News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(June 9, 2022) – The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are pleased to announce its first award for the 2021/22 OFRF organic research grant cycle. Colehour Bondera of Kanalani Ohana Farm was awarded $19,900 to research organic farming systems options for controlling Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) on five organic farms in Kona, Hawaii.

This farmer-led research project takes a whole-systems approach to evaluate plant health-based options for managing coffee leaf rust (CLR), a potentially devastating disease for all coffee growers but especially organic farmers. Long-term organic growers have seen limited efforts in the state to explore or disseminate information about organic approaches to dealing with this new coffee disease.

“Funding from this OFRF grant provides an opportunity to help working farmers address the arrival of a new pest via farmer-directed research,” says Bondera. “By seeking community involvement and buy-in, this project supports the work of five participating organic farms to learn and work with Hawaii-produced coffee tree inputs to seek impacts at controlling the pest, coffee leaf rust – CLR, which currently has no known long-term solution in the global coffee industry.”

The project will research coffee leaf rust management by increasing biodiversity, using on-farm and island-made inputs and sequestering more carbon through increased soil organic matter. The impacts of additional fertilizer and indigenous micro-organisms (IMO) sprays on reducing CLR will be monitored and tested, with University of Hawaii organic system faculty assisting with analyses. Farmers will oversee research, data analysis and dissemination through already established networks in the community.

“We are thrilled to be able to invest in this research that supports the success of a key organic crop in Hawaii,” said Brise Tencer, OFRF Executive Director.

This year’s program prioritized farmers, early career researchers and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) applicants. Six projects focused on climate mitigation and building on-farm resilience have been awarded a grand total of $119,817 in funding. The 2021/22 cycle was made possible by a $66,000 grant from FFAR and matching funds from OFRF and its research partners.

“FFAR is thrilled to support six organic research grants through this collaboration with the Organic Farming Research Foundation,” said Dr. LaKisha Odom, FFAR scientific program director. “These research grants are funding audacious soil management techniques that enhance crop productivity, improve environmental health and support increased farmer resiliency to severe weather events.”

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.
https://ofrf.org

Media Contact
communications@ofrf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Organic Transition Initiative Announced, Organic Production as Climate Strategy

(June 1, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a Food System Transformation framework that includes up to $300 million in a new Organic Transition Initiative to provide comprehensive support for farmers to transition to organic production. The new initiative acknowledges that organic production has climate and environmental benefits, allows producers to demand a premium in the marketplace, “and thus take home a greater share of the food dollar,” according to an official USDA statement.

The Organic Transition Initiative will deploy technical assistance, farmer-to-farmer mentoring, direct support through conservation financial assistance and additional crop insurance assistance, and market development support in targeted markets. “All the provisions of the organic transition activities that USDA announced are ones that Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has historically advocated for,” said Brise Tencer, OFRF Executive Director. “In the past year, OFRF has had numerous meetings with USDA officials and provided in-depth written comments on how the agency can best support farmers and ranchers transitioning to organic production systems.”

The USDA’s new initiative supports research findings cited in the OFRF 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) that “farmer-to-farmer networks and mentoring are by far the most effective ways to obtain and share information.” Additionally, finding and developing markets for organic products was a leading non-production challenge among organic farmers surveyed in the 2022 NORA report.

“This is a meaningful first step to truly working towards a just and equitable food system,” said Gordon Merrick, OFRF Policy & Programs Manager. “We at OFRF are excited to see the details of this historic investment into the National Organic Program, and will continue to work with staff from across the USDA to ensure that the research needs of organic producers are met to make this vision a reality.”

More than half of NORA organic survey respondents stated “adaptation to climate change” as a topic of concern in organic agriculture. Approximately 78% of surveyed transitioning farmers cited enhanced resilience to climate change through organic practices as a motivating factor for transitioning to organic certification. “It is extremely encouraging to hear Secretary Vilsack recognize organic systems of production will be a vital piece in our collective effort addressing the climate crisis,” said Merrick.

The Organic Transition Initiative builds on the USDA’s previously announced programs, the Organic Certification and Transition Cost Share program and the Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program, both which provided farmer and producer assistance during the pandemic.

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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.
https://www.ofrf.org/

Policy Contact
Gordon Merrick, OFRF Policy & Programs Manager, gordon@ofrf.org

Media Contact
communications@ofrf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Needs Assessment Examines Organic Farmer Challenges in Nation’s Most Agriculturally Productive State

(May 31, 2022) – Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) has published the new California Organic Research Agenda (CORA), a comprehensive report that examines current needs and challenges of organic farmers and ranchers across California and provides policy and research recommendations to address producer-identified issues. The CORA report is a companion to OFRF’s 2022 National Organic Research Agenda. The national organic survey data boasts responses from over 1,100 producers and 16 listening sessions held across the U.S. Using the California subset of the national survey data, the CORA report highlights the top production and non-production challenges cited by California’s organic farmers and ranchers.

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

Report findings indicate that managing production costs is a substantial challenge for 71% of producers surveyed, and accessing labor proved to be the leading non-production challenge. An overwhelming number of state 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 CORA report provides a comparison analysis of farmer responses based on commodity and farming experience. National and state comparisons are also included in the report.

Production of the CORA report was supported in part by the University of California Organic Agriculture Institute (UC OAI), a new statewide program within the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), as well as the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology.

“One of our primary activities is to generate new research and extension programs focused on organic agriculture,” says Houston Wilson, director of the UC OAI. “The CORA report provides an excellent roadmap to guide and prioritize our efforts, we’re really excited to turn this information into action.”

According to the California Department of Food & Agriculture, state farmers and ranchers were responsible for 40% of all organic agricultural product sales in the country. Data from a 2019 USDA organic survey concludes California has 965,257 acres in organic production, which is approximately 17.5% of all organic acreage in the country. OFRF’s California Organic Research Agenda examines grower needs in the nation’s top-producing state of organic agricultural commodities and specialty crops, paving the way for future research and investment.

“This report will benefit organic growers in California by playing a role as a critical reference to increase public support and develop research projects targeting specific needs that diverse organic growers in the state are facing,” says Joji Muramoto, Ph.D., Assistant Cooperative Extension Organic Production Specialist, University of California.

Each 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.
https://www.ofrf.org/

Media Contact
communications@ofrf.org

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.

https://www.ofrf.org/

Policy Contact

Gordon Merrick, gordon@ofrf.org

Media Contact

communications@ofrf.org