On-Farm Research, getting on-the-ground answers to the questions farmers face
Farmers are experimenters by nature. They regularly engage in a trial-and-error process to address the many questions and challenges related to farming and ranching. The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) recognizes the inclination of farmers to try new things, adapt, and adjust their farming practices. By releasing a new Farmers Guide to Conducting On-Farm Research and launching their Farmer Led Trials (FLT) Program, OFRF aims to support farmers in harnessing that skill and directing it toward conducting relevant research to address their most pressing challenges.
Studies have shown that farmers greatly benefit when they lead on-farm research trials at their farms. Conducting on-farm research allows farmers to address farm-specific questions and has historically supported the adoption and innovation of sustainable agricultural practices worldwide (Wettasinha et al., 2014). A recent study of farmers involved in the farmer-led research program of the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario found that farmers who learned to conduct their own scientific research were more “knowledgeable, confident, motivated, and inspired to adopt and/or improve ecological” farming practices (Nelson et al., 2023, p. 2).
OFRF developed the FLT Program with that in mind. The program supports farmers and ranchers in conducting practical, on-farm research that addresses farming challenges and encourages farmer-led innovations in organic farming.
“Helping [farmers] add a few scientific steps to their farm trials can lead to more concrete and trustworthy results that they can share with other farmers,” said Thelma Velez, Director of Research and Education Programs at OFRF.
Through the program, OFRF provides technical support and seed funding to implement these on-farm trials, helping minimize the risk for farmers trying a new practice. The farmers selected for support will also share and learn from each other in a cohort space to foster a thriving community of farmer-researchers.
OFRF recently selected ten farmers from across the country to participate in the first FLT cohort, whose research projects launch this spring. This first-year cohort includes beginning farmers, BIPOC farmers, and veteran farmers spanning specialty crops, grain, and vineyard operations. All participants are certified organic or in transition to organic. The research topics identified by the farmers focus on building soil health, cover crop use, weed and pest management, shade cloth use during summer, planting distances, companion planting, and variety breeding.
Tim and Becky Colby are some of the participants in the first FLT cohort. They own Colby Farms, a 14-acre farm in Papillion, Nebraska, where they produce vegetables, fruits, and some livestock products for their community. They are in their second year of transitioning a historically conventional farm
to organic production. Having previously farmed in Arizona for three years, they returned to Nebraska to tend the land where Becky’s grandfather once farmed. They are participating in the FLT Program to research the best cover crop options for reducing soil compaction on their farm.
“Being part of the FLT program was a no-brainer for us on our farm,” said Tim Colby. “The land on our farm is in desperate need of rejuvenation and planting cover crops is the obvious solution. By partnering with OFRF, not only do we get some funding, but we get to create a project that will help us determine the very best cover crops to solve some of our soil health issues. We get expert advice and feedback through all stages of the project, from planning, implementing, data collection, and interpreting results. Then, at the end, not only does our Farm get answers to legitimate questions that will improve our soil, but we get to share this data with others that might be asking the same question. FLTs are a win-win-win scenario for the farmer, the research group, and future farmers that will be able to learn from the data.”
If you want to begin a research trial on your farm, the Farmers Guide to Conducting On-Farm Research (available for free at www.OFRF. org) explains how to design, carry out, and draw conclusions from a trial. It enables farmers to assess the value of a specific practice, variety, or input. The full-length guide details seven major steps needed to conduct a successful on-farm trial: 1. Identify your research question and hypothesis 2. Identify what you will measure
3. Choose an experimental design
4. Choose your field and mark the location of your plots
5. Establish your trial and collect data
6. Analyze your data 7. Draw conclusions and share
The guide provides practical information, including examples from farmers and ranchers conducting on-farm research, links to additional resources, and worksheet templates for designing a sound research trial.
“On-farm research has provided me with the foundation for improved long-term soil health at my farm. I have eliminated several off-farm inputs while fine-tuning my cover cropping and rotation practices,” said April Thatcher, the farmer at April Joy Farm in Washington and OFRF Board President.
To learn more about the Farmer-Led Trials Program or download a free copy of the Farmers Guide to Conducting On-Farm Research, visit www.ofrf.org/research/ farmer-led-research-trials.