2023 Annual Report
In 2023, Rodale Institute forged new and exciting partnerships and pushed the regenerative organic movement to new heights. Learn about our impact in our 2023 Annual Report.
The stories and statistics below are a window into some of our biggest milestones in the last calendar year. We couldn’t do what we do without supporters like you—thank you for making our work possible.
For a downloadable PDF version of our 2023 Annual Report, click here:
Annual Report PDFRodale Institute Answers the Call
For those seeking answers to deeply complex questions about how to repair our agricultural system, Rodale Institute continues to be their first call.
In 2023, the Institute addressed innovators at Havard Business School’s Climate Symposium on pathways for decarbonizing the farming sector through more sustainable agricultural practices, advised healthcare sector leaders on how to improve public health outcomes through our first Farm-to-Healthcare Immersion, and became a driving force in the United State Department of Agriculture’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program.
This year, the Institute also partnered with General Mills to accelerate organic producers’ adoption of regenerative agriculture techniques within the Fortune 500 Company’s supply chain. But our commitment to solving problems doesn’t end with industry. The Institute further expanded its investments in higher education by partnering with Kansas Wesleyan University to develop an accredited Kansas-based Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) program to build a pipeline of skilled regenerative organic farmers.
These are just some of the key moments from 2023 where we’ve answered the call of our partners. As you review this year’s Annual Report, I hope you come away with a sense of hope for the future knowing Rodale Institute is diligently working with industry, government, and academia to fix what’s broken in our food system.
Sincerely,
Jeff Tkach
Chief Executive Officer, Rodale Institute
Featured Stories
Organic Consulting
Rodale Institute and General Mills, Growing the Regenerative Organic Supply Chain
As part of its commitment to regenerative agriculture, General Mills initiated a new multiyear partnership with Rodale Institute in 2023 to improve soil health and support farmers within their network on the West Coast and in the Central Great Plains. Through this partnership, Rodale Institute’s organic consultants will provide technical assistance to organic farmers within the General Mills supply chain, including tomato producers in California and small grain producers in Montana. In addition, our consultants will monitor the soil throughout the project to assess how soil health improves as more regenerative practices are implemented.
Research
Preliminary Results from the Vegetable Systems Trial
In 2016, Rodale Institute introduced the Vegetable Systems Trial (VST), a long-term research project and side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional vegetable production systems, at its headquarters in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The primary goal of the VST is to connect soil health and human health. In 2023, the first preliminary results of the study were released.
Key findings:
– Over time, intensive tillage depleted soil carbon and increased soil bulk density.
– There was a 30 percent increase in labile organic soil carbon in the organic cropping system.
– Carbon levels increased in the top 4 inches of soil in the reduced tillage system.
Education
An Academic Alliance: Rodale Institute and Kansas Wesleyan University are Training the Next Generation of Organic Farmers
Rodale Institute began a new collaboration with Kansas Wesleyan University and Quail Creek Farms to create a workforce development program in Salina, Kansas. Together, this unique trio of organizations will establish an accredited Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) program and a Regional Resource Center in central Kansas to grow organic acreage in the Midwest and the Great Plains.
“Through this joint effort, Rodale Institute, Kansas Wesleyan University, and Quail Creek Family Farms will build a pipeline of farmers skilled in regenerative organic agricultural practices and establish a hub for agriculture education and innovation in Kansas.” –Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute
Policy
The Future is Organic, According to Governor Shapiro
In July 2023, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addressed a crowd of more than 400 people at Rodale Institute’s main campus Organic Field Day, stating that investment in organic agriculture is “key” to growing the economy in the commonwealth. The governor, a Democrat, was joined by State Representative Jamie Barton, a Republican, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, a fellow Democrat, in a show of bipartisan support for organic agriculture. In his speech, Governor Shapiro credited Rodale Institute with positioning Pennsylvania as a leader in the organic industry and applauded the Institute’s investment in workforce development through the Veteran Farmer Training Program.
Farmer Story: Happiness is a Bouquet of Organic Flowers
Meet Lizzy Beller, a Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) alumna who started her very own organic flower farm in 2023 on a half-acre of land in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.
Read Lizzy's Storyby the numbers
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16 PhD scientists across 10 campuses
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15 peer-reviewed manuscripts published in 2023
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30+ active research projects at the Institute’s farms and education centers
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97 farmer clients actively transitioning land to organic in 2023
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Consulting clients in 28 states
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15 consulting staff members
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2,400+ participants in Rodale Institute’s educational webinars
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3,860 students enrolled in our virtual campus
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1,200+ attendees at our workshops, tours, and events
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50,000+ subscribers to e-newsletters
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530,000+ unique visitors to website
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175,000+ followers across social media
News & Updates
2023 marked a new era for Rodale Institute through new partnerships, new leadership, and new research projects across the country. Here are just some of the updates from the year:
Jeff Tkach Appointed as the New Rodale Institute CEO
In April 2023, Rodale Institute welcomed Jeff Tkach as its new chief executive officer following the retirement of longtime executive Jeff Moyer. Prior to stepping into the role of CEO, Tkach served as the chief impact officer for the Institute for six years and as an executive for Organic Life and Prevention magazines at Rodale Inc. Tkach holds a bachelor’s degree from Kutztown University and a postgraduate Authentic Leadership Certificate from Naropa University in Colorado.
“I’m honored to lead the Institute at this pivotal moment in history—when issues surrounding the climate, human health, and the long-term viability of agricultural land require practical solutions from innovative organizations like Rodale Institute.” –Jeff Tkach
Read More: JEFF TKACH NAMED CEO OF RODALE INSTITUTE
Organic Consulting Partners with USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program
In 2023, Rodale Institute was chosen as a core partner to the Organic Trade Association to help achieve the objectives set by the new USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)–part of the USDA’s $300 million Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) established in 2022.
The Institute’s role in National and Regional TOPP will be to give technical assistance to farmers transitioning to organic, connect buyers and sellers in the organic industry, and grow markets for organic products through both virtual and in-person events and one-on-one consultations.
Read More: RODALE INSTITUTE AND OTA SELECTED TO PARTNER ON LANDMARK USDA PROGRAM
New Perennial Demonstration Orchard Planted
Project funded by Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center
In the fall of 2023, Rodale Institute entered a new partnership with Propagate to establish agroforestry research and demonstration orchards at several locations within the Institute’s network. The goal of the partnership is to promote the adoption of agroforestry and tree crop systems across the United States. In the fall, the Institute planted the first round of perennial crops at its main campus in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, with funding from the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center. The demonstration orchard will be used for educational and research purposes and can be accessed from the Visitor Center at Rodale Institute’s Main Campus in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
Read More: RODALE INSTITUTE & PROPAGATE PARTNER TO GROW ADOPTION OF AGROFORESTRY
Pacific Northwest Organic Center Opens for U-Pick
In 2023, after two years of being closed to the public, Cascadian Farm reopened its strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry fields to the public for u-pick. The Cascadian Farm Home Farm, which previously belonged to General Mills, is now under Rodale Institute’s leadership. The property is a historic certified organic berry farm located in Washington and was gifted to the Institute in 2022 to be converted into a Regional Resource Center. The campus, now referred to as the Rodale Institute Pacific Northwest Organic Center at Cascadian Farm Home Farm (or the PNWOC for short), will serve as a research and education hub for farmers in the Northwest US.
More Highlights
Rodale Institute achievements in 2023:
Hired its first full-time climate scientist,
Michael Graham, PhD.
Celebrated an important milestone
when its partner farm, Trailside Organic Farm at Cornwall Manor received organic certification in its third year of operation.
Hosted the inaugural Specialty Crop Symposium
at the Rodale Institute Pocono Organic Center with presentations on saffron, CBD hemp, microgreens, ginseng, and other specialty crops.
Organized a Farm-to-Healthcare Immersion,
a multiday intensive conference focused on creating farm-to-institution models in hospitals, retirement homes, schools, and other large institutions.
Sent CEO Jeff Tkach to speak to a class at Harvard Business School
about the food and farming industry and regenerative organic agriculture.
Make an Impact
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