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DAVIS — Farmers and consumers with questions about the national organic food standards adopted on Monday can find answers through a University of California program. 

The program, known as Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, is based at the University of California, Davis and its Website can be found at www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/organic/index.htm.  

The site provides links to the national rules for organic farming, allowed inputs, and pesticide alternatives that cannot be used by organic growers. 

“We know growers and consumers are looking for answers,” said Sean Swezy, the program's director. “Our program's Web site with its research and information databases can point them to specific resources.” 

A $100,000 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, part of the “Buy California” Initiative, will allow the program to expand its Web site.  

The funding will also help develop organic production manuals for strawberries, olives, wine grapes, vegetables, artichokes and small-scale organic farming. 

The UC program funds organic research, coordinates county-level extension programs and collects information on organic farming inputs. The program has spent $2 million on organic farming research and another $4 million on other projects that support organic farming.