Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) Program

Overview

The purpose of this program is to fund high‑priority integrated projects that enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high‑quality organic agricultural products, and to increase resilience in American farming systems. Priority concerns include biological, physical, and social sciences, including economics. 

OREI is particularly interested in projects that emphasize research, education, and outreach that assist farmers and ranchers with whole farm planning by delivering practical research-based information. Projects should plan to deliver applied production information to producers. Fieldwork must be done on certified organic land or on land in transition to organic certification, as appropriate to project goals and objectives. For this program, a land/facility is not considered organic unless it has received USDA certification. Refer to USDA National Organic Program for organic production standards. 

OREI has eight goals that are legislatively-defined by the Farm Bill: 

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 limitations 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. 

Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)

The OREI program has three NOFOs open. Access the links to grants.gov below for the full NOFOs. OREI is one of the first pilot programs in NIFA's Grants Modernization Initiative (GMI). Visit our webpage and resource center to learn more about GMI and get started in the new eRA grants management system. 

Eligibility

1. State agricultural experiment stations
2. colleges and universities
3. university research foundations
4. other research institutions and organizations
5. Federal agencies
6. national laboratories
7. private organizations or corporations
8. individuals who are United States citizens or nationals 
9. any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in items (1) through (8). 

Previously Funded Projects