Roger Hitchings
We are very sad to inform you that our dear friend and former colleague Roger Hitchings passed away on Monday 25th November after a short illness
Defra announce pause to agroforestry capital grants
Defra has paused applications for new capital grants for agroforestry due to overwhelming demand.
New Woodland Trust factsheets
Three new factsheets have been produced by the Woodland Trust with the help of ORC’s Lindsay Whistance.
IPM for reduced pesticide use – a steppingstone to organic? Or a threat?
ORC’s Head of Research Julia Cooper reflects on the politics and potential of reducing pesticide use and the implications for the organic sector
Exploring a future grain economy
Diverse cereal populations and varieties of beans suitable for organic farming
Farmers and researchers come together: a fruitful collaboration
Report from the Cultivating Wisdom conference: Agroecology Innovation from Experts in the Field
Building resilience into farming systems
ORC’s Principal Agroforestry Researcher, Will Simonson reflects on the achievements of the AGROMIX project as it comes to an end.
New study confirms the leading role of organic farming in contributing to agriculture’s climate objectives
Development of organic farming is essential to reduce emissions from agriculture and increase soil carbon sequestration, EU study shows
Agroforestry Research and the REFOREST Project
Watch this Pasture for Life webinar for a deep dive into the ReForest Project and an exploration of agroforestry’s potential to contribute towards UK food system sustainability.
Participative soil carbon assessment
Farmers needed to pilot a new technique which aims to assess soil carbon in the field using a colourmetric test.
Harnessing the full potential of agroforestry
AGROMIX has published a white paper, “Transforming European Food Systems with Agroforestry”, outlining five key policy recommendations
Will Simonson profiled in CJS Focus on Forestry and Arboriculture
Read about the day to day tasks and responsibilities of Will’s job as Principal Agroforestry Researcher at ORC
Full of beans and organic beer
Isi Mackintosh reports from the Organic Growers Gathering at the Hardwick Estate
Biotic stress and yield stability in English organic silvoarable agroforestry
New paper from Agromix project suggests that silvoarable researchers should be focusing on how trees impact plant pathogen dynamics
ORC away day at the UK Agri-tech Centre
We recently visited Harper Adams University, hosted by the UK Agri-Tech Centre, which ORC has recently joined, for our team away day.
Organic Grower podcast features Rita Oldenbourg and Adam Beer of Pitney Farm Market Garden
Joint winners of ORC’s Young Organic Farmer/Grower Award 2024 Rita Oldenbourg and Adam Beer are interviewed in this OGA podcast
Regulate new GMOs responsibly
GM Freeze has emailed the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner urging him to act with caution in relation to new forms of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Organic food: pleasing the crowd?
Rowan Dumper-Pollard blogs about the surprises emerging from our Consumer Insights Report with UK ORGANIC
Previous UK government weakened pesticide safety limits in blow to consumer protection
Between 2022 and 2024 in the UK, safety limits on pesticide residues were weakened for 115 types of produce, says PAN-UK.
Marketing organic: Consumer insights report
Organic Research Centre and UK ORGANIC Release the Groundbreaking Consumer Insights Report 2024
Who are organic consumers, and what do they really think?
New toolkit from Better Food Traders draws out data and insights from ORC and UK Organic with tips for retailers marketing organic food
Organic September – why organic farming is important
In this CJS article marking Organic September, Phil Sumption sets out why organic farming is still important and relevant as we battle biodiversity and climate crises.
The potential for trees as fertilising crops
Insights from the Perennial Green Manures project: an innovative approach to fertilising cropland
Nature Notes by Tim Deane
Collection of Nature Notes written by pioneer organic grower Tim Deane are published