WHAT IS OATS?

OATS, the Organic Agronomy Training Service, is a collaboratively-managed training program for agricultural professionals working with organic and transitioning farmers in the United States. We seek to grow domestic organic production by strengthening the educational support network of agronomists, certified crop advisors, extension agents, and technical service providers. Our aim is for every transitional and certified organic farmer to have robust access to technical service expertise to provide unbiased, science-based agronomic support for their farming operation.

OATS began in 2018 when more than a dozen university researchers, extension educators, non-profit educators, and industry members recognized that farmers were reporting on evaluations and surveys, that they were struggling to use the rich and deep information they received at conferences and field days on their farms. Farmers needed more one-on-one guidance than these organizations were able to supply. And thus, the OATS consortium was launched.

With seed funding provided by the Organic Trade Association’s GRO Organic Voluntary Research, Promotion, and Education program, OATS held a series of 3 pilot trainings on organic grain production in the Midwest in 2019. These trainings demonstrated that our approach is effective and needed. With the lessons from the pilot trainings in hand, OATS crafted a 3-year strategic plan and is developing a comprehensive suite of programs to foster the technical support network that transitioning and organic farmers need to be successful.