Spring 2022 ORGANIC REPORT 32 Exploring the Need for AgTech for the Organic Sector Dr. Jessica Shade BECAUSE ORGANIC farmers are banned from using common conventional materials such as most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, the tools available for them to tackle common agricultural challenges are limited. Agricultural technology (AgTech) can provide the opportunity to develop sustainable, organic-compliant methods for addressing organic obstacles, but there has been a disconnect between what has been built by the AgTech industry and the needs of organic producers. Historically there have been a lack of communication and a paucity of organicAgTech collaborations. Additionally, the diversity of organic farming operations presents the need for AgTech discussions that include issues such as accessibility of technology for small and low-income farms, equity around tech use and adoption, and inclusion of marginalized farming communities in the development of AgTech. Specifically, AgTech tools are often developed: • Without farmer input • More for the goal of making the most money rather than what will benefit the farming community • Using proprietary software that is costly to purchase, update, and fix • To collect farmer data for profit without giving farmers access or control over their data To explore the potential promises and pitfalls of AgTech and organic, The Organic Center developed a December 2021 virtual conference that focused on how AgTech can help organic move toward the future, while highlighting current technological trends that can empower farmers rather than exploit them. Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, the Kelly and Brian Swette Professor in the School of Sustainability and Executive Director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University, kicked off the event with a talk entitled “Organic Ag-Tech: Oxymoron or Golden Opportunity?” Focusing on how the collective community of organic activists can best help shape the next 30 years of organic food and agriculture, she shared current innovations in AgTech that fit within organic values, concluding that AgTech, when done right, could be a boon for organic Dr. Steven Mirsky, a USDA Research Ecologist in the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, continued Dr. Merrigan’s theme on the opportunities of AgTech for organic, sharing the perspective of the expansive possibilities of technology when it comes to agriculture. “Organic could see the biggest impact from advances in agricultural technology, because of the challenges and constraints that go into organic agriculture,” said Mirsky. “What technology brings is really transformative, so the future is very bright.” Dr. Andrew Hammermeister, Director of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Agriculture at Dalhousie University, finished the first conference block on AgTech opportunities in organic, discussing the intersection of organic, smart agriculture, and ecological intensification. Dr. Hammermeister noted that the future of organic agriculture should include a coupling of smart technologies with ecological knowledge. One of the reasons that AgTech overlooks organic is the monetary opportunities available from large-scale conventional agriculture. To discuss organic AgTech funding opportunities, we heard from Revathi Kollegala, the Executive Director of the Regen Foundation, and Dr. Steven Thomson, a National Program Leader with the USDA National Institute Food and Agriculture. They highlighted both private foundation support, as well as federal programs such as the AFRI and SBIR Small and Medium-Sized Farms, which aims to promote and improve the sustainability and profitability of small and mid-size farms and ranches (where annual sales of agricultural products are less than $250,000 for small farms and $500,000 for mid-size farms); the Engineering for Agricultural Production Systems program, which invests in agricultural production research, education, and extension projects for more sustainable, productive, and economically viable plant and animal production systems within the priority areas of plant health and production “ What technology brings is really transformative, so the future is very bright.” — Dr. Steven Mirsky
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