Two organic organizations will be making a total of $2.4 million available to help support industry research and outreach. Funding is being provided by The Organic Center and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR). The funds will be awarded in 2023 and 2024 through two initiatives, the Organic Training for Agricultural Professionals Prize and the Organic Center-FFAR joint Organic Research Program.
“Research, training, and technical support are the foundations of any strong agricultural system,” Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center, Dr. Amber Sciligo said in a news release. “Our continued collaboration with FFAR matches support dollar-for-dollar for selected projects that help expand information sharing and advance critical research on organic farming practices and climate change.”
An Organic Training for Agricultural Professionals Prize between $25,000 to $100,000 will be awarded to up to six applicants. A total of $1.6 million over two years has been allocated to the program. The purpose is to support the provision of organic production training to agronomic groups and professionals. Matching funds are required as part of the program.
The Organic Center-FFAR joint Organic Research Program provides two grants with a maximum of $200,000 per project. A total of $800,000 is available over the next two years. Projects will be focused on connecting climate change mitigation and soil health practices to organic production in 2023. Next year the program will focus on research for addressing challenges for organic production and transitioning to organic. While not required for the program, matching funds are encouraged.
Priority areas of focus for the programs were determined after an outreach campaign which began back in 2019. Eligibility for the programs includes cooperative extension programs, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, and U.S. government-affiliated research agencies. Both of the programs that are available from the organic organizations are currently accepting applications. The application window will close on June 1.
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