History
The OFFER program was established in 1998 in response to requests by organic producers and supporters to provide science-based information to Ohio’s existing organic farmers and to newcomers to organic production and marketing. 

Program Team
The OFFER program team consists of Ohio State University researchers, Ohio farmers, and other stakeholders who share a goal of enhancing the vitality of organic agriculture in Ohio.  This interdisciplinary team works together to develop research initiatives to better understand the principles behind organic agriculture, particularly in terms of underlying crop-soil relationships, pest control, economics, and system management.

Land Resources
About 40 acres of land near the OARDC's Wooster Campus were originally allocated to the program. Today OFFER's land resources have nearly doubled, including land on three farms near Wooster and at the John Hirzel Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems Research Site in northwestern Ohio.

Research Projects

• Studies examining the changes that occur in farming systems during the transition of conventional agricultural land to certified organic production. 
• Other experiments, both on cooperators' farms and at the research stations, investigate weed control, nutrient management, and variety performance, during and after transition, on a variety of agronomic, vegetable, and fruit crops.
• Innovative marketing research addressing local marketing of high-value crops and international “relational” marketing. 
• Food quality issues relating to nutritional content of organic fruits, vegetables and grains, as well as consumer preference.

Education and Outreach Activities

• Field days - provide an opportunity for the public to tour our field plots and learn about the organic research being done at the OARDC.
• Workshops at The Mustard Seed Market - offered in cooperation with The Mustard Seed Market, these lectures are designed to provide practical information to the consumer, gardener, and farmer about organic food production, food safety and to hopefully bridge the gap between local organic food producers and consumers.
• Stakeholder Meetings - These meetings provide valuable opportunities for us to strengthen the ties with our stakeholders and receive feedback on the research that growers would like to see in the OFFER Program.
• Extension training
• Education - An undergraduate course, Organic Farming and Gardening (T220, 3 credits), is offered at the OSU-ATI in the winter quarter of odd numbered years. This course is a study of organic production methods in agriculture including crop management, pest control, and marketing of certified organic products.