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Training, resources, and practical advice to help you grow. |
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December 2019 Organic Link |
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Early Bird Savings! Get your ticket to the 31st Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference at a discount! The event takes place Feb. 27-29, 2020, in La Crosse, Wis. Early Bird rates are good through Jan. 7. Whether you’re certified organic, using organic practices on your sustainable farm, or considering the switch to organic, you’ll find the latest information, the best resources, and the right connections to help you succeed. Among the wise people speaking at the conference this year are Leah Penniman and John Ikerd, delivering the MOSES Conference keynotes. Leah has been a soil steward and food sovereignty activist for more than 20 years. Her book, Farming While Black, is both a guide to small-scale farming and a treatise on dismantling racism in the food system. John is a visionary economist, educator, and author, whose life work has been advocating for family-scale farms that renew the natural ecosystem and provide profitable livelihoods for farmers. Scholarships are available to help farmers attend the conference, with priority given to farmers who have not been able to attend the conference in the past. The scholarship application closes Dec. 17. Applicants will be notified of their status by Dec. 31. Volunteering is another great way to see the MOSES Conference for just $50 (meals included). Volunteer shifts are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. |
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Donate to Send a Farmer to MOSES 2020 To send a farmer (or two) to the 2020 MOSES Conference, please donate today to one or more of these funds:
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Full-Day Classes & Scholarships Experienced farmers, researchers, and ag professionals present in-depth, practical information in full-day Organic University classes, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, just before the MOSES Conference. Classes run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Early Bird rate through Jan. 7 is $160, a $60 savings off the door price. A limited number of scholarships are available for farmers to attend Organic University. In addition, MOSES has partnered with North Central Region SARE to provide scholarships to ag professionals in Minnesota and Wisconsin who serve organic and transitioning farmers through their work in Extension, USDA agencies, county conservation, lending, crop insurance, education, and other fields. See details about Organic University here, or click on a link below for a class description. Conservation Programs to Support Organic Farms
Chuck Anderas, Mark Doudlah, Karin Jokela,
Kevin Mahalko, Brian Pillsbury Financial Impact of Organic Grain Transition
Paul Dietmann, Jim Munsch, Farmer Panel Five Steps to a Fair Farm
Elizabeth Henderson & Luke Zigovits Healthy Small Ruminants
Gianaclis Caldwell Highs & Lows of Growing CBD Hemp
Dylan Bruce, Patrick McHugh, Leah Sandler, Shelby Ellison Manage Your High Tunnels for Long-Term Success
Hallie Anderson, Julie Grossman, Anne Pfeiffer, Cary Rivard Managed Grazing for Healthier Dairy & Beef Herds
Greg Brickner Rotations for Reduced Tillage & Resilience
Dave Campbell, Brian Luck, Erin Silva, John Wepking Start a Producer-Owned Cooperative
Kelly Maynard, FL Morris, Rod Ofte Strategies for Successful Organic Tree-Fruit Production in Midwest
Rami Aburomia & Peter Werts |
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Scholarships for Livestock Producers Food Animals Concerns Trust (FACT) offers scholarships to cover registration fees for livestock and poultry farmers to attend the 2020 MOSES Conference and the livestock-related Organic University classes. Click here for details. |
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Last Call for Research Posters The Organic Research Forum at the 2020 MOSES Organic Farming Conference includes a juried poster session documenting completed and ongoing research projects related to organic agriculture. Farmers, researchers, academic faculty and staff, and graduate/undergraduate students may submit a poster proposal for consideration by Dec. 13, 2019. Space is limited to 25 posters. All accepted poster presenters receive complimentary full conference admission. The first-place poster research may be published in the Organic Broadcaster newspaper. |
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Organic Grain Learning Hubs MOSES and OGRAIN are organizing farmer-led groups to build communities of organic grain farmers around the Midwest. If you are interested in being a part of an Organic Grain Learning Hub, please fill out this quick signup form. We are using the information to create groups based on location. Interest so far shows potential for groups in Duluth/North Shore, western Wisconsin/Twin Cities, SE Minnesota, western Minnesota, eastern Iowa, central Illinois/western Indiana, and SE Wisconsin. Spread the word in your area to create a viable group! |
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In Her Boots Podcast The MOSES "In Her Boots" podcast currently features interviews with Jen Riemer, a former vegetarian from Chicago who has become a livestock and poultry farmer and passionate steward of the land. She credits the MOSES Conference with giving her the confidence to take the leap into farming. The podcast posts new episodes every Friday on iTunes, Stitcher, and the In Her Boots webpage. |
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Beginning Farmer Training Program Angelic Organics Learning Center has expanded the free "Take Root" training program to connect aspiring farmers to paid employment and training on established farms in southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and the Chicagoland area. The program includes lodging and admission to the 2020 MOSES Organic Farming Conference. The application period closes Dec. 18, 2019. |
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OGRAIN 2020 Conference Discussions, networking, and presentations about successful, diverse organic small grain production will be offered at the 2020 OGRAIN Winter Conference January 24-25 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Hosted by the Organic Grain Resource and Information Network (OGRAIN), the event includes keynotes from New York farmer Thor Oechsnerand and Iowa farmer and philosopher Fred Kirschemann. OGRAIN is a project of UW-Madison Organic and Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab, CIAS and MOSES. |
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FSMA Resource University of Minnesota Extension has created a resource to explain who and what is covered by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. "FSMA Produce Safety Rule: How does it apply to my farm?" is a seven-minute video that describes what the rule covers and who is "qualified exempt." |
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Perennial Crops The Savanna Institute has produced a new series of free "Key Perennial Crop" information sheets in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the USDA-SARE program. The information sheets cover 12 key Midwestern agroforestry crops: aronia, Asian pear, black currant, black walnut, Chinese chestnut, cider apple, elderberry, hazelnut, honeyberry, northern pecan, pawpaw, and serviceberry. |
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USDA Organic Survey The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service is sending out surveys this month to more than 22,000 U.S. producers involved in certified or transitioning to certified organic farming. The survey results will expand on the 2017 Census of Agriculture data by looking at several aspects of organic agriculture during the 2019 calendar year, including production, marketing practices, and income and expenses. The deadline for completing the mandatory survey is Jan. 10, 2020. Results will be available in October 2020. |
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Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)
PO Box 339 | Spring Valley, Wisconsin 54767
1-888-90-MOSES | info@mosesorganic.org |
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