FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nine organic farmers across the country selected to receive technical support for next round of innovative on-farm research trials

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 14, 2025 — The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is excited to announce the next cohort of organic farmers that will be leading on-farm research trials with OFRF technical assistance in 2025.

Organic farming takes a great deal of dedication, financial investment, and continuous trial and error to adapt to an array of challenges from pests, diseases, soil management, and climate change. In order to address the specific challenges certified organic and transitioning-to-organic growers face, it is essential that farmers help lead efforts to identify problems and trial solutions. In this effort, OFRF provides technical assistance to a small cohort of organic growers each year through our Farmer-Led Trials (FLT) program.

Built in the spirit of curiosity and collaboration, the FLT program provides support to farmers so that they can try new practices, inputs, varieties, or animal breeds that can improve profitability and environmental sustainability.

“Every season, we adjust our growing methods and try out new techniques. But inevitably the season gets busy, we lose track of outcomes and end up with incomplete impressions of what worked or didn’t,” explained Lindsay Klaunig, owner and operator of Trouvaille Farm in Ohio and a participant in OFRF’s 2024 FLT program. “With the FLT program, I had support in designing a solid project, and [assistance] to allow me to allocate time and focus to data collection and analysis.”

The following is the full list of farmers selected for the 2025 FLT cohort:

  • Rollin Baker and Mike Lucas of Farmacea in Munith, Michigan.
  • Kay Bell of Passion Garden in Waco, Texas.
  • Ed and Terri Crowley of Mesta Meadows, LLC in Glenallen, Missouri.
  • Jill Martinez of Garcia Road Farm in El Prado, New Mexico.
  • John O’Meara of O’Meara Family Farm in New Sweden, Maine.
  • Samantha Otto of The Woven Trifecta in Whitehall, Michigan.
  • Markisha Parker of Parker Farm in Warren, Ohio.
  • Anthony Reyes of Oxbow Farm and Conservation Center in Carnation, Washington.
  • Kristin Swoszowski-Tran of Ledoux Grange, LLC in Mora, New Mexico.

To learn more about OFRF’s Farmer-Led Trials program, please visit our program page for updates and to read testimonials from the 2024 cohort. Additionally, we encourage curious farmers to check out OFRF’s free guidebook, Farmers Guide to Conducting On-Farm Research, for guidance on structuring your farm experiments so the results are useful, reliable, and repeatable.

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About Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, with a remote team based across the U.S., 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. For more information about OFRF, please visit our website: www.ofrf.org.

Media Contact:
Ashley Dulaney, Communications Director, OFRF

ashley@ofrf.org