Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative

Establishing a new program to help determine desirable traits for organic commodities, to identify marketing and policy constraints on the expansion of organic agriculture, and to conduct advanced research on organic farms

Under the 2002 Farm Bill, the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative authorizes a total of $15 million, or $3 million per year, in mandatory appropriations in fiscal years 2004-08. Funds will be used to administer competitive research grants through USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. The research is to meet the production, marketing, and policy needs of the growing organic industry.

Application and Financial Information
At the time of printing for this directory, CSREES was preparing to issue a request for applications for funding that will contain financial details of the program.

Eligibility, Uses, and Restrictions
Individuals, nonprofit organizations and government agencies are eligible to apply for funding under this program. Individuals are strongly encouraged to apply for program funding through land grant universities, nonprofit organizations, and extension offices.

Under the program, research must be conducted in one or more of six main areas:

• Facilitating the development of organic agriculture production, breeding, and processing methods
• Evaluating the potential economic benefits to producers and processors who use organic methods
• Exploring international trade opportunities for organically grown and processed organic commodities
• Determining desirable traits for organic commodities
• Identifying marketing and policy constraints on the expansion of organic agriculture
• Conducting advanced on-farm research and development that emphasizes observation of, experimentation with, and innovation for working organic farms, including research relating to production and marketing and to socioeconomic conditions

Contact
Tom Bewick
Phone: (202) 401-3356
E-mail: tbewick@csrees.usda.gov

Internet
www.csrees.usda.gov/organicagriculture
www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm