06/08/05 Organic tree fruit research symposium,Pt3

06/08/05 Organic tree fruit research symposium,Pt3

Much of the final day of the National Organic Tree Fruit Research Symposium will center on developing a long-range research agenda for organic tree fruit. That's according to Symposium organizer David Granatstein of Washington State University's Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources. GRANATSTEIN: We will spend time trying to figure out what are the next steps knowing that we won't actually complete a finished document at this meeting. And that may involved setting up some sort of a task force to work specifically with information that we gathered at this meeting and come back with some draft document. Part of the focus today will be developing funding mechanisms to continue organic tree fruit research. And Granatstein says that will include bringing granting organizations to the table during the planning process, including U.S.D.A.'s C.S.R.E.E.S. program which runs the majority of organic research grants. GRANATSTEIN: The S.A.R.E. program, which is U.S.D.A., they do fund some organic work and they're an important funding source so they'll be represented. Organic Farming Research Foundation has been funding a lot of work in the past. We want to get their perspective as well, what kinds of things are they going to be looking for as funders, and have that feed into our strategy.
Previous Report06/07/05 Organic tree fruit research symposium,Pt2
Next Report06/09/05 Inspection fee hike, Part one