By DOUG SCHMITZ

Iowa Correspondent

MARION, Iowa — Organic farmers in Iowa got a big boost recently with the opening of the Midwest Organic Center in Marion. Located at the Indian Creek Nature Center’s Etzel Sugar Grove Farm, the new venture is part of Rodale Institute, a pioneer of the organic movement in America.

For more than 70 years, Rodale Institute has been comparing organic and conventional growing methods at its headquarters in Kutztown, Pa.

“There are a lot of opportunities for Midwest farmers to transition to organic – whether it be in grains, livestock or other specialty crops – and we want to be true partners to make that possible,” said Jeff Moyer, executive director of Rodale Institute.

Rodale chose the Indian Creek Nature Center as the home for the Midwest Organic Center because it will “provide resources and support for Iowa’s organic farmers, and enhance the growth of more organic farms throughout the entire region.”

“We are very excited to work with Rodale Institute to launch the Midwest Organic Center,” said John Myers, Indian Creek Nature Center executive director. “Rodale is a respected leader in the organic field and this partnership will allow us to expand the impact Etzel Sugar Grove Farm has on educating and supporting Midwest farmers.”

Donated to Indian Creek Nature Center in 2016 by George Etzel, Etzel Sugar Grove Farm is a 190-acre farm that’s part of Iowa’s first and only privately-owned and operated, non-profit nature center.

Supported by initial funding from Frontier Co-op in Norway, Iowa, the center represents an advanced approach to enhancing agriculture by demonstrating the benefit of not only organic but regenerative agricultural practices, said Tony Bedard, Frontier Co-op CEO.

“At Frontier Co-op, we’ve always believed that we have a responsibility to people and planet,” he said. “These practices will restore topsoil, enhance soil health and grow better, more nutritious crops.”

In 2016, the USDA reported that Iowa has 103,136 certified organic acres on 732 farms.

Yet, the region lacks widespread access to research and training in regenerative organic practices.

“This places Iowa fifth in the nation for number of certified organic farms, representative of a growing movement,” Rodale officials said in a statement.

According to Rodale, the goals of the center include:

•    Research innovative, regenerative, organic farming methods and provide farmers with the education and resources to implement those methods on their own farms

•       Expand organic acreage in the Midwest

•   Gather data on differences between conventional and organic farming methods in Iowa’s unique climate and soil

•       Expand public access to Rodale Institute’s research

•       Create opportunities in agriculture

The Indian Creek Nature Center provided office space for the Midwest Organic Center, and will have a farm manager, a Ph.D. research scientist, educators and farmers on staff.

This spring, researchers and farm staff will start transitioning the land on Etzel Sugar Grove Farm to organic, a process that requires three years.

“They were farming it conventionally, and they wanted to convert it to organic,” Jeff Tkach, Rodale chief growth officer, told Farm World. “They have the land and the farm equipment.”

In addition, the Midwest Organic Center will designate areas for grain production, vegetable production and a long-term systems trial similar in design to Rodale’s flagship, Farming Systems Trial.

Moreover, the Midwest Organic Center will host an education day for farmers sometime this year.

“We’re looking forward to having boots on the ground in the Midwest to address some of the greatest challenges for farmers in the region, and to provide training, demonstration plots, field days and more,” Moyer said. “We invite additional partners to join us in this initiative, and expect it to be a really collaborative effort.”

Tkach said the Midwest Organic Center is open to the public.