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Training, resources, and practical advice to help you grow. |
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September 2019 Organic Link |
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National Conference for Women in Ag Be part of the national Women in Sustainable Ag Conference Oct. 17-19 hosted by MOSES at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront hotel. The event features workshops, demos, and networking opportunities focusing on leadership skills and farm business success. Food justice advocate Miah Ulysse presents the keynote, “Working in Harmony to Transform the Food System.” Add-on intensives on Thursday combine a morning class with an afternoon tour to a related spot in the Twin Cities. Topics are storytelling to create change, livestock production, regenerative farm design, and mind/body resilience. This event welcomes every gender expression. Registration for the intensives and conference closes Oct. 7; with only 50 seats apiece, the add-on intensives are filling quickly—register today to be sure to get in the class you want! The conference includes the NCR-SARE Farmers Forum, a traveling annual event focused on research, demonstration, and education projects funded by NCR-SARE that promote profitable practices that are good for the environment and community. NCR-SARE is the North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, a USDA-funded program that supports and promotes sustainable farming and ranching through grants and educational opportunities. |
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Mechanical Weed Control Field Day
See demos of equipment to manage weeds in row crops and vegetables at this field day organized by The Land Connection. MOSES Organic Specialist Chuck Anderas will be on hand to answer questions about organic production and certification. Click the image below to learn more and register.
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Online Farm Finance Course The Farm Business Production Management team at Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wis., has created educational modules to explain concepts introduced in the MOSES book Fearless Farm Finances. The free online course includes 13 webinars and worksheets covering everything from goal-setting to tips to improve profitability. The course is designed to be self-paced; farmers can choose to complete one or all of the webinars, depending on personal need. |
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MOSES Farmer-to-Farmer Mentoring Program Need an experienced farmer to guide your farm or help you set up a new enterprise? Want to share your experience with a beginning farmer and encourage sustainable, organic production? Apply now to participate in the 2020 MOSES Farmer-to-Farmer Mentoring Program. The program runs from January 2020 to February 2021 and includes admission to the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in both years. The application deadline is Oct. 31, 2019. |
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In Her Boots Podcast The MOSES "In Her Boots" podcast currently features interviews with Marie Raboin of Brix Cider, an orchard, hard cider company, and farm-to-table restaurant in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. New episodes of the podcast post on Fridays on iTunes, Stitcher, and our In Her Boots webpage. |
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Certification Cost Share Local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices are taking applications now through Oct. 31 for the organic certification cost-share program (OCCSP). The application also is available online (search OCCSP) and through state departments of ag in Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Certified producers and handlers can apply for reimbursement for certification-related expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2018 through Sept. 30, 2019. Payments will be up to 75 percent of certification costs with a maximum of $750 per scope of certification. |
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Changes to Whole-Farm Revenue Protection USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced changes to its Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program for crop year 2020.
- RMA added coverage for hemp grown for fiber, flower or seeds in areas covered by USDA-approved hemp plans or who are part of approved state or university research pilot programs. However, producing hemp above the THC compliance level won't count as an insurable loss.
- State and federal disaster program payments will be excluded from revenue-to-count and allowable revenue determinations.
- Livestock and nursery limits increase to $2 million.
- Several measures will be available as options to prevent large drops in approved revenue from year to year and smooth the historical values.
The agency developed WFRP as a risk management safety net to cover all commodities on a farm under one insurance policy; it was designed with specialty and organic operations in mind. Learn more about WFRP here. |
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Fall NOSB Meeting The fall meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will take place Oct. 23-25, 2019, in Pittsburgh, Penn. This is the semiannual meeting for the board to hear comments from the public about substances used in organic production. Written comments and requests for speaking time at the meeting must be received by Oct. 3. See the agenda and discussion topics here. The National Organic Coalition (NOC) offers a limited number of scholarships to farmers who want to attend the NOSB meeting and NOC's meeting Oct. 22. Apply by Sept. 13. |
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Forum on Organic Sector
The fifth annual Organic & Non-GMO Forum happens Oct. 29-30, 2019, in Minneapolis. This event is the source for conventional food and ag businesses to learn about opportunities in the organic and non-GMO industry, and for those in the field to discuss its challenges and advantages. MOSES leads a producer panel at the forum. This event, which has grown three-fold, promises unique insights from leading experts, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Tickets are $799 but farmers in the MOSES community may use the following discounts: producers with more than 5,000 acres under organic or transitional production use the code MOSES to reduce registration to $650; those with fewer than 5,000 acres use code ORGFARMER to reduce registration to $499. |
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Farm Marketing Workshop Routes to Farm, a project of Angelic Organics Learning Center, hosts a farmer-led marketing workshop Oct. 29 and 30 in Caledonia, Illinois. Charlotte Smith of 3 Cow Marketing will explain the tactics she used to start and grow her profitable farm. Cost is $45 for a single day, $90 for both days. |
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Nutritional Benefits of Pasture-Raised Products Studies consistently show that pasture-raised animals produce nutritionally superior meat, milk, and eggs. To help farmers explain the benefits to their customers, Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) has created a series of handouts that can be customized to the farm. For details, see the FACT website. |
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Organic Dairy & Grain Production The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is offering workshops and new resources to help organic dairy and grain producers.
- The workshop, Principles of Managed Grazing on Organic Dairy Farms, takes place Sept. 24, 2019, in Random Lake, Wis.
- The workshop, Pasture Establishment, Nutrient Management and Soil Health on Organic Dairy Farms, takes place Oct. 8, 2019, in Rudolph, Wis.
- A new publication, "Turning Grain into Dough,” assesses the financial implications of transitioning to organic crops and explains the OGRAIN compass spreadsheet tool for tracking income and expenses.
- A new publication, "How does organic management on dairy farms affect pastures and soils," summarizes related scientific literature, concluding with the recommendation that organic dairy producers use established principles of managed grazing to maintain pasture productivity.
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Farm Aid Concert Farm Aid supports family farmers through grants to nonprofit organizations working to strengthen family farm agriculture and improve our nation’s food system. MOSES is proud to be a Farm Aid grant recipient. The sold-out Farm Aid concert to fund these grants takes place Sept. 21 at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. Click here to see how to watch or listen to the live event. |
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Solar Project at Organic Valley Organic Valley recently completed its solar project, making it the largest food company in the world to source all its energy from renewables. The sites will feature grazing sheep and pollinator habitats under the panels. |
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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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