FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 organic farmers across the country selected to receive technical support for innovative on-farm trials
(March 4, 2024) OFRF is proud to announce the launch of our innovative Farmer Led Trials (FLT) Program with the selection of our first ten farmers. The FLT Program will support farmers and ranchers in conducting practical, on-farm research that address farming challenges and increase farmer-led innovations in organic farming. OFRF will provide technical support to implement these on-farm trials, and create space to foster a community of farmer-researchers.
“Farmers are experimenters by nature. Helping them add a few scientific steps to their farm trials can lead to more concrete and trustworthy results that they can share with other farmers”, said Thelma Velez, Director of Research and Education Programs. This program was created to support farmers in accomplishing just that by providing technical support and minimizing the risk of trying a new practice.
This first year cohort includes a mix of beginning farmers, BIPOC farmers, and veteran farmers spanning specialty crops, grain, and vineyard operations. All participants are certified organic or in transition to organic. The research topics identified by the farmers focus on building soil health, cover crop use, weed and pest management, shade cloth use during summer, planting distances, companion planting, and variety breeding. The following is the full list of farmers selected:
- Rhianna Simes, Verdant Phoenix Farm, Phoenix, Oregon. https://verdantphoenix.com/
- Tim Colby, Colby Farms, Papillion, Nebraska. https://colby-farms.com/
- Maggie Dungan, Salad Days Farm, Versailles, Kentucky. https://www.saladdaysfarm.com/
- Lindsay Klaunig, Trouvaille Farm, Athens, Ohio. https://www.trouvaillefarm.com/
- Nathan Lada, GreenThings Farm Collective, Ann Arbor, Michigan. https://www.greenthingsfarm.com/
- Jorge Reyes, Reyes Vineyard, Potrero, California.
- Alexandra Holle, Silver Holle Farms, Severn, Maryland.
- Jennifer Barrientos, Kennebec Valley Farm, Solon, Maine. https://www.kennebecvalleyfarm.com/
- Bob Quinn, Quinn Farm & Ranch, Big Sandy, Montana.
- Tiffany Stanley, A Different Chick Farm and Orchard, Johnson City, Tennessee. https://www.adifferentchickfarm.com/ Instagram: @adifferentchickfarm
OFRF has been working to create this program for over two years, and we are so excited to get started and provide more direct support for farmers, said Thelma Velez, Director of Research and Education Programs. We are eager to see how these on-farm trials will benefit organic farmers in the long run.
To learn more about the Farmer-Led Trials Program, please visit our program page on the OFRF website. Additionally, check out the brand new OFRF publication titled Farmers Guide to On-Farm Research. https://ofrf.org/research/farmer-led-research-trials/
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This project is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).
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About Organic Farming Research Foundation
The 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/
Media Contact
mary@ofrf.org