Fresh From the Fields: Barr Farms
June 3, 2020 - Barr Farms is a seventh-generation family farm in Rhodelia, Kentucky. Adam and Rae Strobel Barr raise organic vegetables, pastured chicken and pork, and grass-fed beef. They farm with the intention of taking care of the land by growing healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy animals, and healthy people.
Agriculture’s Role in Addressing Climate Change
May 19, 2020 - The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a hearing in Fall 2019 to discuss the role of agriculture in identifying and implementing solutions to the climate crisis. It was the first time they focused on the potential for America’s farmers and ranchers to be a positive force in the nation’s efforts to combat climate change.
Strawberry Transplants for Organic Producers
May 15, 2020 - This research trial on five organic strawberry farms on the Central Coast of California tested the success of public varieties of organic versus conventional transplants.
Creating a Soil Health Roadmap for Your Farm
May 8, 2020 - A Soil Health Roadmap provides a framework and set of tools for systematically evaluating the health of your soil and creating an integrated set of strategies for enhanced stewardship.
New Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Advance for Ag
May 6, 2020 - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has just opened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan EIDL program to farms and ranches that were previously unable to apply. SBA released the following information on May 4, 2020.
Today You Can Support Organic Farmers
April 29, 2020 - When I started farming full time, I quickly learned that I needed good science-based information that I could trust, and OFRF was the place I could get that information. I also quickly learned research that builds a resilient future doesn’t happen overnight and requires our collective investment.
New Digital Toolkit for Climate Advocacy
April 23, 2020 - Our new virtual campaign is designed to inspire, educate, and inform people on how best organic practices help mitigate climate change and build resilience—leading to healthy people, ecosystems, and economies.
Please Support Our Work
April 23, 2010 - Dear friends, I sincerely hope this message finds you and your family healthy and safe in the midst of this pandemic. As I juggle working from home, homeschooling my two kids, and ensuring our family has healthy food to eat, I am reflecting on the challenges each of us face and am reminded of how central food and farming is to all of our well-being.
Research Forum Scholarship Recipients Share Feedback
April 10, 2020 - With generous support from Ceres Trust, OFRF was able to provide scholarships to the 2020 Organic Agriculture Research Forum to 19 students, farmers, and researchers.
Wild Hope Farm
Wild Hope Farm is a certified organic farm owned by the Belk family and located in Chester, South Carolina. The practices they use are simultaneously decreasing off-farm inputs (e.g., pesticides, fertilizers) and increasing the health of their ecosystem.
It’s About the Long Game Now
March 30, 2020 - Bob Scowcroft, co-founder and first Executive Director of OFRF was scheduled to speak at OFRF’s benefit luncheon at Expo West on March 4th. Unfortunately, the cancellation of Expo West and our luncheon due to COVID-19 was just the beginning of a series of events that none of us could have foreseen.
The Power of Hope and Resilience
March 31, 2020 - As our world faces the confusion and heartache that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it, we at OFRF are reminded of the power of hope and resilience. For the OFRF team, our lives, like yours, are looking quite different these days. Our office in Santa Cruz is closed as we “shelter in place.” But, we are sticking together and are committing to our mission more than ever.
OFRF Welcomes New Board Members
March 31, 2020 - In the midst of the COVID-19 upheaval, we were grateful our staff and board could come together (virtually) for our regularly scheduled board meeting. While we recognize these are challenging and unusual times, we share a commitment to continuing to serve the organic farming sector.
MOSES Conference Provides Community for Researchers & Farmers
March 5, 2020 - It was uplifting to be at the MOSES conference surrounded by a community of people dedicated to creating sustainable food systems that support people and the environment.
Turning Lemons into Lemonade
March 5, 2020 - So, you can make lemonade out of lemons after all! We’re really glad the food from the luncheon will go to community members who don’t have access to sufficient nutritious food to feed themselves and their families.
Reimagining our Seed Systems
February 27, 2020 - On a rainy Valentine’s day, I had the privilege of attending the Organic Seed Growers Conference in Corvallis, Oregon, which is run by the Organic Seed Alliance.
Agriculture Resilience Act Promotes Farmer-Driven Climate Solutions
February 18, 2020 - The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) have released two national surveys—one for certified organic producers and the other for producers transitioning to organic certification.
National Organic Producer Survey Opens Today
February 18, 2020 - The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) have released two national surveys—one for certified organic producers and the other for producers transitioning to organic certification.
OFRF Hosts Packed Workshops at EcoFarm
February 5, 2020 - OFRF coordinated two workshops at EcoFarm and had a booth in the trade show for the first time ever. It was a great opportunity to share research with this farmer community.
Researchers and Farmers Come Together at 2020 OARF
January 31, 2020 - Holding this year’s Organic Agriculture Research Forum in Little Rock provided an opportunity for researchers and farmers to focus on challenges associated with organic farming in the Southern region. The forum was presented jointly by OFRF and Tuskegee University in partnership with the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG). Dr. Lauren Snyder, Education and Research Program manager for OFRF welcomed participants to the day-long event before handing it over to Professor Kokoasse Kpomblekou-A from Tuskegee University for an update on organic farming research in the Southeast. [...]
OFRF Leads Organic Soil Heath Workshop at TOFGA
L-R: Diana Jerkins, Scott Snodgrass, Justin Duncan, Tommy Garcia-Prats January 28, 2020 - OFRF was a sponsor of the Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners ( TOFGA) annual conference held in Temple, Texas conference from January 16-18. OFRF and TOFGA and OFRF jointly held a panel workshop on soil health, as well as a farmer listening session. Diana Jerkins, OFRF Senior Scientist, led both sessions with 60 participants for the workshop and over 40 for the listening session. Dr. Jerkins is a co-author of OFRF's educational series on Soil [...]
OFRF Researcher Reports on Grant to Study Biosolarization
January 7, 2020 - Soil solarization is an organic method that has been shown to control weeds, pathogens, and nematodes in areas with hot summer temperatures. Biosolarization, a relatively new technique, combines the use of soil solarization and organic soil amendments to enhance the results of solarization. While biosolarization has proven effective in a number of studies, its efficacy varies across study regions, cropping systems, and pathogen communities. In 2018, OFRF provided a grant to Dr. Ashraf Tubeileh at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo to study the effect [...]
Soil Health Workshop at Organic Growers Summit
December 9, 2019 - Haley Baron, Education and Research Program Associate, OFRF, describes her workshop at the Organic Growers Summit in Monterey, CA on December 4, 2019.
Patagonia Doubles Donations to OFRF
December 4, 2019 - Now through December 31st, all donations made to OFRF will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Patgonia Works! This match will double your support! For the last three decades, OFRF has responded directly to the critical needs of organic farmers and ranchers through targeted scientific research, free educational resources, and advocacy on both the local and federal level. Don't miss this opportunity to double your impact. Thank you for helping us ensure organic farmers and ranchers have the information and resources they need to be successful! Click here to make your [...]
New Report Highlights Role of Agriculture in Climate Change Mitigation
November 14, 2019 – OFRF has been using research-based analysis to inform public policy for nearly three decades. Recently, we contributed to a new report from the National Sustainable Organic Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) titled Moving American Agriculture to “Net Zero”. One of the principal authors of that report, Dr. Mark Schonbeck, OFRF Research Associate, is the lead author of our wildly popular educational series on organic farming and soil health, which includes nine guidebooks and webinars covering topics ranging from cover cropping and nutrient management to weed and pest management. [...]
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