Arizona State University launches organic farming mentorship program

Arizona State University’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems has launched Kernel, a nationwide organic farming mentorship program. The initiative aims to assist farmers, ranchers, and handlers in transitioning from conventional to organic operations, addressing barriers such as financial, time, and knowledge constraints.

Kernel is designed to succeed the USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), which is scheduled to be discontinued on September 30. The new program seeks to redirect billions of dollars currently spent on organic food imports back into the U.S. economy by increasing domestic production.

Separately, concerns have been raised regarding the integrity of the USDA National Organic Program. Critics argue that corporate consolidation has pressured the USDA to lower standards, leading to a decline in organic food quality. Some producers have reported finding glyphosate contamination in certified organic American grains, leading some businesses to move away from USDA certification in favor of independent testing standards.