Rodale Institute  Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates global solutions from the ground up.  Their soil scientists and a cooperating network of researchers have documented that organic farming techniques offer the best solution to global warming and famine.  They were founded in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in 1947 by organic pioneer J.I. Rodale.  Their Farming Systems Trial®, the longest-running U.S. study comparing organic and conventional farming techniques, and is the basis for their practical training to thousands of farmers in Africa, Asia and the Americas. 

Penn State University Soils Management

Penn State University - Transition to Organic

Pennsylvania’s Path to Organic Funding Program

PASA Farming  In existence since 1992, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture continues working to bring farmers together to learn from each other, and to build relationships between those farmers and consumers looking for fresh, wholesome, locally and sustainably produced food. As the largest statewide, member-based sustainable farming organization in the United States, we seek to improve the economic viability, environmental soundness and social responsibility of food and farming systems in Pennsylvania and across the country. We place great value on efforts to build bridges between broadly diverse participants in the agricultural industry, from "farm to fork."

 

National Organizations

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) is a non-profit whose mission is to sponsor research related to organic farming practices, to disseminate research results to organic farmers and to growers interested in adopting organic production systems, and to educate the public and decision-makers about organic farming issues.

Scientific Congress on Organic Agricultural Research (SCOAR) is a collaboration of producers, scientists, and others. Its mission is to plan and promote research and information-exchange for understanding and improving organic agricultural systems.

The Cornucopia Institute
A non-profit group based in Wisconsin and working on food and farm policy issues concerning sustainable and organic agriculture.

NCAT/ATTRA - Organic Farming
With the organic market growing steadily, you may be interested in learning more about organic certification and organic production options. These resources offer guidance in preparing for certification, and in production methods for a range of organic crops and livestock. Many of these publications were developed in response to producer questions, and they deal with issues related to specific products, as well as production methods, marketing, and organic certification requirements.

Organic Farmers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM)
OFARM is a farmer marketing agency-in-common. We represent organic field crop cooperatives and farmer marketing associations in a region that spans the major grain producing areas of the United States, an 18-state area and Canada. The mission of OFARM is to coordinate the efforts of producer marketing groups to benefit and sustain organic producers.

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA)
The OCA is a grassroots non-profit public interest organization which deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, corporate accountability, and environmental sustainability. We are the only organization in the US focused exclusively on representing the views and interests of the nation’s estimated ten million organic consumers.

The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
OMRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization started in 1997 by organic certification agencies. Its mission is to provide professional, independent, and transparent review of materials allowed to produce, process, and handle organic food and fiber. A complete and up-to-date version of the OMRI Brand Name Products List is available for viewing and free downloading from the organization’s web site.

OMRI’s information services are designed to assist certifiers, growers, handlers, processors, and input suppliers in determining the compatibility of generic materials and brand name products for organic production under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Rule. OMRI serves the industry in the role of an advisory and educational support agency.

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
The SARE program recently unveiled a new Web site designed to help farmers and ranchers increase profitability, protect the environment, and improve rural communities. The site offers cutting-edge sustainable farming and ranching technologies, useful contacts, and funding sources for research and education initiatives. Learn how to get a grant, search the SARE projects database, post or browse upcoming events, order books and bulletins or find SARE contacts and regions. You can also browse a variety of subjects including animal and crop production, economics and marketing. The site is sorted by audience, giving farmers and ranchers, consumers, researchers and educators each a fast track to the information that’s most useful to them.

USDA National Soil Quality