Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the majority of US organic wheat is…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the majority of US organic wheat is produced in western states, but farm viability is increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, leading to declining yields, poor soil health, increasing weed pressure, and periods of droughts and flooding. The long-term goal of this integrated research and extension project is to develop economically viable and environmentally sustainable dryland grain systems in the face of climate change. To meet this goal, we have two main objectives. The first is to integrate perennial wheat and forages into our long-term on-farm research sites devoted to testing and showcasing organic dryland wheat management strategies and assess the income potential of kernza, as a product and in carbon markets. The second is to work with extension faculty, agronomists, growers, and federal agency personnel to enhance the ability of agricultural producers to grow productive, high quality, sustainable, and profitable dryland organic annual and perennial grains and forages. Outreach efforts, guided by input from our advisory council, will target producers, extension personnel, and agricultural professionals who advise producers on organic practices through in-person events (on-farm trials, field tours, winter meetings), printed materials (extension publications and analysis tools), and digital resources (webinars, webpages, and web-based videos). Perennial wheat combined with low-rates of compost could help diversity organic grain systems for improved water use efficiency, soil health, soil carbon stocks, weed management, and economic viability in the western U.S.