General News
Muramoto to Lead Statewide Program Supporting Organic Growers
May 15, 2019 – Congratulations to longtime research associate at UC California Santa Cruz, Dr. Joji Muramoto, who recently became the first Cooperative Extension Specialist in the UC system dedicated to organic agriculture. Leading a statewide program focused on organic production of strawberries and vegetables, Muramoto plans to focus on soil fertility and the organic management of soil-borne diseases. Some of the most significant scientific advancements in strawberry research have been made by Muramoto and Dr. Carol Shennan at UC Santa Cruz, where they have pioneered alternatives to methyl bromide [...]
Organic Research Matters
Jeremy Barker-Plotkin, OFRF Board President and Farmer, Simple Gifts Farm, Amherst, Massachusetts May 8, 2019 – Greetings! With just days to spare, we exited 2018 with a Farm Bill that makes long overdue investments in organic agriculture, including $395 million for organic research and education over the next ten years. Thanks to the hard work of OFRF and a broad coalition of organic champions, we achieved historic permanent baseline funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI). For nearly 30 years, OFRF has played a critical [...]
Proceedings from 2019 Organic Agriculture Research Forum
May 5, 2019 – Proceedings from the 2019 Organic Agriculture Research Forum are now available. This day-long event held on February 16th in Portland Oregon, featured innovative presentations from researchers across all disciplines related to organic farming and food systems. Download the proceedings Presentations from the 2019 Organic Agriculture Research Forum were recorded by eOrganic and are also available. View the presentations Special thanks to Ceres Trust for their scholarship support.
OFRF Continues Funding for Plant Breeding Project
April 29, 2019 – Development, testing, and release of resistant varieties is essential to controlling downy mildew and bacterial wilt, diseases that pose a significant and costly production challenge for organic farmers. OFRF is pleased to announce a second-year research grant to Edmund Frost of Common Wealth Seed Growers to continue his assessment of downy mildew resistant cucumber seedstocks. Frost will focus on evaluating and advancing cucumber seedstock lines that performed well in his 2018 trials. Frost has been producing certified organic vegetable seeds at Twin Oaks Seed Farm in [...]
OFRF Awards First Soil Health Research Grant of 2019
April 16, 2019 – OFRF announced the first of five grants the organization will award this year focused on the most pressing challenges facing organic farmers and ranchers today. The grant is funded in part by a match from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) aimed at funding research related to improving soil health and reducing the environmental impacts of agriculture.
Home / OARF Scholarship Recipients Share Experiences OARF Scholarship Recipients Share Experiences
March 22, 2019 – We were thrilled to offer scholarships to attend our Organic Agriculture Research Forum in February and wanted share feedback we received from some of the recipients. Thanks once again to Ceres Trust for funding the scholarship program. As you will see from the comments below, their investment yields a strong return in the continuing education of both farmers and researchers. DeLisa A. Lewis, Green Fire Farm I came to the Organic Agriculture Research Forum in Portland wearing two different hats, farmer and researcher. My family [...]
OARF Presentations Now Available Online
March 22, 2019 – Recordings from the 2019 Organic Agriculture Research Forum held in February are now posted. There are 15 sessions covering a wide range of topics available to view. View 2019 Organic Agriculture Research Forum sessions. Thanks to eOrganic for recording the sessions and making them available!
Insects are Vanishing. Help Them by Eating Organic.
March 12, 2019 – By Lauren Snyder, Research & Education Associate, OFRF March 12, 2019 – As I was eating my breakfast this morning, I looked out the window and caught a glimpse of a bobcat passing through our field. It was such an incredible way to start the day; feeling inspired by nature and grateful to live in such a beautiful environment. However, my cheery mood quickly evaporated when I got to the office and skimmed the latest headlines. These days, it seems every time we open our devices, [...]
22nd Annual Luncheon at Expo West Raises Over $100,000
March 7, 2019 – Despite the rain and wind that blew through Southern California yesterday, hundreds of organic supporters made their way to the National Grove of Anaheim for OFRF's all-organic luncheon. The meal, the people, and the atmosphere make this traditional kick-off to Expo West a much-loved tradition. The event raised over $100,000 for OFRF's research, education, and advocacy programs. We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended and to all of the supporters that made this event a success. Legends in the organic industry mixed with the next generation [...]
Brise Tencer Joins ASI Board
February 12, 2019 – Newly appointed to the External Advisory Board of the UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI), OFRF Executive Director Brise Tencer was introduced at the annual meeting in January in Davis, California. “As a member of the ASI Board, I am honored to have this opportunity to represent the needs of the organic community,” said Tencer, adding that she looks forward to seeing organic initiatives and education grow within the UC system. ASI brings together the expertise of more than 70 UC Davis faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, [...]
FFAR Awards Matching Funds for OFRF’s 2019 Research Grants
January 29, 2019 – OFRF’s research program got a big boost thanks to a matching grant from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR). The $66,000 match will be used to support OFRF’s 2019 organic research grant awards related to soil health, including carbon sequestration, reduced tillage systems, and fertility management focused on reducing environmental impacts and improving soil health. “While modest in size, our competitive grant program plays a crucial role in advancing innovative projects on working farms and ranches, with strong collaboration between organic farmers and researchers,” [...]
April Joy Farm
January 2, 2019 – April Joy Farm is located near Ridgefield, Washington on 24 acres above the Columbia River Slough. The farm was purchased on contract from Annie Peterson in 2003. Coming “home” to this farm was the realization of a dream for April Thatcher née Jones, who spent many happy childhood days helping the previous owners with farm chores. Today, April and her husband Brad provide healthy food to over sixty families in Clark County through their CSA, as well as top local restaurants. “I grew up down [...]
Legislation Introduced to Preserve and Protect the Scientific Integrity of USDA
December 20, 2018 – Earlier this year, the Administration proposed to reorganize and relocate key research branches at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). There has been widespread concern within the research and farming communities about how the proposal could disrupt the scientific integrity of the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and further marginalize critical research. In an effort to address these concerns, OFRF and the Union of Concerned Scientists sent a letter to Congressional leaders from over 1,100 scientists and economists, urging Congress to [...]
Farm Bill Signed into Law
December 13, 2018 – After years of work and months of back and forth negotiations, the 2018 Farm Bill has been signed by the President. This bipartisan bill makes long-overdue investments in organics and the future of American agriculture. The bill provides historic permanent baseline funding for the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), continues to support the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program, provides increased funding and enforcement authority for the National Organic Program, and supports the vital Organic Market and Production Data Initiative. The bill also makes [...]
Historic Permanent Funding for Organic Research Secured in Farm Bill
December 11, 2018—Thanks to the hard work of OFRF and a broad coalition of organic champions, we have secured historic wins for organic agricultural research in the 2018 Farm Bill, which will provide $395 million for organic agriculture research and education over the next 10 years. This milestone is the biggest win for organic farming in the Farm Bill in decades, securing permanent funding for organic research at USDA. These funds will dramatically expand competitive grants through USDA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), ensuring organic farmers and ranchers have [...]
New Climate Guide Evaluates Best Organic Practices in Curbing Climate Change
December 4, 2018—Today the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) released the eighth guidebook in their immensely popular Soil Health and Organic Farming Series. Organic Practices for Climate Mitigation, Adaptation, and Carbon Sequestration examines research related to the capacity of sustainable organic systems and practices to sequester soil carbon and minimize nitrous oxide and methane emissions. The guide includes practical advice for reducing an organic farm’s “carbon footprint” and adapting to climate disruptions already underway. “Research demonstrates that sustainable organic agriculture has great potential to sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance farm [...]
Senate Holds Hearing for the Chief Scientist at USDA
November 30, 2018 – Even in the midst of a tense Farm Bill negotiation, the Senate Agriculture Committee convened to hear from the nominees for key positions at USDA. The nominees are, Mindy Brashears for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety, Naomi C. Earp for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights, and Scott Hutchins, for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics also known as the “Chief Scientist” at USDA. For organic research, it is the “Chief Scientist” who coordinates and oversees a number of federal [...]
OFRF Board Member Heather Darby Receives USDA OREI Grant
November 11, 2018 – Until recently, organic milk was one of the fastest growing sectors in organic agriculture. However, with prices declining, interest in transitioning to grass-fed production methods is increasing. Expansion in this market has been particularly significant in the Northeast where farmers face challenging climate conditions that complicate cropping of traditional feed crops such as corn silage and therefore encourage more grass-based systems. This expansion, now estimated to be over 300 grass-fed dairy farms, has outpaced research, leading to knowledge gaps for both farmers and technical service providers. [...]
Elmwood Stock Farm
October 31, 2018 – Elmwood Stock Farm is a 6th-generation family farm in Lexington, Kentucky that began as a producer of Black Angus breeding-stock cattle. The cattle are still an important part of the farm ecosystem and farm business, though over the past decade the family has branched out to produce a variety of organic vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, and cornmeal. Organic certification and close family involvement ensure that safe and sustainable farming practices are followed, livestock are well cared for, and land [...]
USDA Organic Research Program Stalled Until New Farm Bill Passes
October 26, 2018 – With the expiration of the 2014 Farm Bill on September 30, 2018, Congress allowed a wide range of important food and farm programs to also expire. These programs lost their authority to operate, and in some cases their funding. Among the programs thrown into limbo by this delayed Farm Bill is the main competitive organic research grant program at USDA, the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI). While, USDA was able to make organic research grants for 2018 (a more detailed overview of 2018 projects can be [...]