The Organic Research Centre (ORC) is the UK's leading independent organic research organisation. Changing the future of food and farming.

Website
https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/OrgResCent

From climate emergency to food security, the way we farm is key to solving some of the biggest issues facing us today. Changes in our agricultural practices have never been more needed. If we continue intensive farming, we will be responsible for the continued decline of many species, including pollinators, soil organisms and the natural enemies of pests. Habitats will continue to be degraded, and pollution levels will rise.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Our in-the-field research and knowledge exchange activity enables the transition to naturally healthy and resilient farming systems. We build evidence and understanding of the positive impact of organic and agroecological farming, and practical information to help farmers and growers do it better.

Related Organisations

Connected Content

Knowledge

Farm-PEP aims to bring together all the sources of useful knowledge for Agriculture, whether from academic science, applied research projects, industry trials, farmers own trials or simple on-farm experience. Listed below are useful websites, organisations and websites that we know of.  Add any we've missed in the comments box or by adding as new content, or better still, as a new Group.  

Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative farming looks to optimise the use of the ecological system and environment, in order to benefit from the natural ecosystem services that they provide.

Agricology

Practical sustainable farming regardless of labels.

OPER8

An EU-wide network to support and promote solutions for alternative weed control.  

Enhancing Soil

Tell us how you are improving your soils. Share useful resources, organisations and initiatives.

Farm centric research

Farm-centric research generally involves On-Farm Experimentation and may be better described as 'Farm Action Research', i.e. research conducted at least in part by and for beneficiaries who also farm. 

Organic Farming

Organic is a system of farming and food production. Organic farmers aim to produce high-quality food, using methods that benefit our whole food system, from people to planet, plant health to animal welfare.

Research

Agricultural research is conducted by a range of organisations, from individual farmers, through advisors, distributors, manufacturers, charities, societies, supply chain companies, levy bodies, universities and research institutes.  This page aims to connect across these often disparate sources.

Managing Nutrients Better

Share your ideas and experience of how to improve nutrient efficiency and reduce dependence on artificial fertilisers

Knowledge Exchange

Knowledge Exchange in Agriculture in the UK is diverse, with many organisations involved. That is part of the reason for creating Farm-PEP, to help provide connections to what many percieve as a fragmented landscape.

Food & Farming Systems

This topic refers to the whole food supply chain, from farm fork, and all the products and services that contribute to food production.

Which tree species can provide nutritional value to my livestock?

Tree forage has many nutritional benefits for livestock as it diversifies their diet, provides additional nutrients and contains tannins that reduce methane production. Dr Lindsay Whistance from Organic Research Centre offers her advice on the best trees for silvopasture in a recent Innovative Farmers blog. 

Public Goods Tool

  The Public Goods Tool (PG Tool) has been in constant use since its creation in 2011 (https://www.organicresearchcentre.com/our-research/research-project-library/public-goods-tool/)

Enhanced Environment

Help us collate the knowledge sources, organisations and initiatives out there that are seeking to improve the farmed environment

Organic Research Centre Presentation – AUC Retreat 2023

Organic Research Centre slides developed to share with educators who lead agriculture degree courses at the AUC Educators Retreat 2023.

How can agroforestry contribute towards biodiversity conservation?

The Policy Brief, written by Colin Tosh, is based on evidence presented in, and feedback to the online workshop held 20/10/2021.

Productive hedges

Guidance on bringing Britain’s hedges back into the farm business.

Living mulches: The holy grail of no till?

Through Innovative Farmers, a group of organic and conventional farmers have teamed up with the Organic Research Centre and AHDB to investigate how to grow living mulches.

The Basics of Soil Fertility

Shaping our relationship to the soil.

Creeping Thistle - Successful control in organic farming

Creeping thistle has become an increasing problem especially for organic arable farms with soils of higher organic matter content.

The Agroforestry Handbook

Written for farmers and advisors this book will help you assess the potential business benefits of agroforestry for your farm or client and to understand the possible benefits to the wider environment.

Non-Inversion Organic Arable Cropping

The phrase “Non-Inversion Tillage” (NI) as used in this review first requires definition. Any system which does not seek to substantially invert the soil profile is regarded as NI.

Organic Potatoes: Cultivating quality - step by step

This guide provides a good basis for achieving high-quality products.

Building successful value chains for diversified cropping systems, using Hodmedods as an example

Value chains with close collaboration between actors, both from the supply chain and wider society, enable direct, dynamic and innovative, relationships that better facilitate management and sales of smaller volumes of diverse products.