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Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)

About AFSIC

The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) provides research-based resources for nontraditional food-production and crop-management practices to support a sustainable future and agricultural economic viability for farmers worldwide.

Funding Opportunity Announcements

See Agricultural Funding Resources by Topic for additional resources.
 

Check back here for alternative, specialty, organic and other federal funding opportunities.

Bulletins

(Note: Some older bulletins may have links that are outdated or no longer supported. For questions regarding content, please contact us via our email(link sends email).)


Federal Research and Initiatives
USDA Tools and Reports

Tools

 

Reports

News

Historic Resources

Pioneers in Sustainable Agriculture

Rice heads on stalks

Video interviews with individuals who provided leadership and inspiration in the early years of alternative and sustainable agriculture, including Dr. James Duke, Dr. Charles Francis, Robert Rodale and others. (Recorded with AFSIC staff, 1988-1991)

Organic Roots Collection

Composite of two images, rooster and barn drawing.

The documents in this NAL digital collection were specifically chosen for their relevance to today’s sustainable and organic farmers.

Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases

Magenta flower spikes on green plant background

Dr. James Duke was a USDA botanist and a leading authority on medicinal herbs. This database is one of the world's leading repositories of ethnobotanical data and houses information on plants and their chemicals, bioactivity, and ethnobotany. 

AFSIC Background

The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC), founded in 1985, was one of the first USDA programs to focus on sustainable and organic agriculture. 

AFSIC disseminates information across a diverse subject area to a broad audience that includes research scientists, agricultural professionals, policymakers, and the hobbyist. The Center regularly collaborates with other federal agencies and organizations and serves as a communication hub fostering delivery of relevant data-driven science, tools, and agricultural program information to public stakeholders.

Contact Us

Online:  Use the library's Ask a Question form.

Questions will be answered by AFSIC Technical Information Specialists.

Phone:  (301) 504-6559

Sign Up

To sign up for the  Alternative Farming Systems Information Center Listserv go to USDA Agricultural Research Service (govdelivery.com)(link is external) and find us under the National Agricultural Library.

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