Arizona State University Launches Nationwide Organic Farming Mentorship Program

Arizona State University’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems launched a new organic mentorship program October 1, 2026. The program builds on the success of USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program, which concluded September 30, 2026. The new program, Kernel, will focus on connecting mentors to mentees to encourage more organic food production on a national scale. Kernel’s budget will continue to support mentorship relationships established through TOPP, and the program will work with regional partners to recruit more organic hopefuls and experts as participants, aiming for around 2,000 mentor pairings. Over the next five years, the bulk of Kernel’s budget will go toward compensating mentors, who are eligible to receive $1,000 for each mentee they take on, up to $5,000.