Organic Growers Farmer Field Day: Production Methods and Labor Management with H-2A Recap Blog

By Paul Sorah

Paul Sorah is Georgia Organics‘s Climate Smart Agricultural Specialist

On March 11, 2024, Georgia Organics hosted an H-2A Employee Management Practices Farmer Field Day at Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain, GA as the final installment in the Winter Farmer Series. Attendees enjoyed a farm tour from owners Jenny and Chris Jackson as they discussed farm operations, production methods, and labor management in relation to their newly hired H2A employees. In addition, a representative from AgWorks, a masLabor company, presented a detailed overview of H-2A employment guidelines and how their company, as an H-2A agent, can help navigate the complex government processes involved to secure reliable, seasonal labor.  

Jenny Jack Farm Tour on Production Practices 

About an hour southwest of Atlanta, you’ll find Jenny Jack Farm, in lovely Pine Mountain, Georgia. Jenny and Chris Jackson, along with their three H-2A employees produce a diverse variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers on six acres of cultivation. A mix of field production, caterpillar tunnels, high tunnels, and a climate-controlled greenhouse allow year-round production that keeps their loyal CSA and on-farm store customers happily stocked up through each season. Chris and Jenny pride themselves on feeding the local community, and rightfully so, as all of the food produced is sold within 30 miles of the farm. A 300-member CSA drives the majority of their revenue along with an on-farm market and a few restaurants to fill the gaps. After eighteen years of farming, the duo has experienced the full gamut of the undeniable grind the business bestows, but they feel they’ve found a new sweet spot, in large part due to the pursuit of the H-2A employer program. 

Entrance to Jenny Jack Farm. Photo by M.F. Espinoza

A cold, clear morning welcomed attendees as coffee cups were filled, and folks gathered around a fire to mingle and settle in. Chris and Jenny were already busy making flower bouquets destined for a local grocery store. The work never really stops, so it was quite gracious of the two farmers to give the group so much time and insight into their operation. Chris kicked off the farm tour with a walk through a field of newly planted greens, lettuces, turnips, spinach, onions, garlic, and carrots. Different crop planting methods were discussed including direct seeding, hand transplanting, and paper pot transplanting. Chris noted that the paper pot transplanter system is a real asset in efficiency for turnips, spinach, and scallions. The strawberry crop was close by and had just been weeded, then tucked back under row covers to protect the early flowers and fruits. The use of frost cloth (1.5 oz+) over the plants allows for delicious, ripe strawberries three - four weeks earlier than with uncovered plants and are a real treat for their customers anxiously awaiting these seasonal highlights.  

Views from the field. Photos by M.F. Espinoza

When farmers talk production, an inevitable topic is weeds. Especially in organically managed systems, this is a critical, make or break aspect of an operation that requires efficient execution to ensure successful crop health and yields. Very often, field and weed maintenance is done by hand but sometimes, as is the case with Jenny Jack Farm, mechanical methods of field cultivation are used. Chris gave a valuable look into his systems for weed management on the farm showing attendees their go-to-tool for field cultivation—the Farmall tractor. Using different belly-mount attachments based on crop type, size, and spacing, these tractors have wide tire spacings, open bottoms, and allow the operator to straddle the planting rows or beds while the in-row cultivation action is right under their feet with a clear view. Other implements can be mounted on the rear 3-point hitch to assist with walkway and tire tread cultivation.  

Silage tarps are also used around the farm to create stale seed beds for direct seeding and transplanting. These large, heavy-duty, plastic tarps are white on one side and black on the other. The field is prepared for planting, and the tarps are laid on the ground and weighed down with rocks or sandbags. With the black side facing up, the sun will heat the soil to much higher temperatures than they’d naturally maintain forcing weed seeds to germinate. With the high temperatures and lack of sunlight, the newly germinated weeds will die off, creating a clean canvass to plant or direct seed into within 2-3 weeks of use.  

Not to be forgotten, cover crops also play a key role in the soil health development and weed suppression system on the farm. While cover crops protect the soil from elemental exposure and erosion, they also work to feed the soil and suppress weeds. As the cover crops grow in size, ideally their canopy will shade out unwanted weeds and outcompete with them for nutrients. Then as cover crops mature and they are terminated and acclimated into the soil, the nutrients that they’ve foraged in their roots and foliage are released back into the soil. By using silage tarps in this process on top of the integrated cover crop, Chris and Jenny are able to accelerate the cover crop breakdown timeline once acclimated in the soil for more readily available nutrients needed in the cash crops to follow. Long handle cultivating tools and hand weeding still have to be implemented as needed.  

Chris spoke to how important consistent carrot crops are to their revenue and customer satisfaction but acknowledged what a fight weed pressure can be in production. He has successfully integrated a flame weeder that’s primarily homed in the carrot production system. On top of the other weed management steps, the flame weeder is used on the seeded carrot beds just before carrot seed emergence. The propane powered flame weeder is rolled over the bed and burns out weed seeds that have popped up before the carrots. Although this does not eliminate future cultivation steps in the crop, it does allow the carrots a head start to establish a quality stand.  

Silage tarp applications around the farm. Photos by M.F. Espinoza.

Season extension plays a vital role in the Jenny Jack Farm model. By using various models and sizes of tunnels, they can push crops early and late. Crop consistency is considered a key driver in the farm’s high-retention rate for the CSA. By knowing what items their customers want, they can leverage protected growing spaces to meet the demands outside of the traditional season expectations. Lettuce and arugula are grown year-round for this reason. The tunnels provide the warmer climate needed in the winter to maintain production while low-tunnel shade structures are used in the field during the heat of summer. PVC pipe is used to make hoops over the beds, shade cloth is secured over top, and with the micro irrigation sprinklers work together to cool the soil, air, and plants underneath. At the time of the field day, overwintered scallions, chard, lettuce, kale, and an assortment of other greens were vibrant in the tunnels. The houses will transition into tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers for spring and summer production.  

Of note, Chris mentioned a research project the farm is participating in that is trialing a full coverage shade cloth on a high tunnel as insect netting for growing a late, non-pollinating cucumber. The early results are impressive as he praised and credited this system for his first high-yielding late cucumber crop with no pickle worm problems, which are typically detrimental to gourd production in the fall in this region.  

Different tunnels used in production at Jenny Jack Farm. Photos by M.F. Espinoza. 

The farm’s production diversity was on display as Chris led the group through their fruit crops including elderberries, blueberries, Asian pears, Japanese persimmons, and figs. Local, organically grown fruit is a hot commodity in any market and their customers are no different. Finding fruits that work in this specific climate can be a bit tricky. Not far enough south for the premium peach production climate and too far south for consistent, quality apples, so Jenny and Chris have gotten creative with what works on their farm. Most of the fruit is sold fresh to eat but the elderberries are used to make tinctures and juice. This provides a niche item that has good shelf life for a value-added income stream. The elderberries are pruned down hard every year but grow back with vigor.  

Chris Jackson talking about the fruit trees and a close up of pruned back elderberries. Photos by M.F. Espinoza.

Next, the tour made its way to the nursery greenhouse where Jenny gave a deep dive on the transplant and microgreen production. Tight succession planting and healthy plants are essential to maintaining the production demand for Jenny Jack Farm and this is Jenny’s wheelhouse. The nursery is equipped with an evaporative cooling wall, propane heaters, vent fans, germination chambers, and automation for temperature control and irrigation. These features allow for ideal climate conditions for optimal germination and plant growth. This component of the operation ensures that planting dates are on schedule and crop production is steady. Having predictable crop lists and availability windows helps with clear communication and expectations for their CSA subscribers.  

Microgreens are another year-round offering from the farm that provides a consistent product and revenue stream. Jenny shared with the group her inventive use for growing trays with microgreens. Instead of the typical shallow, plastic 1020 tray, she uses aluminum, perforated baking pans for the soil trays and an accompanying solid aluminum baking pan for the bottom water tray. This concept makes for a much sturdier growing tray that is essentially a one-time investment. Although more expensive on the front end, their ease of use, handling, cleaning, sanitizing, and efficiency in storage make this modification worth a consideration to anyone producing microgreens. Jenny is using a Dirtkraft potting mix and Vermont Compost for transplants and microgreens. She has used other soil products previously, but two sources are the go-to in the nursery. Aside from growing transplants specifically for cash crop production, Jenny Jack Farm does an annual plant sale in the spring. This is an added layer to the responsibilities of nursery management but the injection of cash-flow early in the season makes this a worthwhile venture. 

Jenny Jackson detailing the nursery management practices at Jenny Jack Farm and a close-up of some beautiful transplants. Photos by M.F. Espinoza.

On Farm Labor and Solving the Ongoing Need for Labor Problem with the help of másLabor and AgWorks 

The success at Jenny Jack Farm is not a stroke of overnight luck. Eighteen years in the farming business is a feat in itself; the trials and adaptations have allowed Jenny and Chris to continue forward. They had no start-up capital in the beginning and fought through adversity every step of the way. At the ten-year mark, they reevaluated their business and made the decision to reinvest their earnings in the infrastructural improvements needed for the business to grow. A proper deer fence, walk-in coolers, and a wash pack house were added to the property. Still, this didn’t solve everything as they were both admittedly near the end of their rope coming into the 2023 season.  

Backside of the wash pack building at Jenny Jack Farm. Photos by M.F. Espinoza. 

Just as weeds will eventually become a topic of conversation in any room of farmers, so will labor. The cost, quality, availability, and consistency of good farm labor is a glaring issue in most farming operations. It’s not an indictment on the individuals, but it’s really hard to make the investment into labor truly profitable. Chris and Jenny knew a bit about the H-2A program and the incredible results of the labor but thought it was more geared towards large, commercial farms. After doing some more research they reached out to an H-2A specialist at AgWorks and másLabor and soon came to realize that it was possible to get a contract together for two seasonal H-2A employees. By working with their agent, Chris and Jenny put a plan in place and executed all the necessary steps to become eligible H-2A employers. In 2023, their two new employees arrived and exceeded all expectations. Their entire outlook on the future of the farm changed drastically. They were able to arrange contracts for the same two employees back at the farm again for the 2024 season. In addition, the employees referenced their cousin, and a contract was set up for him to join their team. H2A employees must be paid a special rate of pay, provided safe and clean housing, and guaranteed a certain number of work hours. Additionally, they have rights related to transportation, wages, and other protections. 

After the farm tour, the group gathered for lunch in the wash pack house. During lunch Chris and Jenny took questions from attendees about H2A employment and labor management. Details were provided on housing, transportation, labor costs, contract processes, and working relationships with AgWorks. Chris had high praise for the new farm employees. Even though there’s a language barrier, as long as the task is taught clearly and the expectations are laid out, the job is done right. The employees were professional, did not require constant micro-management, worked with intuition, took initiative, and often requested more hours.  

Once the farmer Q&A wrapped, a representative from AgWorks presented for the group.  

AgWorks and másLabor Services 

As an H-2A agency with 20+ years of experience and employees with a background in labor and agricultural services, AgWorks, along with másLabor, help farm employers in all 50 states utilize the H-2A system. By having dedicated specialists and a support team for each farm, they are able to understand the unique needs and demands of the operation and navigate the complex government H-2 process. As a compliance-based agent, the services do not stop once workers arrive. AgWorks will help with required government notifications, unforeseen circumstances that may impact the season, and government requests associated with audits and investigations.  

A user-friendly communication system breaks up the program requirements into smaller pieces and relays information that clients need one step at a time. AgWorks coordinates with competent and ethical worker facilitators who provide comprehensive services related to the recruitment and coordination of international workers. The presentation finished with Q&A and networking before concluding the field day. 

AgWorks presentation on the H-2A program. Photo by M.F. Espinoza.

WE’RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH GEORGIA FARMERS  

Thank you to Chris and Jenny Jackson of Jenny Jack Farm for your hospitality, insights, and valuable time on this awesome field day! 

To learn more about Jenny Jack Farm, visit www.jennyjackfarm.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram 

For more information on AgWorks, visit www.agworksH2.com. 

For more information on masLabor and to see if H2A is right for you, visit https://www.maslabor.com/ 

To learn more about Georgia Organics visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.   

To learn more about our Georgia Organics Farmer Services programming, check out our website farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org.  

Want to keep up to date on future farmer-focused events, farmer resources, updates, and news? Join our monthly e-newsletter, the Grower News, for all the latest! Sign-up HERE. 

This work is supported by the BFRD program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Building Resiliency on Georgia Farms Farmer Field Day Recap Blog

By Kimberly Koogler 

Kimberly Koogler is the Community Collaborations Manager at Georgia Organics 

All photos taken at the Farmer Field Day at Gilliard Farms by Don Panicko

On November 19 Georgia Organics hosted Building Resiliency on Georgia Farms, a Farmer Field Day centered on strategies for Georgia farms to adapt to, bounce back from, and proactively prepare for severe weather-related events. In the midst of planning for the Field Day, Hurricane Helene left many Georgia farms along its path damaged and searching for resources, underscoring the importance of emergency preparedness. Remnants of the devastation were everywhere as the Georgia Organics team arrived in Southeast Georgia for the event.   

The field day took place at Gilliard Farms in Brunswick, a 50-acre family-owned farm run by siblings Matthew and Althea Raiford. Dedicated to sustainable agriculture, the farm produces high-quality, locally-grown heirloom vegetables, fruits, and herbs using environmentally-friendly methods. In addition to farming, Matthew and his wife Tia run Strong Roots 9, an agritourism and value-added venture focused on nourishing the mind, body, and soul through food, products, and experiences. Strong Roots 9 explores African American foodways, reviving ancestral practices, and reconnecting communities with nature.  

After providing a scrumptious breakfast consisting of homemade sweet cream biscuits, sausages and sautéed peppers, local jams, andouille butter, and hot coffee, Matthew and Tia shared some of the history of the land, their families, and their journey to becoming the renowned and beloved CheFarmer power duo that they are today. Matthew’s great great great grandfather, Jupiter Gilliard, who grew up enslaved in South Carolina, bought the land in 1874 and it has been in the family ever since.  

As Matthew and Tia led attendees on a walking tour of their farm, they shared how they approach business sustainability by creatively turning what grows on their farm into value-added products, such as the specialty salt and sugar they make from their thriving Hoja Santa plant (aka “root beer plant”).  It was inspiring to see how much they can do with just a little bit of space.  Another example of their penchant for clever innovation was how they use the Spanish moss growing in abundance on their land as an eco-friendly packing material for shipping their value-added products. The 42 species of birds that dwell on their land ensure that the Spanish moss is free of chiggers and safe for this use. A few golden nuggets from their farm tour and talk included:  

• Being proactive in business planning, not reactive (on theme for the day’s content) 

• Thinking outside the box and being resourceful and innovative when considering how to get the most out of what you grow 

• Considering if every household in Georgia spent $10/week on local food, $21 million would flow back into the local economy 

After touring the farm, Laura Ney of UGA’s Cooperative Extension in Athens presented on how to manage and improve soil structure in order to be better prepared for severe weather events. Her passion for soil science and sustainable soil management was infectious. Key takeaways from her presentation touched on:  

• The need to focus on building or maintaining ‘good’ soil structure and considerations on what you can do to protect soil aggregates.  

• The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates and the porous spaces between those aggregates helps soil to either hold onto or drain water. Plants can only take up nutrients through water when there are spaces in the soil, so soil structure is extremely important.  

• When in doubt, cover the soil up. In other words, plant cover crops, such as crimson clover, buckwheat, sorghum sudan grass, hairy vetch, field peas, etc. 

• Reduce/minimize soil tillage 

• Reduce soil compaction 

Following Laura Ney’s presentation, Stuart Proctor of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) demonstrated the difference in water absorption between diverse soil conditions by using a rainfall simulator. Attendees watched as the rainfall simulator dispersed water over five different example patches of land—forest soil, rotationally grazed pasture, overgrazed pasture, field tilled and crop planted with black oats, and stripped, bare soil. The group observed these key takeaways:  

• The richest and best managed soils absorbed rainfall the best, whereas the water ran off the stripped, overworked, and overgrazed soils.  

• One of many problems with soil runoff is that fertilizers bind to the soil particles that run off and are therefore not available to crops.  

Stuart recommended the SARE book, Managing Cover Crop for Profitability to learn more about managing cover crops for improved soil structure and profitability.  

Next up, Bryan McQuary, of the Risk Management Agency (RMA) of the USDA covered crop insurance options and record-keeping practices tailored to mid-sized farms. RMA manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corportation (FCIC) which was initially formed during the Great Depression under the New Deal. Highlights from his presentation included information on:  

• Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, for any farm with up to $17 million in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock). 

• Micro Farm Program insurance plan, for any farm with up to $350,000 in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock). 

The biggest takeaway was that farms should pro-actively find an agent to get assistance and custom tailor coverage based on their anticipated needs.  

Last but not least, Rebecca Mixon of the UGA Small Business Development Center shared insights on alternative revenue streams to support financial resilience. A few of the questions she asked attendees to consider as they assess their own situation in terms of financial resilience were:  

• What special skills do you have that are related to your business? (highlighting these special skills are important) 

• What special skills do you have that aren’t necessarily related to your business that you could bring in? (there may be an indirect way these skills can contribute to your business) 

• Are there resources that you’re not currently utilizing that you could? (think about community connection, for example)  

• How many revenue streams do you currently have? (and how many can you sustain in a healthy way) 

The Farmer Field Day culminated in a spectacular lunch from Matthew and Tia that included a collard green salad with roasted butternut squash, roasted chicken, sea island red peas (a variety of heirloom cowpea that originated in the Gullah Geechee community of the Carolina Sea Islands), rice, and pickled vegetables while attendees mingled and connected with each other and the presenters before heading back to their farms. 

WE’RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH GEORGIA FARMERS  

Thank you to Matthew, Althea and Tia Raiford of Gilliard Farms for hosting us on the farm, inviting us into conversation, and teaching us about your operation. Thank you to Laura Ney, Stuart Proctor, Bryan McQuary and Rebecca Mixon for lending your expertise.   

To learn more about Gilliard Farms, visit gilliard-farms.com or follow them on Facebook (@gilliardfarm) and Instagram (@CheFarmerMatthew). 

To connect with any of the presenter at this Farmer Field Day email farmerservices@georgiaorganics.org. 

To learn more about Gilliard Farms visit gilliard-farms.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about Strong Roots 9 visit strongroots9.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.  

To learn more about Georgia Organics visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.   

To learn more about our Georgia Organics Farmer Services programming, check out our website farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org.  

Want to keep up to date on future farmer-focused events, farmer resources, updates, and news? Join our monthly e-newsletter, the Grower News, for all the latest! Sign-up HERE. 

Funding for this Farmer Field Day was provided by the Debley Foundation, Takeda US Philanthropic Giving Program, Arthur Blank Family Foundation, and Drawdown GA.  

Organic Trade Week and Repping Georgia on The Hill

By Lauren Cox, Lydia Hsu, and Michael Wall 

Lauren Cox is Georgia Organics’ Director of Farmer Services, Lydia Hsu is a Farmer Services Coordinator, and Michael Wall is Director of Farmer Advocacy 

Last month from May 14 - May 16, 2024, organic interest groups from across the US converged on Washington, DC for the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Trade Week to talk policy, climate change, nutrition, and creating a pipeline for young farmers within the organic movement.  

Georgia Organics’ Director of Advocacy, Michael Wall, along with Director of Farmer Services, Lauren Cox, and Farmer Services Coordinator (and lead on all things GO Organic!), Lydia Hsu, attended the event and debriefed the Georgia Organics staff upon their return. Here are some highlights from their visit to DC.  

Photo by Organic Trade Association 

Event Organization 

The first two days of the conference included attendee-wide sessions along with smaller “breakouts” for grain, dairy, poultry, ingredients (for value-added products like box cereal for example), oil seeds, pulses, produce, and export opportunities. Not many farmers were present at the event though there were a handful of larger farm businesses in attendance, including Earthbound Organics and a large Certified Organic dairy producer from the Midwest. Value-added companies like Annie’s and Once Upon a Farm were in the crowd along with small to midsized nonprofits, like Georgia Organics, and interest groups nationwide that serve certified organic farmers directly. A handful of other attendees included research-based institutions along with organic certifiers and state partners of the USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Georgia Organics is part of the Southeastern TOPP group and connected with some of these partners in 2023 when Atlanta hosted the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) annual meeting. 

Advocacy Day on the Hill 

The last day of the conference was spent out and about, speaking with members of Congress and their staff about the Farm Bill, organic growth in Georgia, and the needs of small- to mid-scale growers of all stripes in the state.  

What were your main takeaways from the conference?  

Lydia: I walked away with three overarching themes in my head: consumer education, regenerative versus organic labeling, and then specifically, a lot of dairy and poultry concerns about the avian flu spreading and what that means for organic producers.

Lauren: My main takeaways from the conference were that we needed more farmers in the room and that national policy ultimately trickles down to both farmers and Georgia Organics. Policy is not just some amorphous thing but rather explicit language that affects resources that directly support (or hinder) the local, organic movement. Policy and what is talked about and decided on in these rooms and conversations affect the work we do at Georgia Organics in getting resources and support to our farmers.   

Michael: I appreciated the national and international network that comes together when the Organic Trade Association (OTA) hosts this annual event. Even if our farmers’ sizes and markets are vastly different, we have a lot more in common that you’d think, especially when it comes to consumer education on organic and other sustainable ag practices, and agriculture’s importance in addressing the world’s climate crisis. 

Who attended the conference? Who was in the room? 

Lydia: From the beginning, when folks were asked to raise their hand and say who they were, you could see that a lot of the people in the audience were representatives of finished goods and products. There were some retailers, and then only a handful of farmers, probably 10 or less. It was interesting to be in that space because a lot of our work at Georgia Organics is so farmer-focused compared to the other side of the organic industry. I wasn't necessarily surprised, but it was intriguing to see the corporate-ness of organics and see a big company like General Mills and learn that they bought Annie's and Cascadian Farms. A Pilgrim's Pride representative was at my table. All in all, there were many groups with vested interest in the organic industry represented there. 

Lauren: It was interesting to go from two days of absorbing information and observing/inferring relationships of the folks in the room who have clearly attended the conference before, some year over year, to then going to Capitol Hill and paying our GA representatives a visit. It was cool to see the larger geography of the national and international movement in one room together, discussing the organic movement at large and then finally, to be able to talk about specific Farm Bill policy that affects our farmers with Georgia representatives for the last day of the conference. 

One of my main observations was that “organics” (as in “Certified Organic”) is a predominantly white space. It was pretty marked to me. I think there's a lot of work that can be done to be inclusive and expand the organic community, both at Georgia Organics and at the national and international level. I know Black and brown farmers are farming organically. They’ve just been left out of the conversation and the certification structure has barriers to participation and a history of exclusion that the USDA needs to address. 

Kaia Shivers the Black Farmers Index reminded conference attendees about the policing nature of the certification process and how it’s important to acknowledge this process affects diverse communities differently. Cultural sensitivity to this issue and the nuances around it would go a long way in calling folks into the conversation.   

It was also clear to me that there’s an opportunity (and a need) for more grassroots, farmer-centric organizations to be in spaces like that. Maybe next year we could organize a group to attend. 

Michael: This event space is frequently filled with reps from some of the largest food corporations on the planet, most of whom have acquired or launched organic brands as the organic marketplace continues its explosive growth. Rooms like that are populated with people who are primarily (but not solely) focused on profit, and also people who are driven by their passion for certified organic agriculture and organic farmers. Believe it or not, this forms a values-driven community and movement that is familiar to anyone who has been involved in Georgia Organics and our work. As Lauren said, the folk there are mostly white and not representative of organic farmers, at least as far as Georgia’s certified organic farms go.  I also know that staff members at OTA have been trying very hard to make Organic Trade Week more diverse, and I’ve seen some good progress in that regard over the years. 

Photo by Organic Trade Association 

Were there topics covered in the conference that you can bring back home to your work at Georgia Organics?  

Lydia (on consumer marketing and certification enforcement for integrity):  

I was able to draw comparisons with what people were talking about to our own work because these big companies have the same concerns as small, certified organic farmers have about consumer education and marketing here in Georgia. For them, there was more emphasis on the product side while for Georgia Organics, we’re more focused on how to help farmers educate their consumers at the farmers' market. There was this similar thread of discussion, like the inundation of consumer-facing labels and the kind of confusion that exists (in the market). Organics is one of only a few labels that has third-party enforcement and is legally defined by US law.  

Another thing that can and does affect organic farmers in Georgia is a new USDA organic regulation, the Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule, referred to as SOE. This was the first major change and update to organic regulations since the Organic Food Productions Act in 1990. This SOE rule creates stricter regulations for farmers importing ingredients or products, and there’s a lot more checkpoints for fraud than there were previously. The pros of this rule include strengthening the integrity of the organic label since there will be fewer products that are non-certified coming in and being labeled fraudulently as organic. The rule began to be enforced in March 2024 and within two months, 20 non-compliances were filed to certifiers. A lot of action and movement has already happened with this enforcement, and it increases the understanding of supply chain nuances because now companies have the regulatory excuse backed by the USDA to investigate where suppliers and vendors are getting their products and ingredients.  

One of the panelists at the conference noted that organic certifiers within different US regions were already in conversation with each other because of TOPP and the inherent nature of partnership in that program. Because these certifiers are already working with each other, they are better able to effectively implement the SOE rule. The timing on this is fortuitous since TOPP is happening in conjunction with the start of this rule’s enforcement.  

A consequence of the SOE rule is that this increased regulation will fall harder on smaller farms. One solution to this foreseeable problem is to have inspectors and certification specialists go through retraining to know how to implement this rule through a risk-based approach that’s appropriate for the farm operation. A risk-based approach would mean that a farm that moves $20,000 a year in organic product is assessed with a proportionate amount of risk and therefore scrutiny versus a farm that moves $2 million worth of organic product in a year. I’ve been hearing this conversation with farmers in Georgia and there’s a large concern that too many small-scale farmers are being put under the microscope for fraud, when it’s the larger multinational corporations that should be put under more scrutiny. 

Lauren (on market opportunities specifically for larger organic farmers):  

The grain, oil seeds, and pulses breakout session was super interesting. The three presenters talked about corn, sunflower seeds (for sunflower oil), and peas, as in pea protein. The conversation addressed  national and international trade issues, but I could 100% tie it back to some of our larger organic farmers doing work here in Georgia, especially in the Southeastern part of the state.  

First, I learned that most organic sunflower seed oil comes from Ukraine. As the war goes on, there’s a continued strain on the US market.  

I also learned that organic corn supplies in the US are pretty stable. In fact, the US may be self-reliant on organic corn in the near future, whereas the pea protein market is being flooded by China who is buying uncertified product from South America and then certifying it in China before shipping it into the US. This ties into the USDA’s integrity process on imports and exports and a need for further funding going towards enforcement.  

This ties into possibilities for the future of larger scale organic farming in Georgia because ultimately, the larger an organic farm gets, the more they’ll have to reach markets where national and international competition is taking place.  

Right now, and since its formation in 2019, the farmer-owned cooperative, Georgia Organic Peanut Association (GOPA), has continued to develop crop rotations that serve their larger format farmers, striking a balance between maintaining principles outlined and necessary for organic certification and the necessary efficiency and culture of larger scale row cropping in Georgia. One challenge has been to identify a range of additional crops to grow within their rotation while they’re not growing organic peanuts. I don’t know... what if Georgia peanut farmers grew organic sunflower seeds as a seed source for organic oil while they weren’t growing peanuts?  

The other question that came to mind was is there a way to organize ourselves so that Georgia farmers grow organic peas as part of feed for organic livestock? What if we’re able to address the certified organic animal feed issue in Georgia (the one where anyone who wants certified organic animal feed has to import it across state lines) by working with a company that makes animal feed with inputs coming directly from within Georgia? Could pea protein be the answer? It’s something that while sitting there, listening to the speakers, I thought about. 

Michael (on avian flu and food safety and market trends): 

I found the conversations on organic research and food safety to be particularly interesting and relevant for Georgia farmers, and not just organic farmers. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a huge deal, and I know it is the biggest fear for hundreds of poultry farmers in Georgia, and a huge concern for our friends at the Georgia Department of Agriculture. It is terrifying to think about what would happen to farmers and the state economy if that virus ever touched down in Georgia (knock on wood). Hearing how other states and what other poultry operations dealt with wasn’t necessarily encouraging, but I do believe it is better to be forewarned and forearmed when facing something so potentially devastating.  

The other topic that I’ve brought back for Georgia Organics staff, board, and farmers, is that consumer patterns show that organic consumption and purchasing is not slowing down any time soon. The evidence and market data show that consumer consumption of organic produce, crops, and products continues to grow, and the USDA’s Certified Organic seal is the most trusted label of all in the consumer food products space. That’s important intel for all growers, whether they are already certified organic, or thinking about organic certification. 

Photo by Organic Trade Association 

Where there any other themes or topics covered at the conference that Georgia farmers would be interested in? 

Lydia (on ‘regenerative’ vs. ‘organic’):  

Speaking specifically about the regenerative versus organic label – the conversation around “regenerative being beyond organic,” meaning regenerative practices being superior to what Organic requires was an interesting one. There was the acknowledgment that “regenerative” could also mean “just beyond conventional” as well. This might apply to farmers who are transitioning from conventional to organic. The question that was asked to the group was is “regenerative” the label for that transition period? And who is defining the label?  

It was brought up that there is a risk that corporations will co-opt the term; they co-opted “sustainable”, and because the cost is less to be regenerative than Organic, they could use it to greenwash their sustainability measures.  

On the flip side, during the poultry-specific breakout session, the farmers on the panel talked about unifying their efforts, and a question was posed, “How much money has been spent to educate consumers in splintered methods.” If we see regenerative as a threat, then that's only detrimental to organics. For example, part of the regenerative label is taking soil and biodiversity measurements, which isn't necessarily required by organics. Soil tests are recommended in organics, but not required. The bigger question then is…how does the industry need to evolve with the other labels to get more and more on the right track? The “regenerative” angle can challenge organics to have those values.  

Photo by Organic Trade Association 

Thursday, May 16th, Capitol Hill Visits 

The bookend to the Organic Trade Week Conference was a day spent visiting Georgia representatives on Capitol Hill.  

While Michael and Lauren did not end up meeting any Georgia representatives directly, they were able to share the priorities of Georgia Organics’ Farmer Members with their assistants, who often filter constituent requests and priorities up to their official representatives.  

Meetings took place at the offices of:  

• Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA03) 

• Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) 

• Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) 

• Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA02)  

• Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA08)  

Diving Into Questions from Georgia Organics Staff 

Alexis Chase (Executive Director): Why were there so few farmers? 

Lydia: I think my understanding was that the conference was marketed towards industry folks and corporations that have a relationship to the Political Action Committee (PAC) for “Organics.” I think because poultry and dairy farmers need to get their products processed, that’s why we saw those types of farmers at the conference. 

Lauren: I think what was interesting is that once you get to that scale (national and international), you really are aware of advocacy and politics to a degree that smaller farmers are not. When you’re that big, you must educate yourself on stuff that affects your business directly and perhaps to a larger degree than a smaller farmer. Of the farmers that were there, I thought, “Wow, you’re like a straight up businessperson but also a dairy farmer. You know your processors and how their business works, you know your sales outlets and how much it costs you to produce and can get into the nitty gritty on the business side of things.” 

Alexis Chase (Executive Director): So, it seems like what we often hear from farmers and other people is that production facilities are a barrier. For example, people can grow food but then how do you take it all the way home to get it to market if there’s no processing infrastructure, but like you said, organic systems must be completely segregated. How do they wash and pack? How do they hold things in cold storage? How do we help farmers with these packaging facility issues, especially if they don’t have the funding or capacity? It sounds like this is going to continue being an issue for farmers that we work with, right?  

Lydia: I want to clarify that a handler can be both organic and non-organic, there just needs to be an audit of a record keeping system in place. The handler must have a thorough cleaning process between handling non-organic products and organic products for them to be certified. This is usually the barrier - having the handler hold certification - and being willing to go through the process and submit paperwork to achieve certification. Most of the time these handlers work with their organic products first.  

Suzanne Girdner (Director of Programs): I know Michael has more to add to this conversation (he was out of the office the day of this briefing) but I think it’s worth it to have a blog post or some other form of communication around your experience at this conference. It’s helpful to illuminate these takeaways, bringing advocacy that can be so abstract to consumers and farmers into understandable conversations.  

Lauren: Agreed, Suzanne. When I was farming, I really didn’t pay attention to the Farm Bill to be honest. I was running a business where the margins are small. You’ve got a CSA, you’re grinding, and I really didn’t have any connection to advocacy whatsoever, so I think you’re right. And honestly, I still didn’t until this conference. I think more farmers should have the opportunity to attend! 

Meg Darnell (Farmer Services Coordinator): When we put together that RMI grant webinar I felt like the information we were going through was super helpful and that non-profits are the perfect fit for helping farmers to get grants and coordinate what could be many moving pieces. It’s a very important piece to this supply chain puzzle.  

Are you a current Certified Organic grower or transitioning grower in Georgia? Visit Georgia Organics’ GO Organic! page for cost-share and technical resources, along with more information on joining the Georgia Certified Organic Network (GCON).  

Interested in Georgia Organics’ Advocacy work? Visit https://www.georgiaorganics.org/advocacy to learn more.  

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.   

Trips to U.S. Capitol Lead Congressman to On-Farm Visit to Largest Certified Organic Farm

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is the Director of Advocacy at Georgia Organics.

(Left to right) Director of Advocacy Michael Wall, Farm Manager Logan Petrey of Grimmway Farms, and Rep. Austin Scott, vice chair of the House Ag Committee.

Over the past 12 months, Georgia Organics has traveled to the U.S. Capitol three times to argue for a more organic-friendly Farm Bill. On each of the trips, Georgia Organics brought along farmers who are active advocates for more support for small- to mid-scale sustainable growers. 

In all, Georgia Organics, along with farmers Russell Brydson of Narrow Way Farm in McDonough, Ga., Logan Petrey of Grimmway Farms in Lake Park, Ga., and Georgia Organics Board Chair CheFarmer Matthew Raiford of Gilliard Farms in Brunswick, Ga., have met with the following members of Congress, or their legislative staff: 

• Rep. Austin Scott, R-GA 8th District, Vice Chair of the House Ag Committee 

• Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-GA, Member of the Senate Ag Committee 

• Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, Ranking Member Senate Ag Committee 

• Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, Chair of the Senate Ag Committee  

• Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R- PA 15th District, Chair of the House Ag Committee Chair 

• Rep. David Scott, D-GA 13th District, Ranking Member of the House Ag Committee  

• Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-GA  

• Rep. Nikema Williams, D-GA 5th District 

• Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-GA 2nd District, Member of the House Ag and Appropriations Committees 

Almost all of the conversations were civil and respectful, with Congressional members and staff who are working hard for their constituents and the agriculture community. 

“One of our top goals during these meetings is to encourage members of Congress and their staff to visit certified organic operations in Georgia, to hear more directly from our farmers and observe their operations firsthand. ”

Georgia Organics, and the farmers with us, pushed for more support for organic and sustainable farmers, especially when it comes to safety nets and risk management, conservation programs operated by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the needs of farmers who are attempting to transition to organic certification. The trips to Washington, D.C., are made possible because of partnerships and support provided by the Organic Trade Association, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and funding provided by Organic Valley and Farm Aid. 

(From left to right) Farmer Julia Asherman of Rag & Frass Farm surveys crops with Sen. Jon Ossoff’s Legislative Correspondent Caroline Li and Legislative Director Anna Cullen.

One of our top goals during these meetings is to encourage members of Congress and their staff to visit certified organic operations in Georgia, to hear more directly from our farmers and observe their operations firsthand.  

Two such meetings occurred this Summer. The first was with hosted by farmer Julia Asherman of Rag N Frass Farm in Jeffersonville, Ga., where we met Sen. Ossoff’s Legislative Correspondent Caroline Li and Legislative Director Anna Cullen. 

The second on-farm meeting was held at Grimmway Farms with Rep. Austin Scott and farm manager Logan Petrey. Grimmway Farms, with facilities and acreage in Georgia, Florida, California, Washington, and Colorado, operates the largest certified organic farm east of Mississippi, and the largest certified organic carrot farm in the world. 

“The trips to Washington, D.C., are made possible because of partnerships and support provided by the Organic Trade Association, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and funding provided by Organic Valley and Farm Aid. ”

— Director of Advocacy for Georgia Organics, Michael Wall

The farm tours and discussions led to a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and promising economic opportunities that accompany certified organic production in Georgia. 

Most of the obstacles our farmers and ranchers face could be resolved with a Farm Bill that prioritizes soil health and recognizes the multitude of solutions organic farmers provide for battling climate change and preventable, health-related illnesses. 

Curious about our current policy priorities? Learn about the importance of the Farm Bill, as dictated by our farmers, here. 

To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching the handle @GeorgiaOrganics or Georgia Organics. 

Free Kaiser Bridge Health Insurance: A Retrospective and 2024 Open Enrollment

By Ain Chiké  

Ain is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics. She currently leads progress with connecting farmers and ag workers to Kaiser Bridge Health Insurance and is the creator and manager of the Georgia Organics Apprenticeship Program.

Farming is inherently hard work and managing risk becomes a daily practice. Farm owners who are part of the farm’s labor force cannot afford to take days off due to sudden illness or injury. The time away equates to loss of income and increased medical bills. The same is true of farm workers. In 2017, Georgia Organics partnered with Kaiser Permanente to bring metro Atlanta area farmers affordable healthcare under the Kaiser Permanente Bridge Healthcare Program.

The Kaiser Bridge Program supplies uninsured, low-income individuals and families with subsidized high-level health insurance. This program helps to “bridge” the gap for agricultural workers who do not qualify for Medicaid and find the monthly premiums of the Affordable Care Act burdensome.   

“...the coverage limit [of the program] has been expanded beyond the previous two-year coverage rule.  ”

Pictured above are some farmers felllowshiping at a tour of Woape Farm (woh-ah-pay) in Houston County. All attendees of our 2023 Georgia Organics Conference in Perry, GA were invited to chose from eight surrounding farms to tour before heading back home. Photo by Jenna Shea Photojournalism.

Since the program’s inception, Georgia Organics has helped over 50 farm owners, farm workers, and their qualified dependents receive healthcare. Our farmers have saved thousands of dollars on unexpected medical fees, follow-up care, and annual physicals. In some cases, participants who would normally ignore a lingering ache, progressive cough, or twisted joint, were able to schedule a visit at a Kaiser Permanente office to receive top tier medical care. This helped them get back on the farm in good physical condition and prevented their ailments from exaggerating.

“Former two-year beneficiaries are encouraged to re-apply through Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.”

LOVE IS LOVE COOPERATIVE FARM, Worker-owners from left to right: Joe Reynolds, Judith Winfrey, Demetrius Milling, Monica Ponce, and Russell Honderd. Photo courtesy of the farmers’ website.

One of our Farmer Members, Hanna Brown, a fifth-year farm worker and current part of the Love is Love farm crew, spoke about an often overlooked benefit of being in the program and insured when she stated that

“…being a part of the Kaiser Bridge Program has greatly improved my peace of mind. With as many healthcare concerns that could come as a direct result of farm work, knowing that I could easily and affordably receive healthcare has been an enormous relief.” 

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM? 

Eligible individuals: 

• Farm owners, farmer employees (this includes undocumented workers), agricultural contractors, those who work in forestry, those in a farm mentorship program, etc.   

• Live or work in Bartow, Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Lamar, Newton, Paulding, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, or Walton counties of Georgia. 

• Meet annual or monthly income requirements of the program. 

• Maintain membership with a Georgia Organics or SAAFON for the duration of enrollment.

PROGRAM UPDATES

Past participants and those familiar with the program should be aware that the coverage limit has been expanded beyond the previous two-year coverage rule.  

WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY

The upcoming open enrollment period will begin in Nov. 2023 and close in Jan. 2024. Former two-year beneficiaries are encouraged to re-apply through Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.

If you read this article after the deadline, re-apply between Nov. 2023 and Jan. 2024 during the open enrollment period.

New to Kaiser Bridge? Email gofarmerservices@gmail.com to sign-up for open enrollment updates and learn more about the program for you and your farm employees.

READY TO JOIN OR RENEW YOUR GEORGIA ORGANICS MEMBERSHIP TODAY? Find the right membership level for you at www.georgiaorganics.org/membership.

To learn more about Georgia Organics visit georgiaorganics.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube by searching (Georgia Organics).   

Farmer Field Day Recap: Integrated Pest Management in Organic Cropping Systems

By Ain Chiké

Ain is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics 

On a sunny and moderately breezy morning in June, the Georgia Organics Farmers Services team, representatives from Seven Springs Farm Supply, researchers from the University of Georgia, and over 50 attendees gathered at Crystal Organic Farm in Newborn, GA for a Farmer Field Day to discuss the ins and outs of Integrated Pest Management.  The definition of Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, varied from one presenter to the next, but all agreed that it is an environmentally sensitive tiered approach to long-term pest management.  

Armed with a bullhorn and a combined lifetime of farming and IPM experience, farm hosts Nicolas Donck and Jeni Jarrard-Donck started the field day farm tour by welcoming participants with a condensed overview of the farm’s thirty-year history as a Certified Organic farm. Once acclimated, participants walked the 30-acre farm and learned more about how their hosts manage insect pests and crop diseases. 

 IPM is a core pillar of organic farming, and the seasoned growers at Crystal Organic Farm demonstrated this foundational organic principle in their farm planning and systems. Certified Organic farms must have a pest, weed, and disease management plan to comply with the National Organic Program (NOP) standard 205.206. This standard states that Organic growers must use a hierarchical approach to managing pests, weeds, and disease, meaning they must first use prevention practices, then control practices, and as a last resort, input applications may be used. IPM strategies use non-chemical and chemical approaches to suppress and control pest populations. To determine how to respond to an outbreak, farmers using IPM strategies monitor the pest or disease, accurately identify the issue, assess and consider the economic injury threshold (a threshold is the point at which action should be taken), implement a treatment strategy, and evaluate the success of treatments.  

Daniel Sweeney of Seven Springs Farm Supply standing in front of aging cucumbers

Photo by Meg Darnell of Georgia Organics

One of the first stops on the tour was a swath of perennial herbs. While taking in the herbs and flowers Jeni explained how this type of planting uses cultural practices and biological control. The native plants encourage beneficial species and predators to remain on the land, helping to keep pesky bugs populations in check. Further down the row, attendees came upon season-extending high tunnels filled with cucumbers in varying degrees of age and health and were asked to determine if the presenting issues were pest or disease-related. Attendees learned from Daniel Sweeney, a Seven Springs Farm Supply crop adviser, that a “pest” is any animal or plant harmful to crops or humans. In this case, the cucumbers were suffering from age and heat. At this point, Nicolas explains that part of his strategy was not spending lots of time keeping the fast-growing, disease prone crop alive past its initial harvest. However, he does use successive plantings to keep a good flow available throughout the growing season. To keep disease from spreading, Nicolas and Jeni’s team harvest the youngest and healthiest fruits first before tending to the older vines. 

 Within an IPM system, farmers employ multiple tactics and levels of control to reduce crop damage. The IPM control tiers are:  

1. Cultural Practices: Agricultural practices using biodiversity to make the environment less favorable to crop damaging insects and disease. Examples include crop rotation, plant selection, trap crops, and adjusting the timing of planting or harvest. These strategies are considered ‘prevention practices’ in the NOP standard 205.206. 

2. Physical and Mechanical Control: Mulching to suppress splash back from the soil, placing barriers that keep birds or insects out, reducing breeding sites through mowing, and physically removing pests from plants. These strategies are considered ‘control practices’ in the NOP standard 205.206. 

3. Biological Control: Using beneficial predators, parasitoids, pathogens, and plants to combat and control the insect pest, or “bad bug,” population. These strategies are considered ‘control practices’ in the NOP standard 205.206. 

4. Chemical Control: Applying natural or synthetic chemical substances to repel or eradicate pests. This is usually a last resort as chemical control can affect the beneficials within the area. Pheromone disruptors or specialized bacteria like Bacillus Thuringiensis (B.T.) are specialized means of control that target a specific type of pest. These strategies are considered ‘input applications’ in the NOP standard 205.206. Certified Organic and transitioning to Organic growers should verify that any synthetic inputs they use are included on the National list of synthetic substances allowed for use in Organic crop production. 

Photo by: Alena Ivakhnenko of Seven Spring Farm Supply 

As the tour continued, the group split in two. Jeni took one group to learn more about various herbs and their medicinal properties, while others went with Nicolas to learn more about crop production and management.  

As the sun began to make its presence known, everyone settled in the shade and recharged with a delicious lunch from Taqueria El Futuro. Following the intermission, UGA professor and entomologist Dr. Jason Schmidt, presented on how to deal with insects through identification and learning about their life cycles. Knowing when a pest population will peak and what it likes to eat is instrumental in crop planning. Dr. Henry Sintim, a UGA professor in the Crop & Soil Sciences department, followed with an impassioned speech about the necessities of soil fertility and nutrient management. He performed a percolation test which he mentioned is one of the fundamental keys to determining if your soil will allow water to penetrate and move through the medium, and it evaluates the ability of the soil to absorb nutrients. Last but certainly not least, the final presenter Daniel Sweeney, gave insight into the services that Seven Spring Farm Supply provides and an overview of foundational and practical integrated pest management. 

 As the day wrapped up, attendees left with their heads full of information on how to tackle the issues presented within their growing operations, equipped with a multitude of different IPM strategies to quell the influx of pests that routinely visit their crops.  

 RESOURCES 

• To learn more about Integrated Pest Management, visit the University of Georgia IPM handbook for home and commercial growers. 

• Curious about performing a percolation test? Follow these step-by-step directions 

• Visit the Seven Springs Farm Supply website to view their pest management solutions and check out their field day recap blog!

• Access the Farmer Field Day presentations by Dr. Jason Schmidt, Dr. Henry Sintim, and Daniel Sweeney via Google Drive here.  

• Are you transitioning to Organic Certification and have questions about IPM or the other NOP standards Organic growers have to adhere to? Visit Georgia Organics’ GO Organic! page for resources and more information on receiving one-on-one technical assistance.

• Are you a current Certified Organic grower in Georgia? Visit Georgia Organics’ GO Organic! page for cost-share resources and more information on joining the Georgia Certified Organic Network (GCON).