Supporting on-farm research
By Caroline Baptist, Organic Farmer and Communications Manager, Organic Farming Research Foundation
Innovations are always at work in the world of organic agriculture. Organic agricultural research ensures that the most efficient and effective farming practices are documented and shared, and may also serve as a catalyst for change toward a more equitable, sustainable and just food system.
On-farm organic research allows farmers to work alongside researchers so they may test and evaluate new farming techniques and processes in real-world conditions. Generally, on-farm research identifies an issue and poses a specific research question. Research is conducted on a working farm or ranch and is designed with clearly defined parameters using replications and statistical analysis. Often only a portion of the farm is used to conduct research but research plots are large enough to allow field equipment and data collection to take place.
In August 2020, the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) broke ground on its cutting-edge research facility, Agricultural Research Technology Center, in Salinas. The Agricultural Research Technology Center builds on the existing ARS Crop Improvement and Protection Research
Laboratory and includes new laboratory facilities and greenhouses.
“We will be able to vastly advance our research on the sustainable production of vegetables and fruit crops – research that is crucial to the success of California’s large agricultural sector,” said ARS Administrator Chavonda Jacobs-Young at the time of the groundbreaking. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the state’s organic production covers more than 2.5 million acres.
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Santa Cruz, recently launched its 2021/22 organic research grants cycle. The successful longstanding program offers funding for research on organic production systems and the dissemination of these results to organic farmers and agricultural and research communities. Past projects have ranged from studying soil fertility to developing disease-resistant crop breeds. All projects are required to address the resiliency of organic systems to challenges such as climate change.
The ARS’ only dedicated organic researcher in the country, Dr. Eric Brennan, works at the Agricultural Research Technology Center as a USDA Research Horticulturist. Dr. Brennan was a previous OFRF grant recipient and has conducted on-farm research for roughly 20 years. The work of Dr. Brennan and organic farmer-researcher teams is critical as organic farming expands in California and nationwide.
To date, OFRF has invested over $3 million to researchers and organic farmers, with projects designed and executed on certified organic land. Research results are shared widely and freely on their website (www.ofrf.org) and have been presented at various educational and outreach engagements.