The Future of Organic: Welcoming Farmers 10:30-11:45 A.M.

Moderator: NATHANIEL LEWIS Senior Crops and Livestock Specialist, OTA

CATHY CALFO Executive Director / CEO, CCOF

SARAH BROWN Education Director, Oregon Tilth

BRITT LUNDGREN Director of Organic and Sustainable Agriculture, Stonyfield Farm

All Things Organic Conference presented by

The Future of Organic: Welcoming New Farmers

All Things Organic Conference September 18, 2014

Future Organic Farmer Grant Fund

Growing the next generation of organic farmers.

The Fund: A First-of-its-Kind Collaboration Among Organic

Industry Leaders

Why?

• Epidemic shortage of farmers in the United States

• Aging farmer population • Demand for organic far

outstripping supply • Gap in support for

organic educational programming

$50,000 Awarded in 2014

• K-8 grants available through Agriculture in the Classroom

• High school grants disseminated through Future Farmers of America

• Ten $2,500 direct grants through the CCOF Foundation

2014 Higher Education Grant Award Recipients

• 10 recipients chosen • $2,500 direct grant toward each

recipient’s educational expenses in organic agriculture

Higher Education Grant Recipient: Eliza Milio

University of California Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) Farm & Garden Apprenticeship

Eliza’s goal is to operate her own farm with a connected restaurant. She says: “Restaurants hold the unique capability to not only support organic farms and provide jobs in the kitchen, but also to educate a wide audience of eaters about organic, healthy food and social justice.”

Higher Education Grant Recipient: Fernando Mendez

Columbia Basin College, Crop & Soil Sciences Undergraduate Student

Fernando’s goal is to become an organic farmer to, as he says: “Produce the best quality of food without the use of synthetic fertilizers and to protect and regenerate our land.”

2014 K-8 Agriculture in the Classroom

Grant Award Recipients

• 10 recipients chosen • Up to $1,000 to apply toward classroom

projects on organic agriculture

K-8 Recipient: Toyon Middle School Organic Pizza Garden

Toyon Middle School, San Andreas, California

• Plant, grow, harvest, and bake organic pizzas in their organic school garden

• Learn about organic gardening practices

• Research the organic regulations and give presentations on organic practices

• Learn what organic products are available in local stores, and encourage their families to buy organic.

K-8 Recipient: Ode to Organics

Pacific Coast Charter School, Watsonville, California

• Make charts and diagrams comparing organic and conventional farming

• Pick produce at a certified organic farm

to dehydrate and store for healthy eating year-round

• Write poetry or short essays to the

public to raise community awareness in about the benefits of organic farming.

Future Farmers of America Supervised Agricultural Experience Grant Partnership

• 10 Grants of $1,000 to

high-school aged students • Grants distributed nationally

on a competitive basis • Projects must focus on

organic production methods

2015 Fund Goal: At least $100,000!

Double Our Impact

Thank you!

Transition to Organic A Shared Effort

John Foster Oregon Tilth

March 14, 2007

Sarah Brown Education Director

Oregon Tilth

All Things Organic

September 18, 2014

Understanding Transition

• Partnership with the National Young Farmer Coalition

• National needs assessment/survey • Development of a producer self-

assessment guide

Transition to organic is a shared effort.

NOP Certifiers

Support Services Investors

& Lenders

Farmers Processors

Consumers

Transition to organic is a shared effort.

NOP

SCBG SARE OREI

Hummingbird

Wholesale Amy’s Kitchen

Organically Grown Co.

Glory Bee Foods

UNFI Foundation Clif Bar Family

Fdn Farm Aid

McKnight Fdn

Government Industry

NGO

We believe knowledge bridges the gap between problems and solutions.

Transitioning Farmer Network

• 11 farms • >800 acres • Field days • Webinars • NRCS • Extension • Cert staff

Investing in organic transition has economic

and environmental benefits.

Organic Market Analysis

Opportunities

Production Limitations

Supply Gaps Infrastructure Barriers

Investment Strategies

USDA NRCS

• Oregon Tilth-NRCS contribution agreement

• Organic technical assistance

• EQIP Organic Initiative

EQIP Organic Initiative • Conservation-related technical and financial

assistance – Crop rotation – Cover crop – Nutrient management – Prescribed grazing, fence, watering facilities – High tunnels

• Available to transitioning and certified producers • 20k annually and 80k per contract • Organic System Plan (OSP) support

We believe problem solving is a collaborative

process.

Sarah Brown Education Director

sarah@tilth.org

The Future of Organic: Welcoming Farmers at

Wolfe’s Neck Farm Britt Lundgren

Stonyfield Director of Organic and Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture by the numbers in Maine

# of dairies: declined from 500 in 2000 to 300 today # organic dairies: declined from 68 in 2012 to 60 today Land in farms: increased by 8% from 2007 to 2012 Total # of farms: stable from 2007 to 2012 Maine ranks third in the nation for growth in the number of new/beginning farmers: 36% more between 2007 - 2012

The Future of Organic: Welcoming Farmers

Questions?

All Things Organic Conference presented by