Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of people and the planet through research and education that focus on organic farming, food and living.

Description:
At The Rodale Institute, we take the view that farming must go beyond the concept of simply producing enough food. Our programs are aimed at producing sufficient quantities of healthy food while at the same time regenerating the soil. We believe that farming should be seen as the protector of long-term human and environmental health. We need to recognize that farmers combine the skills of scientists, technicians, entrepreneurs and health practitioners as they tend to the health of the soil in order to produce nutritious food, to improve personal health and prevent disease.
Education is the key to our programs. We are focusing not just on sharing our knowledge and research with farmers and gardeners nationally and internationally, but on ensuring that children - the generation for change - understand the importance of the world they live in.

History:
For the past 60 years, The Rodale Institute has been the cutting edge leader in researching and promoting alternative approaches to agriculture and soil regeneration to maintain the long-term productivity of the soil, improve soil management systems, foster sound agro-ecological practices, and acknowledge the interconnection between soil quality and human health. In 1947, J.I. Rodale founded The Soil and Health Foundation. When J.I. died in 1971, his son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Ardath, founded The Rodale Institute in order to continue the path that J.I. had started. What they found at the 333-acre farm that is now the Headquarters of The Rodale Institute, was the opportunity to share with the world the results of many years of intensive research providing proof of the environmental and human health benefits of organic food production. Our mission today is to share our knowledge with the world so we can leave a safe and sustainable world to our children and the generations that follow. The Institute accomplishes its mission through research and education, outreach and active participation in policy planning and implementation.
Globally, some of the countries which we have or are currently successfully teaching our methods of regenerative agriculture to farmers are: Senegal, Guatemala, Russia, China and Japan.
In "our own backyard", we are conducting the longest ongoing project of its type - The Farming Systems Trial®. This 26 years old experiment has proven organic farming's long-term benefits to the regeneration of soil and how these practices can return the earth to its self-sustaining state.

Contact people:

Lynnel Schmauder, (610) 683-1439, (email) Kim Schroeder, Office Manager, (610) 683-1409, (email)

Office fax number: (610) 683-1454

Address:

611 Siegfriedale Road Kutztown, PA 19530 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org

Directions:

From the Lehigh Valley or Berks County Area: I-78, to Exit 45 (Lynnport/New Smithville PA Rt. 863). Follow 863 South for 1⁄2 mile to a 3-way intersection. Take the middle fork (Siegfriedale Road). Follow Siegfriedale Road for. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Kutztown   Nearest Bus Stop: Kutztown