Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative

Consistent with 7 U.S.C. 5925b, OREI has eight goals: 1.) Facilitating the development and improvement of organic agriculture production, breeding, and processing methods; 2.) Evaluating the potential economic benefits of organic agricultural production and methods to producers, processors, and rural communities; 3.) Exploring international trade opportunities for organically grown and processed agricultural commodities; 4.) Determining desirable traits for organic commodities; 5.) Identifying marketing and policy constraints on the expansion of organic agriculture; 6.) Conducting advanced on-farm research and development that emphasizes observation of, experimentation with, and innovation for working organic farms, including research relating to production, marketing, food safety, socioeconomic conditions, and farm business management; 7.) Examining optimal conservation, soil health, and environmental outcomes relating to organically produced agricultural products; and 8.) Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly suited for organic agriculture.