events

On Friday, September 25, 2023, CCOF hosted 150 of our closest friends, certified members, and organic movement leaders for a meal to celebrate 50 years of dedication to the organic certification movement in the United States. Sonoma Hills Farm provided an intimate, rustic setting for the gathering.  CCOF members left farms as far away as Mexico to help celebrate this special moment in time. 

Our event hosts at Sonoma Hills Farm proudly bear the CCOF client ID OCal001 for their innovative approach to outdoor comparable-to-organic cannabis in Petaluma, California. 

Registration is now open for an event featuring CCOF-certified organic farmer and author Mas Masumoto discussing his new book, Secret Harvests: A Hidden Story of Separation and the Resilience of a Family Farm. 

Mas will join CCOF via Zoom on October 4, from noon to 1 p.m. Pre-register online. Click on the “View the event” button in the EventBrite confirmation email, then click beneath the image to complete your registration with Zoom. Then you will be emailed a link to participate. 

CCOF-certified organic farmer and author David Mas Masumoto will join CCOF via Zoom on October 4 from noon to 1 p.m. for a discussion of his new book Secret Harvests: A Hidden Story of Separation and the Resilience of a Family Farm. Click here to register.

Join the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) on October 7, 2023, for the annual Family Farm Day. There will be hayrides, carnival games, live art, a bouncy house, pumpkin decorations, and so much more. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase a bounty of freshly harvested organic vegetables, strawberries, and more grown by ALBA farmers. This free event will be held in the organic farm training center nestled in the heart of the beautiful Salinas Valley. 

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is hosting educational opportunities about Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) through the remainder of 2023. Check out the upcoming opportunities: 

Curious about what it takes to transition your operation to organic? Or are you a newly certified producer with questions on how to stay in compliance? Just ask Jamie! 
Join weekly Zooms with organic expert Jamie Collins of Serendipity Farms. Learn about organic certification, organic system plans (OSPs), how to get certified, and more. All questions and experience levels welcome! Se habla Español.

On Saturday, September 16th, the African American Farmers of California (AAFC) will be hosting the inaugural Watermelon Festival. This event offers an opportunity to celebrate Black farmers and African American farming heritage and culture, along with the harvest and bounty they reap at this time of year. In addition to celebrating, farmers will have the opportunity to tell their stories and share knowledge and experience with one another and the community.

The 9th annual Growing Together Latino Farmer Conference is November 1-2, 2023, in California’s Central Valley. This conference will include conference sessions on day one, followed by a farm field day on day two. The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are proud to present this annual statewide sustainable agriculture conference for Spanish-speaking farmers.

Join NCAT and the University of California, Santa Cruz to explore tools and strategies for a successful small farm. 

Live tool demonstrations will include a variety of walk-behind tractor implements and other innovative hand tools and machines for the small farm.

This event is FREE; coffee and lunch will be provided.

Register for the event at the NCAT website by clicking on the green RSVP box. 

As an Associate Community Member and Registered Trainer Organization of GLOBALG.A.P., CCOF is teamworking with GLOBALG.A.P. on offering various courses GLOBALG.A.P. courses this spring and summer. These include, among others: a full review of the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA GFS v6 standard, as well as a full review of the GFSI Recognized GLOBALG.A.P. Post-Harvest Facility Food Safety Certification: Produce Handling Assurance (PHA v1.2). A few courses will be offered that specifically look at the differences between commonly utilized GAP standards explicitly focused on food safety and the GLOBALG.A.P.