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September 2024 e-News
Promoting local, organic food and farming.
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Become a vendor
We are looking for all kinds of vendors to showcase their products. Tabling is only $100 and NOFA-NY Certified Organic operations receive complimentary space!
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Thank you to our Farm Fest '24 Sponsors! | | |
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Farm Aid 2024
Saturday, September 21 @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs
Farm Aid works year-round to build a system of agriculture that values family farmers, good food, soil and water, and strong communities. Their annual music and food festival celebrates farmers, eaters, and music coming together for change.
NOFA will be an exhibitor in the HOMEGROWN Village alongside other food and farm groups from across the country. Learn more here.
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Organic Flower Production: Seed, Planting Stock, and Moveable High Tunnels
Wednesday, September 25 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm
@ Treadlight Farm 5941 US-209, Kerhonkson, NY 12446
Treadlight Farm specializes in growing certified organic ornamental plants and cut flowers. Come learn from the best, as they do an exceptional job of sourcing and producing organic seed and planting stock, and catch a glimpse into their season extension with moveable high tunnels.
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Organic Fruit Production
Wednesday, October 9 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm @ Fishkill Farms, 9 Fishkill Farm Rd, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
Co-hosted with Mid-Hudson CRAFT, come learn about organic orchard production and what it is like to maintain a split operation. We’ll start with a tour of the farm and finish with a social hour hosted by NOFA-NY.
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Farmer's Forum
Every Tuesday from 3:00 - 4:00 pm via Zoom
Every Tuesday afternoon, we host a technical assistance call in hour! Bring your questions to our Education Team for an open discussion. Handling questions are welcome, too!
Technical Assistance is available to all producers, regardless of participation in our programming or Organic status. In addition to joining the Farmer's Forum, you can always contact our Farmer Helpline at farmerhelp@nofany.org or call 607.724.9851 x175.
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NOFA-NY's 43rd Annual Winter Conference: Request for Proposals
Share your knowledge with hundreds of farmers, food system professionals, educators, advocates, researchers, homesteaders, and gardeners who are passionate about building a better food system! You can also suggest a presenter or a topic you would like to learn more about.
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NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC | |
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Cost-share assistance covers a percentage of organic certification expenses. Certified operations, including handlers, may receive up to 75 percent of their certification costs paid during the program year, up to $750 per certification scope or category.
Producers may apply for OCCSP reimbursements through their local Farm Service Agency office, the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets.
The deadline to apply is October 31, 2024.
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Welcome new NOFA-NY Certified Organic Staff! | |
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Kelly Christensen has joined NOFA-NY Organic, LLC as a Certification Specialist. Kelly is a certified organic farmer and worked for NOFA as a Certification Specialist in 2019-2020. Her family farm produces hay, grass fed beef, lamb, eggs, and a little bit of vegetables. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies. When not working, Kelly likes to dote on her pets and hunt for fossils with her son.
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Ann Sharpe has also joined NOFA-NY Organic, LLC as a Certification Specialist. Ann (she/her) is a vegetable enthusiast who relocated to the Northeast a year ago and is thrilled to have an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities in her backyard. Since 2016, she has been gaining experience on farms across the country, with her most recent position at Denison Farm, which operates a 400-member CSA serving New York’s capital region. Ann is eager to deepen her understanding of organic certification through NOFA-NY. Beyond her professional life, she enjoys cooking, backpacking, dog behavior, practicing yoga, and actively participating in her community. | |
NOFA-NY Policy & Advocacy | |
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NOFA-NY 2025 Policy Resolutions
Thank you to those who joined the first policy resolution discussion in August! Your participation in this process helps build a strong public policy voice for organic farmers and eaters! We are working on drafting policy positions related to organic dairy, payments for ecosystem services, consumer organic education, support for aspiring farmers, and nutrition assistance.
Members are invited to join our second discussion on September 26, from 7:00 - 8:30 pm E.T. on Zoom (RSVP here). At this meeting, we'll refine the draft resolutions and decide which to advance for the Board of Directors' approval and a full membership vote.
Reach out to Katie with any questions or to get involved at kbaildon@nofany.org.
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New Report Shows Major State Agencies Violate NY Climate Act
Top-funded agencies, including the Departments of Health, Education, Transportation, and Empire State Development are failing to uphold the NY Climate Law’s climate and equity mandates.
A new report from NY Renews and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest offers immediate and concrete policy recommendations to the Governor, the Comptroller, and State Agencies to meet the demands of the Climate Act. Read the report here and tell Governor Hochul that we cannot let another year go by without implementing the Climate Act.
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Fall National Organic Standards Board Meeting
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meets in spring and fall each year to discuss topics and materials of importance to the organic community. This October, the Board will discuss organic compost production, inert ingredients in organic approved pesticides, and organic seed usage (among many other topics).
Do you have ideas you want to share? Join the Organic Farmers Association (OFA) workgroup and sign up to share a public comment at the fall NOSB meeting!
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Transition to Organic Partnership Program | |
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The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) seeks participants for the fall cohort of mentorship. If you are considering becoming certified organic, please check out this program for free guidance in your transition!
Interested participants can apply via the links below, or email our TOPP education lead, Teddy Tomao at ttomao@nofany.org. Transition mentorship is free, mentors are paid, and we would love to work with you!
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There is additional funding for Long Island Farmers! Funds are available to assist in reimbursing farms during their initial year of organic certification. Additionally, a 1-on-1 mentorship program and a series of events across the island are part of this initiative. | |
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Engaging in Community Science & Practice from Maine to South Carolina
Get financial support and technical assistance for implementing farming practices that store carbon and build soil health.
More New York State farms are signing on each week to be a part of the Climate-Smart Farming & Marketing Program! The program offers financial and technical support for farmers who want to implement practices such as agroforestry, cover cropping, prescribed grazing, and reduced tillage. Farmer participants will help measure the environmental benefits of these practices, and we’ll help them educate customers to grow informed consumer demand.
Please submit interest on the Climate-Smart website.
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NOFA-NY's Farm Share Program | |
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Our Farm Share Program provides New Yorkers access to fresh, local food via discounted Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares.
We would like to extend a big thank you to all the farms who participated in the 2024 Farm Share season. Garden of Eve, Kingfisher Farm, Sang Lee Farms, Thorpe's Family Farm, and Wander Creek Farm - we appreciate the work you put into growing nutritious, delicious, organic produce for our communities, as well as your commitment to advancing food access in New York!
We look forward to expanding this work for the 2025 season, as well as continuing our partnership with Seven Valleys Health Coalition to help bring food security to central NY through free CSA shares in the Cortland area.
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September is Organic Month!
Organic Month is an annual campaign that takes place throughout September to promote the benefits and importance of organic farming and products. The initiative aims to raise awareness about organic agriculture, which emphasizes environmentally friendly practices, such as avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, promoting biodiversity, and maintaining soil health. Read more from the Organic Trade Association.
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Re-Imagining Receiving Seeds from Fruition
“We are showered every day with gifts, but they are not meant for us to keep. Their life is in their movement, the inhale and the exhale of our shared breath. Our work and our joy is to pass along the gift and to trust that what we put out into the universe will always come back.”
- Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
Read here about how our friends at Fruition Seeds are changing up seed distribution.
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Amanda David, a Black herbalist, educator, and founder and primary land steward of Rootwork Herbals, the People’s Medicine School, and the Jane Minor BIPOC Medicine Garden, needs our financial support to relocate to a safer and more supportive environment in the face of relentless racial harassment and threats from her neighbor, since moving to her property in southeast Ithaca in 2020. This ongoing hostility has not only endangered her family but also disrupted the vital work of Rootwork Herbals, which is dedicated to providing herbal medicine education and access to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC).
Amanda's story has been shared by various media outlets.
A wonderful piece was created by the Black Entertainment Network, for their Black Land podcast, please take a listen here.
New Amsterdam News, the oldest Black run newspaper in New York City also wrote an article found here.
Syracuse.com recently ran an update to their original story, which can be found here.
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Agriculture Energy Assistance
NYSERDA has programs to help farms become more energy efficient and profitable.
- Agriculture Energy Audit Program (AEAP): This program offers NY state farmers no-cost energy audits to help identify energy efficiency opportunities on their farm.
- REAP Technical Assistance Program (RTAP): This program has been designed to assist farmers at no-cost to make applications to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). If awarded, farmers can receive up to 50% of the total project cost.
- Energy Best Practices for Agriculture: The best practices have been developed to help educate producers with energy-efficient technologies, how they function, the average cost, and the average payback in years.
To learn more about these programs and eligibility, click here or call 800.732.1399.
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Record funding for Soil Health, Climate Resilience, and Agroforestry Projects!
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has announced the latest round of Climate Resilient Farming funding available for on-farm projects.
Whether you have a specific project in mind or are interested in exploring opportunities, reach out to your county Soil & Water District office now to get started.
Prescribed grazing, cover crops, conservation tillage, irrigation, soil and water management structures, riparian buffers, tree planting, manure management, and many more projects are eligible for funding.
NYS County Soil and Water Conservation Districts can apply now on behalf of farmers for these competitive grants.
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Several NY Counties have been designated Natural Disaster Areas
This designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.
Impacted Area: New York
Triggering Disaster: Tornado, Hurricane, High Winds, Flash Floods, Excessive Rain and Hail from 07/10/2024-07/16/2024
Application Deadline: 4/14/2025
Primary Counties Eligible: Cortland, Erie, Lewis, Ontario, Seneca, Tompkins, Wyoming
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
New York: Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Genesee, Herkimer, Jefferson, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Wayne, Yates
More Resources
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
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Erie, Wyoming, Madison, and St Lawrence Counties FSA Accepting Emergency Conservation Program Apps
Erie County is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from a tornado. ECP signup began on August 12, 2024, and end on September 11, 2024.
Wyoming County is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from severe high winds. ECP signup begins on August 14, 2024, and ends on September 23, 2024.
Madison County is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from severe storms, excessive wind and rain, flooding and hail from August 5, 2024 through August 9, 2024. ECP signup begins on September 4, 2024, and ends on October 4, 2024.
St. Lawrence County is accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to address damages from severe flooding from Tropical Storm Debbie. ECP signup begins on September 3, 2024 and ends on October 2, 2024.
For more information on ECP, please contact the Erie County FSA office at (716) 652-1400, ext. 2, or Wyoming County FSA office at (585) 786-3118, ext. 2, or Madison County FSA office at (315) 824-9076, ext. 2 , or St. Lawrence County FSA office at (315) 386-2401, ext. 2 or visit farmers.gov/recover.
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The Natural Farmer
The Natural Farmer is the newspaper of the Northeast Organic Farming Association TNF covers news of sustainable agriculture and the organic movement nationally and internationally, and especially those from the seven NOFA-chapter states.
The Spring issue on The Clever Farmer: Evolving Markets is now posted on the TNF website.
We are looking for content and stories highlighting farmers of color for the winter issue. Please email info@nofany.org with any articles or ideas. Thank you for your contributions!
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Farm Planning for Agroforestry
September 6-9
@ Ramble On Farm, Trumansburg
Who is the Full Program for?
- Those who directly manage 5 – 500+ acres
- Those who produce crops and/or run livestock commercially
- Those who are planning to integrate trees into an operation, or have already
What you will come away with:
- Holistic decision making approach for your farm & direct advisory for a farm plan
- Detailed strategies and tactics for farm infrastructure (water, fencing, forestry, and production)
- How to choose tree crops, the cost/benefits, long term management, and sales & marketing of those crops
- Actionable steps on how to fund your long term farm plan
Friday, Saturday and Sunday farm tours only also available. Free to attend.
Learn more and register here.
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Northeast Cover Crops Council Short Webinar Series
Wednesdays weekly through October 23 from 12:00 - 12:30 pm via Zoom
This short webinar series features various topics related to cover cropping. Register for one or all! Includes time for Q&A.
Click here for registration and further details.
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Tioga County Summer Pasture Walk
Thursday, September 12 from 1:00 to 3:30 pm @ Troyer's Farm, 696 Honeypot Rd, Candor
Topics to include parasite management w/ grazing small ruminants, record keeping, pasture rejuvenation, winter management, and stockpiling forages. Learn more and register here.
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On-Farm Community Composting Workshop
September 20 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
@ The Cook Farm, 189 Ragged Lake Rd, Owls Head
This workshop is designed for farmers on all scales to learn about establishing or enhancing a community composting program. The workshop will consist of a tour of our farm’s composting infrastructure, a panel discussion, a catered lunch, and a networking session. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Register here.
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Pasture and Silvopasture Soil Health
Tuesday, September 24 from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm
@ Backbone Farm and Ramble On Farm, Trumansburg
Join us to learn how two Finger Lakes farms strive to increase the resiliency and profitability of their soils and operations through a suite of regenerative practices, such as establishing multi-purpose trees, silvopasture, cropland conversion to pastures, and bale grazing. This event is part of the 2024 Soil Health and Climate Resiliency Field Days, offering valuable insights and hands-on demonstrations to enhance soil health.
Details and registration can be found here.
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Demystifying Succession Planning for Organic Dairy Farms
The 24th Annual NODPA Field Days
September 26-27
@ Nichols Volunteer Fire Hall, 106 West River Road, Nichols
The 24th Annual NODPA Field Days will focus on Demystifying Succession Planning for Organic Dairy Farmers. This year's event is designed to address unique challenges in transferring organic dairy farms. Attendees will benefit from a comprehensive agenda featuring farm tours, expert insights, and personal stories from farmers who have navigated or are currently navigating the succession process. Key topics will include the emotional and practical hurdles of farm transfer and the financial challenges for organic farms posed by limited federal support, market instability, and low returns. This event aims to provide valuable perspectives and strategies to help farmers make informed decisions and manage the transition effectively.
Click here to register today!
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Stockmanship & Stewardship
October 25-26 @ Agriculture Discovery Center on the Fairgrounds, Hamburg
During the event, producers can become BQA certified, qualify for FARM Animal Care Stockmanship continuing education, network with fellow producers, participate in hands-on demonstrations, and learn innovative management techniques.
For more information, complete agenda, fees and to register, visit the Stockmanship & Stewardship Website.
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Check out our classified listings!
Please check out the variety of employment opportunities along with land, equipment, and services for sale since last month's eNews.
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