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Training, resources, and practical advice to help you grow. |
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January 2020 Organic Link |
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Early Bird Rates End Jan. 7 Register now to take advantage of Early Bird rates for the MOSES Organic Farming Conference. The event, Feb. 27-29, 2020, in La Crosse, Wis., features 60 workshops in 10 categories: field crops, livestock, market farming, certification, and more. More than 170 vendors will be in the 2-floor trade show—see who'll be there! Author and farmer Leah Penniman presents the Friday keynote, “Uprooting Racism; Seeding Sovereignty.” Visionary economist John Ikerd presents “Reclaiming the Future of Farming” for the Saturday keynote. See keynote details here. The conference also offers roundtable discussions, meetings, an organic research forum, film screenings, and many more opportunities to connect with your farming peers. View the conference guide and save when you register today before Early Bird pricing ends! SCHOLARSHIPS
Our scholarships have been awarded. However, we've tracked down a few other opportunities and posted them on our scholarship page. |
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Full-Day Classes Dig deeply into a farming topic with a full-day Organic University class 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. AG PROFESSIONALS:
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, 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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Conference App Plan your conference strategy in advance through the free app! Create your own schedule, start talking to other attendees, learn about exhibitors...the app has it all! Learn more here. |
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Research Poster Deadline We've extended the deadline for poster submissions to Jan. 10, 2020 for the Organic Research Forum. Poster presenters receive FREE admission to the 2020 MOSES Organic Farming Conference. Research must have been conducted in a certified organic system. All you need to apply is a brief summary of your research. This juried poster session includes prizes for first-third places. |
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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 Barb Perkins of Vermont Valley Community Farm in Wisconsin. Barb and her husband, David, pioneered the CSA model in this region. Listen in as Barb shares wisdom gleaned from 24 years with their successful CSA. The podcast posts new episodes every Friday on iTunes, Stitcher, and the In Her Boots webpage. |
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Value-Added Producer Grant Program Farmers and farmer-cooperatives may apply now for USDA Value-Added Producer Grants. These grants support farmers looking to expand opportunities by producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Planning grants of up to $75,000 may be used to conduct feasibility studies and develop business plans for processing and marketing the proposed value-added product. Working capital grants up to $250,000 may be used for processing costs, marketing and advertising expenses, and some inventory and salary expenses. Paper applications are due by March 10, 2020; electronic applications must be submitted on Grants.gov by noon EST March 5, 2020. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition plans to release an updated Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program shortly. Michael Fields Agricultural Institute also offers personalized grant advising. |
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Farm Business Instruction in Minnesota Certified organic crop or dairy farmers in Minnesota may apply for 25-50% cost-share for the annual cost ($1950) of farm business management instruction through the Organic Benchmarking Project. Click here for the application and contact information for more details. |
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FSMA Trainings The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule requires people who grow, harvest, pack or sell about $27,577 or more in produce (per year averaged over three years) to meet produce safety rules, including attending produce safety training. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension in collaboration with Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is offering one-day trainings across Wisconsin in January and February. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota-Extension offer similar classes this winter and spring. |
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Farmland Lease Template Vermont Law School’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems recently relased a new tool to help farmers and landowners create a fully-drafted lease ready for legal review. The Farm Lease Builder guides participants through a series of questions, allowing them to customize the details, including rent, maintenance, insurance, chemical use, conservation easements, and more. |
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National Organic Standards Board The USDA has announced five new members for the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Nathaniel Powell-Palm of Cold Springs Organics in Belgrade, Montana, will serve in a farmer seat. Kimberly Huseman from Pilgrim's will serve in a handler seat, as will Gerard D'Amore of Munger Farms. Eastside Food Co-op Grocery Manager Mindee Jeffery will serve in the retailer seat. Lastly, the Senior Vice President of Sustainability for Agriculture Capital, Wood Turner, will serve in an environmental protection and resource conservation seat. These new members will serve five-year terms beginning in January 2020. The NOSB is made up of 15 members representing the organic community. |
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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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