Rodale Institute set for Pennsylvania to become the Silicon Valley of organic farming

Jul. 13—Pennsylvania is poised to become the Silicon Valley of organic farming, thanks to spiking consumer demand and state-funded resources for farmers looking to grow organic, according to Jeff Tkach, chief information officer with the Rodale Institute.

Interest in organic agriculture is booming among farmers statewide, Tkach said, due partly to the 2019 passage of the Pennsylvania Farm Bill.

The bill, proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf, invests $24 million in support of the state's agriculture industry, and includes an initiative to make Pennsylvania the nation's leading organic state.

"This is the best time in recent history for farmers in our state to move toward organic production," Tkach said. "The farm bill created resources for all farmers in Pennsylvania to get free coaching from Rodale Institute in transitioning to organic."

The Maxatawny Township-based institute is widely viewed as the founding force of the modern organic movement, according to Rodale's website.

The institute was founded in 1947 by J.J. Rodale, who coined the term "organic" as a reference to growing food without synthetic chemicals.

Today, the USDA Certified Organic seal is a guarantee that a food product was produced without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, and is not genetically modified.

"Organic agriculture is the only standard in food production that is audited and accredited under the USDA," Tkach noted.

The benefits of organic farming are vast, and have driven demand for organic food to new heights in recent years, according to Tkach.

"The global pandemic, the war in eastern Europe, global supply chains being fractured, the current economic climate, human health epidemics: all these factors are leading our society to demand better food," Tkach said.

Demand is so high, Tkach said, that the country is importing organic products from places like China and South America.

"That's ridiculous, when we're here in Berks County and we've got 75,000 acres of preserved farmland. We should be a net exporter of organic food," Tkach said.

Local efforts to meet the spike in demand for organic goods have been spurred by the influx of money from the Pennsylvania farm bill.

Tkach said the funding enabled Rodale to create a consulting program offering free assistance to farmers across the state in switching to organic production.

"We announced this service three and a half years ago with one consultant and zero clients," Tkach said. "Today we've got a team of over 14 consultants and 300 clients that are actively transitioning, representing tens of thousands of acres of farmland."

He said Rodale's work aims to position Pennsylvania as the No. 1 state in organic production.

Achieving that, Tkach said, would pay dividends for local farmers.

"We've proven that organic agriculture is up to three times more profitable than conventional farming," Tkach said. "Right now, organic soybeans are going for about $38 a bushel, conventional are about $14."

The benefits of going organic also extend to surrounding communities, Tkach noted.

"We spend so much money — taxpayer dollars — cleaning up the Lehigh River, or the Delaware River ... a lot of that degradation comes from farming," Tkach said. "If we fix the way we farm, we can heal so many problems."

Tkach said Pennsylvania is perfectly positioned to take the lead in organic innovation.

"Why are we bulldozing precious farmland and turning it into warehouses up and down the I-78 corridor? It's because we're not valuing farmers and conventional farmers aren't making any money," Tkach said. "So we need to create opportunity."

In the Berks area, grains, corn, and soybeans are well-suited for organic production, Tkach said, as well as dairy and specialty vegetable growers, the wine and brewing industry, and specialty products like mushrooms and hemp.

Despite the potential of organic ag, Tkach said farmers looking to switch from conventional farming practices often face barriers, like a lack of technical assistance and a lack of financing options from banks.

Technical challenges are being addressed in part by Rodale's own efforts in teaching farmers production methods like organic no-till, which uses a unique method of trimming cover crops to stop weed growth without pesticides or tillers.

Tkach said several private financing initiatives are supporting organic production, including a partnership with Lebanon-based poultry producer Bell & Evans; Cargill, a global ag producer; and Rodale to incentivize U.S. grain farmers to transition 50,000 acres to organic.

Farmers contracted through that program face the hurdle of beginning a new growing process with the help of comprehensive consulting services from Rodale, and guaranteed access to a market for their products via Cargill's connections.

Some local grocery chains are showing support for organic, too.

Giant Food Stores has made extensive efforts to source locally from organic-certified farms, and offer funding for organic training programs through Rodale, Tkach noted.

Nationwide, the organic industry is growing. The total number of organic farms in the U.S. increased 17% from 2016 to 2019, and total U.S. organic sales rose 31% within that same time, reaching an all time high of $9.9 billion in 2019, according to survey data from the USDA, the most recent information available.

In addition, recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted people to plant their own organic food.

"22 million new gardens were planted in 2020 (nationwide)," Tkach said. "And the war in Europe put all these pressures on food prices, it's like, why are we relying on Eastern Europe to feed America?"

Tkach said he sees interest in organic trending even higher in the future, as people increasingly realize the health, environmental, and economic benefits of organic food.

"What makes me so hopeful about organic farming is it's not a political issue," Tkach said. "Both sides of the aisle can agree on everything that is contained within organic agriculture. It's a very exciting time."

Organic Field Day

Farmers and community members interested in learning more about organic no-till farming or other organic ag subjects can attend the Rodale Institute's annual Organic Field Day this month at Rodale's main site at 611 Siegfriedale Road in Maxatawny Township.

The Field Day will be held on July 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

All are invited to join Rodale researchers, consultants, and staff to learn the latest results of research projects, and visit 16 stations on the 386-acre experimental farm.

Participants will have the opportunity to interact with Rodale experts and learn about research and demonstration projects, all focused on regenerative organic agriculture.

Stations will be set up so visitors will have the opportunity to explore the living laboratory by walking or enjoying a leisurely wagon ride from site-to-site.

The cost is $25. More information and guest registration is available at Rodale's website.