Research and education non-profits The Organic Center and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research have awarded over $600,000 in prizes to advance organic agriculture and develop critical training, technical support and innovative climate research.
Despite steady growth of the organic industry, more research and insights are needed to understand specific strategies and growing techniques organic growers can adopt to help mitigate the effects of climate change and manage the negative effects climate change is having on their farms through drought, flooding, invasive pests and extreme weather events, according to a release.
“Through our partnership with FFAR, The Organic Center is able to catalyze the most promising organic training, research and education initiatives from across the country. The projects selected this year have immense potential to help advance organic agriculture and bring more producers, agricultural professionals and communities into organic,” Dr. Amber Sciligo, director of science programs at TOC said in a news release.
The prizes fall under two award categories. The Organic Training for Agriculture Professional Prize is a $350,000 award to recognize organizations that train farmers, ag professionals and community organizations in organic production. The second award is the The Organic Center-FFAR Joint Organic Research Program prize that grants up to $200,000 per project awarded for research on organic techniques to improve climate change mitigation and resiliency.
“Transitioning to organic farming can be confusing, costly and labor-intensive. This partnership with The Organic Center provides a much-needed opportunity for agriculture professionals to educate more farmers about organic farming best practices so we can sustainably meet consumers’ growing demand for organic products and support thriving farms,” Dr. LaKisha Odom, FFAR scientific program director said in the release.
TOC and FFAR began an outreach campaign in 2019 for the awards. The two organizations engaged diverse thought leaders, farmers, researchers and policy makers in debate around the needs of the industry and established award priorities that seek to strike a balance between sector growth, human capital and equity and environmental stewardship, according to the release. Four organizations were selected for the Organic Training for Agricultural Professionals Prize and two scientists received the Organic Center-FFAR Join Organic Research Program award.
2022 Award Winners
The Organic Training for Agricultural Professional Prize
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Organic Grain Resource and Information Network: $100,000;
- Oregon Tilth: $50,000;
- Iowa State University Organic Agriculture Program: $50,000; and
- Organic Agronomy Training Service: $150,000.
The Organic Center-FFAR Joint Organic Research Program
- Dr. Sindhu Jagadamma, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture: $200,000; and
- Dr. Erin Silva, University of Wisconsin-Madison: $77,022.
