COLLABORATIVE KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS FOR PLANNING ORGANIC AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION IN CALIFORNIA

This planning proposal will allow the University of California (UC) Organic Agriculture Institute (OAI) to build partnerships with organic growers and other organic agriculture stakeholders, which includes consultants, organic certifiers, state agencies, non-governmental organizations and commodity boards. The UC OAI will partner with these stakeholders to form the California Organic Agriculture Knowledge Network (Cal OAK Network), which will provide a new platform to facilitate communication and coordination of activities amongst organic agriculture stakeholders. The UC OAI will then work with this network to identify critical research and extension needs, and use that information to collaboratively develop new training opportunities and OREI research proposals that address critical stakeholder needs for organic agriculture.