Here at Organic Valley we recognize the importance of educating people about the values and practices that sustain organic as a whole. We applaud teachers, parents and individuals who are eager to educate themselves or others about organic.
To aid you on this journey of discovery and deeper learning, we have compiled a list of resources that may be helpful. Various government agencies, non-profits and companies around the world have generated a wealth of organic education materials. There are whole curricula and stand-alone resources to help you develop lesson plans, worksheets, research projects and more. We’ve picked some of the top resources to start with here, but this list is ever-evolving. If you know of any resources we can add, please contact Katie Peterman (katie.peterman(at)organicvalley.coop or 888-444-6455).
These educational resources have been compiled for your benefit. They are not necessarily endorsed by Organic Valley.
Full Curricula
Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS)—Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Toward a Sustainable Agriculture is a curriculum for high school students and consists of five modules; Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture; Corn, Beans, and Burgers: Issues in Sustainable Field Crop Production; Fur, Feathers, and Fins: Animals in our Food; Apples, Beets, and Zinnias: Sustainable Horticulture; and A Growing Market: Organic Agriculture.
http://www.cias.wisc.edu/curriculum/index.htm
The Whole Plate—A Return to Real Food
The Whole Plate is a curriculum comprised of four units; What is Food?, Nourishment for People and Planet, Why Organic? and The Spice of Life. These units have been tailored for young adults, but have also been successfully used with full-grown adults.
http://www.thewholeplate.yihs.net
Georgia Organics—Fundamentals of Organic Farming and Gardening
This curriculum serves as a guide to the fundamentals of organic farming and gardening. The curriculum contains eight units: Soil, Organic Soil Management, Plants, Plant Applications, Crop Management, Composting, Marketing and Certification and Practical Applications.
http://www.georgiaorganics.org/curriculum/
Other Resources
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)
A rich source of information on alternative agriculture production practices, including organic.
http://www.attra.org/
Ecology and Farming Magazine
(Published by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements)
This magazine covers developments in organic agriculture worldwide, including production, research, agropolitics and cutting edge news.
http://www.ifoam.org/press/magazine.html
eOrganic
An online community where organic ag practitioners, educators and researchers can collaborate.
http://eorganic.info/
eXtension
Topics and calendar of events provided from the Cooperative Extension System and your local higher learning institution.
http://extension.org/organic%20production
International Organic Inspectors Association
Many organic inspectors have been trained by, and most meet the standards set by, IOIA.
www.ioia.net
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
IFOAM is a worldwide umbrella organization of organic agriculture organizations and institutions.
www.ifoam.org
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
This website includes research papers about what the scientific community has discovered about the quality, nutritional characteristics and production practices used in organic agriculture.
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/organic
Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service
MOSES provides a diverse menu of free and affordable resources for farmers interested in learning more about organic farming.
http://www.mosesorganic.org
New Farm
New Farm is an online magazine about organic farming from Rodale Press
http://www.newfarm.org/
Organic Ag Info
A website with an extensive collection of links.
http://www.organicaginfo.org/
Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)
The OFRF website includes results from organic farming research, data from a biennial organic farmer survey and a list of web links.
www.ofrf.org
Organic Materials Review Institute
An advisory, educational and research (not regulatory) organization, OMRI helps establish agreement on the lists of materials allowed or prohibited for use in organic products.
www.omri.org
Organic Trade Association (OTA)
OTA’s resources include organic facts and market analysis. The organization’s mission is to promote and protect organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.
http://www.ota.com
Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education’s “Transitioning to Organic Production” Bulletin
This 30-page publication from the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education division lays out transition strategies and covers farm practices, marketing ideas and more.
http://www.sare.org/bulletin/organic/
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
All things marketing from the USDA.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/
USDA Economic Research Service
This website has data on organic production by state and crop. A data summary and further information about national trends in organic agriculture are available.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/organic
USDA National Agriculture Library
The library has an extensive set of links, especially for research articles and government resources, all related to organic agriculture.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/ofp/
USDA National Organic Program
The NOP website includes information on national organic standards and labeling
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop
