Oklahoma
Farming/Ranching
Ag Products Diversification Program
This is a self-help program implemented to assist alternative crop producers in developing markets for their products.
Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (MFSI)
MFSI works to enable the Mvskoke people and their neighbors to provide for their food and health needs now and in the future through sustainable agriculture, economic development, community involvement, cultural and educational programs.
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF)
Oklahoma Farm & Food Alliance
The Oklahoma Farm and Food Alliance is a non-profit coalition of local food producers, processors, distributors, institutional purchasers, restaurants, consumers and health related organizations dedicated to strengthening the local foods industry in Oklahoma and enhancing access to healthy, locally grown foods.
Oklahoma Food and Agriculture Products Research and Technology Center
The purpose of the Food and Agriculture Products Research and Technology Center is to help develop successful value-added enterprises in Oklahoma; to bring the products, the jobs, and the dollars back home.
Oklahoma Sustainable Agriculture Website
OSU and Langston University collaborate on this website, which acts as a central clearing point for resources on all aspects of sustainable agriculture in Oklahoma.
Society for Range Management – Oklahoma chapter
The Society for Range Management is a professional organization composed of individuals with a common interest in the study, management and rational use of rangelands and related ecosystems.
Farmer/Rancher Education
Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Association
OFRA conducts hands-on training, classes, and field days to give socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers the tools, skills, and knowledge to make a living from their farm or ranch.
Community/Local Foods
Find Local Food
Use this connection of links to locate sources of local food in Oklahoma.
Health
Action for Healthy Kids – Oklahoma Chapter
Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a nationwide initiative dedicated to improving the health and educational performance of children through better nutrition and physical activity in schools.
Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition
The mission of the Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition is to make a major contribution to the health and well-being of all Oklahomans, including youth and families, through a comprehensive program of activities including education, collaboration and advocacy.
General Sustainability
Henry Bellmon Awards
The Bellmon Awards aim to raise awareness and reward those people, agencies, organizations, or companies that dedicate themselves to a balanced approach toward quality of life for all, responsible economic growth, and environmental stewardship.
Land Legacy
Land Legacy is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve and enhance rural and urban landscapes. It is Oklahoma’s only statewide land trust.
Regional (South and Midwest)
Center for Rural Affairs
The mission of the Center for Rural Affairs is to establish strong rural communities, social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and genuine opportunity for all while engaging people in decisions that affect the quality of their lives and the future of their communities.
Cooking with Kids
Cooking with Kids engages elementary school children in hands-on learning with fresh, affordable foods from diverse cultures. Students are encouraged to explore many varieties of foods using all of their senses, to have fun, and to exercise choice.
Delta Enterprise Network
Delta Enterprise Network (DEN) is an evolving group of farmers, entrepreneurs, and others creating new business ventures, cooperatives, and policy change. DEN members assist each other in overcoming barriers to sustainable agricultural enterprises in our region. We measure our success by the development of sustainable, locally-owned, value-added (LOVA) enterprises, especially including new farms.
Florida Research Center for Agricultural Sustainability
Preserving Florida’s water quality through responsible fertilization and pest management in citrus groves is a major concern at the Florida Research Center for Agricultural Sustainability (FLARES). The research center works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a groundbreaking project to manage historic orange groves in the midst of a national wildlife preserve nearby the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. Effective ways to control a major citrus pest, Diaprepes abbreviatus, has also been a focus of research there. The station is located in the heart of the Indian River Fruit country, world-renowned for its delicious oranges and grapefruits. FLARES was formerly the Vero Beach Research Station, a Kerr Center program.
John Ikerd, The New Agricultural Transition Papers
John Ikerd is currently a Professor Emeritus of Agricultural
Economics from the University of Missouri. He has served
in various university faculty positions, including the Head
of Extension Agricultural Economics, University of Georgia,
1984-89. Since retiring from the University, Ikerd spends
most of his time writing and speaking out on issues related
to sustainable agriculture with an emphasis of the economics
of sustainability.
The Kansas Rural Center is a non-profit organization that
promotes the long-term health of the land and its people
through research, education, and advocacy. The KRC cultivates
grassroots support for public policies that encourage family
farming and stewardship of soil and water.
The Land Stewardship Project is a private, non-profit organization
founded in 1982 to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland,
to promote sustainable agriculture and to develop sustainable
communities. LSP is a grassroots membership organization
made up of farmers, rural and urban residents.
Leopold
Center for Sustainable Agriculture
The Leopold Center is a research and education center with
statewide programs to develop sustainable agriculture practices
that are both profitable and conserve the natural resources
of Iowa. The center was established under the Groundwater
protection Act 1987 with a three-fold mission: to conduct
research into the negative impacts of agricultural practices;
to assist in developing alternative practices; and to work
with ISU Extension to inform the public of Leopold Center
findings.
The Minnesota Project champions the sustainable
production and
equitable distribution of energy and food in communities
across
Minnesota.
Missouri Organic Association
The Missouri Organic Association (MOA) is comprised of farmers, chefs, gardeners, health professionals, and people who want healthy food and a healthy planet.
MOA farmer members are from all venues of production: certified organic farmers, non-certified farmers who practice organic production methods, sustainable farmers, and conventional farmers who are considering transitioning to organic.
MOA strives to educate consumers about certified organic products, encourage and support farmers to attain organic certification; and, acknowledge and applaud USDA Certified Organic members.
SARE
Professional Development Program (PDP)
The Professional Development Program of the USDA’s
Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Program (SARE) was established in 1993. The Southern Region
of SARE represents: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
and the US Virgin Islands. The Professional Development Program
provides sustainable agriculture education and outreach strategies
for Cooperative Extension Service personnel, Natural Resource
Conservation Service staff and other who work directly with
farmers and ranchers. Currently, the Kerr Center manages
the program for the USDA.
Southern
Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG)
The mission of SSAWG is to empower and inspire farmers, individuals
and communities in the South to create an agricultural system
that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially
just and humane. SSAWG takes a regional approach to creating
sustainable agriculture systems and is active on many fronts.
National
Alternative
Farming Systems Information Center
AFSIC is one of several topic-oriented information centers
at the National Agricultural Library (NAL). AFSIC specializes
in locating and accessing information related to alternative
cropping systems including sustainable, organic, low-input,
biodynamic and regenerative agriculture. The center also
focuses on alternative crops, new uses for traditional crops,
and crops grown for industrial production.
Founded in 1980, American Farmland Trust has helped win permanent
protection for millions of acres of farmland. The AFT employs
three strategies to combat farmland loss: 1. Protect the
best land, 2. Plan for growth with agriculture in mind, 3.
Keep the land healthy.
American Kiko Goat Association
The American Kiko Goat Association (AKGA), a non-profit association,
is the official registry of Kiko breeders and owners in North America.
Appropriate
Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)
ATTRA provides information and other technical assistance
to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others
involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.
ATTRA services are available to farmers, ranchers, market
gardeners, Extension agents, researchers, educators, farm
organizations, and others involved in commercial agriculture,
especially those who are economically disadvantaged or belong
to traditionally underserved communities.
Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm and Resource Issues
Choices is an online peer-reviewed magazine published by
the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA)
for readers interested in the policy and management of
agriculture, the food industry, natural resources, rural
communities, and the environment.
Community
Food Security Coalition
The Community Food Security Coalition is a non-profit organization
dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional
food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious,
and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times.
Community
Supported Agriculture and the Robyn Van En Center
CSA brings together community members, farmers and agricultural
land in a relationship of mutual support based on an annual
commitment to one another, a commitment that ensures the
survival of local agriculture today and for future generations.
The Center offers a variety of services to existing and new
CSA farmers and shareholders nationally.
Cornell
University Small Farms Program
The purpose of this web site is to provide
easy access to information for small-scale farmers and those
who work with them. The focus is New York State; however,
most of the information is relevant throughout the northeast
and in other regions.
The Eat Well Guide is a free directory of sustainably
raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from stores, farms
and restaurants in your area. Entering your zip code allows
consumers to find products in the United States and Canada
that are healthful, humane, better for the environment
and that support family farmers.
eXtension is an interactive learning environment
delivering the best, most researched knowledge from the
smartest land-grant university minds across America. eXtension
connects knowledge consumers with knowledge providers –
experts who know their subject matter inside out. It’s
a space where university content providers can gather and
produce new educational and information resources on wide-ranging
topics. Because it’s available to students, researchers,
clinicians, professors, as well as the general public,
at any time from any Internet connection, eXtension helps
solve real-life problems in real time.
The mission of Farm Aid is to keep family farmers on their
land. Family farmers are our only guarantee for fresh, local
food. The goal is to bring together family farmers and citizens
to restore family farm-centered agriculture. Family farmers
ensure safe, healthful food, protect natural resources and
strengthen local economies.
The National Farm To School Network is a collaborative project
with the goal of strengthening and expanding activities in
states with existing programs and assisting others that do
not yet have programs.
The 2002 Farm Bill started to tap the potential of rural
America to provide clean renewable energy. Several programs
in the 2002 Farm Bill helped to jump start growth in biofuels,
biogas, wind power, solar and energy efficiency. This site
is dedicated to helping farmers, ranchers and rural small
businesses use these programs, to effectively implement
the programs, and to work for a stronger Energy Title in
the 2007 Farm Bill.
The Farmers Market Coalition serves a rapidly growing industry
with information and representation at state and federal
levels. It helps to build networks, link peers, and connect
farmers markets old and new with tools and resources for
success.
FoodSafety.gov is the gateway to food safety information
provided by
government agencies. This site includes links to and information
about federal and state agencies involved in food safety.
It includes
up-to-date listing of recalls and alerts, along with information
on
keeping food safe, food poisoning, and inspections and compliance.
Growing Power is a national nonprofit organization and land
trust
supporting people from diverse backgrounds, and the environments
in
which they live, by helping to provide equal access to healthy,
high-quality, safe and affordable food for people in all
communities. Growing Power implements this mission by providing
hands-on training,
on-the-ground demonstration, outreach and technical assistance
through
the development of Community Food Systems that help people
grow,
process, market and distribute food in a sustainable manner.
Holistic Management International
Our mission is to educate people to manage land for a sustainable future. We accomplish this by delivering a variety of programs and services designed to educate and support farmers, ranchers and land stewards through Holistic Management, a Whole Farm/Ranch Planning System that addresses the environmental, economic, and social issues farmers and ranchers face today. In our eyes, people count, healthy land is essential, and money matters.
HortIdeas is a gardening magazine that reports on the latest research, methods, tools, plants, books, etc., for vegetable, fruit, and flower gardeners.
Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
The USDA has announced a new initiative – ‘Know Your Farmer,
Know Your
Food’ – to begin a national conversation to help develop
local and
regional food systems and spur economic opportunity.
Michael
Fields Agricultural Institute
A research and education institute for biodynamic, sustainable,
and
organic agriculture.
As the Nation’s primary source for agricultural information,
the NAL has a mission to increase the availability and utilization
of agricultural information for researchers, educators, policymakers,
consumers of agricultural products, and the public.
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a national alliance of farm, rural development, and conservation groups that organized in 1988 to affect federal agriculture policy. NSAC member groups advance common positions to support small and mid-size family farms, protect natural resources, promote healthy rural communities, and provide nutritious and healthy food to consumers. By bringing grassroots perspectives to the table normally dominated by big business, NSAC levels the playing field and gives voice to sustainable and organic farmers.
National
Catholic Rural Life Conference
Founded in 1923, the National Catholic Rural Life Conference
has been a witness for hope in rural America. The Conference
has clearly stood in favor and support of rural people, family
farms and local businesses that promote sustainable community
development. Their mission to support and empower rural people
is made more necessary by globalization and world environmental
issues.
The New Farm website reaches a global community of food producers to exchange
valuable “farmer-to-farmer know-how”. NewFarm.org presents compelling
success stories with expert resources for crop and livestock production, direct
marketing, local food systems, policy campaigns and community-building collaborations.
What started as a retailer-driven campaign
to offer consumers an informed choice about genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) has blossomed into a successful
industry-wide initiative. Supported by leading manufacturers,
in the summer of 2008 the Non-GMO Project implemented North
America’s first independent, third-party standard
for production systems designed to avoid GMOs, and began
enrolling products in a pioneering verification program.
Northeastern Agricultural and Resource
Economics Association
NAREA is a professional association of agricultural and
resource economists affiliated with the American Agricultural
Economics Association. The purpose of NAREA is to stimulate
and promote education and research on economic and social
problems related to the production, marketing and consumption
of agricultural products; natural resource use; the environment,
and rural economic development; and the interrelation of
the agricultural and rural sectors with the rest of the
economy.
Northern
Nut Growers Association
The Northern Nut Growers Association, Inc. (NNGA) is a
national non-profit organization with members throughout
the US and 15 foreign countries founded in 1911 to share
information on nut tree growing. The NNGA brings together
people interested in growing nut trees. Members include
beginning nut culturists, farmers, amateur and commercial
nut growers, experiment station workers, horticultural
teachers and scientists, nut tree breeders, nursery people,
and foresters.
Organic
and Alternative Livestock Production Systems
This Purdue University website helps livestock
producers transition into the growing industry segment of
organic products. The site also informs consumers about organic
products and where to find them.
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online
and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization
campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The
OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial
agriculture, genetic engineering, children’s health, corporate
accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability
and other key topics.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) maintains HowToGoOrganic.com,
a web site for producers and processors transitioning to
organic. The web site is designed as a clearinghouse of
North American resources for farmers and businesses interested
in becoming organic or in creating new organic enterprises.
The site features a regional directory for the United States,
and a searchable North American organic directory. It is
primarily designed for conventional farmers and processors
who want to get started or are navigating the transition
to organic production, but also provides valuable information
for established organic farmers, producers, and processors.
The web site’s regional directories showcase transition
resources unique to specific regions and states. Resource
listings in the North American directory can be searched
by topic and subtopic, by type of resource, or by state.
The site also features profiles of farmers and businesses
that have successfully become certified organic or that
are working through the process.
Organization
for Competitive Markets
The Organization for Competitive Markets is a multidisciplinary
nonprofit group made up of farmers, ranchers, academics,
attorneys, political leaders and business people. OCM provides
research, information and advocacy towards a goal of increasing
competition in the agricultural marketplace and protecting
those markets from abuses of corporate power. OCM views the
current consolidation of agriculture as market failure resulting
in misallocation of resources and the destruction of rural
economies and culture.
The Pollinator Partnership (P2) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California. P2’s mission is to protect pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education, and research. Signature initiatives include the NAPPC (North American Pollinator Protection Campaign), National Pollinator Week, and the Ecoregional Planting Guides.
The Rodale Institute offers many creative opportunities and
solutions that contribute to regenerating environmental and
human health worldwide. The mission of the Rodale Institute
is to work worldwide to achieve a regenerative food system
that improves environmental and human health. The Institute
believes that healthy soil= healthy food= healthy people.
A small family-held company doing business in agriculture
periodical and book publishing, natural farming and stock
raising, alternative farm research/inquiry, horsedrawn implement
research and development, horsedrawn equipment sales, and
related education. The Small Farmer’s Journal is published
quarterly.
Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems
that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities
through a nationwide research and education grants program.
The program, part of USDA’s Cooperative State Research,
Education and Extension Service, funds projects and conducts
outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.
Sustainable
Communities Network
The Sustainable Communities Network is for those who want
to help make their communities more livable. Here a broad
range of issues are addressed and resources are provided
to help make this happen. This web site is being developed
to promote the exchange of information to help create community
sustainability in both urban and rural areas.
Wallace Center at Winrock International
The Wallace Center supports entrepreneurs and communities as they build a new, 21st century food system that is healthier for people, the environment, and the economy.
Descriptions are taken from the individual
websites.
