CCOF Blog

With their pastures starting to grow and new government assistance programs being rolled out, California organic dairy farmers are beginning to see a glimmer of relief.

Skyrocketing production costs, especially for organic feed, have pummeled organic dairies during the past two years, forcing some to sell their cows and leave the business.

Their plight got the attention of the U.S…

New federal investments in the USDA’s conservation programs make this year the best in recent memory to secure a new contract through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

Thanks to last year’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is making available $850 million for its oversubscribed conservation programs including EQIP, CSP, the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The increased funding levels begin in fiscal…

In this Blog: 

Join us for a training hosted by CCOF on 21-24 March: Implementing GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) v6 Plants (004-RT-T927)

This is a training provided by a Registered Trainer. To know more about Registered Trainers, please click here.

Course Instructor: Astrid H Goplen

Date: 21-24 March 2023

Course Location: Virtual (USA)

Time of Couse: 8 am to…

A newly introduced bipartisan bill in Congress takes important steps to address urgent bottlenecks in meat and poultry processing for independent small and organic livestock producers. The Strengthening Local Processing Act (S.354/H.R. 945) will expand meat processing and slaughter capacity by providing

The highly anticipated Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Rule was published on January 19, 2023. After doing our first in-depth review, CCOF has created an overview that summarizes key changes. All operations producing or handling organic products should become familiar with this new rule. Please take some time to review our summary. 

Uncertified operations handling organic products will need to become especially familiar with section A of the new rule. After March 19, 2024, organic businesses will be required to purchase ingredients only from certified suppliers. We…

Rodale Institute offers a micro-grant program specifically targeted to support projects and consulting for small-scale Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) farmers. Applications are due by February 28, 2023.

Any U.S. small-scale BIPOC farmer who is currently organic or wishes to pursue organic transition is eligible to apply for a maximum grant of $2,000. Student, intern, and apprentice farmers involved in an organic operation are also eligible. Grant funding is focused on needs such as tools, equipment, training, consulting, or anything that ensures the farmer’s success.…

USDA’s 99th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum will take place over the course of two days, both online and in person in Arlington, Virginia. On Thursday, February 23, between 11:25 and 11:55 a.m. Eastern, Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, will moderate a session on Strategies for More and Better Markets.

In addition, National Organic Program Deputy Administrator Jenny Tucker will moderate an Organic Outlook panel Friday, February 24, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Eastern that will feature Houston Wilson, director of the…

Erin DiCaprio, associate professor of cooperative extension at the Department of Food Science and Technology at University of California, Davis has summarized information and resources for assessing crop food safety after a flooding event.

The publication includes links to the Leafy Green Marketing Agreement flood fact sheet and also a presentation made by Trevor Suslow, emeritus UC Cooperative Extension specialist. 

***

This blog was written by Michael D. Cahn, Farm Advisor, Irrigation and Water Resources with UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County. 

It…

Jesse Buie, president of Ole Brook Organics, grows a range of specialty crops on one of only fifteen certified organic farms located in Mississippi (according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s most recent organic survey). Certified by CCOF since 2013, Jesse is committed to growing organically in the difficult cropping environment of the South and to providing his community with healthy food. He is also committed to the larger organic movement and has served a five-year term on the National Organic Standards Board.

CCOF’s partner organization, the Organic Farming…

Relief is in sight for economically distressed organic dairy farmers impacted by a simultaneous storm of climate, global trade, and economic disruptions. The CCOF Foundation partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) through their California Underserved and Small Producers (CUSP) program to support organic dairy farmers during this unprecedented crisis.  …

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Blong Xiong announced that 41 counties in California are accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages to eligible farmland, fences, and conservation structures or other installations from the recent severe storm. ECP signup will begin on February 13, 2023, and end on April 14, 2023. 

Producers with damage from storm events must apply for assistance prior to beginning reconstructive work. Producers must complete FSA’s National Environmental Policy Act (…

The California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC) is an advisory body established by state law to advise the secretary of food and agriculture on state organic regulations and education, outreach, and technical assistance for producers. COPAC is composed of 15 members who represent different sectors of the organic community. 
Currently, there are 7 voting seat vacancies on COPAC:

In addition, each seat has an alternate to fill…

The CCOF Foundation launched a new cohort of Organic Transition grantees in 2022 with the help of our thoughtful partners. With your support, we were able to fund 12 farmers in the Salinas…

In the wake of the atmospheric river that hit California with a series of intense storms in early January, many people had questions about the status of organically certified ground and about the safety of food grown in flooded fields.

Flooding should not impact the organic certification status of a parcel of land, and flooded parcels will maintain their certification unless it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked. Growers who had their fields flooded will likely not be required to go through the three-year transition after flooding, but certifiers will need to evaluate each farm…