Despite messaging around reinvigorated support for small farms, policy choices over the last year have revealed a widespread decline in resources for small farmers. Learn about the program cuts and how they are impacting farmers across the country.

As Gordon prepares to step away from his role at OFRF, he reflects on the lessons learned in four years working in organic agriculture policy and how it has shaped the way he thinks about food, farming, and creating policy that serves the people who are integral to our food system.

As we turn the calendar to a new year, we are still operating under an extended version of the 2018 Farm Bill. In this month’s Policy Corner, Gordon provides a quick reset on where things stand, what key players are signaling, and how OFRF is approaching organic agriculture policy advocacy for the year ahead to ensure organic agriculture is fully recognized as a research-driven, conservation-forward, and economically significant part of U.S. agriculture.

On November 20th, the state secretaries of agriculture from Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey joined Pennsylvania Secretary Redding to submit a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, requesting unreleased FY2025 funding for the Organic Agriculture Research Extension Initiative (OREI) be included on top of new fiscal year funds for the program in FY2026. 

At a moment when the organic sector is the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, the need for its fair share of research investments has never been clearer. That's why we are working hard to build bipartispan support for the Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act. Discover how the OSRI Act will support all producers.

Developed with OFRF’s leadership, the bipartisan Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act—introduced by Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) and Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07)—expands USDA funding for organic research that benefits all farmers and strengthens the future of American agriculture.

In the midst of a government shutdown, with no clear end in sight, organic farming and research is taking a hit. A complete freeze in all federal work directly affects the nation’s programming at USDA, especially for organic producers and the agricultural research they depend on. This month’s Policy Corner breaks it down.

At OFRF, we know that strong, transparent, and farmer-informed federal agencies are essential for the success of all U.S. agriculture, but especially organic agriculture. This month, we acted on that knowledge when we submitted three different comments on USDA actions.

This month’s Gordon’s Policy Corner comes from Vermont, where OFRF joined the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s Summer Meeting. From Farm Bill and appropriations deadlines to shifts in how Congress and the Administration work together, we break down what’s at stake for farmers, researchers, and advocates. Now is the time to connect with your representatives and USDA officials to ensure your voice is heard.

With endless stops and starts, shifting deadlines, and overlapping processes, it can be hard to track what actually matters in the federal policy spheres. At OFRF, we want to keep our community grounded in the real implications for organic research and the systems that support and benefit from it. This month’s Policy Corner provides brief updates on some of the processes we are engaged in, and how you can help support that work.

In today’s political environment, defined by complexity, shifting political winds, and consistently competing interests, clarity and consistency matter more than ever. That’s why it is all the more important that OFRF stays grounded by always adhering to one simple principle: our work must be rooted in the real needs of the organic farming and research community.

Reconciliation is a fast-track budget process that allows Congress to adjust spending, revenue, and debt limits. For advocates of organic farming and publicly-funded agricultural research, reconciliation can have profound implications on the future of important programs. Learn what’s happening right now, and what’s at stake for organic agriculture.

OFRF’s new Policy Fellow addresses the elephant in the room–tariffs. How will new tariffs impact organic agriculture and farmers' livelihoods? What does research have to do with it? And what can we do about it? Read more.

The USDA funding freeze is leaving farmers in limbo. Learn how you can take action right now to help protect farmers from the damaging effects of the federal funding freeze and government layoffs.

A massive wave of federal firings has terminated employment for critical agricultural departments. Learn more about the dire impacts of these cuts, the short and long term consequences on agronomic and economic research, why it matters, and how you can take action at this critical time.

At OFRF, we believe that strategic, science-based policies can unlock the full potential of organic farming. Our new Policy Priorities align research investments with market opportunities, enhance technical and financial assistance for organic farmers and farmworkers, and strengthen the incentive structures that reward sustainable stewardship of our natural, social, and economic resources.

As we move into 2025 we’re taking a look back at what happened with agricultural policy in 2024, and what it means for the year ahead. Discover what the legislative calendar has in store, what government funding caps means for organic farmers, and what you can do to insure that organic farming, research, and education is recognized and supported in Washington.

What do this year’s election results mean for the Organic Farming Research Foundation and organic agriculture at large? With a Trump presidency and a solid, multi-seat Republican majority in the Senate, the USDA will likely be shaped and directed in line with the new administration’s vision.

Discover why the Farm Bill and federal appropriations processes are crucial for organic agriculture and climate resilience. Learn how pending deadlines could impact funding for vital agricultural research and conservation programs. Join us in advocating for increased investment in organic practices that benefit farmers, researchers, and communities alike.

Learn how organic principles can benefit both certified and conventional systems, improving soil health, biodiversity, and resilience against climate change. OFRF invites producers managing organically on non-certified land to share their experiences, helping to strengthen the case for increased organic research funding to find agricultural solutions that benefit all farmers.

Climate change threatens our food supply. Underfunding of agricultural research hinders efforts to protect our environment and support farmers, but organic agriculture can play a critical role in building resilience.

Through a new Researcher & Extension Agent affinity group in the West/Southwestern region, OFRF is helping to foster community within the organic farming sector, creating an environment where everyone can thrive.