OREI Project

The primary goal of this Organic Agriculture and Research Initiative (OREI) project is to develop and communicate research-based information on soil health, pests, cropping systems, and markets that will help organic farmers make informed decisions about industrial hemp. Over the long term, we believe that this project will contribute to the (re)introduction of a potentially lucrative crop for organic farmers, to crop and enterprise diversification, and help organic farmers avoid costly mistakes.

This is a multi-disciplinary project that includes faculty, staff, and students from several departments across the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Including Botany and Plant Pathology, Agronomy, Entomology, and Agricultural Economics.

This is a partnership with Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania. Rodale is a leader in organic agriculture research that has been researching hemp since 2017.

Image of a hemp lab sample
Image of small hemp plants
Image of a man working on a field
Image of pollen production on a hemp plant