Enhancing Tools to Model Climate and Environmental Impacts in Organic Agriculture Systems
Improving Carbon and Nutrient Modeling Tools for Organic Farming to Reduce Climate Change Impact
The 2022 Organic Center-FFAR joint Organic Research Program awards up to $200,000 per project focused on organic techniques for improving mitigation and resiliency to climate change, with a priority on systems-based approaches and a commitment to cross-sector partnerships. TOC and FFAR selected projects in regions typically underrepresented in organic research and with plans to expand their results to the greater organic farming industry by making their data open and accessible to the public.
Why this research is important
Organic farming is poised to be part of the climate change solution; organic farmers do not rely on fossil-fuel intensive synthetic inputs to manage pests or increase soil fertility and use farming techniques that sequester carbon in the soil. However, more work is needed to understand specific strategies organic growers can adopt to mitigate climate change, while managing the negative effects climate change is having on their farms through drought, flooding, invasive pests and extreme weather events.
Transitioning to organic farming can be confusing, costly and labor-intensive. This partnership with The Organic Center provides a much-needed opportunity for agriculture professionals to educate more farmers about organic farming best practices so we can sustainably meet consumers’ growing demand for organic products and support thriving farms.
LaKisha Odom, Ph.D.
Scientific Program Director
Sustaining Vibrant Agroecosystems
Details About this Research
Enhancing Tools to Model Climate and Environmental Impacting Organic Agriculture Systems
Silva is investigating how to improve existing carbon and nutrient modeling tools and create new ones to better reflect organic farming management practices and reduce climate change impact. She will share the results with agricultural professionals and policymakers to inform where further research is needed to better understand the impacts of organic farming methods on climate and environmental stewardship. The organic agriculture industry will also use the results to determine the best ways organic farming can be incorporated in the development of carbon and environmental incentive programs.
Project Objectives
- Assess existing tools (COMET-Planner and SnapPlus) related to carbon and nutrient modeling to identify gaps related to the representation of organic management
- Model tillage intensity and potential soil health impacts using the STIR ratings
- Create a report that outline specific needs for on-farm, field level data collection to optimize climate impact models
How This Research Contributes to Our Mission
This bold research addresses complex agriculture issues and challenges that farmers face today.
Matching Funders
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.
Connect: @OrganicCenter
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The Latest
Insights
Our Insights highlight unique perspectives from across the food and agriculture community.
See all Insights
Advancing Ecosystem Service Markets for Sustainable Farming
A Place for Everyone in Agriculture
Dr. LaKisha Odom & Jocelyn Hittle
Finding a New Way to Control Weeds in Cotton.
Sarah Chu
FFAR Fellow, Texas A&M University
The “Good Soil Discount” — A Game Changer for U.S. Agriculture
Harley Cross
Land Core Co-founder & Director of Strategy
Organic Ag Podcast Features Innovative Industry Topics
Kathleen Delate
Professor, Organic Agriculture Program, Iowa State University
Building Bridges Between Academics & Farmers
FFAR Fellow, Elizabeth Ellis
Manure – Waste or Resource?
Manny Sabbagh
University of Minnesota
Diversifying the Future of Venture Capital
The first cohort of the HBCU Kirchner Fellows are Bryana Pittman, Kwame Jackson and Martin Adu-Boahene who co-wrote this Insights piece to share the value of this fellowship and its potential impact.
Can Adding Carbon to the Soil Help us Manage Weeds?
Maria Gannett
2019-2022 FFAR Fellow
Taking Science Beyond the Bench: Critical Reflections for Change-Oriented Research
Krista Marshall
2019-2022 FFAR Fellow
Soil is Not Dirt
Aaron Prairie
2020-2023 FFAR Fellow
Fine-tuning photosynthesis
Dhruv Patel
2019-2022 FFAR Fellow
Can biochar help adapt agriculture to a hotter, dryer climate?
Shelby Hoglund
2018-2021 FFAR Fellow
Milkweeds: Medicine for Monarchs?
Annie Krueger
2018-2021 FFAR Fellow
The Time is RIPE for Agricultural Innovation
Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Executive Director Emeritus
News
The latest news and updates from FFAR.
See all News
FFAR & FoodShot Global Announce GroundBreaker Prize Winners in Water Research
FFAR & The Organic Center Invest $632,000 into the Future of Organic Farming
FFAR Grant Reduces Nitrogen Inputs, Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Grant Transforms Wastewater to Crop Fertilizer
GroundBreaker Prize to Fund Critical Water Research
FFAR Renews ESMC Partnership to Grow Ecosystem Services Market Program
Mitigating Farm Risk Through Improved Soil Health
FFAR & OCP North America Announce Fertilizer Fellowship Awardees & 2023 Opportunities
FFAR and The Organic Center Announce $2.4 Million in Funding for Organic Outreach and Research
RIPE research proves potential for measuring root biomass throughout growing season
Producers and Researchers Agree, Scale Up of a Sustainable Biochar Industry is Critical to Meet Climate Targets, and Build Agricultural Resilience and Soil Health
FFAR and FoodShot Global Announce GroundBreaker Prize Winners
Advancing DEI in Sharing Carbon & Ecosystems Services Information
FFAR Announces $1 Million for Organic Research to Tuskegee University
FFAR & The Organic Center Advance Organic Agriculture
RIPE Researchers Report Faster Screening of Photoprotection in Crops
RIPE Researchers Prove Bioengineering Better Photosynthesis Increases Yields in Food Crops for the First Time
RIPE Shows Potential for Improved Water-Use Efficiency in Field-Grown Plants
UC Davis Receives FFAR Grant to Help Improve Vineyard Soil Health
FFAR and OFRF Announce Six Organic Farming Research Project Awardees
Breakthroughs
Tools, technologies and strategies from the research we fund.
See all Breakthroughs
New Study Shows AI & Supercomputing Can Quantify Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Individual Farms
Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Quantifies Organic Carbon to Improve Agricultural Productivity
Building Collaborations for Technology-Driven Solutions in Agriculture
Breakthrough for Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management (OpenTEAM)
Documenting Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing’s Benefits
Breakthrough for Quantifying the Advantages of Multi-Paddock (AMP) Grazing in the U.S. Southeast & Northern Great Plains
RIPE Researchers Prove Bioengineering Better Photosynthesis Increases Yields in Food Crops for the First Time
Breakthrough for Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Reinvestment