Check Out OFRF’s 2020 Annual Report!
April 7, 2021—OFRF had a strong year with major accomplishments across research, education, and advocacy. We couldn't have done it without you. Take a peek at our brand new 2020 annual report to learn more!
Building Soil Health in the South: OFRF’s New Guidebook Explores Latest Research
March 30, 2021—This new guidebook explores organic soil health principles in the South with practical steps and strategies, farmer stories, and underlying scientific concepts.
Fresh From the Fields: Farmwella
March 5, 2021 – Cornelius Adewale founded Farmwella to help reduce poverty in his native Africa by empowering and supporting the next generation of farmers.
OFRF and NRCS Partner to Provide Education and Outreach on Organic Conservation Practices
February 25, 2021—OFRF and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) form agreement to strengthen conservation partnerships between NRCS field staff and organic producers.
Transforming Agriculture to Mitigate Climate Change and Support Public Health
February 17, 2021—In the current issue of Organic Farmer magazine, OFRF colleagues Lauren Snyder and Cristel Zoebisch explore the connections between agriculture, climate change, and public health.
OFRF Grantee Releases Early-Yielding Red Pepper Variety
February 12, 2021—OFRF research grantee Sarah Hargreaves celebrates the release of a new early-yielding pepper variety called Renegade.
Fresh From the Fields: Gray Organic Farms
January 19, 2021 – Stephen Gray and his family are the third generation to farm their land in Ashkum, Illinois, which they are transitioning to organic using practices such as cover crops and minimal tillage to build the soil and reduce disruption to soil life.
Research Advances Cucumber Lines Resistant to Bacterial Wilt and Downy Mildew
January 14, 2021—In 2019, OFRF provided a second grant to Edmund Frost of Common Wealth Seed Growers to assess resistance to both bacterial wilt and cucurbit downy mildew among selected cucumber seedstocks.
New OFRF Grant Explores Best Practices for Virtual Peer-to-Peer Farmer Learning
December 17, 2020 - To increase understanding of how virtual peer-to-peer learning can help more farmers increase their knowledge and improve their practices, OFRF has awarded a grant to Sarah Brown at Oregon Tilth.
OFRF and FFAR Fund Research on Enhancing Nutrition of Organic Potatoes While Building Healthy Soils
November 30, 2020 - OFRF and FFAR awarded a grant to Dr. Inna Popova at the University of Idaho to examine effective weed management strategies that promote healthy soils and nutritious potatoes.
Webinar: Reducing Production Risks through Organic Soil Health Practices for the South
November 20, 2020 - This webinar explores the potential of soil restoration and improvement to reduce risk, stabilize yields, and build resilience in the Southern U.S.
The election is over, but the work starts now
November 17, 2020 - With a new administration, it is more important than ever to make organic voices heard. OFRF has delivered a transition letter to the Biden-Harris Administration with action steps they can take immediately to increase support of organic agriculture at USDA.
Managing Organic Fertility on Diversified Organic Farms
November 10, 2020 - Building healthy soils is the foundation of successful farm management. However, efficiently managing soil fertility remains a challenge for organic farmers.
Organic Crop & Seed Breeding for Adapting to Climate Change
October 20, 2020 - Most modern crop cultivars have been bred and selected to perform well in conventional farming systems over wide geographic ranges. As a result, organic farmers have relatively few options for purchasing regionally adapted cultivars suited to organic production.
Research Addresses Structural Barriers to Building Soil Health
November 3, 2020 - In the U.S., the number of Latinx farmers continues to increase, even as the total number of farmers decreases. Providing resources for this farming community is critical to creating a more equitable food system and ushering in a new generation of diverse farmers.
The Climate is Changing and We Need to Act Now
October 26, 2020 - The climate is changing and we need to act now. It’s time to band together to build resilient and regenerative agricultural systems that feed our society, our soil, our air, our waterways, and our economy.
Did you know there are many ways to support organic farmers?
October 14, 2020 - Each day our small and mighty team works tirelessly to fund innovative organic research, provide the most up-to-date, science-based, farmer-led resources to farmers, advocate for organic farming as a climate solution in Washington, DC, and educate consumers about best organic farming practices.
Creating Climate Resilient Organic Crop Production Systems
October 8 - OFRF provided a research grant to Dr. Erin Silva in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (UW-Madison) to examine the ability of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) to enhance soil moisture retention and increase access to nutrients.
Climate and Agriculture Legislation Roundup
October 8 - As severe weather events and wildfires have ravaged the country and the presidential election nears, the climate crisis continues to be a major topic of discussion on Capitol Hill.
Navigate the Complex World of Soil Health
October 7 - Our free series of guidebooks and webinars on soil health provide up-to-date, science-based information to help guide you in your efforts to build and sustain the health of our most valuable resource, soil.
New Grants Examine Organic Weed and Pest Management Strategies
October 1 - OFRF has awarded new grants to farmer/researcher collaborations at the Georgia Organic Peanut Association and the University of Idaho.
Carolyn Dimitri Appointed to NOSB Board
September 30 - OFRF is pleased to share the news that our board member, Dr. Carolyn Dimitri, an Associate Professor of Food Studies at New York University, has been appointed to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
New Grant to Evaluate Use of Approved Fertilizers in Organic Tomato Crops
September 10 - OFRF has awarded a grant to Kate Scow, Director of the Russell Ranch Sustainable Agriculture Facility at the University of California Davis to evaluate the costs and benefits of using organic-approved liquid injectable fertilizers in tomato crops.
Organic for Climate Research Priorities
September 1, 2020 - OFRF’s organic research priorities focus on ensuring public research investments respond to the top challenges facing organic farmers and ranchers and producers who want to farm more sustainably, while also advancing organic agriculture’s contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Beginning Farmer Training Program Now Available
August 26, 2020 - OFRF’s free online training program is now available! Please help us get the word out on this new resource. We are looking for feedback and ask that anyone who takes the section also completes the brief surveys at the end.
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