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Training, resources, and practical advice to help you grow. |
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MOSES Receives Recognition MOSES is honored to announce we have just received a $10,000 "Force for Positive Change" award from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Marquette University, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. We were recognized for encouraging rural prosperity through our work with farmers in Wisconsin and beyond. |
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Job Opportunity at MOSES MOSES is hiring! Our team of 9 is passionate about organic and sustainable farming, social justice, and the environment. We're ready to add an enthusiastic and experienced Director of Development & Marketing as we expand our fundraising capacity to implement our organizational vision. The position can be done remotely with occasional visits to our headquarters in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Join us and be a force for positive change! |
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Farm Financial Workshops MOSES partnered with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Farm Financial Management on a series of webinars that explain free tools to help you manage your farm business. Topics include farm business planning, financial analysis, transition planning, land rental agreements, and more. View the four Empowered Farm Financials webinars on the MOSES YouTube channel. |
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Growing Stronger Conference Link Registered participants in the Growing Stronger Conference can continue to watch recorded sessions through late May. Click here to log into the event site. You'll receive a text and email with a verification code to complete your login. Registration has closed, so only previously registered participants may access the recordings. |
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Organic Farmer of the Year, Changemakers We've posted the awards from the Growing Stronger Conference on the MOSES YouTube channel. Liz Graznak, the Organic Farmer of the Year, shares her farm story. Also hear from the Changemakers: Hannah Breckbill of Humble Hands Harvest, and Andrew Van Gorp and Lindsay Zimmerman of Sustain DuPage. |
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Join a Grower Group MOSES is helping farmers form groups around specific areas of interest to make connections and share ideas. The current list of groups includes Growing Wellness for mental health support, Farmers Against Racism, Local Women in Sustainable Agriculture Networks, Queer and Trans on the Land, and Farmer Researchers (farmers interested in conducting research on their farms). See our page on Grower Groups to join a group or learn how to start a group focused on your area of interest. |
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Current Podcast Episodes The MOSES Organic Farming Podcast currently features a series with Artisan Grain Collaborative on food-grade grains. The collaborative includes farmers, millers, distillers, bakers, and other people across the value chain who are creating opportunities to grow grains for people, not livestock or fuel. In the first episode, grain advocate, educator, and author Amy Halloran explores seed research and breeding with Julie Dawson from UW-Madison and Lisa Kissing Kucek from the USDA-ARS. Subscribe to the MOSES Organic Farming Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. |
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Aid for Farmers Impacted by Pandemic The USDA's new Pandemic Assistance for Producers puts a greater emphasis than previous COVID-19 aid programs on support for small-scale and socially disadvantaged producers, specialty crop and organic producers, and others. Under the new initiative, USDA has reopened sign-up for CFAP 2 and expanded the list of eligible commodities to include more than 230 specialty crops and specialty livestock. |
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Paycheck Protection Program for Farmers The new deadline to sign up for the 2021 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is May 31, 2021. Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) has updated its free PPP guide that covers the changes that affect farmers and explains how to get PPP loans forgiven, and how to go forward if a loan is denied or if loan forgiveness is denied. |
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National Organic Standards Board Meeting, Openings The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meets online April 28-30 to hear public comments on substances on the National List that are up for Sunset review. The inputs being considered include fertilizers, pest control products, livestock treatments, processing aids, and ingredients currently allowed for use under certain restrictions by certified organic operations. See the agenda and discussion documents here. The USDA is accepting nominations for four open seats on the NOSB. The 15-member volunteer advisory board, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, considers public comments and makes recommendations on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, and other topics involved in organic agriculture. Each member serves a five-year term beginning January 2022 and represents specific sectors of the organic community. Nominations are due by June 1. |
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Value-Added Producer Grants The USDA is making approximately $76 million available via the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program. Electronic applications are due by April 29, 2021; paper applications must be postmarked by May 4, 2021. To help farmers determine if the program is a good fit for their operation, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has published an updated version of its Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the Value Added Producer Grant Program. This free guide explains program changes made due to the COVID-19 pandemic and offers helpful tips to improve a producer’s chances of obtaining funding from this highly competitive program. Michael Fields Agricultural Institute offers free grant advising to farmers in the Upper Midwest. See details here. |
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Conservation Innovation Grants Farmers in Wisconsin may apply now for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to fund the use of innovative technologies or approaches to address a natural resource concern in one of the following categories: Conservation Planning, Manure Management Systems, or Soil Health Management Systems. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. Farmers in Iowa also may apply now for CIG funding. Priorities in Iowa are Soil Health, Water Quality and Quantity, and Wildlife Habitat. Applicants must match the USDA funds awarded. Applications in both states are due by May 7. |
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Real Organic Project Real Organic Project is a community-wide effort to create a certified organic food system with integrity. Real Organic Project provides free add-on certification to the USDA Organic label. Currently 500 farms are ROP-certified. Another 350 are up for inspections this summer. If you're interested in learning how your farm can become ROP-certified, see the application here. |
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New Farmer's Almanac The New Farmer's Almanac, Vol. V: Grand Land Plan was just published by Greenhorns, a nonprofit that promotes and supports new farmers. The $25 book includes stories on land reform, lessons from honeybees, reporting on restoration projects, and more. It also has field maps, farm comics, photo essays, and farming wisdom and other curiosities from 100 contributors. |
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Survey on Agroforestry Challenges A master’s student from the U.S. who is studying at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark is trying to connect with farmers who practice agroforestry and are willing to participate in a short survey about the challenges they have faced. If you're interested, please submit your email here and Anna Joy Thompson will send you the survey. |
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Organic Vegetable Farm Manager Apprenticeship The University of Wisconsin and FairShare CSA Coalition are taking applications for the country's first registered apprenticeship program for organic vegetable farming. The apprenticeship provides paid training with an experienced organic grower over the course of two years plus classes in farm business skills and marketing. |
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Permaculture Summit Leading permaculture experts, including Mark Shepard and Richard Perkins, will take part in a free online summit and book launch April 23-25, 2021. Building Your Permaculture Property Global Summit will feature presentations and case studies covering every aspect of designing and building a permaculture property. |
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Organic Seed Production The Organic Seed Alliance has published an online toolkit to improve growers' success with seed production. Understanding the Economics of Organic Seed Production was developed in partnership with agricultural economists at Highland Economics. The toolkit includes instructional webinars, budgeting spreadsheets, support for inventory management, foundation and stock seed planning, and more. |
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Organic Tomato Management Tomato Organic Management and Improvement Project (TOMI) partners have released a new guide to help growers produce organic tomato seed. The Tomato Seed Production Guide covers climatic requirements, maintaining genetics and population size, isolation requirements, and criteria for selecting desired traits as well as harvest techniques, cleaning methods, and how to store seed to keep it viable. The partners will present a free webinar April 20 on growing organic tomato seed. Find more webinars like this on the MOSES Community Calendar. |
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Sustainable Farming Videos USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) has a new series of short animated videos to show how producers can improve the success and health of their farms by implementing sustainable practices. The first episode, “A Whole Farm Approach to Sustainability,” showcases holistic management practices that increase biodiversity, enhance soil health, promote ecological pest management, and conserve water. The second episode focuses on healthy soils and the positive impact of cover crops. Other episodes highlight conservation tillage, labor and social sustainability, ecological pest management, grazing and pasture management, water conservation, and the economics of sustainable agriculture. There are eight episodes available. Farmers, ranchers, educators, and other agricultural professionals may download the videos to use for noncommercial educational presentations. |
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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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