Organic Farming Research FoundationOrganic Farming Research Foundation How OFRFOFRF and SARESARE

Can Nurture and GrowOrganic Agriculture Together

by Jonathon Landeck, Deputy Executive by Jonathon Landeck, Deputy Executive DirectorDirector

OFRF Mission: Foster the widespread improvement and adoption of organic farming systems)

* New focus on “systems” rather than “practices.” Need to cultivate alternatives to an input-substitution paradigm

* National Organic Research Agenda

“Organic Farmer First” to promote and highlight organic producer knowledge in research, education, and policy advocacy

Working Assumption: That alleviating production constraints would give rise to widespread adoption.

* Need to analyze best approaches to spur adoption. Is this a role for SAREIs this a role for SARE??

OFRF’s Mission and Values

OFRF’s Structure & Scope

• National organization

• Grants & advocacy

(more $$ for organic R&E)

• Majority of board is organic farmers

• 260+ R&E grants made

OFRF Grantmaking*

Region % Grants % $$West 52 51

Northcentral 13 14

Northeast 15 18

South 11 5* OFRF data is from 2006

% Grants & avg grant sizeFarmers (15%): $ 5,181

Researchers (67%): $ 6,525

Non-profits (18%): $ 5,284

OFRF Grantmaking Typology “Crop” % Grants % $$

Vegetables 47 47Grains 12 17ApplesApples 1010 9 9Fruit (other) 10 Fruit (other) 10 7 7Tomatoes 5 4Livestock 4 6Herbs 4 4GrapesGrapes 3 3 2 2StrawberriesStrawberries 2 2 2 2CitrusCitrus 1 1 1 1Mushrooms 1

0.4

“Topic” % Grants % $$Insects 23 19Weeds 13 13Disease 13 13EducationalEducational 12 12 9 9Systems 12 12Fertility 8 8Breeding 6 9Cover crops 5 7Food quality 4 6Livestock 2 2Economics 1 1

OFRF R&E Directives

1. Organic producers should set the research & education agenda

2. Fund research that has practical applicability to large numbers of organic farmers

3. Address nexus of research issues associated with organic farming & the environment

4. Leverage partnerships with producer organizations, commodity commissions, corporations

Organization Funding level

Non-profits, other groups

Land grant

Businesses, consultants

Individuals

SARE Producer grants

$1,000-$20,000

Farmer groups

No No Yes

SARE R&E grants

$20,000-$200,000

Yes Yes No Yes

SARE PDP grants

$30,000-$100,000

Yes Yes No Yes

IOP $500,000 (est.)

Yes Yes Yes Yes

OFRF Up to $15,000

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Funding Profiles (SARE, IOP, OFRF)

OTHER KEY COMPARATIVE ELEMENTS (Producer Grants): SARE vs OFRF SARE will fund demonstration projects. OFRF does not. SARE requires producers to partner w/technical consultant. OFRF does not. SARE has a larger pool of funds to draw from than OFRF.

Questions to Consider

1. How can SARE better use information generated from OFRF-funded research to spur adoption?

2. How can SARE leverage OFRF grantmaking to augment the impact of SARE funding?

3. How can SARE contribute to the development of a Social and Economic Organic Research Agenda?

Thank You !Jonathon Landeck

jonathon@ofrf.org831-426-6606