CCOF Blog

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. 

Mas and his family grow delicious organic peaches, nectarines, and raisin grapes in…

In the past 50 years since CCOF’s founding in 1973, research about organic has come a long way. We now know that the benefits of organic our founding members believed in so fiercely are backed by scientific data to have a measurable effect on the wellbeing of our planet, communities, and economy. 

Interested in digging deeper into the research on organic? Read our Roadmap to an Organic California: Benefits Report for more details and a robust list of references so you can explore the science yourself. 

Will you join us in choosing organic and supporting the multifaceted…

Sign up for Zero Foodprint’s Compost Connector program to receive $10 off per ton on your next compost purchase of up to 550 tons from an approved facility. 

To receive your reimbursement, begin by filling out an application on Zero Foodprint's website. After signing a contract, you will gain access to an online portal where you can start a claim to reserve compost discount credits. Use code FALLCOMPOST in your claim form to unlock a $10 per ton credit. This code is valid while funding lasts. 

Zero Foodprint launched Compost Connector in response to California Senate Bill…

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.

Mas and his family grow delicious organic peaches, nectarines, and raisin grapes in California’s Central Valley. Mas’ most well-known book, Epitaph for a Peach, explored the complexities of maintaining high-quality, heirloom fruit varieties in an era when convenience and the ability of fruits to be shipped are more highly valued…

California congressman Sam Farr and Mark Lipson in the early days of creating the organic standards.

The Rodale Institute, a progenitor of the organic movement in the United States that built the scientific underpinnings of organic production, awarded Mark Lipson (CCOF’s first paid employee) the Organic Stewardship Award in a ceremony held at the Rodale research farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. 

Grounded by his home base at CCOF-certified Molino Creek Farm in Davenport, California—renowned for their dry-farmed organic tomatoes—Mark worked at CCOF from 1985 to 1993 and was…

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. 

Event Information:

Date: October 7, 2023
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: 1700 Old…

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

SOE Education Series Webinar: The Ins and Outs of Fraud Prevention Plans & SOE Requirements 

Join OTA's Trusted Advisors for a discussion on fraud prevention and how to approach Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) implementation in your supply chain on Thursday, September 28 at 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT.

The SOE final rule supports the continued growth of the organic market…

Farm tour of Vang Farms, photo by Molly Nakahara

On the outskirts of Merced, California, tucked in between acres of feed corn and walnuts, is an oasis of crop diversity, a 15-acre farm growing over 30 crops for local markets. Owner–operator Latsamee “Mee” Moua shares that her business, Vang Farms, is known at the farmers’ market for having unique, often hard-to-find crops beloved by Southeast Asian communities. From okra grown for its tender, edible leaves; to jicama, the nitrogen-fixing legume grown for its crunchy tuber and towering trellises of sem beans, their pungent flowers…

California Small Agricultural Business Drought and Flood Relief Grant Program is providing relief to small agricultural businesses that experienced a decline in annual gross receipts or gross profits due to drought or flood conditions. 

Follow this link for Drought Relief and follow this link for the Flooding or Winter Storm Relief. 

Accepting applications now for both drought and flooding! 

APPLY NOW!

Eligibility Requirements for Flood Relief

An applicant must meet this program’s definition of a “qualified small business” to be eligible to receive a…

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.

Join office hours any and every Tuesday, 11 a.m. to noon 
Zoom link: https://ccof.zoom.us/j/81895267381
Meeting ID: 818 9526 7381

Check the CCOF calendar for…

Dr. Brian Hogg at the USDA in Albany, California, is seeking sites for research on a parasitic wasp that was recently found attacking bagrada bug eggs in California. 

Bagrada bug numbers have been low at existing study sites this year, and researchers would be interested to learn about any infestations in California. This is the time of year when bagrada bug numbers usually start increasing in cole crop fields. High numbers may also be found on weeds, especially shortpod mustard and perennial pepperweed. Please report any cole crop fields or weed patches that are infested with…

Attention OTA Members! 

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has announced additional resources to support the organic community as we prepare to meet the new Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Rule. You can read more about these resources in the re-post below. 

Not an OTA member? 

Don’t worry! CCOF has free resources to support you through this process, and more are on the way! You can use CCOF’s Organic Certification Self-Assessment to better understand how the rule applies to uncertified operations. CCOF-certified clients may also use the Exempt Handler Affidavit to…

 
The National Organic Program has released the agenda for the upcoming National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Meeting, which will be held October 24–26, 2023, in Providence, Rhode Island.

The NOSB is a federal advisory board that makes recommendations on organic standards and materials to the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture. The fall NOSB meeting is when votes are taken on whether or not to remove materials from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. All materials on the National List are reviewed for continued listing every five…

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. They will be selling local produce, including fresh fruit, vegetables, and eggs.

AAFC is currently engaged in a planning…

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA’s) Urban Agriculture Grant Program is a one-time only competitive grant that will fund programs and projects that enhance the viability of agriculture in urban areas across the state of California. 

Urban agriculture refers to the cultivation, processing, and distribution of agricultural products in urban settings, including things like in-ground small plot cultivation; raised beds; vertical production; warehouse farms; mushroom growing; urban forestry and tree care; community gardens; rooftop farms; hydroponic, aeroponic,…