Policy Developments in 2025 and How They Are Affecting Small Farms
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.
Doing the Unglamorous, Essential Work to Help Organic Agriculture Thrive
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.
Farmer-Led Trials Program Spotlight: Passion Garden
Passion Garden, in Waco Texas, is a three-acre diversified farm, in the process of transitioning to organic certification. Farmer Kay Bell is participating in OFRF's Farmer-Led Trial Program to experiment with farm-made soil amendments from mesquite bean pods to increase productivity of tomato varieties.
Organic Agriculture Research in Action: High Tunnels and Cover Cropping with Moore Family Farms
Moore Family Farms is a family-owned and operated farm located in Warsaw, North Carolina. Managed by Robert Moore and his son Dakota, this 260-acre farm was founded in 1833 based on principles of sustainability. Learn how they are meeting conservation goals - and what funding for organic research programs can do to support family farms.
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
NRCS’ CSP program offers financial assistance and technical support for farmer who are looking to increase conservation on their farm by adopting new conservation activities or improving upon existing practices.
New Year, Same Farm Bill… Again.
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.
Organic Agriculture Research in Action: Navigating Urban Farming with Little Lighthouse Farm
Learn how Little Lighthouse Farm, a small-scale certified organic urban farm, is meeting conservation goals - and what funding for organic research programs can do to support urban producers.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
NRCS’ EQIP program offers financial assistance and technical support to implement new conservation practices on your farm, with additional support for historically underserved applicants including socially disadvantaged, beginning, veteran, and limited-resource farmers and ranchers.
Three Springs Farm: Small-scale Farming Rooted in Organic Principles
At Three Springs Farm in eastern Oklahoma, farmers Mike Appel and Emily Oakley grow over over forty different organic crops and more than 150 individual varieties on three acres of land, showcasing the economic viability of small-scale farming.
Lessons from the Plains on the Transition to Organic
Organic farmers face unique challenges in every part of the country. In this article, we look at challenges faced by organic farmers in the Great Lakes, and dive into resources available on the Organic Research Hub that could help farmers address them.
