CCOF Blog

Esta página aún no está disponible en Español.
Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, July 17, 2023
Image
cow in field

The University of California, Davis has partnered with University of Minnesota, University of Maryland, and The Organic Center to present findings on the food safety and soil health impacts of cover crop grazing for fresh spinach and cucumbers in organic systems. 

The free webinar on July 26 at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT will provide attendees with an understanding of how grazing of cover crops in fresh vegetable production systems can be implemented  in three different climates: humid coastal, humid continental, and semi-arid. Register online!

During the webinar, you'll…

Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, July 17, 2023
Image
soil in hands

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce availability of approximately $4 million of grant funding for its Healthy Soils Demonstration Program.

The program funds projects that showcase California farmers and ranchers implementing established and emerging soil health practices. These projects create an opportunity for local communities to visit and observe soil health practices in action and understand how those practices can translate to their own operations. The program also funds data collection on soil health and/or greenhouse gas emissions…

Written by Jane Sooby on Monday, July 17, 2023
Image
vermont

Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Vermont is collecting donations for its Emergency Fund to support farmers in the state who have experienced unprecedented flooding. Over 40 farms have reached out to NOFA-Vermont to report losses already.

Heavy rains inundated city streets and turned farm fields into lakes. News media quotes the state agriculture secretary as saying millions of dollars in crop losses are expected, with many farms incurring losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The state of Vermont has a page of flood resources for farmers and ranchers…

Written by Larissa Hernandez on Monday, July 17, 2023
Image
Bricmont

The Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund has a long history of giving grants to organic producers recovering from natural disasters and other difficulties. To support our organic community more quickly and effectively during times of hardship, the CCOF Foundation is switching from biannual application periods to accepting hardship assistance applications year-round! 

By updating to a rolling application period, the Foundation will be able to support operations more quickly after hardships such as drought or flooding occur. We continually strive to provide a streamlined and equitable…

Written by Larissa Hernandez on Monday, July 10, 2023
Image
Tools

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. 

Please note any dietary restrictions during RSVP. 

Please contact Omar Rodriguez with any questions at omarr@ncat.org. 

DATE
July 26

Written by Larissa Hernandez on Monday, July 10, 2023
Image
seedling

American Farmland Trust, one of the CCOF Foundation’s partners, is providing grants of $10,000 to “assist farmers in successfully launching, growing, and sustaining farms in the face of forces impacting the food and agricultural system.” 

Please see details below or here for additional information, or click here to apply. 

Application deadline is July 15, 2023 11:59 PM (EDT).

Brighter Future Fund 
2023-2024 Grant Guidelines 

PURPOSE 
American Farmland Trust (AFT) is excited to announce the Brighter Future Fund (BFF) to assist farmers in successfully…

Written by Rebekah Weber on Monday, July 10, 2023
Image
CA flag and capitol

California Assembly Bill 408—the Climate-Resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond Act of 2024—was passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee on July 3, 2023. The bill, which is authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) and Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), proposes a $3.4 billion bond to fund programs that support resilient agriculture and healthy food access in California.

The bond would be used to fund projects in four areas:

Resilient agriculture—funding for farmers to transition to organic, emergency relief for underserved…
Written by Gaea Denker on Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Image
Cannabis leaf

The California State Fair takes place July 14-30, 2023 in Sacramento, California. CCOF will be hosting a display and booth on July 14-16 at the California Cannabis Exhibit in Expo Center Building 6. Come see us!

You won't want to miss hearing from CCOF’s Caitlin Slay when she speaks on July 16 at 2:00 p.m. in Expo Center Building 6 about whether cannabis can be organic. Slay will explain the history of the OCal program, what it means to be an OCal cannabis producer, and key requirements OCal producers must meet to become certified. She will also give an overview of how the well-…

Written by Gaea Denker on Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Image
marijuana plant

With over 250 submissions representing some of the finest cannabis and cultivators throughout California, CCOF is especially glad to congratulate three of our OCal certified producers who won 2023 awards:

Organic Medicinals – Gold Award, Outdoor Category Sonoma Hills Farm – Two Silver Awards, Outdoor Category Lake’s Own - Silver Award, Outdoor Category

Read through the full list of award winners.

OCal certification is a comparable-to-organic program that ensures cannabis operations meet standards that are consistent with the National Organic Program (NOP). While there are…

Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, July 3, 2023
Image
horses in field

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has contracted with Crowe LLP (Crowe) to conduct a regulatory alignment study. As part of the study, Crowe is evaluating food safety and water quality regulatory requirements overseen by CDFA, California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), and State Water Resources Control Board (Water Boards) as part of an effort to streamline the administrative processes and optimize information collected by the state. 
 
Crowe values stakeholder input in identifying opportunities to streamline food safety and water quality…

Written by Guest Blogger on Monday, July 3, 2023

Written by Aaron McAfee, CCOF Fresno/Tulare Chapter President

I have excellent news to deliver, straight from the local organic legend himself, the great Tom Willey. 

Tom shared with us that Fresno State has officially announced the hire of Dr. Sangeeta Bansal for the position of Professor of Soil Health at California State University, Fresno. 

The goal of bringing organic agriculture into Fresno State has been ongoing for the CCOF Fresno/Tulare Chapter since the chapter leadership under Dwayne Cardoza and Vernon Peterson recognized that this would be a huge step…

Written by Rebekah Weber on Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Image
latkes

A good meal is transformative. The light crunch of a fried latke smothered in tangy applesauce roots me in my cultural inheritance and branches me outward. Preparing this salty–sweet comfort food, I get to know local growers at the farmers’ market and appreciate each season’s bounty. My organic potatoes and apples regenerate soil and water health and safeguard against harmful pesticides. Good food grounds us in our bodies and connects us to the people and world around us. As a good meal unites eaters with farmers and nature, nourished communities listen more honestly, deepen self-awareness…

Written by Jane Sooby on Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Image
Farmer in field

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will open the organic certification cost share program to applicants beginning June 14, 2023. Application materials may be found online at the CDFA website. CDFA will only accept applications submitted by mail or email. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2023.

This year, organic certification cost share offers reimbursements at the original levels of 75 percent of eligible expenses up to a maximum of $750 per scope. Scopes are crops, wild crops, livestock, and processing/handling.

In addition, certified organic…

Written by Jane Sooby on Monday, June 12, 2023
Image
farmer in field

To mark Mental Health Month this past May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships sponsored a series of webinars focused on aspects of mental health for farmers, ranchers, and other rural folk. 

Topics covered include the following: 

Farm Stress and Suicide Prevention Veteran’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Rural Mental Health Matters Farm Stress and Suicide: Faith, Place, and Community Health LGBTQI+ Mental Health in Rural Communities

The webinars offer a proactive approach to mental health and include…

Written by Jane Sooby on Monday, June 12, 2023

National Organic Program Deputy Administrator Dr. Jennifer Tucker provided an overview of organic compliance and enforcement during CCOF’s At-Large Chapter meeting on June 7. The meeting was held via Zoom and a recording may be viewed on CCOF’s YouTube channel. 

Invited by meeting hosts—Andrea Davis-Cetina of Quarter Acre Farm, Maryland, and Joe Kroll of Oklahoma—Dr. Tucker characterized the global organic control systems that are in place worldwide to ensure organic integrity and gave an overview of NOP’s activities. 

Dr. Tucker noted that a new goal area for the…