CCOF Blog

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Written by Adrian Fischer on Lunes, Octubre 26, 2020

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As part of a broader effort to increase organic farming, CCOF has partnered with Anheuser-Busch and their Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold Contract for Change program to provide financial support for farmers during the critical phase of transitioning to organic. We are honored to introduce you to Organic Transition grantee Dr. Portia Fulford of Organpi Farms in Selma,...

Written by Jane Sooby on Lunes, Octubre 26, 2020

CCOF’s proposal to add an Organic Transition Option to the California Healthy Soils Program was stymied on  October 15 by the panel that advises the secretary of food and agriculture on the program. Instead, the panel approved a recently submitted recommendation from the California Farm Bureau Federation to establish a new program that would provide funding for farm planning.

Due to the strain on the state’s budget caused by the pandemic, there currently is no funding for the Healthy Soils Program. If CCOF’s proposed Organic Transition Option, originally presented to the panel in...

Written by Guest Blogger on Lunes, Octubre 19, 2020

The first “gigafire” in  California  in decades, a single wildfire has reached a stunning size of more than 1 million acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. This record-breaking fire has destroyed homes, farms, and farmlands, and has displaced families and animals from their habitats. A community in the direct path of these angry wildfires is our fellow organic farmers, who already operate on razor-thin margins. This has been an extraordinary year with  organic farmers being hit with twofold challenges: first from the COVID-19 pandemic and now the...

Written by Noah Lakritz on Lunes, Octubre 19, 2020

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting applications for the second round of funding for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) through December 11, 2020. CFAP 2 features a new payment structure and simplified application process that will likely benefit many organic producers, including those ineligible and those that qualified for little relief in the first round of funding.

Farmers and ranchers are eligible to apply for CFAP 2 regardless of whether they received a payment from the first round of CFAP funding. In addition to increased payments for many...

Written by Shawna Rodgers on Lunes, Octubre 19, 2020

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CCOF Foundation Visionary-level supporter Patagonia has long championed environmental causes and is now turning its attention, voice, and financial support toward supporting organic agriculture. In 2019, Patagonia Action Works, which...

Written by Adrian Fischer on Lunes, Octubre 19, 2020

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As part of a broader effort to increase organic farming, CCOF has partnered with Anheuser-Busch and their Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold Contract for Change program to provide financial support for farmers during the critical phase of transitioning to organic. Are you interested in transitioning your farm to organic? Apply by November 27 for your own $5,000 grant to help you make the transition....

Written by Laura Mathias on Lunes, Octubre 19, 2020

Advertise with CCOF and access your target audience. But hurry, space goes quickly! From full-color publications to targeted online media, CCOF's resources appeal to all parts of the organic sector, from producers to suppliers to consumers. Our publications serve as long-trusted sources of information on organic farming and food production.

CCOF certifies the majority of California’s organic agriculture and is active in 46 states and four countries, including Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. We represent over 4,000 CCOF-certified organic producers and, as a member-driven,...

Written by Guest Blogger on Lunes, Octubre 19, 2020

Are you interested in planting hedgerows of native plants on you farm, but aren’t quite sure how to get started? The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is currently offering free consultations and free plants to California farmers interested in planting hedgerows on their land. 

Whether you are looking to provide habitat for beneficial insects such as pollinators, predators, and parasites, establish a windbreak, or plant a vegetative buffer at the edge of your property, NCAT can help you select the most appropriate plants for your hedgerow and give you tips on...

Written by Cassidy Carmichael on Martes, Octubre 13, 2020

The FDA has proposed a new rule to lay the foundation for full food supply chain tracking. Once the rule is finalized, additional traceability records will be required for specific foods and ingredients, including cheese, eggs, nut butter, cucumbers, fresh herbs, all leafy greens, melons, peppers, sprouts, tomatoes, tropical tree fruits, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, and others. Review the proposed rule and  comment by January 21, 2021.

Written by Meaghan Donovan on Lunes, Octubre 12, 2020

Join the CCOF Foundation on October 20 for a webinar that highlights how to create beautiful displays with pre-packed produce that draw in customers and keep them moving through your farm stand or farmers’ market stall. Then learn about various sustainable packaging options for produce growers who sell directly to consumers.  

Jamie Collins of Serendipity Farms will start off the webinar by reviewing basic design principles for produce displays that catch the consumers’ eye and draw them into the stand. Then hear how she has adapted  her stand display in light of COVID-19...

Written by Shawna Rodgers on Lunes, Octubre 12, 2020

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While organic farmers and producers may not have celebrity endorsements at the forefront of their minds during the coronavirus pandemic, consumers are listening closely to every word of their favorite actors, athletes, and artists they follow. More brands are joining forces with well-known and well-followed celebrities to endorse their organic products...

Written by Adrian Fischer on Lunes, Octubre 12, 2020

Want to take your farm forward and transition to organic? Maybe you’re already practicing organic methods and need that final incentive to get certified. Now is your chance to lessen the financial challenge of transition by applying for a $5,000 grant to help you make the transition to organic. 

Organic agriculture can sustainably feed us while promoting public health and prosperity. Communities across America should look to transitioning to organic agriculture as a tool to tackle the key challenges of our time: climate change, economic inequality, and heath inequity. The science...

Written by Meaghan Donovan on Lunes, Octubre 12, 2020

The CCOF Foundation is trying out something new. After the broadcast of our Sustainable Produce Packaging for Farms that Sell Directly to Consumers webinar on October 20, we will offer a limited number of 20-minute private marketing consultations via Zoom with our webinar partner and farm marketing consultant, Jamie Collins of Serendipity Farms. Collins can provide consultation to farms that sell at farmers’ markets or other direct-to-consumer outlets on the following topics:

               – farm stand design and display

               – social media engagement

...
Written by Guest Blogger on Martes, Octubre 6, 2020

With many people working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we increasingly display the backdrop of our lives during business meetings on Zoom. No matter how we try to put our best faces forward, it is inevitable that your home life will now slip into your work, like your kid coming over to discuss their bodily functions while you are in the middle of an important meeting. Whether we try to hide it or not, life is messy! Everyone can relate as we adapt to our new COVID-19 reality. 

Transparent marketing is a relatively new concept that aligns well with our current moment where...

Written by Jane Sooby on Martes, Octubre 6, 2020

Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 406, the Health Care Omnibus Bill, into law last week. Authored by California Senator Richard Pan, the bill includes a section that repeals the requirement for organic processors and handlers to print their California organic registration number on all transfer documents including bills of lading and invoices. 

Concern about this requirement was raised to the Processor Subcommittee of the state’s organic advisory board, the California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC), earlier this year by another accredited certification agency because...