Shaping Agriculture Policy for a Sustainable Future
In this month's Policy Corner, we share all of the work we’ve been up to this year and what we’re looking forward to in the continued process of advocating for organic agriculture.
OFRF Releases New Soil Health Course in Spanish
As part of a commitment to a more inclusive agricultural community OFRF expands access to Spanish-language resources for sustainable farming with a soil health course in Spanish and a new Spanish Resources page.
Farmers Announced for OFRF’s new Farmer-Led Trials Program
OFRF is proud to announce the launch of our innovative Farmer Led Trials (FLT) Program with the selection of our first ten farmers. The FLT Program will support farmers and ranchers in conducting practical, on-farm research that address farming challenges and increase farmer-led innovations in organic farming.
Carrots, Tomatoes, and Field Days
Bringing farmers & researchers together is one of OFRF's greatest joys. In this post we share a recap of a recent carrot tasting field day and links to new research summaries on carrot and tomato breeding projects.
Organic Advocacy in Action: Reflections on NSAC Lobby Day
By Annika LaFave, OFRF Policy and Communications Intern OFRF Policy & Communications Intern, Annika LaFave in front of the capitol after 8 official meetings during NSAC's annual lobby day, and a "meet and greet" coffee chat. Earlier this month, I had the exciting opportunity to participate in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Lobby Day with Gordon (OFRF's Policy & Programs Manager). As the Policy and Communications intern for the Organic Farming Research Foundation and a recent newcomer to national agriculture advocacy, I have gained a deeper [...]
Cultivating Connections
EcoFarm 2024 & OFRF's Organic Agriculture Research Forum This January, almost half of the OFRF team traveled to Monterey, CA to meet in-person for the OFRF Organic Agriculture Research Forum (OARF) which was held in conjunction with EcoFarm. Considering we are a fully remote team spread across the country, this was a big opportunity for us to connect and showcase our work. OFRF research forum consisted of eight workshops embedded within the 2024 EcoFarm conference. The forum focused on sharing the latest research relevant to organic producers, with a [...]
Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) Deadline Announcement
Thanks to the Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has made $75M in cost-share grant funding available to certified organic and transitioning-to-organic growers under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to meet the Conservation Practice Standard for Organic Management (CPS-823). This post and the PDF below provide step-by-step instructions for contacting your local NRCS office to inquire about available financial and technical assistance programs available to you. OFRF has developed a PDF to help farmers communicate with NRCS about accessing the [...]
From Regulations to Legislation: Advocating for Organic Agriculture in 2024
2024 presents a challenging political landscape with pending appropriations, a new Farm Bill deadline, and a Presidential election fast approaching. OFRF chooses to view all these events as opportunities to advocate for increased public investments in organic agriculture research and to ensure that organic agriculture gets its fair share of USDA research funding.
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.
Organic Agriculture Shines in the Face of 2023’s Challenges
2023 has been a year marked by environmental distress and political upheaval, but the organic sector emerged as a stronghold of resilience and progress. Amidst the disquieting headlines of the hottest recorded summer and unprecedented political twists, there are several organic milestones worth celebrating. This blog post focuses on those moments of light amid the darkness.
