbs for permanent cover, pollinator habitat, and food for wildlife.

Forage and Biomass Planting: Plant specific grass and legumes suitable for pasture, hay, or biomass production improves livestock nutrition and health, and can provide forage supplies during periods of low forage.

Manure Management: Store and contain manure until conditions are appropriate for field applications. This addresses potential manure runoff, protects water quality, and reduces nutrient loss.

Rotational Grazing of Animals: Divide pastures into multiple paddocks to manage soil compaction and harvest of vegetation. This improves or maintains the volume and quality of forage for grazing animals and provides vigor to plant communities.

Tree and Shrub Establishment: Woody plants in non-forested areas via planting seedlings, container/potted plants, cuttings or by direct seeding can improve air and water quality, stores carbon in biomass, provides wildlife habitat, and controls snow drift.

By |2022-08-10T03:21:40+00:00May 10th, 2022|News|

Free Webinar Shares Findings from 2022 National Organic Research Agenda

Join us online as OFRF Research & Education Manager Thelma Vélez, PhD, discusses results from the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA).

This free webinar from OFRF and eOrganic takes place on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 11AM Pacific / 12PM Mountain / 1PM Central / 2PM Eastern Time. Advance registration is required.

“The 2022 NORA is the most comprehensive and thorough iteration of OFRF’s national farmer studies to date. Over 1,100 organic producers gave us their opinions and the stories the data tells is striking. We need to continue building capacity for organic growers across the nation and developing programs and policies to support them,” said Vélez.

About the Webinar
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) regularly surveys organic growers, farmers, ranchers across North America to understand their challenges and research needs. The findings are published in the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) report, which informs OFRF research, education and advocacy programs and has also historically served as a critical roadmap to inform the USDA and Congress on how to leverage public investments in organic research and technical assistance. In 2019-2020, OFRF surveyed over 1,000 farmers and held 16 focus groups with both established certified organic growers and transitioning growers. In this presentation we will summarize the findings of the most recent NORA report.

Survey respondents provided input and perspectives on their current organic production systems, including the use of regenerative soil health management practices, water conservation, organic inputs, and organic seed. Findings confirm that organic producers lead the nation in adoption of soil health management and climate-friendly practices. The 2022 NORA also examines current farmer concerns in organic agriculture, farmers’ preferred sources and modes for information-sharing, and the impacts of COVID on organic producers. Respondents also shared their production and non-production challenges, which OFRF then analyzed by region, farming experience, and race/ethnicity.

By |2022-05-02T20:34:38+00:00May 2nd, 2022|News|

Organic Producers Lead the Nation in Soil Health Practices

Organic production starts with healthy soils which regulate water, sustain plant and animal life, filter and buffer potential pollutants, manage nutrients, and provide physical structure to support strong plant roots. According to the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), organic producers lead the nation in adoption of soil health and environmental stewardship practices. Such practices include cover cropping, crop rotations, and perennial conservation plantings.

Cover crop plants include legumes (such as clover, vetch, peas, and beans) and non-legumes (including cereals, grasses, and broadleaf species). Approximately 76% of organic field crop farmers plant cover crops regularly; in contrast, only 10% of conventional field crop farmers follow this soil-building practice.

The National Organic Program (NOP) defines crop rotation as “the practice of alternating the annual crops a grown on a specific field in a planned pattern or sequence.” Approximately 63% of 2022 NORA respondents reported using crop rotations very often. Among transitioning to organic farmers, three-quarters of respondents participate very often in crop rotations. In addition, 83% of transitioning farmers reported using soil-building intercropping practices as well.

To conserve biodiversity, organic producers also implement perennial conservation plantings. Nearly three-quarters of 2022 NORA survey respondents reported maintaining some of their certified land in one or more of the following:

  • buffer strips and border rows
  • hedgerows, windbreaks or shelter belts
  • wildflower strips
  • other plantings such as woodland, prairie, or natural areas.

Perennial conservation plantings promote beneficial and pollinator habitat, reduce the wind and water erosion, intercept runoff and pesticide drift, and enhance soil health and sequesters carbon within the area covered by perennial vegetation.

One National Organic Research Agenda respondent stated, “Soil is very important, and it is the building block of everything else. And if you treat it poorly, it will pay you poorly for years to come. If you treat it well, it will serve you well. You have to be constantly vigilant on your soil, and it is pretty darn important.” 

Soil health and organic farming guide books are available online to help beginning farmers implement practices such as cover cropping and  also provide additional information for more experienced producers.

By |2022-04-22T20:35:56+00:00April 22nd, 2022|News|

Staff Spotlight on OFRF’s Deputy Director

Dominica Navarro Martinez (she/ella/they) is OFRF’s new Deputy Director. She brings to this role an extensive background in nonprofit management, finance, administration, and strategic programmatic development. She has direct organic farming experience and previously worked for OFRF in an office management and programs capacity from 2015-2018.

Dominica currently resides in Central Oregon with her family and dog Xochitl (pronounced Sochi), and enjoys sailing, hiking, seeking out hot springs in remote locations, growing food, and processing and preserving goods her family has grown, foraged, caught, or hunted.


Tell us about yourself.

I am a Chicana Borinqueña (Mexican and Puerto Rican American) with a strong food culture. I was raised in Southern California where I grew up cooking with family, sailing the pacific coast, and traveling Mexico.

 

I’ve always had a close relationship with my food and after a decade of veganism and two degrees from the University of California Santa Cruz (specializing in food, agriculture and social justice), I have devoted my professional career to food systems work. At home, I have a vegetable garden on an eighth of an acre where I grow using organic principles.

Why do you care about organic farming and/or organic research?

Organic agriculture is important to me because it protects people and the planet. I personally don’t agree with agricultural systems that depend upon toxic pesticides to grow food. Food is meant to nourish us, not make workers and consumers sick or poison natural ecosystems. Organic research is especially important because we must also learn to meet the growing demand for organic foods and growing pest pressure.

Who is your farming, research and/or food hero – and why?

My food hero is all the abuelitas (grandmothers) out there who have held onto their strong food cultures and who continue to share it with their loved ones. I am always amazed at how much knowledge we as a society have lost in the last few generations when it comes to food preparation and preservation. Some things should take time and be made with lots of love, food is one of them!

What are you excited about working on at OFRF?

It’s exciting to be a part of such a small yet mighty organization making real strides in the organic sector. From educational materials, to research grants, to federal policy feats, OFRF is always pushing for better representation and support for organic farmers. As a returning staff member, I am once again proud to be a part of this work!

By |2022-04-13T17:35:59+00:00April 12th, 2022|News|

2022 National Organic Research Agenda and 2022 State of Organic Seed Reports Released

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

As the Organic Industry Booms, Grower Challenges and Seed Needs Loom Large
Two new assessments underscore the need for targeted investments in organic research

(SANTA CRUZ, Calif., March 15, 2022) — Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) are proud to announce the release of the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) and State of Organic Seed (SOS). The two reports are published every five years to examine organic farming challenges across the U.S., identify research needs, and better understand the organic seed needs of producers.

The organic food market experienced incredible growth in 2020, with sales surpassing $56 billion, a 12 percent increase from 2019. The organic seed market has also grown in recent years due to this demand for organic food as well as a dramatic rise in gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reports released today provide comprehensive assessments and recommendations for ensuring the ongoing growth and success of organic farming in the U.S. Specifically, NORA details organic research needs with the goal of informing future investments that support the success of organic farmers and ranchers and those transitioning to organic production. SOS details trends in organic seed sourcing, challenges faced by organic seed producers, public investments in organic plant breeding, and more.

In 2019, OFRF and OSA were jointly awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) for the NORA and SOS projects. The following year, OFRF and OSA launched a national survey of organic farmers and ranchers, in addition to a survey targeting transitioning-to-organic operations, to better understand these producers’ challenges, needs, and perspectives. More than 1,100 producers responded to the survey and an additional 100 producers attended 16 listening sessions across the country. Overall, farmer participation reflected the same demographics of those in the U.S. farming sector as documented in the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Services 2019 Organic Survey.

Highlights from the National Organic Research Agenda

“Organic farming has been historically under-invested in, in terms of research, education and extension,” says OFRF Executive Director Brise Tencer. “The 2022 National Organic Research Agenda presents incredible feedback directly from organic farmers and provides a compelling roadmap for how to best support the growth of this important sector of agriculture.”

Survey respondents provided input and perspectives on their current organic production systems, including the use of regenerative soil health management practices, water conservation, organic inputs, and organic seed. Findings confirm that organic producers lead the nation in adoption of soil health management and climate-friendly practices. The 2022 NORA also examines current farmer concerns in organic agriculture, farmers’ preferred sources and modes for information-sharing, and summarizes the impacts of COVID on organic producers.

Respondents also shared their production and non-production challenges, which OFRF then analyzed by region, farming experience, and race/ethnicity. This particular NORA compares the experiences of both Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and White farmers, and reveals BIPOC producers are experiencing many organic production challenges and at a higher rate than their White counterparts.

In addition to identifying gaps in current organic and transitioning-to-organic production challenges, NORA highlights farmer-identified solutions and strategies shared during its focus group discussions. NORA also provides comprehensive recommendations to guide OFRF’s research and policy initiatives. Proposed investments and focus areas include, but are not limited to, technical assistance, organic research, and racial equity programming.

Highlights from State of Organic Seed

The State of Organic Seed report is part of an ongoing project to monitor organic seed systems in the U.S. More than ever, organic seed is viewed as the foundation of organic integrity and an essential component to furthering the principles underpinning the organic movement. Every five years, SOS serves as a progress report and action plan for increasing the organic seed supply while fostering seed grower networks and policies that aim to decentralize power and ownership in seed systems.

The update released today includes substantially more data than the 2016 report, including a deeper examination of organic seed producer/company challenges and their networks. This and other data can be explored through an interactive website where users can sort five data sets by region, crop type, and other identifiers (see: https://organicseed.shinyapps.io/SOSData/).

Organic farmers produce food differently, and that means they need different seed for the crops they grow – seed developed to thrive without synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and adapted to their local climate and soil conditions. Organic seed is also a regulatory requirement. The USDA’s National Organic Program requires the use of organic seed when commercially available.

Unfortunately, OSA’s recent findings show no meaningful improvement in organic producers using more organic seed compared to five years ago. This lack of progress puts at risk the viability of the organic seed industry and the integrity of the organic label. In particular, the largest organic operations still use relatively little organic seed, and data suggests that organic certifiers’ enforcement of the organic seed requirement could be strengthened.

However, OSA’s data points to progress in other areas, including public investments going toward organic plant breeding and other organic seed research initiatives. More than $39 billion have been invested in these types of projects in the last five years alone. This represents the largest public investment in organic seed systems that OSA has ever recorded. More organic plant breeders are having success releasing new varieties as well.

“The findings are clear, and they underscore the urgent need to modernize organic seed policy, support the success of existing and new seed producers, and confront the dire risks climate change poses to our seed supply,” says OSA’s Kiki Hubbard, lead author of the report.

Each report is available online at www.ofrf.org/research/nora/ and www.stateoforganicseed.org/.

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Download this Press Release (214 KB, PDF)

Media Contacts
Organic Farming Research Foundation, communications@ofrf.org
Kiki Hubbard, Organic Seed Alliance, kiki@seedalliance.org, (406) 544-8946

About Organic Farming Research Foundation
Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) 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.

http://www.ofrf.org/

About Organic Seed Alliance

Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) works nationally to advance ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world. Through research, education, and advocacy, OSA fosters organic seed systems that are democratic and just, support human and environmental health, and deliver genetically diverse and regionally adapted seed to farmers.

https://seedalliance.org/

By |2023-12-12T16:58:22+00:00March 15th, 2022|News, Press Release|

Federal Funding for Organic Research for the Current Fiscal Year 2022

By Ferd Hoefner, OFRF policy advisor

On March 9, Congress finally produced the government funding bill for the fiscal year that started last October. Since October the government has been funding by a series of continuing resolutions that tracked the previous year’s budget amounts. Congress will now vote on the new final appropriations bill over the course of the next week, at which point it will be signed into law by the President. With April 1, the halfway point of every federal fiscal year, close at hand, it thankfully will not be held up any longer, and hope springs eternal that they would finish the annual appropriations process by the September 30 deadline each year.

The following are some brief bill highlights from the organic research perspective:

Organic Transitions Research – After winning a $1 million increase last year, we were successful in adding another half million increase this year, bringing the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY 22) total to $7.5 million. In report language added by the Senate, USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is directed to focus the increase on the role of organic in mitigating climate change.

Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education  – Though not an organic-only research and extension program, SARE was an early and continues to be a regular contributor to organic research. Following on a $3 million increase last year, the new bill for FY 22 includes another $5 million increase, bringing the total for the current year to $45 million for this NIFA competitive grants program.

Agriculture and Food Research InitiativeAFRI, by far the largest of the NIFA competitive grants programs, does not contribute nearly as much to organic farming research as it should, but has nonetheless been an occasional source of organic-specific funding or more frequently research that may contribute to organic systems less directly. It will receive its third straight $10 million annual increase, to reach $445 million for FY 22. In its report language, the Senate also directs NIFA to increase the number of organic research projects funded under AFRI, so that will bear watching as grants are awarded later this year.

Agricultural Research Service – While the final FY 22 bill does not include any specific funding provisions for organic farming research by the federal labs and field stations that make up ARS, earlier House report language requires the agency to develop a five-year plan for organic food and agricultural research encompassing all relevant crop, animal, nutrition, and natural resource national programs. We expect that plan to help bear fruit when Congress takes up the FY 23 agricultural appropriations bill later this year.

Organic Production and Market Data Initiative – The new bill includes level funding of $500,000 for the National Agricultural Statistics Service and an increase of $500,000, to a total of $1 million, for the Agricultural Marketing Service to further the objectives of the Organic Production and Market Data Initiative. Congress directs the increase for AMS to improve annual reporting by organic certifiers to calculate organic acreage and yield estimates more accurately on a country-by-country basis.

Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative – In an exciting comeback story, Congress is providing $14 million for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), a technical assistance and outreach program within the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s conservation technical assistance budget. Well managed grazing land is central to organic livestock and dairy production and plays a predominate role in climate change mitigation efforts. GLCI has not been funded by Congress for well over a decade, so its rebirth this year is a most welcome addition to the conservation and grazing toolbox.

By |2022-03-10T15:51:20+00:00March 10th, 2022|News|
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