Category: News

New paper published from the SustainFARM project team. A real team effort with Laurence Smith, Samantha Mullender, Sally Westaway and Jo Smith contributing authors from ORC. Smith LG, Westaway S, Mullender S,  Ghaley BH, Xu…

To round off our 40th anniversary year we have published an ebook celebrating our pioneer research in organic farming. This brings together all the Factsheets and Research Digests that we have put together over the…

https://youtu.be/2Lp8-zGh5vI How can agroforestry contribute towards climate change mitigation? Discussion hosted by the Organic Research Centre https://youtu.be/S9EOe0lD3ZY Workshop hosted by the Soil Association, featuring ORC's Dominic Amos See Full NFRC2021 Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC0vTtYvEz3cDwihkTjAn8LJp1hFrbGRL

Searching for last minute Christmas presents for the organic farmer or grower in your life? We have found some ethical options from our friends and partners. Gift membership of the Organic Growers Alliance includes subscription…

A Christmas message from Lucy MacLennan for ORC's friends and supporters, including images from our 40th anniversary year.

The Farming Mental Health project run by the Universities of Reading, Sheffield, Exeter is seeking to understand the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on rural communities within the United Kingdom, specifically the farming community. Photo:…

Fundraising Manager (G7) REF: ADM2101 Salary range: £28,000 – £33,000 (FTE) per annum depending on experience The closing date for applications is 12 noon 17th December 2021. We are looking to appoint a Fundraising Manager (G7)…

On Thursday 11th November our Chief Executive Lucy MacLennan spoke at the Agri-Food Transition Summit at COP26, in the Climate Action Innovation Zone. The session was titled 'Transformational Agri Food systems: Reforming our systems to…

The Soil Association have just released a new short film Agroforestry in the Uplands which focuses on why trees and hedgerows on upland farms are good for livestock, the environment, biodiversity, soil health and the…

The second half of the farmer to farmer webinar programme is now live, and farm tours and advisory services have started as part of the Your Farming Future programme, a package of support offered by…

ORC's Senior Livestock Researcher Lindsay Whistance features on a fascinating recent Regenerative Agroforestry Podcast. Through Lindsay's extensive knowledge of silvopasture, she enables us to see agroforestry from the animal’s perspective. Trees can provide livestock with…

How can agroforestry contribute to the achievement of future targets and what policy environment can support it? We explored this question in a recent webinar (October 20th) with a panel representing the latest research, on-farm…

The LIVESEED project came to an end on 30 September 2021, after 52 months of activities. Started in June 2017, 51 project partners put their hearts and souls into boosting organic seed and plant breeding.…

Many assumed that with the banning of neonicotinoids in the EU and UK, bees and pollinators would now be safe from harms caused by pesticides. However, this view ignores the impacts that ongoing, widespread use…

This project, at the Department of Biology, University of York, is part of the NERC ACCE Doctoral Training Partnership. About the Project Agroforestry systems have the potential to play an important part in maintaining ecosystem…

Living mulches offer a way to build fertility without tillage or synthetic inputs, while sequestering more carbon and cutting costs. But can they be achieved without a significant yield penalty? Six farmers have been working with…

Defra and UKRI have released further details on their programme of long-term funding to support agricultural innovation.   Bioeconomy and agroforestry is one of the themes In partnership with UKRI, Defra is encouraging farmers, growers, foresters and businesses to get involved in…

Mark Measures, who had been at the ORC since joining Elm Farm Research Centre as the Farm Manager in 1983, was commended on his dedication and support for organic farming, advice and research at ORC's…

Originally established as the Elm Farm Research Centre in 1981, over the last forty years the organisation has delivered pioneering research that has helped transform the organic sector in the UK and beyond. During this…

Andrew Burgess (Chair of the NFU Organic Forum), Christine Watson (Professor at SRUC/ORC Trustee), Ian Wilkinson (Co-founder of FarmED) and Ashley Wheeler (YOFY 2021 award winner and grower) joined a panel discussion chaired by Janet…

Ashley Wheeler and Kate Norman of Trill Farm Garden, Musbury, Devon, were announced as winners of ORC's first YOFY award at a special 40th anniversary event at FarmEd on 30th September 2021. YOFY winners Kate…

The Landworkers' Alliance have released a new report which takes a close look at eight different agroforestry projects in the UK, highlighting the benefits of these agroforestry systems as well as teasing out some the lessons…

New plans to 'unlock the power of gene editing to help our farmers grow more resistant, more nutritious and more productive crops' have been published today as part of the UK Government response to the…

In this research, commissioned by CPRE, the countryside charity, and undertaken independently by the Organic Research Centre, we provide an evidence-based analysis of the environmental and economic benefits of hedgerows. The research investigates what 40%…