Rodale Institute has broken ground on a new Center for Regenerative Organic Innovation at its Kutztown, Pennsylvania, campus as part of a $139 million campaign aimed at expanding research, farmer education, and support for the transition to organic and regenerative organic agriculture.

The center will be created through the modernization of the Institute’s historic 1819 Siegfried Barn and is designed to provide additional space for farmer training, research, education, and collaboration. The project is the first phase of a larger campus development plan intended to expand Rodale Institute’s capacity to support agricultural transition.

The Institute’s broader campaign, Renew the Earth: Deeper Roots, includes a goal of catalyzing the transition of 10 million additional acres to organic and regenerative organic farming. Rodale Institute says the campaign will support new research facilities, education and outreach capabilities, and improvements to farm operations and staff infrastructure.

Farmer education is a central component of the initiative. Rodale Institute currently operates research and education programs across several regions, including its Midwest Organic Center in Marion, Iowa, where researchers conduct long term trials examining crop diversification, cover crops, livestock integration, and other practices associated with regenerative organic systems.

The Institute is also expanding direct assistance to farmers through partnerships with food companies. In June, Rodale announced a renewed partnership with Ancient Nutrition under which its Organic Consulting team will provide participating farmers with agronomic support, soil health guidance, and assistance preparing for organic and Regenerative Organic Certified certification.

The investment comes as demand for practical guidance on organic and regenerative agriculture continues to grow, while producers face challenges related to certification, markets, agronomy, and the economics of transitioning production systems. Rodale Institute’s long term Farming Systems Trial and other research programs provide a foundation for evaluating these systems under field conditions.

Sources: Rodale Institute, “Breaking Ground. Growing Impact,” July 17, 2026. Rodale Institute, “Renew the Earth: Deeper Roots, Healing Lives,” 2026. Rodale Institute, “Rodale Institute and Ancient Nutrition Partner to Advance Regenerative Organic Farmer Transition,” June 8, 2026. Rodale Institute, Ghale A, Kimmel S, Smith A, “What Is Organic and What Is Regenerative,” January 23, 2026.