Description
The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) seeks to fund high-priority integrated projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high-quality organic agricultural products and to increase resilience in American farming systems. The purpose of this program is to fund research, education, and extension/outreach activities regarding organically grown and processed agricultural commodities.
• The OREI competitive grants may support research, education, and extension activities for the purposes of facilitating the development and improvement of organic agriculture production, breeding, and processing methods.
• Evaluating the potential economic benefits of organic agricultural production and methods to producers, processors, and rural communities.
• Exploring international trade opportunities for organically grown and processed agricultural 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.
• Examining optimal conservation, soil health, and environmental outcomes relating to organically produced agricultural products.
• Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly suited for organic agriculture.
• Breeding, evaluating, and selecting animal breeds and genotypes adapted to organic systems.