Watsonville farm-working families continue to advocate for organic agriculture to protect the health of their children. At a city council meeting last month, community members advocated for all farms near schools to transition to organic and to stop spraying pesticide.
New grant funds are available to expand livestock processing capacity through the USDA Local Meat Capacity Grant (Local MCap) program and Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant (IAG) program. Applications are due on July 19, 2023.
Last week, CCOF and Food and Farm Resilience Coalition members met with state legislators to garner additional support for the Climate-resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond A
The USDA is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers. All nomination packages received by April 24, 2023, will be considered. Interested candidates may nominate themselves.
This committee recommends solutions to challenges faced by minority farmers and ranchers and is part of USDA’s commitment to advance equity for all, especially for farmers and producers in underserved communities. The committee is administered by USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE).
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 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:
CCOF submitted a written comment to the National Organic Program (NOP) on inert ingredients in pesticides. The NOP sought input on how to update the organic regulations, which currently reference outdated Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy on inert ingredients in pesticides. Inert ingredients are any substance other than the active ingredient in a pesticide product, including solvents, diluents, stabilizers, and preservatives.
The California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC) will meet during the EcoFarm Conference from 12:30–3:15 p.m. on Thursday, January 19, 2023, in the Scripps room at the Asilomar Conference Grounds located at 800 Asilomar Avenue in Pacific Grove, California. Attendees do not have to register for EcoFarm to attend.
COPAC is a state advisory committee created by state law to advise the Secretary of Food and Agriculture on education, outreach, and technical assistance for organic producers, processors, and handlers.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has established a new goal that 20 percent of California’s cultivated land be farmed organically by 2045.
