Rodale Institute

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently participated in Rodale Institute’s Annual Organic Field Day. During the event, he discussed efforts to expand producers’ access to climate-smart agriculture, increase the market for organic products, and support producers in transitioning to organic production. Additionally, he discussed ways to create additional income opportunities for producers and entrepreneurs by building more, new, and better markets, along with the ways USDA is providing expansive options for consumers to access healthy, locally-produced products, investing in rural infrastructure, and strengthening local and regional supply chains. The panel, which included PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding , organic expert and former CEO of Stonyfield Farms Gary Hirshberg, and organic farming ambassador and James Beard award winner Christa Barfield, provided a comprehensive overview of current issues and progress for farmers. Their collective insights underscored the importance of organic practices and the ongoing efforts to support and advance organic farming in the United States. To read more, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eiTkMB4x

Rodale Institute invites growers, researchers, students, and industry professionals to join us for a day-long Specialty Crop Symposium, featuring presentations on organic specialty crop production in a variety of agroecosystems in the Northeast region of the United States. The program will include tours of Rodale’s research projects, presentations by leading speakers on topics such as saffron, CBD, fiber hemp, agroforestry, and more. The day will end with a Q+A with presenters. To register, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eVNY6GVA

🌾 A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made our Annual Organic Field Day in Kutztown, PA an extraordinary success! With 500 attendees from over 15 states, including farmers, university researchers and students, federal and state government officials, non-profit organizations, & more. We came together to celebrate and advance the future of organic farming. 🌱The day was filled with presentations on research projects, hands-on demonstrations, and a thought-provoking panel. These sessions showcased the latest organic practices and research, providing a platform for engaging discussions and learning. Not able to travel to our Pennsylvania farm? No problem! Head to our Virtual Campus for access to our Virtual Field Day: https://lnkd.in/eKEJCsjB

Check out some recent photos from Rodale Institute’s Farmer Training (RIFT) program! Our students are planting a no-spray orchard and food forest, which will maximize the number of learning opportunities for students each year and expand the perennial component of the curriculum. We have created two plots to do this. One plot is an orchard-style production of pawpaws, kiwi berries, figs, and mulberries; every future RIFT class will get to plant, maintain, and harvest each crop. These fruits were chosen because they are PA's most popular niche crops and require no pesticides to grow successfully. The other section of the orchard will be our food forest. In this section, we will discuss canopy crops and understory crops. We will have apple, nut, and oak trees for the canopy. The apple trees will continue to produce as the nut trees mature. Oak trees will be harvested for mushroom logs. The understory ‘crops’ will include maitake, chicken of the woods, and morel mushrooms, as well as ginseng, ramps, and fiddlehead ferns. We’re thrilled about this new addition to the RIFT curriculum, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our partners, such as Purely Elizabeth . Their collaboration has been instrumental in building these learning opportunities!

During the Rodale Institute Organic Field Day, we met Catherine Peebles, a Pennsylvania Organic Consultant, who highlighted the crucial role of organic compliance inspectors in our state and how young workers can get involved in the agriculture industry. In May, L&I and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced a $350,000 grant to develop a first-in-Pennsylvania registered apprenticeship program that will train organic compliance inspectors and help Pennsylvania’s organic agriculture industry grow.

🌱 #Boiron once again participated in the Rodale Institute's annual Organic Field Day in Kutztown, Pa., held on July 19. The team, led by pharmacist and educator Christophe Merville, provided tours, educational insights, and product samples to attendees in the medicinal garden, which has served as an educational space since 2015 in partnership with the non-profit. 🌿 Our collaboration with Rodale continues to inspire and provide much-needed education on the importance of #organic practices and the vital role plants play in homeopathic medicines. 🌍 https://lnkd.in/egf4QxHw #RodaleInstitute #MedicinalGarden #Homeopathy

Rodale Institute 2024 field day! What a success! We hosted over 500 people, between farmers, consumers and educators, coming from 15+ states and from around the world. I had the pleasure to talk about the roller crimper and the no-till transplanter that we use in the Vegetable Systems Trial, sharing our challenges and how we are trying to overcome them! In such days I really feel the importance of our message and how quickly the regenerative movement is growing! ☘️ Healthy Soil = Healthy Food = Healthy People ☘️ Ph: Ramon Madrid

Learn from the world’s leading experts at the nexus of food as medicine and regenerative organic agricultural practices as we strengthen the bridge between soil health and human health. Join us September 9 - 12, 2024 for our second-ever Regenerative Healthcare Conference. This year's programming is built around the theme, “Rooting Health in Soil" and will bring together, nurses, doctors, farmers, and other healthcare and agricultural professionals for a retreat-style learning experience. Registration is limited to the first 75 registrants! Follow the link below for more information.  https://lnkd.in/deAhvKUJ

🌿Join Us for the Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Field Days Climate-Smart Field Day Events offer educational opportunities for farmers enrolled in the Southern Piedmont Climate-Smart Project and anyone interesting in learning climate-smart farming practices such as roller crimping, plasticulture and more. Attendance is free and registration is required. Lunch is provided for all attendees. 📅 Field Day Locations and Dates: * South Carolina Climate Smart Field Day: July 30th, Clemson, SC * Georgia Climate Smart Field Day: August 6th, Watkinsville, GA 👉Register today!  https://lnkd.in/e2HxJ8PH

Our Southeast Organic Center in the Chattahoochee Hills continues to study saffron as a new high-value crop to underserved and small-scale producers in the southern states thanks to a grant from Southern SARE. Nearly 4500 saffron were planted at the Southeast Organic Center in September and October 2023. Currently, the saffron are in a dormant stage and are expected to start flowering in September. Dr. Acharya is working on a comprehensive review of over 200 papers on saffron, which will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal within the upcoming quarter. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project!