WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 12, 2024) — The Organic Center is committed to building a big and inclusive organic tent for the future. Its efforts received a huge boost this week with the award of $705,000 in funds through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) program to develop an educational curriculum and mentoring program to create greater diversity in the organic industry. 

“We are thrilled to receive this grant, and we thank the USDA for recognizing the urgent need to make the organic sector a more just and equitable space with opportunities for everyone,” said Dr. Amber Sciligo, PhD,  Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center. “This is the largest grant The Organic Center has ever received and our first curriculum grant. We are eager to get started.” 

USDA awarded more than $50.5 million in grants for 23 OREI projects and seven Organic Transitions Program (ORG) projects. Funded through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), OREI supports research, education and extension projects to increase yields, quality and profitability for certified organic producers and processors. The Organic Transitions Program focuses on efforts to help transitioning organic livestock and crop producers adopt organic practices and improve their market competitiveness. 

In the announcement of the awards, USDA highlighted The Organic Center’s project, saying “There is a critical lack of racial diversity across the agricultural sector and the organic industry, especially apparent in the population of organic certifiers, organic inspectors, and in organizations and universities staffs who provide much of the nation's technical assistance and educational programming in agriculture. This workforce development project focuses on jumpstarting participation and motivation for a diverse representation in future organic leadership that helps make the organic sector more inclusive, equitable and just.” 

The Center’s four-year project will work with educators and students to develop a culturally relevant curriculum, giving participants a foundation of knowledge about organic and offering exposure to a variety of professional career opportunities across the organic industry.  

The project includes weeklong workshops for educators and students that will coincide with the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Week in Washington, D.C. The workshops will focus on leadership skills and training, and learning about organic -- its policies, challenges and opportunities, network building and career options.  

The wide scope of the project also includes establishing and sponsoring an eight-week Organic Student Fellowship Program and facilitating one-on-one mentoring opportunities for students with organic industry professionals and academic experts. 

“This project is based on our belief that empowering educators who are positioned and prepared to reach a diverse set of students and leveraging a set of stakeholders and potential employers committed to centering racial equity in the organic movement will help tackle the distinctive challenges encountered by growers and others in the organic industry, especially farmers of color,” said Dr. Sciligo.   

The Organic Center also was awarded an OREI subaward of $21,000 to collaborate in an upcoming event in conjunction with Tuskegee University’s Professional Agricultural Workers Conference that will focus on research and extension to increase organic farming in the Southeastern U.S. The full grant award, for which Tuskegee is the lead, is $75,000. 

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About The Organic Center
 The Organic Center's mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.