$30 Million Boost Coming for Organic Food and Farming Interests

Posted by Growing Produce Staff|September 16, 2021

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced an investment of more than $30 million for 33 grants that support farmers and ranchers who grow and market high-quality organic food, fiber, and other organic products. The investment is part of NIFA’s Organic Agriculture Program.

According to USDA, NIFA’s investment in Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative projects will help fund research, education, and Extension projects to improve yields, quality, and profitability for producers and processors who have adopted organic standards.

NIFA’s investment in Organic Transitions Program projects will support research, education, and Extension efforts to help existing and transitioning organic crop and livestock producers adopt organic practices and improve their market competitiveness.

A sampling of some of the grants include:

University of Wisconsin will lead a multi-state, multi-disciplinary project to implement a systems approach to overcome challenges faced by growers transitioning to organic strawberry production, aiming to increase and sustain organic day-neutral strawberry production in the Upper Midwest. ($525,000)
Oregon State University will use essential oils to develop products to suppress or prevent potato sprouting in organic potatoes to address an important industry issue related to organic potato storage and control of premature sprouting. ($595,000)
Middle Tennessee State University will evaluate the effectiveness of biological control microbial agents and botanical extracts on fungal disease prevention and treatment for organic American Ginseng production. ($455,000)

For more information about the other grants, visit nifa.usda.gov.