Organic Transitions

The Organic Transitions Program (ORG) is a competitive grants program that supports research, education, and extension projects to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers. The program aims to address critical organic agriculture issues, priorities, or problems, and to develop and implement research, extension, and higher education programs. The program encourages applicants to develop partnerships, including collaboration with small- or mid-sized colleges and universities, 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, and non-governmental organizations. The program has four priority areas: (1) documenting and understanding the effects of organic practices, (2) developing improved technologies and methods to document and optimize ecosystem services and climate variability adaptation and mitigation, (3) developing cultural practices and other allowable alternatives to substances recommended for removal from the National Organic Program's National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, and (4) overcoming barriers to organic transition. • The program is open to applications from colleges and universities, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities, and research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities. • The program requires a data management plan and an evaluation plan that captures project outcomes and demonstrates the impact of the project. • The program has a two-level peer review process, with independent reviews and a peer panel discussion. • The program encourages applicants to assemble project teams with expertise in research, education, extension, and evaluation, and to utilize a systems approach. • The program has a budget limit of $200,000 per year, with a total award not to exceed $500,000. • The program has a project period of 1 to 3 years.