Organic Farmers Association

We're excited to announce the election of our newest Governing Council and Policy Committee leaders. This is the fifth term of leadership elected since OFA’s creation for and by organic farmers to represent their policy priorities in Washington D.C. For the 2025 leadership term, 18 Governing Council and Policy Committee Members were elected or reelected to serve organic farmers. The new leadership will officially take their positions during OFA’s Annual Meeting and Farmer Fly-In in Washington, D.C., in March 2025 where OFA members gather to advocate for policy changes that will benefit organic farms and farmers across the U.S. Please join OFA in welcoming and congratulating OFA’s newest leaders. ?? ?? Midwest Governing Council Farmer Seat: Jenn Halpin, Dickinson College Farm, Carlisle, PA ?? North Central Governing Council Farmer Seat: Matthew Fitzgerlad, Fitzgerald Organics, Glencos, MN ?? North Central Policy Committee Farmer Seat: Russell Olson, River Valley Organics, Inc., Garner, IA ?? Western Governing Council Farmer Seat: Steve Ela, Ela Family Farms, Hotchkiss, CO ?? Northeast Governing Council Organization Seat: Katie Daildon, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) ?? Southern Policy Committee Farmer Seat: Steven Beltram, TendWell Farm, Asheville, NC A full 2025 leadership roster can be found on OFA’s website. https://lnkd.in/e4BS65yU #organicfarming #organicleaders #farmpolicy #farmbill

Next week on December 3, 2024, OFA's Premium Sponsor Bluestone Life will match every dollar donated up to $5,000 for Giving Tuesday. That means a $50 gift becomes $100 or a $250 contribution becomes $500. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to support organic farmers and shape policy in 2025, and grow the organic farming movement for a healthier future. Mark your calendars and please consider supporting OFA on Giving Tuesday.

Organic Cost Share Must Be Protected! The organic certification cost share program (OCCSP), a vital resource for organic farmers, relies on the Farm Bill for authorization every five years. Because OCCSP is a very small program, cost share does not have “permanent baseline” funding status. When the 2018 Farm Bill was extended last November, the extension was crafted in a way that preserved funding for cost-share and other so-called “orphan” programs—programs without mandatory baseline funding. If the current Farm Bill is again extended, provisions must be included so that cost share funding is maintained. ?? Take action today and urge your Senators and Representatives to fight for organic certification cost share. https://lnkd.in/eTxSNXGk

The fall National Organic Standards Board meeting resulted in some new materials recommended for inclusion on the National List, changes to the compost definition, and items such as residue testing of imported grain and lessening the in-depth scrutiny on low risk operations under organic certification. Read a full recap in the most recent Organic Voice (Pg. 28). https://lnkd.in/e3_WcuTQ

?? BIG News! On Tuesday, December 3, Giving Tuesday, OFA's Premium Sponsor Bluestone Life will MATCH DONATIONS up to $5,000 to jumpstart OFA's important policy and advocacy work in 2025! If you’ve been thinking about donating to OFA this year, mark your calendars to double your impact on Giving Tuesday!

Urge Your U.S. Senators to Support the WEATHER Act ?? This season has brought unprecedented extreme weather events. Current federal crop insurance options do not cover many small, diversified, and organic farms impacted by disasters such as Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Withstanding Extreme Agricultural Threats by Harvesting Economic Resilience (WEATHER) Act of 2023 (S. 3401) is a bill that calls for the development of an index-based insurance policy that would better support farmers facing income losses after extreme weather events by reducing administrative hurdles and ensuring that insurance payouts are based on agricultural income losses. The policy would likely function similarly to the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Insurance program which provides financial payments to farmers quickly after a disaster. Send a message to your Senators asking them to include the WEATHER Act in the upcoming Farm Bill! (And spread the word!) https://lnkd.in/eXZbFgeg #OrganicAgriculutre #FarmBill #OrganicFarmers #ExtremeWeather #CropInsurance

The Equity Learning Cohort learning exchange for organizations is accepting applications until Dec. 1, 2024! The cohort will intersperse learning sessions with planning and practice. At the end of the learning exchange, your team will have actionable next steps for your journey for equity and racial justice in your work, and strong relationships with several other organizations working on their own next steps. ?? Applications due December 1. https://lnkd.in/dRgaZCbc #Organic #TeamDevelopment #DEI #Agriculture

?? OFA's November policy update includes news from our Policy Director on the election and change in leadership, how to support the WEATHER Act and organic cost share, and more info for organic farmers and supporters. Read it now! https://lnkd.in/eWWFAu87 #OrganicPolicy #FarmBill #OrganicAgriculture #AgriculturePolicy #FoodPolicy

The last Organic Voice magazine issue of 2024 is out! ?? This issue of The Organic Voice—the digital magazine for organic curious, transitioning, and organic farmers and supporters across the U.S.—centers on resilience. Whether that's resilience in the way of challenges you've overcome this year or the strength you've built up for the future, we assembled this edition to reflect and recharge for the months ahead. Here's what’s inside: ???? Farmer Mental Health Resources ?? Organic Resilience Through Co-Ops ? Farmer Resources for Natural Disasters ?? NOSB Fall 2024 Meeting Report Get your copy now! https://lnkd.in/egFtqmvp

I'm excited to be moderating a panel tomorrow for @NationalFamilyFarmCoalition (of which Northeast Organic Farming Association of VT (NOFA-VT) is a member) about how farmers and organizers all around the country are handling record consolidation right now. We'll begin with an intro from 'Barons'?author Austin Frerick , who?will discuss how a handful of companies, led by massively powerful modern-day “Robber Barons,” have managed to seize control of the food we eat—at the expense of independent farmers, consumers, and the environment.? We'll hear also from amazing farmers and organizers including:? Barb Kalbach?from?Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement?(Iowa CCI) Duron Chavis?from?Agrarian Trust Kenya Abraham?from?Community Farm Alliance It's a time of massive, global corporations seizing all the power they can-- but people everywhere are challenging?corporate?control by pushing back in their communities and by building visionary alternatives. I'll be sharing our experiences from Vermont, where we've lived through massive corporate consolidation with the abrupt pullout of Horizon when it was acquired by Danone, dramatically impacting small, organic family farmers as well as the communities those farms anchor and feed. Together we can stand up to corporations for people and the planet. Another way is possible. We have folks registered all over the nation and from many other countries already. I hope y'all can join us: whether you're a farmer, or just a person who cares about staying fed and the planet thriving-- if you care about democracy and people and land, if you care about a just future, this is for you! (Link to register in comments.) #justtransition #peopleandplanetoverprofit #vermont