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Organic Farming Research Foundation Launches Info Hub
- Bob Benenson
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
New Project Aims to Help Farmers Find Solutions to On-Farm Challenges
Historically, it has been difficult, even in the internet age, for organic farmers to find science-based tools and resources to address their on-farm challenges. So Local Food Forum is pleased to share the announcement by Organic Farming Research Foundation that they have launched their Organic Research Hub.
As you'll see in the full press release published below, the organization says, "The Organic Research Hub brings together an unprecedented collection of curated resources, all searchable by production topic, crop category, region, keyword, and more. The platform includes factsheets, research summaries, webinars, guidebooks, videos, and other technical tools gathered from the country’s top agricultural institutions and organic organizations."
This looks very useful and I know I'll be plunging in to learn more about the issues facing organic farmers. Click the button below to go to the Organic Research Hub, and keep scrolling to learn more.
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 7, 2025 — The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) today announced the launch of the Organic Research Hub, a first-of-its-kind online platform created to serve the needs of organic and transitioning farmers across the United States—offering trusted, science-based tools to solve real on-farm challenges.
Available at organicresearchhub.org, the Organic Research Hub brings together an unprecedented collection of curated resources, all searchable by production topic, crop category, region, keyword, and more.
The platform includes factsheets, research summaries, webinars, guidebooks, videos, and other technical tools gathered from the country’s top agricultural institutions and organic organizations. It also houses the complete library of nearly 200 final reports from OFRF-funded research projects, making decades of farmer-informed research easily available in one place.
“We created the Organic Research Hub to meet farmers where they are,” said Dr. Heather Estrada, OFRF’s research & education senior scientist and architect of the platform. “Producers don’t have time to dig through academic journals or outdated PDFs. They need credible, practical resources they can use in the field—and that’s exactly what this tool provides.”
In addition to advanced filtering and keyword search functions, users can sign up to receive customized notifications when new content is added to their region or area of interest. The Hub also includes a national Organic Extension Directory, helping connect farmers with trusted agricultural professionals and researchers in their communities.
“There’s a lot of noise online. The Hub cuts through that,” said Jordan Settlage, an organic dairy farmer at Settlage & Settlage Farms in St. Mary’s, Ohio. “I was changing our compost management and had some questions. In less than a minute, the Hub helped me find exactly what I needed—from credible sources I trust. That’s a big deal. I can use it to make real decisions for our farm.”
Although organic now accounts for more than 6% of total U.S. food sales and 15% of all produce sales, research funding for organic agriculture remains disproportionately low—receiving less than 2% of USDA research dollars and less than 1% of the Agricultural Research Service’s budget.
Public investment in agricultural research has declined, leaving many organic farmers to innovate alone. OFRF’s own National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) continues to highlight the pressing need for regionally relevant, farmer-informed solutions. Hub is a direct response to that gap, offering equitable access to technical knowledge for producers working to improve soil health, adopt regenerative practices, and build climate resilience.
“This is about access,” said Brise Tencer, OFRF’s executive director. “For too long, organic farmers have had to piece together information on their own—often without institutional support or public investment. But what’s exciting is that organic research doesn’t just serve organic farmers—it’s useful to any grower seeking healthy soils, resilient systems, and non-chemical solutions. The Hub reflects our commitment to putting reliable, farmer-focused tools directly into their hands.”
The Hub features content from leading organizations, including the SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) program, dozens of land-grant universities, and nonprofit partners such as ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) and The Organic Center. It will continue to grow as new content is added and more researchers and extension agents contribute their work.
The Organic Research Hub is live now at organicresearchhub.org.
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About the Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, with a remote team based across the U.S., works to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems. OFRF cultivates organic research, education, and federal policies that bring more farmers and acreage into organic production. For more information about OFRF, please visit our website: www.ofrf.org.
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