• A grant can help make growing organic tomatoes possible.tomato #2 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com
  
  Grants are monetary awards given to a recipient usually for research or educational purposes, but can also be awarded for purposes such as organic farming. Grants do not have to be paid back like a loan, but must be used for its intended purpose. Several different types of grants exist for organic farming in Ohio and around the country.
  
  

Organic Farming Research Foundation

• The Organic Farming Research Foundation is currently--as of October 2010--looking for applicants to apply for funding for research or educational outreach programs on agricultural production, social or economic concerns relating to organic farming. This grant is available to anyone within the U.S. and the deadline for the 2011 cycle is November 18, 2010.
  
  

Ohio Farm Bureau

• Ohio Farm Bureau is offering a series of Agricultural Action and Awareness grants for 2010-2011. The grants are worth $1,000 to $3,000 each and are to be used to support programs and projects focusing on agricultural development and education. November 15, 2010 is the deadline for these grants.
  
  

2009 Organic Incentive

• In 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved more than $50 million to be used nationwide for assistance to certified organic farmers and traditional farmers making the switch to organic farming. These funds help farmers who wish to make the transition to organic farming but cannot due to budgetary restrictions.