Applications Now Open for Two USDA Programs Geared Toward Organic and Transitioning Producers
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 [...]
OFRF Awards 2021/22 Grant to Research Climate Resilience for Coffee Producers Using Organic Practices
Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), in partnership with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture (FFAR), is pleased to award a 2021-22 Organic Research grant to Alejandra Guzman-Luna, affiliated with Universidad Veracruzana and in collaboration with the Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative at the University of Vermont. Guzman-Luna has nearly 15 years of experience working with farmers and Indigenous communities in Mexico. OFRF’s grant program funds research on organic production systems and the dissemination of these research results to organic farmers and agricultural research communities. The 2021/22 grant cycle prioritized early career [...]
OFRF Awards 2021/22 Grant to Research Organic Farming System Options Addressing Coffee Leaf Rust
Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), in partnership with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), is pleased to award Kanalani Ohana Farm a 2021-22 Organic Research grant. OFRF’s grant program funds research on organic production systems and disseminates these research results to organic farmers and agricultural research communities. The 2021/22 grant cycle prioritized farmers, early career researchers and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) applicants, and awarded research projects focused on climate mitigation and building on-farm resilience. Kanalani Ohana Farm will research organic farming system options for control of Coffee [...]
Now is the Moment to Help OFRF Support Organic Farmers
Every five years a U.S. Farm Bill is voted into law by Congress, directing hundreds of billions of dollars to flow into the food and agriculture systems. The 2023 Farm Bill is right around the corner and now is the moment to act. Help support farmers and advance organic agriculture in the 2023 Farm Bill. Thanks to a generous donor, contributions made today will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000! OFRF heard loud and clear from organic and transitioning farmers and ranchers about their needs in the 2022 [...]
Soil Health Practices Across the U.S.
The Organic Farming Research Foundation 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) is a report informed by surveys and focus groups conducted in 2020 with over 1,100 certified organic farmers and ranchers across North America. What Farmers Said In the NORA report, 83% of respondents reported used crop rotations at least sometimes, with the majority responding usage as very often. 88% of survey respondents used cover crops and green manures, with almost half of respondents indicating they cover crop very often. Only 19% of respondents indicated they intercropped very often and [...]
Free Webinar Shares Findings from 2022 National Organic Research Agenda
Join us online as OFRF Research & Education Manager Thelma Vélez, PhD, discusses results from the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA). This free webinar from OFRF and eOrganic takes place on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 11AM Pacific / 12PM Mountain / 1PM Central / 2PM Eastern Time. Advance registration is required. "The 2022 NORA is the most comprehensive and thorough iteration of OFRF's national farmer studies to date. Over 1,100 organic producers gave us their opinions and the stories the data tells is striking. We need to continue [...]
Organic Producers Lead the Nation in Soil Health Practices
Organic production starts with healthy soils which regulate water, sustain plant and animal life, filter and buffer potential pollutants, manage nutrients, and provide physical structure to support strong plant roots. According to the 2022 National Organic Research Agenda (NORA), organic producers lead the nation in adoption of soil health and environmental stewardship practices. Such practices include cover cropping, crop rotations, and perennial conservation plantings. Cover crop plants include legumes (such as clover, vetch, peas, and beans) and non-legumes (including cereals, grasses, and broadleaf species). Approximately 76% of organic field crop [...]
Staff Spotlight on OFRF’s Deputy Director
Dominica Navarro Martinez (she/ella/they) is OFRF's new Deputy Director. She brings to this role an extensive background in nonprofit management, finance, administration, and strategic programmatic development. She has direct organic farming experience and previously worked for OFRF in an office management and programs capacity from 2015-2018. Dominica currently resides in Central Oregon with her family and dog Xochitl (pronounced Sochi), and enjoys sailing, hiking, seeking out hot springs in remote locations, growing food, and processing and preserving goods her family has grown, foraged, caught, or hunted. Tell us about yourself. [...]
2022 National Organic Research Agenda and 2022 State of Organic Seed Reports Released
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE As the Organic Industry Booms, Grower Challenges and Seed Needs Loom Large Two new assessments underscore the need for targeted investments in organic research (SANTA CRUZ, Calif., March 15, 2022) — Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) are proud to announce the release of the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) and State of Organic Seed (SOS). The two reports are published every five years to examine organic farming challenges across the U.S., identify research needs, and better understand the organic seed needs of [...]
Federal Funding for Organic Research for the Current Fiscal Year 2022
By Ferd Hoefner, OFRF policy advisor On March 9, Congress finally produced the government funding bill for the fiscal year that started last October. Since October the government has been funding by a series of continuing resolutions that tracked the previous year’s budget amounts. Congress will now vote on the new final appropriations bill over the course of the next week, at which point it will be signed into law by the President. With April 1, the halfway point of every federal fiscal year, close at hand, it thankfully will [...]
