FARMING RESOURCES 

IN KENTUCKY 

Berea College Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Curriculum ensures that graduates know and understand scientific facts and principles pertaining to soils, plants, animals, economics, and ecology and will have the ability to apply those facts and principles to the management of agriculture and natural resource systems

  • Agriculture and natural resources within the broader societal contexts of culture, ecology, economics, politics, and history

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Kentucky Department of Agriculture Organic Program

• Essential documents from Kentucky's organic certification agency, including:
  • Certification procedures
  • Forms
  • Fee schedules

Kentucky State University Organic Agriculture Working Group

• Information generated by a group of researchers, teachers, and extension staff conducting projects related to organic agriculture

  • 'Third Thursday Thing' - free sustainable agriculture workshops held at the Kentucky State University Research Farm on the Third Thursday of every month

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University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification

• Crop Profiles:
  • Organic transitioning and certification
  • Organic horticulture and field crop production
  • Organic sweet corn and asparagus production

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University of Kentucky Food System Innovation Center

• Food safety and marketing resources for producers, processors and entrepreneurs

  • Trainings: Better Process Control School, Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points, GAP Audit Preparatory Training, Food Safety Regulation, MarketReady, FSMA Grower Training

  • Services: Process Review, Nutrition Labeling, Food Chemistry Testing, Microbiological Testing

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University of Kentucky Sustainable Agriculture Program

• Flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum

  • Hands-on apprenticeship on a Certified Organic Community Supported Agriculture project offered

  • internship opportunities with farms, organizations, and academic institutions across the globe

Western Kentucky University Department of Agriculture

• Undergraduate and graduate courses in sustainable agriculture, and student research opportunities to work with organic agriculture systems

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SOUTHERN REGION

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG)

• Empowers and inspires farmers, individuals, and communities in the South to create an agricultural system that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just, and humane

• Hosts programs including: Annual Conference, Growing Farm Profits, Food Hubs, Ag Policy Education  

NATIONAL

Acres USA

• North America's oldest and largest magazine covering commercial-scale organic and sustainable farming

• Archive of featured articles available for free online

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ATTRA --  Organic Farming Resources from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

• A wealth of detailed, readable, and useful information for growers:
  • Organic certification

  • Organic production of vegetables, fruits, flowers and livestock

  • Organic pest management

  • Organic fertility management

  • Organic marketing

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Cornucopia Institute

• Advocacy organization striving to empower farmers and consumers in support of ecologically produced local, organic and authentic food

eOrganic Community of Practice at eXtension.org

• Organic agriculture material created by a nationwide network of extension personnel at Land Grant Universities:
  • Articles

  • Factsheets

  • Videos

  • News

  • FAQs

  • 'Ask an Expert' service

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The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture

• Free guidebooks:
  • Small-Scale Organics: A Guidebook for the Non-Certified Organic Grower (pdf) 

  • Farm Made: A Guide to On-Farm Processing for Organic Producers (pdf)

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The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)

• nonprofit organization that promotes organic and sustainable agriculture by providing  education, resources and expertise farmers need to succeed

• offers information on just about every aspect of organic production plus access to resources such as

  • Upper Midwest Organic Resource Directory

  • Guidebook for Organic Certification

  • more than 30 fact sheets

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National Organic Coalition

• A Washington voice for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, consumers and progressive industry members involved in organic agriculture

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The Organic Center

• Peer-reviewed science on verifiable benefits of organic farming and products

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Organic Consumers Association

• Advocacy organization representing consumers who wish to promote a healthy, equitable, and sustainable system of food production and consumption

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Organic Farming Research Foundation

• Sponsors research and education to foster improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems
  • Searchable database of project reports

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Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)

• Determines which inputs are allowed for use in organic production and processing

• Maintains a searchable list of OMRI-approved products that may be used in USDA certified organic operations

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Rodale Institute

• Nonprofit research and education foundation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people and the planet

• Maintains website full of farm resources:

   

  • Free online course on transitioning to organic production

  • Online cost and income calculator for comparing organic and conventional field crop production

  • Comparison of organic and conventional wholesale prices updated weekly

  • Affiliated with Rodale Inc., a for-profit publishing house, offering print and online resources

  • Organic Gardening magazine, books, website and forums

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Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)

• Research and education grants to advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities

• Searchable database of project reports

• Publications available for free download or sale include

  • Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual (pdf)

  • Manage Insects on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies (pdf)

  • Managing Cover Crops Profitably (pdf)

  • Building Soils for Better Crops (pdf)

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USDA Economic Research Service - Organic Agriculture Briefing Room 

• Research, analysis, and information about the organic market

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USDA National Organic Program

• Information on organic certifiers, international marketing of organic products, organic labelling, allowed and prohibited substances, and cost share programs for organic producers

• Regulates organic production in the USA

INTERNATIONAL

Certified Naturally Grown

• Peer-review certification for small-scale, direct-market farmers using natural methods

• Standards based on USDA Organic Standards, but certifier is not government-affiliated or accredited, so growers cannot label their products organic in the USA if they sell more than $5,000 worth of product or sell outside direct-market channels

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Demeter International

• Maintains international biodynamic certification standards, which require compliance with national organic standards

• Governs national biodynamic certification agencies, including Demeter USA 

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International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)

• Working toward worldwide adoption of ecologically, socially, and economically sound systems based on principals of organic agriculture

• Promotes integrity and harmonization of organic standards worldwide

  • Articulates unifying principals of health, ecology, fairness and care

  • Addresses criticisms and common misconceptions of organic agriculture

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Organic ePrints

• Searchable archive of research related to organic agriculture

• Free and complete manuscripts available for almost 10,000 studies

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Organic Trade Association

• Association of North American businesses dedicated to promoting and protecting the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy

• Maintains The Organic Pages database of organic products and services

• Maintains consumer education website, Organic - It's Worth It

• Maintains How to Go Organic database of resources for producers and processors transitioning to organic

• Offers industry statistics and news

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Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL)

• Organic agriculture research and consulting centers in Switzerland, Germany and Austria conduct practical research and transfer knowledge into agricultural practice

• Maintains Organic-world.net archive of global organic statistics and new