Santa Cruz, California, USA
April 16, 2013

At a time when federal programs and policies provide limited support for organic farming ,, OFRF continues their dedication to meeting the need for innovation in organic farming and healthy organic food for America. For more than twenty-three years, OFRF has awarded our nation's top organic farming researchers and innovators with funding to improve organic farming systems. Thanks to grants awarded by OFRF's Board of Directors, organic growers will continue to increase their yield while decreasing expenses. For this grant cycle, through OFRF's partnership with Seed Matters, funding was available in the categories of organic seed quality and crop breeding.

The three awards granted this spring cycle include additional funding to Frank Kutka, Ph.D., Seed We Need, in Dickinson, North Dakota. Dr. Kutka will maintain momentum and outreach on an ongoing project that reduces transgenic contamination of organic maize grown in the USA while maintaining integrity of organic maize seed. Jeanine Davis, Ph.D., at North Carolina State University, has been funded for a project that will enable farmers to grow better organic broccoli in the unique climate of the southern Appalachian region, thereby better providing for a growing regional market. And Gladis Zinati, Ph.D., at the Rodale Institute in Kutzdown, Pennsylvania, will be testing the use of compost extracts to better control weeds-a number one problem in organic crop production.

OFRF also announces Board of directors appointees, which includes the continuation of Deirdre Birmingham as the Board Chair. Deirdre is growing an organic apple orchard and vintage cider business in Wisconsin. Pam Marrone, CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, will also be sustaining her leadership as the OFRF Board Treasurer. Meg Moyniham, who leads the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Organic Program since 2002 and is an organic dairy farmer, is OFRF's newly appointed Vice Chair. And Mary Fund, from Amerugi Farm, a 400 acre organic farm in Nemaha County, Kansas, will be serving as OFRF's new Secretary.

"We are thrilled to be putting the right team in place to meet the emerging needs of existing, new and transitioning organic farmers," says Maureen Wilmot, OFRF's Executive Director. "We are receiving great feedback on OFRF's upgraded infrastructure that better delivers our research and new programs to organic farmers. We stand proudly for America's most talented entrepreneurs who are growing for a huge market opportunity in organics."

Organic Farming Research Foundation has a very clear vision -- that organic farming is the leading form of agriculture for people who thrive on a healthy planet. OFRF sponsors organic farming research and education projects that improve farming practices, and advocates for organic federal farm policy. Founded in 1990, OFRF is the leading non-profit, national champion for American organic farmers.

Website: http://www.ofrf.org

Published: April 18, 2013