Presentation of USDA NIFA: Organic Agriculture Funding and Priorities in the U.S.

Organic agriculture has maintained significant growth over the last decade.  However, there are considerable constraints not only for new or conventional growers interested in entering, or transitioning to organic production but also for those who have already adopted organic systems.  Therefore, research is critical to address specific needs of the organic community, particularly in the areas of weed, pest, disease and nutrient management, breeding, crop and animal management systems, postharvest losses and quality, marketing, as well as ecosystem services. Since 2001 NIFA has provided funding for many projects in organic agriculture research through two key programs: Organic Transitions (ORG) and Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).  Together, the programs have supported nearly 1,000 projects with total funding of about $140 million.  Other NIFA competitive and non-competitive programs that have supported projects in organic agriculture include: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI), Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), and Hatch projects.  In addition to federal and state funding, foundations such as the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) fund organic agricultural research in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  Since 2009, the Organic Research Initiative (ORI) program from Ceres Trust Foundation has also provided competitive funding to universities in the 12-state North Central region.