Media Contact:

Dr. Nancy Creamer, 919/515-9447 or nancy_creamer@ncsu.edu
Dr. Frank Louws, 919/515-6689 or frank_louws@ncsu.edu
Kevin Potter, NC State News Services, 919/515-3470 or kevin_potter@ncsu.edu

March 9, 2001

NC State Receives $500,000 Grant for Organic Ag Research, Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

North Carolina State University is receiving nearly $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand its organic agriculture research and education efforts.

The funding is part of a $1.8 million USDA Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS) grant to five institutions: NC State, Ohio State University, Iowa State University, Tufts University and the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Together, these institutions will create an Organic Agriculture Consortium that will aim to revitalize small and mid-sized family farms by integrating research, education and extension efforts on organic agriculture.

In recent years, American consumers and farmers have become increasingly interested in organic agriculture, an approach to agricultural production that allows farmers to make a living while meeting two of society’s necessities: the need for a clean environment, and the need for a safe, high-quality supply of food and fiber.

Ten NC State faculty members are principal investigators in the grant. Much of their research work will be conducted through the university’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems, which is one of the nation’s largest centers for the study of environmentally sustainable farming practices.

The center conducts research on 2,200 acres of cropland, pasture and woodland located near Goldsboro, N.C. Created in 1994 on land owned by the N.C. Department of Agriculture, the center involves a wide variety of researchers from NC State and from North Carolina A&T State University. It includes an 80-acre organic research and education farm, the largest such land-grant facility in the United States.

Dr. Nancy Creamer, director of the center and NC State associate professor of horticultural science, explains that organic industry has grown significantly in the last 20 years. But, until now, few public research dollars have been invested in organic agriculture research and education.

"There are many scientists and others very excited about the potential to develop profitable, environmentally sound and socially responsible organic agriculture systems," Creamer said. "This grant provides focus and a concerted effort to do that. It brings together the expertise and interest. Other institutions and faculty have approached consortium members about joining, so it will grow."

Organic agriculture is good for the environment, farmers and consumers alike, she says:

Environmentally, it focuses on improving soil and water quality and reducing conventional pesticides.

For farmers, it can be profitable with less of a capital investment than conventional farming, and thus provides a rare opportunity for new growers to enter agricultural production. It can also offer a way for some existing farmers to stay in business.

And organic foods provide consumers a way to purchase foods that have not been altered using biotechnology, a marketplace choice for which thousands of consumers are paying top dollar. It also allows people to support local farmers.

Currently, farmers face difficulty meeting consumer demand for organic produce and products because of limited research about organic agriculture systems, the risks associated with making the three-year transition necessary for official organic certification (during which time growers can’t receive premium organic prices for their products), and an insufficient processing and distribution system for organic products.

The national Organic Agriculture Consortium will attempt to remove those obstacles by collecting and disseminating new and existing information about organic farming; conducting production-related research; and facilitating the development of local, regional and international market opportunities for organic products. The consortium will be headquartered at Ohio State. Several grassroots sustainable farming organizations, including the Carolina Farm Stewardship Foundation, the Heartland Organic Cooperative and the Community Alliances of Interdependent Agriculture, will join the group.

The NC State faculty who are principal investigators in the Organic Agriculture Consortium project are Creamer; Dr. Frank Louws, assistant professor of plant pathology; Dr. Paul Mueller, professor of crop science; Dr. Cavell Brownie, professor of statistics; Dr. Ada Wossink, associate professor of agricultural and resource economics; Dr. Mike Linker, integrated pest management coordinator for NC State’s Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Dr. Shuijin Hu, assistant professor of plant pathology; Dr. Michael Wagger, professor of soil science; Dr. Mary Barbercheck, associate professor of entomology; Dr. Ron Stinner, professor of entomology; and Dr. Steve Koenning, senior plant pathology researcher and extension specialist.

- potter -

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