Organic Research

• The CERES Trust provided research grants to organizations in 12 North Central U.S. states, including Nebraska, from 2009 to 2017.  Research categories included: soil health, public plant breeding, organic fruit and vegetable production, organic pest management, and organic livestock management. Research final reports are posted at https://cerestrust.org/university-research-reports/. In 2015 the Ceres Trust compiled a list of organic research by state.
• USDA’s Clearinghouse for Alternative Farming Systems Information. The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, founded in 1985, was one of the first USDA programs to focus on sustainable and organic agriculture. The Center specializes in library services – locating, accessing, organizing and distributing information – and highlights links to recent and major publications of eOrganic, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, National Ag Library, NCAT/ATTRA, NRCS, and universities.  A specific list of key organic production resources can be found at https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/organic-production, but other important organic resources are found on the crops, livestock, and natural resource management pages.
• eOrganic is the organic agriculture community of practice with eXtension. The eOrganic website is a clearinghouse for articles, webinars, and videos, and provides the opportunity to “Ask an Expert” about commercial certified organic farming. eOrganic’s initial content focused on general organic agriculture, dairy production, and vegetable production, but eOrganic members are now developing content on other farming systems and topics. All content is collaboratively authored and peer-reviewed by eOrganic’s community of University researchers and Extension personnel, other agricultural professionals, farmers, and certifiers with experience and expertise in organic agriculture. Find eOrganic's resources for farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, certifiers, rsearchers, and educators at articles.extension.org/organic_production.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service on Soil Health. This highly inclusive NRCS website about soil quality includes multiple references to organic farming and other practices related to soil fertility and pest management.
• The high tunnels research and education program coordinated by Kansas State University provides a one-stop global web resource for high tunnel vegetable and fruit management. A special section is devoted to all aspects of organic high tunnel production covering construction and management of cover crops, nutrients, and pests. The website was started in 2002 as part of a USDA IFAFS grant project that was awarded to Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Development was also supported by the Organic Farming Research Foundation. The KSU High Tunnels Program is centered at the KSU Horticulture Research and Extension Center in Olathe, Kansas.

Regional Organic Research Resources
of Relevance to Nebraska

• Ceres Trust Review of Organic Research in the North Central U.S. (organized by state as of 2015)
• Montana (Small grains and soil management resources)
• Wisconsin (Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems)
• Manitoba (Natural systems including small grains resources)
• New York (Dairy program) 
• Pennsylvania (Diverse resources)
• Kentucky (Organic Agriculture Working Group with 200-acre research farm)

Model Organic Production and Research Farms

(Ordered by relevance to Nebraska)

• Western Illinois (80-acre small grain and row-crop research farm—Allison Organic Research and Demonstration Farm)
• Montana (7400-acre commercial grain farm with 7 main crops, apprenticeships and community partnerships—Vilicus Farms)
• New Hampshire (150-acre Organic Dairy Research Farm) 
• New York (30-acre vegetable research farm—Thompson Research Farm) 
• Pennsylvania (333-acre diversified farm, education and outreach center—Rodale Institute)