Organic and transitioning farmers can find themselves misunderstood and underserved in the crop insurance system, as their practices, rotations, transition and certification processes are not widely understood by the agents serving them and can conflict with Risk Management Agency requirements. Noah Wendt (A&W Farms, IA) and Seth Kroeck (Crystal Spring Farm, ME) share their experiences with crop insurance.

From the Noble Research Institute, this factsheet introduces the Haney soil health test — a USDA-adopted tool developed by USDA-ARS researcher Rick Haney — that measures microbial activity and nutrient availability beyond standard N, P, and K testing. It covers sampling procedures, key measurements including soil respiration and organic carbon/nitrogen ratios, and how results guide fertility decisions and reduce input costs.

Join Mike Bronkema (Shady Side Farm, MI) and Dakota Moore (Moore Family Farm, MI), two farmers, as they demystify some of the challenges they faced when transitioning their operations to organic.

This USDA factsheet outlines federal requirements for certified organic livestock production. It covers animal welfare standards, prohibited substances, feed requirements, and disease prevention and treatment protocols. It also details ruminant pasture standards — including a minimum 120-day grazing season and 30 percent dry matter from pasture — and highlights environmental and animal health benefits of organic management.

Join the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) for a Seeds of Success: Farmer to Farmer Networking Session and learn from three organic farmers as they address their top non-production challenges. The session features three organic farmers: Amy Van Scoik (Frog Song Organics, FL), Pam Mack (L Marie LTD, OH), and Anna Jones-Crabtree (Vilicus Farms, MT).

This guide, produced by Brian Baker, Brigid Meints, and Patrick Hayes of Oregon State University, examines organic and naked (hull-less) barley production through producer surveys, interviews, and economic analysis. Despite barley's rotation and soil health benefits, economic barriers — particularly limited markets and low prices — constrain adoption.

Join the Foundation for Agricultural and Rural Resources Management and Sustainability (FARRMS) for a discussion with Nic Podoll (Rodale Institute) about the path to organic certification. Learn about regulations and recordkeeping and get answers to common questions surrounding the certification process.

This guide, produced by ATTRA NCAT, covers harvest timing, fruit quality assessment, disease management, postharvest handling, and marketing for high tunnel table grape production. It highlights research showing that high tunnels significantly improve yield and reduce disease pressure, and identifies niche direct-to-consumer markets where locally grown table grapes can command premium prices.

Join Jen Skoog of Family Roots Farm for a webinar discussion on how organic farms can prepare for tax filing season. Learn about balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and debt to asset ratios used to assess your farm's financial health.

This tipsheet, produced by ATTRA NCAT, reviews botanical control options for leaf miners, covering quassia bark, chili pepper extract, neem, and walnut leaf tincture. It summarizes research on each botanical's effectiveness at killing larvae or deterring egg-laying adults, and provides practical preparation guidance, offering growers low-risk alternatives to synthetic pesticides for managing this widespread crop pest.

Join Jen Skoog of Family Roots Farm for Part II of her ‘Farm Finance’ webinar. In this webinar, learn how to create enterprise budgets and how to use partial budgets to aid in farm decision making.

This guide, produced by ATTRA NCAT, explains how microbial inoculants — including rhizobia, mycorrhizae, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and endophytes — work to enhance soil health and plant productivity. It reviews the gap between promising greenhouse research and inconsistent field results, identifies key factors limiting effectiveness, and offers practical recommendations for selecting, applying, and supporting inoculants.