Fund Honors Memory of CCOF Founding Member Barney Bricmont
(January 12, 2015) Santa Cruz, CA – The CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) Foundation announced today the awards of its 2014 Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund, which offers financial assistance to organic farmers across North America who have incurred losses due to natural disasters including fire, hurricane, drought, and pesticide drift. The fund was re-named last year in memory of one of CCOF’s founding members, Barney Bricmont, an early certified organic producer of salad greens on the California Central Coast.
This year, CCOF awarded 30 hardship assistance grants to organic farmers who suffered a range of catastrophic events during 2014.
“The Bricmont Fund is the only direct hardship assistance available to organic producers,” said Cathy Calfo, Executive Director of the CCOF Foundation. “Through this fund, CCOF’s farmer-based leadership inspires the organic community to pull together to support each other in times of dire need.”
Organic producers received grant awards ranging between 200 and several thousand dollars. Awardees included those hindered during 2014 by historic Western drought conditions. Livestock producers in particular were severely impacted by drought conditions that increased feed costs due to a lack of grazing grass.
Hurricane Odile also caused substantial damage to organic producers in Mexico. High hurricane-fueled winds tore down high-tunnels full of organic bell peppers and tomatoes, and rains brought flood waters and mud that covered farm fields. Several operations lost substantial infrastructure to fires. Barns burnt to the ground, scorching years of stored feed, and flocks of chickens perished inside of them.
Donations to next year’s fund may be made to the CCOF Foundation Bricmont Fund at 2155 Delaware Avenue, Ste. 150, Santa Cruz, California 95060 or online at www.ccof.org/foundation. Donations to the CCOF Foundation are deductible for income tax purposes (tax identification number 30-106255).
About CCOF
CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1973 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest third-party organic certifying agencies. CCOF certifies, educates, advocates, and promotes organic through:
- A premier organic certification program for growers, processors, handlers, and retailers
- Programs to increase awareness of and demand for certified organic product and to expand public support for organic agriculture
- Advocacy for governmental policies that protect and encourage organic agriculture
- A dynamic foundation dedicated to investing in the future of the organic movement
CCOF certifies more than 2,700 organic operations in 41 states and four countries.
For further information on CCOF visit: www.ccof.org
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