News

2022 funding is now OPEN for applications to the Dean Organic Fund
27th Jan 2022
We are very pleased to announce that the third round of Dean Organic Fund (DOF) funding is now open, with up to £200,000 of interest-free loans available for small businesses. The Organic Research Centre (ORC)…
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DIY peat-free growing media
27th Jan 2022
Organic Growers Alliance webinar on how to create your own peat-free growing media for plant-raising. As growers we need to move away from using peat for propagation, but buying in can be expensive and not…
Posted in Events, News and events
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6th European Agroforestry Conference, EURAF2022
25th Jan 2022
The 6th European Agroforestry Conference, EURAF2022, which will be held in Nuoro, Italy on May 16-20, 2022. The agroforestry in Europe is one the strategic instruments to map out sustainable trails towards the green transition.…
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ORC highlights from the Oxford Real Farming Conference
24th Jan 2022
Beyond the Farmgate: Exploring Supply Chain Needs for Diverse Agroecological Systems https://youtu.be/YPrsgw3sSoU Oxford Real Farming Conference 2022 discussion with Katie Bliss, Julie Brown, Josiah Meldrum, James Woodward, George Young. Katie Bliss talks on DiverIMPACTS 'Enabling…
Posted in News, News and events, Uncategorised
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Assessing the multidimensional elements of sustainability in European agroforestry systems
13th Jan 2022
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…
Posted in News, News and events, Research, Uncategorised
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Martin Wolfe at Wakelyns in 1998

40 years of ORC: Pioneering research in #40rganic farming
21st Dec 2021
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…
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Oxford Real Farming Conference
16th Dec 2021
The Oxford Real Farming Conference will now be a fully online event. Now entering its thirteenth year, the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) is the unofficial gathering of the agroecological farming movement in the UK,…
Posted in Events, News and events
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ORC at the Northern Real Farming Conference
16th Dec 2021
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
Posted in News, News and events
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Christmas gift ideas for organic farmers and friends
16th Dec 2021
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…
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National Organic Combinable Crops (NOCC22)
8th Dec 2021
OF&G's National Organic Combinable Crops event will be hosted by farmer, conservationist and OF&G licensee, Henry Edmunds at his farm, one of the largest organic farms in Wiltshire. Once again ORC and Agricology will be…
Posted in Events, News and events
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A Christmas message from ORC’s CEO, Lucy MacLennan
8th Dec 2021
A Christmas message from Lucy MacLennan for ORC's friends and supporters, including images from our 40th anniversary year.
Posted in News, News and events, Uncategorised
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Sustain Annual Conference 2021: Keeping food on the political plate
24th Nov 2021
Join Sustain on the afternoon of Thursday 9 December, via Zoom, to hear a range of voices from across the UK on how to keep food on the political plate in 2022. We’ll be serving…
Posted in Events, News and events
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Your Farming Future - Brightleigh Farm Tour
24th Nov 2021
Join the LWA for this farm tour and peer to peer workshop to learn more about economically and environmentally sustainable beef production Brightleigh Farm in the village of Outwood, Surrey is 150 acres of permanent…
Posted in Events, News and events
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COVID impacts on farm mental health survey
24th Nov 2021
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:…
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Come and join us! We are recruiting a Fundraising Manager (G7)
22nd Nov 2021
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)…
Posted in General, News
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Lucy MacLennan at COP26
17th Nov 2021
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…
Posted in News, News and events, Uncategorised
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Temperate Tree Fodder - Virtual Seminar
11th Nov 2021
From 10am to 4:30pm Eastern Time (US) Virtual via Zoom *Free registration, with a suggested $30 - 50 donation to benefit the Community Solidarity Agroforestry Fund from Silver Run Forest Farm This event will explore…
Posted in Events, News and events
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Agroforestry in the Uplands - a new short film
5th Nov 2021
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…
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Farmer-to-farmer webinar programme, advice and farm tour
2nd Nov 2021
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…
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Podcast: How trees can increase livestock's welfare and productivity
2nd Nov 2021
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…
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How can agroforestry contribute towards biodiversity conservation?
29th Oct 2021
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…
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LIVESEED project comes to an end after 52 months
28th Oct 2021
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.…
Posted in News, News and events, Research, Uncategorised
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How to source and use woodchip for the farm and garden: A talk and Q&A with Ben Raskin
28th Oct 2021
Join Ben Raskin, author of the new book The Woodchip Handbook, for this webinar to learn about the many uses of woodchip both in regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Ben is Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry…
Posted in Events, News and events
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Countryfile: Devon silvopasture trial
28th Oct 2021
BBC One's flagship country lifestyle magazine Countryfile will feature the Devon silvopasture research that is planned to last for 12 years and which involves a group of livestock farmers trialling three different silvopasture designs created…
Posted in Events, News and events
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