Organic News

Transitioning the Minnesota family farm to a certified organic dairy

When you have an opportunity to inherit a 320-acre farm with little infrastructure that’s belonged to the family for over 100 years—what to do with it? Carrie and Derek Redden used it to manifest a farming dream. Raising beef cows and chickens as a hobby had piqued a desire to build an organic dairy farm—even […]

University of Georgia study aims to help farmers transitioning to organic production

With the continuing demand for organic food, a three-year study done at University of Georgia hopes to refine best practices for farmers interested in transitioning to organic. The research began with a focus on land previously pastured or currently unmanaged “derelict” farmland. Kate Cassity-Duffey is lead researcher for the USDA-funded study, “Breaking New Ground: Reducing […]

Organic Trade Association releases forward-looking 2023 Farm Bill platform

Building on progress proposed for the organic sector in the 2018 Farm Bill, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) released its platform for the 2023 bill. Priorities include ensuring organic standards keep pace with marketplace demands, providing research and risk management tools to organic farmers, and enacting policies strengthening resilience of the supply chain. “Organic is […]

Organic versus regenerative agriculture: a complicated relationship

Organic and regenerative agriculture aren’t the same, but advances in organic may pave the way for broader adoption of regenerative practices. By Dale Buss Organic agriculture is both a complement and a complication to the push for regenerative agriculture. Its success demonstrates that financial rewards can encourage more sustainable practices on the farm, but the […]

University of California continues leadership in organic agriculture with grant for campus partnerships

The University of California, a leader in organic agriculture since the 1990s, has received a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Four campuses— UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR)—will collaborate to help extend the university experience beyond a single campus. Of particular focus is […]