Blog posts by Guest Blogger
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, July 19, 2021
The Organic Foods Production Act created the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) as a tool for managing the substances used in organic production over time. In general, natural substances are allowed in organic, and synthetic substances are prohibited. The National List identifies the limited exceptions to these general rules. The National List also identifies nonagricultural and non-organic agricultural substances (ingredients) that may be used in organic handling. Changes to the National List require a National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) recommendation and…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, July 19, 2021
Please join the Central Coast region Irrigated Lands Program at one of the virtual workshops noted below to learn more about the newly adopted requirements for irrigated agriculture:
Agricultural Order No. R3-2021-0040, commonly referred to as Agricultural Order 4.0.
These workshops are free of charge and will be hosted using the Zoom video conferencing platform. Attendees can use a computer or mobile device to view and/or listen to presentations and take part in a live question and answer session with Irrigated Lands Program staff.
Presentations will cover an overview of Agricultural…
Written by Guest Blogger on Tuesday, July 6, 2021
In the middle of California’s drought, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is meeting with landowners, tribal representatives, and agencies to assess resource concerns and offer assistance to farmers and ranchers, as well as forest and tribal land managers. Programs through NRCS include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the newest pilot program, EQIP-Conservation Incentive Contracts (EQIP-CIC).
“Although we still have CDC coronavirus-related health precautions in place for the safety of our customers and employees, we strongly encourage you to call the…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, June 21, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 18, 2021) -- Previewing his path forward for organic and pledging to elevate the significance and importance of organic agriculture at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Secretary Tom Vilsack kicked off the Annual Membership Meeting of the Organic Trade Association on Wednesday.
Speaking live at the virtual meeting to over 250 members of the trade association, Vilsack laid out a forward-looking agenda for the organic sector, including a vow to resolve the ongoing issue over USDA’s failure to implement a critical and fully vetted organic animal welfare regulation.
The…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, June 14, 2021
Savvy food makers who specialize in jarring up tasty seasonal goods can be a huge help when you come back from market with hundreds of pounds of leftover tomatoes. Processing excess produce not only keeps it out of the compost pile but also saves the money and hard work that went into growing and picking the crop. With some forethought, you can turn leftover produce into a shelf-stable product that can be sold all winter and beyond.
What Crops to Use
What crop are you known for growing? Do you have a following for growing the sweetest dry-farmed tomatoes or the crunchiest cucumbers? Start…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, June 7, 2021
Whether they milk cows or raise livestock for meat, ongoing drought conditions in the state have forced ranchers and dairy farmers to downsize their herds as they face soaring costs to sustain their animals.
In regions such as Marin and Sonoma counties, where farmers and ranchers rely heavily on pasture and natural rainfall to grow feed crops and provide drinking water for their livestock, the duration of the current dry spell has been particularly hard.
The U.S. Drought Monitor has classified large swaths of the region as under "exceptional drought"—the highest level of drought intensity—…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, May 17, 2021
Assisting Organic Producers in Need Since 2007
If you or an organic producer you know has experienced hardship during the 2021 calendar year, we encourage you to apply for financial assistance through the Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund. The application deadline is midnight on May 28, 2021.
Throughout the nation, farmers are experiencing severe economic losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather patterns, an increase in the duration and number of natural disasters, and financial challenges. Now more than ever, organic producers need access to immediate and long-term…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, May 17, 2021
For the last 15 years, Santiago Contreras has been a vegetarian—conscious of healthy eating and healthy food. After many years working in the restaurant industry, he made the leap to learn to become a farmer by enrolling in the Farmer Education Course (PEPA) at the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) to develop his knowledge and skills to work the land. After a year of classroom learning and hand-on training, Contreras is now a full-time farmer cultivating many different vegetables, such as squash, beans, tomatoes, onions, and melons, on five rented acres in Hollister.…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, May 10, 2021
Last week the California LGMA Board endorsed new Pre-Harvest Testing guidance in an effort to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks associated with leafy greens. The guidance calls for pre-harvest testing of leafy greens products when risk assessments deem it necessary, specifically when grown in proximity to animals.
Farmers Acting Quickly to Protect Public Health
“We are endorsing pre-harvest testing in direct response to FDA’s recent report on E. coli outbreaks associated with lettuce in 2020, which identified the recurring E. coli strain implicated in this outbreak to be a reasonably…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, May 3, 2021
Meet 2020 Future Organic Farmers Grant Recipient Lynn Batten!
Hawaii is a state with a biodiverse ecosystem and a strong heritage of caring for and connecting to the earth. Lynn Batten, a Native Hawaiian, seeks to continue this care by combining her passion for the community with stewardship of the land to help further the goal of creating a more responsible, sustainable, and people-oriented food system.
Batten is currently studying for her bachelor’s degree in political science and sustainable community food systems at the University of West O’ahu. A combination of her classroom…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, May 3, 2021
Last week, Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), which outlines a national roadmap for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. agriculture by the year 2040. This act is a farmer-focused, research-driven path that highlights the ways that food production and agriculture are strong solutions to climate change when properly funded and supported. To learn more, read the press release and the bill text.
This legislation was co-sponsored by 17 representatives, including Barragán (CA-44), Brownley (…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, April 26, 2021
Graduate student Thais Spiropoulos of California Polytechnic University, Pomona, in association with the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) programs in Southern California, will be conducting a needs assessment of urban farmers who primarily use organic growing methods. This survey aims to assess the technical needs of urban farmers within non-desert areas of San Bernardino, Riverside, inland Los Angeles, and Orange counties.
For the purpose of this survey, urban agriculture is defined as the production, distribution, and marketing (both for-…
Written by Guest Blogger on Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Breaking into new markets may seem daunting when other farms grow or raise similar products. I remember trying to navigate this when I was first starting out. There were so many farmers with strong followings who already grew unique varieties that I questioned my ability to make a name for my farm.But that wasn’t the case at all! With a little forethought and planning, I found that there is lots of room for innovation. Don’t be discouraged as the new farmer in town. With a little creativity, there is always a way to set yourself apart from other farms!Here are some things I considered to make…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, April 5, 2021
Extending your farm’s production season—either by getting a jump on an early harvest or by continuing into the winter months—is a great way to bring additional income to the farm. Both early-season or late-season extensions are worth considering. However, if you can offer spring and summer crops before other farms, you will reap more of the benefits. Customers drawn to your early produce are more likely to stick with your stand throughout the entire season. It is much harder to get customers to shop with you once they have already found another source they like. Customers are more excited to…
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, March 15, 2021
The California Farm Demonstration Network (CDFN) is hosting a four-part series about California soils. This series will feature four speakers, each with extensive knowledge of California agriculture and soils. Speakers will cover various topics, including composting, orchard recycling, soil sampling, testing for microbial dynamics, and more.PART 1 | March 24, 2021 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
“What happens to soil properties when you add compost or cover crop?”Meeting Registration
PART 2 | April 21, 2021 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
“What are the benefits of whole orchard recycling, including disease…