Organic Education Webinars

Virtual Field Day: Integrating Livestock in Organic Crops and Its Impacts on Food Safety and Soil Health

Presented Wednesday, July 20th

Researchers from Maryland, Minnesota, and California present their findings on the impacts of cover-crop grazing on food safety and soil health for fresh spinach and cucumbers in organic systems. This webinar will provide attendees with an understanding of how grazing of cover crops in fresh vegetable production systems can be implemented in 3 different climates (humid coastal, humid continental, and semi-arid). This work has been completed through funds from a USDA -ARS grant* in collaboration with The Organic Center, University of California,​​​​​​​ University of Minnesota, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and USDA-ARS.

*Funding for this project was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant # 19-1046-001-SF. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.

• Esteemed Speakers
• Sejin Cheong, PhD student Epidemiology | UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Emily E. Evans, Researcher 3 | University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
• Amélie Gaudin, PhD, Associate Professor of Agroecology | UC Davis, Department of Plant Sciences
• Alda Pires, DVM, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM,  Associate Specialist in Cooperative Extension | UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Sequoia Williams, PhD student Soils and Biogeochemistry | UC Davis, Gaudin Lab
• Amber Sciligo, PhD, Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (facilitator)

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Black Farmer Justice: Past, Present, and Future

Presented December 8, 2021

Black farmers have a rich history and promising future in the United States, even though the Black history of agriculture is often reduced to slavery and cotton plantations. ​​​​​​​In Farming While Black (2018), Leah Penniman argues that justice for Black people, farmers and otherwise, requires learning about Black histories of agriculture, creating new experiences in the natural world, and getting in touch with our food systems. With a panel of Black scholars, farmers, and activists, in this webinar we explore what justice for Black farmers is today, what it has been in the past, and what it can be in the future.

• Esteemed Panelists:
• Maya Allen, PhD student in Botany | The University of New Mexico
• Laquanda Dobson, Chef and Farming Activist
• Ashley Gripper, PhD Candidate in Environmental Epidemiology | Harvard University
• Teona Williams, PhD Candidate in History | Yale University
• Jayson Porter, PhD candidate in History | Northwestern University & Social Justice Intern | The Organic Center (Discussion Leader)

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How Farming Systems Impact Bionutrients

Presented November 17, 2021 

How plants are grown can have an immense effect on nutritional content. A healthy, high functioning soil will produce crops that are flavorful, aromatic, and nutritious. Studies have reflected this by showing that organic production can result in higher antioxidant levels. However, nutrition is still not well understood, and the actual nutrient levels in of crops can vary dramatically with farmer, season, and seed. This webinar will discuss what we know – and don’t know – when it comes to crop nutrition and highlight new technology and campaigns to better understand how to maximize the nutrition of our food. Watch our recording on demand now by registering below. ​​​​​​​

• Esteemed Panelists: 
• Dan Kittredge, Executive Director | Bionutrient Food Association
• Sara Newmark, Chief Operating Officer | True Grace Health
• Tina Owens, Senior Director, Food & Agriculture Impact | Danone North America
• Jessica Shade, PhD, Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (Discussion Leader)
• Andrew Smith, PhD, Chief Operating Officer | Rodale Institute

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Small Changes, Big Outcomes: The Impact of Organic Dairy on Reducing Synthetic Chemical Use

Presented Wednesday, August 25, 2021

You may think your family’s food shopping decisions don’t have much of an impact. But when it comes to the positive impact of choosing organic dairy products, think again! Choosing organic means saying no to synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and drugs – especially antibiotics. And when you combine the impact of your organic ice cream with the organic yogurt used at your favorite diner, and the milk boxes in your child’s school lunch program, the use of organic dairy drastically reduces the amount of chemicals on our farms, and in our foods. Join us to explore a new tool for calculating the positive impacts of choosing organic dairy. And, learn how you can use the tool to advocate for changes to school lunch and other programs in your area.

• Esteemed Presenters:
• Megan DeBates, Vice President of Government Affairs | Organic Trade Association
• Jessica Shade, Ph.D., Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center
• Judi Shils, Founder and Executive Director | Turning Green & Conscious Kitchen
• Brand ambassadors from Organic Valley & Stonyfield Organic

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This webinar will be recorded.

Managing Soil Amendments for Food Safety and Soil Health

Presented Thursday, July 15, 2021 

Soil amendment use is one option among a number of management practices that growers have to support plant growth and build healthy soils. Some soil amendments are biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO) and they are primarily used as a nutrient source and to build up organic matter in the soil. However, the use of BSAAO in produce production can present a microbial food safety risk by introducing human pathogens into the soil as well as the broader farm environment. This two-part webinar series will outline benefits and risk reduction practices when using manure, compost, and other BSAAO often used on produce farms. The relationship between these BSAAO recommendations and the requirements in the National Organic Program, Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, and third-party Good Agricultural Practices audits will also be explored. Both webinars will include a Q&A session at the end.  

As the first presentation in a two-part series, this session will introduce how the use of BSAAO improves soil health. Research on pathogen survival in BSAAO-amended soils will be presented, as well as how growers can minimize the risks of using untreated soil amendments through proper application, storage, handling, and recordkeeping practices. Other common practices will be introduced, including rotational grazing.

• Esteemed Panelists:
• Donna Pahl Clements, M.S., Product Safety Alliance's Southwest Regional Extension Associate | Cornell University
• Elizabeth A. Bihn, Ph.D., Senior Extension Associate, Department of Food Science | Cornell University
• Alda Pires, Ph.D., Asst. Research Scientist & Asst. Specialist in Cooperative Extension, School of Veterinary Medicine | University of California, Davis
• Amber Sciligo, Ph.D., Associate Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (Discussion Leader)

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Science-Based Composting Practices

Presented Friday, July 23, 2021 

Soil amendment use is one option among a number of management practices that growers have to support plant growth and build healthy soils. Some soil amendments are biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO) and they are primarily used as a nutrient source and to build up organic matter in the soil. However, the use of BSAAO in produce production can present a microbial food safety risk by introducing human pathogens into the soil as well as the broader farm environment. This two-part webinar series will outline benefits and risk reduction practices when using manure, compost, and other BSAAO often used on produce farms. The relationship between these BSAAO recommendations and the requirements in the National Organic Program, Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule, and third-party Good Agricultural Practices audits will also be explored. Both webinars will include a Q&A session at the end.  

The second presentation in the series will highlight science-based composting practices that growers can use to minimize microbial food safety risks while reaping the soil health and production benefits from the use of BSAAO. A discussion will follow about the treatment status and documentation requirements for other common BSAAO such as vermicompost, fish emulsion, and pelletized poultry litter.

• Esteemed Panelists:
• Donna Pahl Clements, M.S., Product Safety Alliance's Southwest Regional Extension Associate | Cornell University
• Elizabeth A. Bihn, Ph.D., Senior Extension Associate, Department of Food Science | Cornell University
• Amber Sciligo, Ph.D., Associate Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (Discussion Leader)

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Maximizing Carbon Sequestration in Organic Systems

Presented Friday, April 16, 2021 

Organic has the advantage when it comes to mitigating climate change and building soil health by quantifying the carbon sequestration potential of organic soil management practices. Join The Organic Center on April 16 to learn more from the Robert Crystal-Ornelas, PhD, co-author of a recently-published paper that looks within organic management and builds on The Organic Center’s continued delivery on GRO Organic’s climate change and soil health portfolio. The project not only highlights the areas where organic excels at locking greenhouse gas in the soil, but also identifies the areas that are having the biggest beneficial impact, allowing organic growers to maximize their climate change fighting power.

• Esteemed Panelists: 
• Robert Crystal-Ornelas, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar in the Energy Geosciences Division | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Amber Sciligo, PhD, Associate Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (Facilitator)

Open to all

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This Webinar was recorded and now shared on demand.

The Environmental Benefits of Organic Cotton

Presented Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Join The Organic Center and Iowa State’s Kathleen Delate, PhD, for a discussion of the scientifically backed, full system ecological benefits of organic cotton – from farm to fashion. We’ll also hear from the Organic Trade Association’s Fiber Council on the group’s work to advance organic cotton and other textiles. There is no charge to watch this on-demand webinar.  

• Esteemed Panelists:
• Kathleen Delate, PhD, Professor and Extension Organic Specialist, Departments of Horticulture and Agronomy | Iowa State University
• Angela Wartes-Kahl,  Organic Inspector & Consultant & Vice Chair of the Organic Trade Association's Fiber Council | Independent Organic Services, Inc.
• Jessica Shade, PhD, Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (Discussion Leader)

Open to all

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2020 Organic Science Roundup with The Organic Center 

Presented Thursday, December 10, 2020

Come learn about the hottest science in the field of organic food and farming from 2020. This webinar brings together leading scientists to talk about where we’ve been and how far we’ve come  in this challenging year. Hear about what studies have changed the industry, how COVID has changed the research landscape, and what we foresee for the scientific outlook for 2021. 

• Esteemed Panelists: 
• Asa Bradman, PhD, Professor, Associate Director and Co-founder | University of California, Merced & CERCH
• Nathalie Jas, PhD, STS scholar and Senior Researcher in Sociology of Risk | French Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA).
• Jayson Porter, PhD Candidate in Mexican Environmental History, Department of History, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences | Northwestern University
• John P. Reganold, PhD, Regents Professor of Soil Science and Agroecology | Washington State University
• Jessica Shade, PhD, Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center (Discussion Leader)
• Houston Wilson, PhD, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist & Director| University of California, Riverside & Organic Agriculture Institute

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Developing Public-Private Partnerships to Address Organic Research Needs

Presented Thursday, November 5, 2020

Last year, The Organic Center partnered with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) to hold a convening examining research areas that would have the most impact on advancing the organic sector, explore avenues for private-public partnerships, and identify areas where industry is interested in investing in research. The convening’s objective was to identify high-impact research areas that could have a substantial positive impact on advancing organic production systems, build partnerships in support of scientific collaborations, and provide a venue for cross-sector sharing of ideas and priorities. This webinar will present the outcomes from that convening, share information about FFAR funding, and gather your input on research needs that are critical for advancing the organic sector. 

You can download the full outcomes from the convening HERE.

Click here to learn more about the project. 

• Esteemed Panelists:
• LaKisha Odom, PhD, Scientific Program Director | Foundation
• Jessica Shade, PhD, Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center
• Amber Sciligo, PhD, Asst. Director of Science Programs | The Organic Center
• Brise Tencer, Executive Director | Organic Farming Research Foundation (Q&A participant)

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Biodiversity and Profitability on Organic Farms - Environmental and Economic Benefits of Organic Practices

Presented July 1, 2020

A growing body of science shows that organic farming supports more biodiversity and can bring in more income than conventional farming, highlighting the environmental and economic benefits of using organic practices. What is less understood is how these benefits are affected by the farming landscape around organic operations. Join Amber Sciligo, Associate Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center, who will be joined by two of the senior authors of a recently published meta-analysis, where you can learn about more about the study’s findings and these benefits from organic practices. 

• Presenters: 
• Amber Sciligo, Ph.D., Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
• David W. Crowder, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Entomology, Washington State University
• Olivia M. Smith, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher in Entomology, University of Georgia

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Building Soil Heath for Organic Systems

Presented on April 17, 2020

Healthy soils are essential for resilient crop production and supporting our ecosystem. Unfortunately, soils in the United States are being degraded by unsustainable agricultural practices. Techniques used by organic farmers can help stop soil health degradation, or even restore soil health in previously degraded soils, because they replenish soil organic carbon and preserve underground biodiversity. However, the specific impacts of organic practices on soil health are not well understood.  Broad surveys of soil health comparing organic and conventional systems consistently show the benefits of organic farming, but rarely compare strategies within organic systems to understand where these benefits arise, or how they can be maximized. This webinar looked at new research on the benefits of organic farming to soil health and climate change mitigation, and specific organic soil-building practices to illuminate strategies that have the biggest impacts on soil health.

• Presenters: 
• Amber Sciligo, Ph.D., Associate Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
• Kate Tully, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Agroecology, University of Maryland

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The Biodiversity Calculator - A Simple Tool for Tracking & Managing Biodiversity for NOP Compliance

Presented September 25, 2019

Biodiversity is critical for healthy, functioning organic farms, and is central to the NOP Guidance on Natural Resources and Biodiversity Conservation. However, the burden of designing and implementing biodiversity plans still falls on the farmer. This workshop will highlight a new, farmer-friendly tool that can aid farmers in technical decisions to increase on-farm biodiversity and comply with the new guidance.

• Presenters:
• Jessica Shade, PhD., Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
• John Quinn, PhD., Associate Professor of Biology, Furman University

Open to all

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The Benefits of Organic Dairy

Presented July 17, 2019

Learn about a new study published in Public Health Nutrition, by Emory University, in collaboration with The Organic Center, which shows that choosing organic is an easy way to avoid pesticide, antibiotic, and synthetic growth hormone residues in milk. Researchers tested conventional and organic milk from store shelves across 9 regions of the U.S. and found that a majority of conventional milk samples tested positive for residues of antibiotics and currently used controversial pesticides, while organic milk tested clean.

• Presenter:
• Jessica Shade, PhD, Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center

Open to all

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Citrus Greening Disease - the Quest for an Organic Management Solution

Presented May 9, 2019

Citrus Greening is a devastating disease affecting citrus around the world – though Florida citrus has been particularly hard hit. Infected trees are unable to extract the nutrients they need from soil, resulting in severely compromised yields and fruit that is unsuitable for sale. Until now, most of the protocols used to fight the spread of the disease have not been compliant with organic regulations. The Organic Center has collaborated with University of Florida researchers to publish a study that outlines a rigorous, multi-faceted approach to protecting citrus trees in organic systems. The paper is based on a review of existing literature, previously unpublished research and grower observations. Our panel of experts discussed the effect Citrus Greening Disease has had on the Florida citrus industry (especially in organic), and provide a high-level overview of the paper’s findings.

• Presenters:
• Amber Sciligo, PhD, Science Program Manager, The Organic Center
• Ellen Cochrane, PhD, University of Florida

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Organic's Impact on Human Health

Presented March 20, 2019

The more we learn about the adverse effects of toxic and persistent agricultural inputs on eaters, farmworkers and their families, the clearer the connection becomes between organic food and agriculture and lower cancer risks. Dr. Jessica Shade, The Organic Center's Director of Science Programs, will discuss several groundbreaking studies with their respected authors.

• Presenters:
• Jessica Shade, PhD, Director of Science Programs, The Organic Center
• Asa Bradman, PhD, Associate Director of Exposure Assessment, University of California - Berkeley
• Kendra Klein, PhD, Senior Staff Scientist, Friends of the Earth

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