Wes, Author at Organic Farming Research Foundation

Efficacy evaluation of biological control agents against wireworms in organic production

Photo of Soybean plantation rows view from the soil

Arash Rashed, University of Idaho
Associate Professor of Entomology

Wireworms, the larval stage of click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae), are generalist subterranean herbivores that cause significant damage in a variety of crops. Managing wireworms has been a challenge due to their long-life cycle, subterranean living habitat, and ability to survive wide range of host plants. Although there are a few insecticides available for conventional farming, there is no effective alternative control measure against wireworms in organic production. Thus, there is a critical need for developing effective non-chemical control protocols against wireworms.

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By Wes|2022-12-01T20:20:42+00:00December 1st, 2022|Grant Award|

Breeding disease-resistant heirloom-quality tomatoes

Carol Deppe, Owner Fertile Valley Seeds

The object of this project is to breed disease-resistant heirloom-quality tomatoes, especially those resistant to late blight and a number of other diseases. I have already crossed ten premiere heirloom tomato varieties—full-size red, pink, black, orange, and paste types—to the hybrid ‘Iron Lady’, which is resistant to late blight and a number of other relevant diseases. And I have developed the second-generation (F2) populations from each of these ten crosses. This year, the grant year, I’ll use marker assisted selection to identify most of the disease resistance genes in each transplant before transplanting them to the field. (This involves taking a sample of leaf from each transplant and sending the samples to a laboratory that can identify the genes in each sample.) This way I’ll be able to plant only the transplants that have the desirable disease resistance genes. I’ll evaluate plants in the field based upon plant form and vigor, maturity, fruit color, shape and flavor. I’ll derive a number of lots of seed from each cross. These lots of seed will be distributed far and wide to allow organic farmers and gardeners to easily develop their own heirloom-quality tomato varieties with resistance to modern disease. Many of the lots of seed will already be pure-breeding for late blight resistance, so breeders working with it will not need to select for late blight resistance. (You might or might not have it in your field any given year.)

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By Wes|2022-12-01T20:21:21+00:00December 1st, 2022|Grant Award|

OFRF champions the importance of organic research at NIFA listening session

The USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) held a listening session on Nov 2, 2022. This session’s goal was to collect feedback from stakeholders on the challenges, needed breakthroughs, and research priorities to inform NIFA’s role in the priority setting process of the Research, Extension and Education (REE) programs of the USDA. OFRF was honored to join the diverse array of stakeholders that offered insights and feedback on how NIFA can continue to deliver high quality, crucial resources and expertise to the agricultural community.

Both Gordon N. Merrick, Policy & Programs Manager, and Mark Schonbeck, Research Program Associate, highlighted the importance of NIFA’s competitive grant programs for organic agriculture, like the Organic Research & Extension Initiative (OREI) and Organic Transition Program (ORG). They both highlighted the importance of organic agricultural management in the response to our changing climate. Gordon reinforced the fact that “we now know, with scientific certainty thanks to publicly-funded basic research, that organic management leads to a more-resilient landscape in the face of the ongoing climate crisis.” Mark later added that “in long term farming systems trials, organic systems that maintain healthy soil show greater resilience to drought, excessive rainfall, and nutrient limitations than their conventional counterparts.”

Mark continued on to discuss some of the valuable research being done by these programs, like cultivar development networks that work directly with farmers, regionally appropriate nutrient management and cycling techniques, and organic’s ability to support a vibrant, biodiverse soil microbial community, which supports both soil and plant health.

Gordon was also sure to highlight that organic agricultural research should not be limited to these organic-specific programs. “Research into organic management techniques has resulted in economical and ecologically-sound management systems for all producers, we at OFRF think this reality should be reflected in how NIFA prioritizes research topics across all competitive research grant programs.” He continued, “the importance of organic-specific programs cannot be overstated, it has resulted in high-value research applicable to all producers, but a significant gap still exists between current research funding levels and the amount spent on organic production when considering organic’s 6% market share.”

Importantly, Gordon highlighted that the need for this research will only be increasing given the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), a historic $300 million investment in supporting producers to transition to organic production. According to our National Organic Research Agenda, some of the highest impact research areas are continuing to develop regionally adapted and appropriate cultivars, pest and disease management, and nutrient management techniques.

By Wes|2022-11-11T15:23:40+00:00November 10th, 2022|News|

Letter from Jennifer Taylor – Fall 2022

Dear friend,

My grandmother was a farmer in rural Georgia long before I was born. She started as a sharecropper and was given the opportunity to buy her own farmland. She became a very successful farmer, and this is where our organic farm is located today, on that same beautiful land. We grow many of the same crops my grandmother grew, such as unique varieties of delicious colorful vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Today we are the only certified organic farm in our county and within surrounding counties.

For us organic farming and agroecology not only builds healthy soil and healthy environments, but also supports access to healthy foods for our communities. -Dr. Jennifer Taylor

When my grandmother was farming, she used organic farming practices before organic certification even existed. For us, organic farming and agroecology not only builds healthy soil and healthy environments, but also supports access to healthy foods in our communities. I believe organic farming systems can, and should, be enjoyed by all farmers and consumers – in all communities.

By supporting OFRF, you will help ensure organic farming can continue to grow and support all farmers, environments, and communities. Give Now and your donation will be matched dollar for dollar!

OFRF has funded on-farm research for over 30 years and in 2022 prioritized applications led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). This investment is not only a win for grant recipients but the entire organic movement. In 2022, I received a research grant from OFRF for my project titled “Organic For All.” My participatory research project focuses on capacity-building and outreach, and will identify needs, hindrances, and barriers for BIPOC farmers.

The Organic For All project is designed to help farmers walk through the development of their own organic farming systems or organic agroecology farm practices and help develop solutions and resources through workshops that provide education, technical assistance, and access to organic agriculture.

The Organic For All project, and on-farm research in general, enables relationship-building with farmers, communities, and researchers, and importantly provides a pathway for relevant education, technical assistance, and hands-on training in organic agriculture.

With OFRF’s support, my goal is to bring more farmers into organic farming systems, and show that we all can learn from traditional agroecology knowledge and break down barriers so that BIPOC people can better access the benefits of organic.

Thank you,
Jennifer Taylor
Owner and Farmer of Lola’s Organic Farm
Glenwood, Georgia

Will you help organic farmers by donating today? This work wouldn’t be possible without your support. Your donation will be matched up to $25,000 thanks to Nature’s Path Organic Foods, Nell Newman Foundation, and other generous donors!

By Wes|2022-11-14T23:29:16+00:00November 9th, 2022|News|

OFRF and FFAR Fund On-Farm Organic Research of Companion Plantings for a New Invasive Brassica Pest

(SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. – November 3, 2022) – The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are pleased to announce its third award for the 2021/22 OFRF organic research grant cycle. Christiana Huss of the University of Georgia, was awarded $19,977 to research companion plants that reduce the destruction caused by invasive yellow-margined leaf beetle (Microtheca ochroloma) on leafy brassica greens across the Southeastern United States.

The yellow-margined leaf beetle is an invasive pest that threatens organic production of high value leafy brassica greens across the Southeast and beyond as winters become milder. This research will evaluate an innovative landscape ecology approach that involves a combination of repellant intercrops and attractant companion plants in a “push-pull” design for bio-control of the pest.

“Finding a suitable companion plant is an accessible approach for many farmers who wish to lessen their chemical inputs for pest control.” said Huss, principal investigator for the project. “We are thrilled to explore this technique and hope to find a solution!”

This project will leverage agricultural diversity to mitigate the destruction of the invasive M. ochroloma on brassica greens by testing potential intercrops’ ability to repel M. ochroloma. The project will then be assisted by ten organic farmers to trial the most successful combination of companion plants for managing M. ochroloma on their own farms.

This year’s research grant program prioritized farmers, early career researchers, and BIPOC applicants. The six projects chosen focus on climate mitigation and building on-farm resilience and have been awarded a grand total of $119,817 in funding. The 2021/22 cycle was made possible by a $66,000.00 grant from FFAR and matching funds from OFRF and its research partners.

To date, OFRF has invested over $3 million in 361 grants across North America to advance scientific knowledge and improve the ecological sustainability and economic prosperity of organic farming systems. All OFRF-funded research must involve farmers or ranchers in project design and implementation, take place on certified organic land, and include strong education and outreach components. All research results are freely available in OFRF’s online database.

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Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement USDA’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.
https://foundationfar.org/

Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is a non-profit foundation that 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. Project results are shared freely at ofrf.org. OFRF also provides free access to all of its educational materials and resources.
http://ofrf.org

By Wes|2022-10-27T17:40:56+00:00November 2nd, 2022|Press Release|

OFRF Gives Presents the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda to the National Organic Standards Board

(SANTA CRUZ, CALIF., Oct. 2022)—Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) presented the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), a comprehensive report that examines current needs and challenges of organic farmers and ranchers across the country and provides policy and research recommendations to address producer-identified issues. The national organic survey data boasts responses from over 1,100 producers and 16 listening sessions held across the U.S.

“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. The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) members and the audience were very interested in how our research agenda aligns with the USDA’s new Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) investments.”

As part of its Food System Transformation Framework, the USDA’s OTI is taking meaningful steps toward supporting both organically-certified farmers and ranchers as well as producers who wish to transition into organic production. OFRF has been working alongside policymakers and industry partners to advocate for this crucial investment that supports producers’ adoption of organic management while building a resilient and equitable food system.

NORA report findings indicate that managing production costs is a substantial challenge for 71% of producers surveyed, and an overwhelming number of producers (76%) expressed substantial need for technical assistance with the organic management of weeds, pests, and disease. In addition to detailing farmer challenges on and off the field, OFRF’s NORA report provides a comparison analysis of farmer responses based on commodity, location, and farming experience.

The NORA report is available online (www.ofrf.org/research/nora/) free of charge to farmers, policymakers, ag suppliers, seed companies, and the general public.

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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/

Media Contact

communications@ofrf.org

By Wes|2023-12-12T17:05:48+00:00October 27th, 2022|News, Press Release|

Gordon’s Policy Corner – October

As one would expect, the fall season has certainly brought a sense of urgency to Washington! But, like a lot of things in the policy world, initial deadlines are simply goals. We have seen a variety of extensions, delays, and even a continuing resolution this season and wanted to be sure you know of these continuing opportunities to engage in the policy process!

Congress has not met their deadline of passing a full budget, but have extended last year’s budget through what is an increasingly common tool known as the Continuing Resolution. Even though this is a frustrating development, it is also an opportunity to continue to voice the importance of organic research with appropriator offices! If you’re interested in doing so, reach out to me, Gordon, at gordon@ofrf.org.
USDA has also announced that they have extended the window to offer written comments on the new Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards rule. Consider the National Organic Coalition Template, or the Organic Farmer’s Association or Organic Trade Association’s individual comment tool. We need to be clear that the USDA must implement this rule quickly!
We are looking forward to hearing more details on the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, a potentially transformative investment into transitioning acreage into organic production. OFRF will keep you up to date on any developments regarding these investments and look forward to working with USDA and our partners to make this as impactful as it can be.
Last, but certainly not least, the Farm Bill season is fully upon us! The House Committee is looking for you to provide feedback on what programs are important to you, such as OREI or increasing transitional assistance. The Senate Committee will be continuing to develop their hearing schedule and we will be sure to keep you in the know of any opportunities to voice your opinion!

By Wes|2022-10-27T20:29:09+00:00October 27th, 2022|Gordon's Policy Corner, News|

OFRF’s New Online Course Will Give Organic Producers Strategies for Building Soil Health in the South

In the South, organic producers face intense pressure from weeds, insect pests, plant-pathogens, and weather extremes. In OFRF’s 2022 NORA Report, respondents from the South were considerably more likely to report many production challenges as substantial, indicating the especially difficult nature of organic farming in the region’s hot climates and lower-fertility soils. OFRF’s new online course: Soil Health Strategies for the Southern Region provides organic producers with practical information on building healthy soils in hot and humid climates.

Based on our Guidebook: Building Healthy Living Soils for Successful Organic Farming in the Southern Region, this self-directed course dives into the application of organic soil health principles through a series of practical modules with concepts and strategies, illustrated by innovative farmer stories. Course participants will also find resources for deeper dives into soil health topics, descriptions of the inherent properties of soil types commonly found in the South, and snapshots of the latest soil health research being conducted in the region.

Healthy, living soils provide the foundation for successful and profitable organic farming and ranching. The goal of this new course is to help the region’s current and aspiring organic producers develop effective, site-specific soil health management strategies that support successful, resilient enterprises. Soil Health Strategies for the Southern Region builds on OFRF’s popular series of guidebooks and webinars focused on organic farming and soil health. The entire course will be available for free starting in November.

By Wes|2023-03-03T20:32:08+00:00October 25th, 2022|News|

OFRF & FFAR Fund Research on Organic Farming System for BIPOC and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers

(SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. – October 25, 2022) – The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are pleased to announce its third award for the 2021/22 OFRF organic research grant cycle. Dr. Jennifer Taylor of Lola’s Organic Farm was awarded $20,000 to conduct participatory research and outreach to build capacity for access to and engagement in organic farming systems and organic agriculture for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and socially disadvantaged farmers.

This farmer-led research project titled, “Organic For All”, is a participatory capacity building agricultural research and outreach project that will help identify needs, hindrances and barriers with BIPOC farmers and work together to develop solutions and resources through relevant learning sessions that provide education, hands-on training, and technical assistance. The Organic For All project is designed to help farmers walk through the development of their own organic farming systems or organic agroecology farm practices and organic agriculture.

“This project, and on-farm research in general, enables relationship-building with the farmer, the community, and researchers. It builds a unique opportunity to support the specific needs of that farmer and says to the world that farmers have important knowledge to share,” said Taylor.

This project will address the gap in participation and access opportunities for socially disadvantaged farmers, BIPOC farmers and underserved farming populations to provide training and education. Outreach efforts will build relationships for greater access and participation in organic farming systems and organic agriculture.

This year’s research grant program prioritized farmers, early career researchers, and BIPOC applicants. The six projects chosen focus on climate mitigation and building on-farm resilience and have been awarded a grand total of $119,817 in funding. The 2021/22 cycle was made possible by a $66,000.00 grant from FFAR and matching funds from OFRF and its research partners.

To date, OFRF has invested over $3 million in 361 grants across North America to advance scientific knowledge and improve the ecological sustainability and economic prosperity of organic farming systems. All OFRF-funded research must involve farmers or ranchers in project design and implementation, take place on certified organic land, and include strong education and outreach components. All research results are freely available in OFRF’s online database.

###

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement USDA’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.
https://foundationfar.org/

Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is a non-profit foundation that 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. Project results are shared freely at ofrf.org. OFRF also provides free access to all of its educational materials and resources.
http://ofrf.org

By Wes|2022-10-25T16:14:53+00:00October 25th, 2022|Press Release|

OFRF co-hosts farm visit and attends Farm Bill Listening Session for Rep. Panetta, other Congressional Members.

On August 23, OFRF hosted our partners and Representative Panetta (CA-20) on a tour of Tablas Creek’s vineyard operations with Partner and General Manager Jason Hass and Jordan Lonborg, their viticulturist. After this farm tour, we all made our way to Paso Robles for a Farm Bill listening session with Representatives Carbajal, Costa, Lofgren, and Panetta with Rep. Costa chairing the meeting. This is one of many meetings like this happening across the United States, we encourage everyone to reach out to their congressional delegation to find opportunities like this and highlight the issues facing agriculture to their representatives.

Although we faced high temperatures, the tour was incredibly impressive. We all had the opportunity to learn more about the organic, regenerative practices being utilized by Tablas Creek. Like a large majority of organic producers, the vineyard prioritizes building healthy, living soils that build resilience to the increasingly hot and dry summers in the Paso Robles region. A particularly interesting piece of their operation is the use of sheep for nutrient and weed management, ultimately saving costs and frustrations in a difficult agriculture labor market. Rep. Panetta was particularly interested in their use of dry farming techniques, an incredibly important practice in such a drought impacted region of the country.

At the listening session, we joined a diverse group of stakeholders and OFRF had the opportunity to highlight the importance of the organic sector in providing both environmental and climate benefits as well as creating economic opportunity for producers, especially in CA, the leading state in organic production. We spoke about the need for Farm Bill programs to continue to invest funds in organic research, transition assistance, certification cost share, and technical assistance. Both Representatives Costa and Panetta asked follow-up questions of us on the needs of organic producers and how programs like the organic certification cost share can help create opportunities. Other stakeholders touched on diverse other issues, including the importance of USDA programs like conservation, crop insurance, as well as local issues such as the worsening drought and lengthening fire seasons and the role that the region’s cattle, vineyard, and specialty crop producers play in building resiliency to these climate-aggravated challenges.

Ultimately, it was a day full of fruitful discussions that will inform the 2023 Farm Bill process. We look forward to continuing to strengthen the connections between our representatives in the halls of the Capitol and the producers that we all depend on for safe, healthy, and tasty food and drink.

By Wes|2022-10-07T16:46:26+00:00September 30th, 2022|News|

Wes

About Wes

By supporting OFRF, you will help ensure organic farming can continue to grow and support all farmers, environments, and communities. Give Now and your donation will be matched dollar for dollar!

Will you help organic farmers by donating today? This work wouldn’t be possible without your support. Your donation will be matched up to $25,000 thanks to Nature’s Path Organic Foods, Nell Newman Foundation, and other generous donors!