The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), is partnering with the Organic Farmers Association (OFA), and National Organic Coalition (NOC) to host a series of virtual farmer-to-farmer networking sessions, Seeds of Success. These facilitated events will be interactive, informal spaces for farmers to share their challenges and successes, and will give farmers an opportunity to have open conversations on topics most relevant to them.

During this session of the Seeds of Success series, OFA will explore NRCS Organic Practice 823 on July 24, 2024, at 2PM ET.

The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has many programs to help farmers convert to organic farming operations. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. Under EQIP, Organic Transition Initiative 823 (OTI) is specifically meant to help those transitioning to organic operations, by cost-sharing and providing technical support on practices organic and transitioning farmers want to implement on their farms.

This program is relatively new, and a little different than other NRCS practices. Join us to hear directly from ag professionals and farmers about their experiences with 823 and their ideas regarding how to best utilize this valuable conservation planning tool.