This guide, produced by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), helps certified organic and transitioning produce farmers understand wholesale pricing. It covers four pricing strategies, tools for estimating market prices, how prices are determined across wholesale relationships, and best practices for communicating prices to buyers — accompanied by a Competitor Price Comparison Spreadsheet and tutorial videos.

Navigating the organic certification process can feel complex and overwhelming. With multiple certifiers across the country, growers are often left wondering: What are the differences between certifiers? Which one is the best fit for my farm? This workshop will bring together representatives from CCOF, Oregon Tilth, Organic Certifiers, Real Organic Project, and Where Food Comes From for a discussion about organic certification.

Objective To test the use of trap boards and lures based on ammonia (ammonium carbonate and household ammonia) to concentrate squash bugs in a small area for monitoring or control. Although I received funding from the OFRF for just one year…

This handbook, produced by Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market, provides guidance for founding and operating a local food cooperative. It covers topics including business planning, managing operating expenses, inventory development, and farmer relations – drawing on Mohawk Harvest’s own founding experience.

Organic certification requires producers to maintain detailed records from seed to sale. While these records are essential for certification and inspections, they are equally valuable tools for any farm, providing important insights into a farming operation and helping fine tune farm businesses. This workshop introduces farmers to practical recordkeeping strategies that work for both certified and noncertified operations.

The use of straw mulch for the suppression of the Colorado potato beetle (CPB) on potatoes has been demonstrated (Zehnder and Hough-Goldstein, 1989). It was suggested that to eliminate the cost of purchasing and transporting commercial grai…

Market channel selection is as important as production decisions for the small to medium sized fruit and vegetable operation. This publication, produced by Cornell University Cooperative Extension, is a decision-making aid for new farmers and for those considering marketing through a new channel. The guide focuses on describing the marketing of fresh-market produce.

This workshop highlights two Western SARE research projects aimed at enhancing sustainable agriculture in California. Jesse Trace of Traceland Ranch (Cayucos, CA) will discuss his work on implementing rehydration/restoration practices to increase water infiltration and crop production, and Alex Palmerlee of Far View Ranch (Bangor, CA) will talk about how grazing management can aid in natural oak recruitment as a landscape-scale solution.

This publication outlines direct marketing channels and strategies for organic producers. It covers CSAs, farmers markets, u-pick operations, farm stands, restaurant sales, farm-to-school and institution programs, agritourism, and online marketing — providing an overview of each channel's advantages, startup considerations, and resources to help farmers develop effective single or multi-channel marketing strategies.

Cover cropping is an excellent soil health practice that improves water infiltration, builds organic matter and soil structure and provides nutrients to crops. Join the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) to learn about the best practices for planting a cover crop, and how to optimize the use of planting equipment in your management system to grow successful cover crops.

This publication provides an introduction to farm direct marketing and explains how organic farmers can sell directly to customers at near-retail prices. It covers advantages including price control and immediate payment, challenges such as increased risk and added business responsibilities, and guidance on niche marketing — identifying products that meet specific consumer needs and differentiate the farm in the marketplace.

Join the Midwest Organic Center team for a comprehensive overview of using cover crops in a row crop system. This webinar will cover some benefits and challenges of using cover crops and dive into some basics like planting, termination, and equipment. We will also discuss selecting species for a diverse mixture, livestock grazing, and share relevant data from the MOC’s Diverse Systems Trial.