Organic food sales topped $50 billion in 2018, but to meet consumer demand, farmers may need to use essential oils to battle pests and diseases that often accompany organic crop growth.

Solutions to improve the feasibility and long-term profitability of organic fruit production is the basis of a nearly $2 million Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

“By being the boots on the ground, I will assist researchers and growers with data collection, as well as conduct the project’s Hawaiʻi outreach and communicate project results to the farming community,” says Associate Extension Agent Andrea Kawabata.

The goal is for Hawaiʻi crop producers to rapidly adopt the organic practices set forth by researchers as a result of the data they gather, thus improving market competitiveness.

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