By Emma Glassman-Hughes
For decades, American farmers have been unable to keep up with the demand for organic products. The financial, time and knowledge barriers to receiving USDA Organic certification have prevented unknown numbers of producers from transitioning their conventional operations to organic.
This has forced billions of dollars to be spent on foreign organic imports instead of domestic — stymieing nationwide goals of improving soil health and decreasing reliance on harmful synthetic pesticides.
Arizona State University’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems is working to reverse this trend with the launch of a new organic mentorship program called Kernel.
By equipping farmers, ranchers and handlers with the support they need to meaningfully transition their operations to organic, the project aims to drive some of the $5.7 billion routed to organic food imports as of 2024 back into U.S. pockets.
Kernel officially launches Oct. 1 and builds on the success of USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program, or TOPP, which will be discontinued Sept. 30.
During its first four years, the $100 million TOPP mobilized organic transition support from more than 200 organizations coast to coast. This support provided networking and technical assistance, and it facilitated mentorship relationships between experienced organic producers and those who are trying to make the eco-friendly leap.
“The core part of (TOPP) that everybody loves was the mentoring program,” said Kathleen Merrigan, executive director of the center.
Source : asu.edu/