Farmer Services, Farmer Field Day
Meg Darnell
ORGANIC GROWERS FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: ...

On July 1, 2024, Georgia Organics hosted an Organic Growers Farmer Field Day at Oxford College Farm of Emory in Oxford, GA. This Farmer Field Day explored soil health and organic pesticide preparation and application. 

ORGANIC GROWERS FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: BALANCING SOIL FERTILITY & ORGANIC PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT
Events
Danny Harper
Thank you for a KILLER Tomato Fest Season!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Killer Tomato events! Between our pop-up farmers market and the 13th annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival (AKTF), this year’s tomato season was one for the books. 

Thank you for a KILLER Tomato Fest Season!
Farmer Services, Farmer Field Day
Lydia Hsu
FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: CLIMATE SMART GRAZING ...

The Winter Farmer Series consisted of in-person networking and educational events hosted at farms across Georgia in February and March. These farmer field days took place in lieu of the annual Georgia Organics Conference & Expo, which has evolved to engage regenerative farm and food advocates across the U.S. Southeastern region under the moniker “SOWTH.”

FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: CLIMATE SMART GRAZING & PASTURE MANAGEMENT
Farmer Services, Farmer Field Day
Paul Sorah
ORGANIC GROWERS FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: ...

On February 19, 2024, Georgia Organics kicked off the Winter Farmer Series with a Collective Organic Purchasing and Accessing Organic Markets Organic Growers Farmer Field Day in Keysville, Georgia. This Farmer Field Day, in particular, highlighted the strength that collective farming and selling models have in accessing more markets.  

ORGANIC GROWERS FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: Collective Organic Purchasing & Accessing Organic Markets
Racial Equity
Communications

Last May, we engaged multiple organizations for anti-racism audits, ultimately choosing Widerstand Consulting, whose process involves document review and focus groups with staff, board, farmers, and partners to inform necessary changes.

“ ...together we will find a way to not just be allies but accomplices in the work of anti-racism. ” — Alexis Chase A MESSAGE FROM ALEXIS CHASE

Buy a Bunch: Don’t Leaf Parsley Out! Your Local Parsley Purchasing Guide.

By: Alissa Pantuosco 

Alissa Pantuosco is a Farm to School Contractor at Georgia Organics. 

This year, in celebration of Farm to School Month, Georgia Organics is excited to ParSLAY the Day! To get kids excited about growing, tasting, and learning about parsley, we have created TONS of FREE lessons, resources, recipes, school nutrition materials, activities. Sign up for this year's campaign here! 

Have you ever tried parsley from a local farm? Or do you grab a bunch of parsley from the produce section at the grocery store? This is the year to try locally grown parsley and taste the difference! Whether it's curly-leaf or flat-leaf parsley, this herb can add variety and flavor to your recipes—be they soups, sauces, salads, or garnishes. This little green herb has some big health benefits, such as immunity-boosting nutrients. So, next time you are at a local farmer's market, grab a bunch! 

Parsley is also a fantastic herb for school districts interested in sourcing directly from local farms. Since parsley is generally needed in smaller quantities, larger districts can use this opportunity to source from small-scale farmers, overcoming previous supply limitations. Sourcing parsley from local farmers is a great way to start building relationships with farmers in your area while exposing students to a new produce item through taste tests or school meals.   

Whether you are participating in ParSLAY the Day as a parent or educator/school administrator, you can support many local Georgia farmers through this campaign. Below is a list of participating ParSLAY the Day farmers, with more information about their farms and how to connect with them.

 

PINEWOOD SPRINGS FARM (Stockbridge, Georgia)

Jeff and Rodney at Pinewood Springs Farm  - Photo by: Jeffrey Anthony

Jeffery Anthony and Rodney Gabriel, farmers at Pinewood Springs Farm in Stockbridge, GA, grow parsley on their farm in Henry County. Pinewood Springs Farm sells parsley to restaurants, online markets, and farmers markets. If you are heading to Marietta Square Farmers Market or Peachtree Road Farmers Market, stop by the Pinewood Springs booth to find local parsley! If you're looking for a simple parsley delivery, Pinewood Springs Farm delivers to customers in the metro Atlanta area and offers a CSA program to members. Also, Pinewood Springs Farm is the first farm in Georgia, and the Southeast to provide pre-ordering from their online store using SNAP/EBT for pick up at farmers markets. Soon, they will offer a 50% discount code for SNAP/EBT orders! Pinewood Springs Farm sells Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) parsley with high-quality standards for you to purchase today. 

To inquire about purchasing parsley from Pinewood Springs Farm, reach out to farmer Jeffery at Jeff@pinewoodspringsfarm.com.  

FOOD AND FLORA SOVEREIGNTY (Woodstock, Georgia)

Emily Zeike at Food and Flora Sovereignty - Photo by: Emily Zielke

Emily Zielke, a farmer at Food and Flora Sovereignty in Woodstock, GA, is growing parsley and selling it at farmers markets in the Metro Atlanta area. Check out Piedmont Park Green Market and Virginia Highlands Farmers Market for Food and Flora Sovereignty's fresh parsley! Parsley delivery is available for residents in the Atlanta area as well. 

To learn more and inquire about purchasing parsley from Food and Flora Sovereignty, reach out to farmer Emily at Emily.zielke@gmail.com.  

STEEL MAGNOLIA MARKET (Waycross, Georgia)

April Westover’s Parsley at Steel Magnolia Market Garden - Photo by: April Westover

April Westover, the farmer at Steel Magnolia Market Garden (formerly GreenWay Gardens) in Waycross, GA, is growing lots of parsley this year. April sells parsley to farmers markets, schools, and daycares. You can purchase parsley from Steel Magnolia Market Garden from the WayGreen Local Fare Market in Waycross, GA, or locally delivered if you live in Waycross. Steel Magnolia Market Garden is Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-certified. 

To learn more and inquire about purchasing parsley from Steel Magnolia Market Garden, reach out to farmer April at Steelmagnoliamg@gmail.com.  

CROSSROAD FARM AND GARDEN (Alma, Georgia)

Andy Douglas’s Parsley at Crossroad Farm and Garden - Photo by: Andy Douglas

Andy Douglas, a farmer at Crossroad Farm and Garden in Alma, GA, grows parsley in the southern region of GA. Crossroad Farm and Garden sells at farmers markets and has a CSA program! If you live within a 30-minute proximity to Crossroad Farm and Garden, parsley delivery is an option. For farmers market attendees, you can find Crossroad Farm and Garden's parsley at Mary Ross Farmer's Market in Brunswick, GA. Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) parsley is available at Crossroad Farm and Garden for your CSA box and farmers market purchases.   

To inquire about purchasing parsley from Crossroad Farm and Garden, reach out to farmer Andy at Andrewdouglas85@gmail.com.

LOVE IS LOVE COOPERATIVE FARM (Mansfield, Georgia)

Love is Love Cooperative Farmers -Photo by Judith Winfrey

Judith Winfrey, a Love is Love Cooperative Farm farmer in Mansfield, GA, sells parsley through various outlets, including restaurants, wholesale distributors, and a CSA program. The Common Market and Fresh Harvest are places where you can find Love is Love Cooperative Farm's parsley. If you are a restaurant or school looking to buy in bulk, wholesale orders require a $150 minimum for delivery. This USDA Certified Organic parsley can be delivered to metro Atlanta, Covington, and Monroe city residents.   

To inquire about purchasing parsley from Love is Love Cooperative Farm, reach out to farmer Judith at judith@loveislovecooperativefarm.com.   

POLYCULTURE PRODUCTION AT GAIA FARM (Decatur, Georgia)

Stephanie Simmons with Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm - Photo by: Food Well Alliance

Stephanie Simmons, farmer at Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm in Decatur, GA, grows parsley for you to purchase from farmers markets, a farm stand, and through a CSA program. You can find Polyculture Production’s parsley at Oakhurst Farmers Market, SUN Market, and the MARTA Markets. If you are interested in a CSA program, theirs will run through August 21st. In the fall and spring seasons, there will be farm market pop-ups with a bi-weekly schedule for farm sales where you can purchase parsley! Along with these options, wholesale pricing is available for parsley in bulk for a $50 minimum order within a 5-mile radius and a $100 minimum order if you live in the metro Atlanta area beyond 5 miles of the farm.  

To inquire about purchasing parsley wholesale or through a CSA program from Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm, reach out to farmer Stephanie at Stephanie.simmons03@gmail.com.   

For those who would like to visit the farms and see where parsley is grown along with other fruits and vegetables, these farms are offering farm field trips. Students are welcome, and these four farms would love to have you visit! 

  1. Food and Flora Sovereignty  

  2. Crossroad Farm and Garden (reach out directly to inquire about fee)  

  3. Love is Love Cooperative Farm ($10 per person/$150 minimum)  

  4. Polyculture Production at Gaia Farm ($10 per person/$100 minimum)  

These parsley farmers are all located in different regions of Georgia and are here to supply you with fresh parsley. Purchasing from farmers within your community is nutritionally healthy and supports organic farmers, benefiting our local environment and economy. So, check out the markets, farm stands, CSA programs, and wholesale options for purchasing and ParSLAY the Day! 

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

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Organic Trade Week and Repping Georgia on The Hill

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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.   

What We Want From the Farm Bill

By Michael Wall

Michael Wall is the Director of Farmer Advocacy at Georgia Organics.


Congress has finally given us drafts of the Farm Bill and there is plenty of cud of chew on, but definitely keep this in mind:

The passage of this important legislation is a marathon, not a sprint, and there still is a very long way to go. 

We don’t think it is time to pick up the phones and start calling Members of Congress - yet. But it is time to do some reading and to familiarize yourself with who your representatives are and how to get in touch with them for when the time comes. 


THE VERY LATEST ON THE FARM BILL

Actually, we’re not going to the play the “Very Latest on the Farm Bill” game. By the time we hit publish on this blog post, the Farm Bill and the politics around it will likely have changed a lot. Instead, we’re going to talk about what we want to see out of the Farm Bill and stay focused on the priorities our farmers told us about in the survey we sent out when we first launched Farmer Advocacy in 2022. 

We would add that there is a lot to be desired from both the Senate and House versions, at least as far we’ve seen (details on the Senate bill are forthcoming but there is an outline of sorts, and the text of the House version came out on Saturday, May 18). If we were forced to choose between the two, we’d go with the Senate version because it does include a meager increase in the Organic Cost Share Reimbursement Program, raising it from $750 annually to $1,000.  

We know our farmers need at least a $1,500 cost share each year for it to really stop Georgia from losing Certified Organic farms. It also includes parts of other pieces of legislation that we will get into further below. 

There are a few other pieces of the Senate bill that benefits Organic growers, the National Organic Program, and sustainable and organic ag research. But we are hoping and working for much more. 


OUR LATEST TRIP TO DC

Georgia Organics Farmer Services Director Lauren Cox and Farmer Advocacy Director Michael Wall visited the offices of several Members of Congress on May 16 with our partners at the Organic Trade Association (OTA). In the meetings, we reminded the folks that we already knew about our farmers’ priorities, and introduced new folks to Georgia Organics and what our farmers are hoping to get out of this next Farm Bill. 

On this trip we met with staff for: 

  • Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-03) 

  • Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) 

  • Sen. Reb. Raphael Warnock (D) 

  • Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-13) 

  • Rep. Austin Scott (R-8) 

In the meetings, House Republicans liked the House version of the Bill (the House is currently run by Republicans), and Senate Democrats think their version is the better one (the Senate is currently controlled by Democrats). 

Georgia Organics Farmer Services Director Lauren Cox and Farmer Advocacy Director Michael Wall in front of the Capitol building on a windy day in mid-May, 2024. 

WHAT WE WANT FROM THE NEXT FARM BILL

Soil health through the Agriculture Resilience Act

The issue our farmers said was most important to them was soil health, and no piece of legislation addresses soil health as thoroughly as the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA).

The ARA:  

  • Attempts to get the US agricultural system to net zero on carbon emissions and has mechanisms to go even further 

  • Requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a national network of regional hubs for risk adaptation and mitigation to climate change 

  • Creates a soil health grant program for state and tribal governments 

  • Focuses on perennial production systems and grass-based livestock systems for its climate-focused goals 

What ar our prospects? To be perfectly honest, this is a moonshot piece of legislation that would profoundly transform how food is produced and consumed in the United States. It is extremely doubtful that this entire bill will be folded into the Farm Bill, but it is possible that one or even two of its major provisions could be adopted. That wouldn’t be as transformative, but it would be significant progress. There are a few ARA ideas in the Senate version and nothing from the ARA is the House version.  

Support for Organics and Organic transition through the Opportunities in Organics Act

The Opportunities in Organics Act (OOA) would institutionalize most of the US Department of Agriculture’s recent bursts of support for Organic transition and Organic market development. If implemented into the Farm Bill, OOA would strengthen markets and market access for existing Organic growers, and help reduce the barriers and costs for growers to transition to Organic agriculture. This work is a core piece of Georgia Organics’ longtime programming, and one we support wholeheartedly.  

Prospects: Slim. We were hoping to see much more of the OOA’s components in the Senate version. There is very little if any pieces of OOA in the House version. 

What else are we advocating for?

The Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program Improvement Act (WFRPIA), which is co-sponsored by Georgia’s Sen. Warnock, would enhance and improve access to one of the few risk management tools that was specifically designed to support diversified and Organic operations. 

So far, the Senate version doesn’t include any visible aspect of improving the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program, but we hope that will change soon. 

Last but not least, the Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act would regulate and oversee the frequency with which the USDA reviews and enacts new Organic standards and rules. Our friends at the National Organic Program don’t necessarily love this piece of legislation, and admittedly, it isn’t perfect. But it would help prevent the backlog of rulemaking that has created a gap between consumer expectations and the reality of current Organic standards. 

But wait there’s more.

Here are three more bills we hope will make their way into the text of the Farm Bill:


MORE FARMER ADVOCACY EFFORTS

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

Header Image: Farmer Julia Asherman of Rag & Frass Farm with Sen. Jon Ossoff’s Legislative Correspondent Caroline Li and Legistlative Director Anna Cullen, 2023.

Nuts for Local Foods in School Meals: “Feed My School” Marietta School Event Recap!

By: Sharonda Chiangong & Yaza Sarieh 

Sharonda Chiangong is an Emory Rollins School of Public Health Masters Candidate, studying Global Health. Yaza Sarieh is the Community Collaborations Coordinator at Georgia Organics. 

The ACRE Collective: Advancing Agriculture, Community, Resilience & Equity  through Values-Based Procurement is a collaborative partnership aimed at enhancing the availability of nutritious, locally sourced foods, to the advantage of every participant within the food network. Through value-based procurement (VBP), the ACRE Collective aims to create sustainable, long-term buying relationships between local food producers and large institutions, such as schools, universities and hospitals. The Common Market Southeast leads the ACRE Collective with support from organizations such as Georgia Organics, Health Care Without Harm, and the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University to help ensure the longevity of values-based food procurement practices in Atlanta-area schools.  

One of the ACRE Collective’s first projects was to launch a values-based local food incentive pilot program with Marietta City Schools and Rockdale County Public Schools. This pilot demonstrates how local food incentive dollars support a shift toward local procurement, catalyze economic opportunity for diverse farmers in our region, and increase student access to fresh, healthy foods. The ACRE Collective provided a $60,000 grant to these districts with the goal of increasing the amount of local, culturally significant foods included in school meals and encouraging statewide adoption of a local food incentive program for all schools in Georgia.  

With the support of Georgia Organics, the ACRE Collective also empowers school nutrition staff by sharing knowledge on best practices for fresh food prep, information on where fresh ingredients are sourced from, and structure for how to plan nutrition education activities to engage student leadership in school nutrition. Students give their insights and feedback during taste tests, which ultimately shape the food purchased and the meals served in the cafeteria. 

Nutrition Workshop for school nutrition staff at Marietta City Schools, pc: Marietta City Schools 

In April, Georgia Organics supported the “Feed My School” event at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy, during which the ACRE Collective hosted multiple taste tests. The purpose of this event was to showcase Georgia Grown foods and get students’ input on the foods they would like to see in their school meals. The event took place during the students’ lunch period, and lunch featured Georgia Grown foods. The cafeteria was set up so that students could walk around to different tables and try various locally grown produce items.  

In addition to tasting the produce item, students participated in fun activities and trivia and voted on whether they liked it and wanted to see it incorporated into cafeteria meals. 

The Georgia Organics table highlighted pecans! Students learned that Georgia is the nation’s largest supplier of pecans, with an average annual harvest that could make nearly 150 million pecan pies! They also learned fun facts about this staple product, like:  

  • Georgia has been the nation's leading pecan-producing state since the late 1800s. 

  • There are approximately 78 pecans used in every pecan pie! 

  • Albany, Georgia, which boasts more than 600,000 pecan trees, is the pecan capital of the United States. 

  • Pecan Trees have a lifespan of up to 300 years! 

  • July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day! 

Pecan taste test at Marietta City Schools pc: Sharonda Chiangong

The ACRE Collective is an opportunity for school cafeterias to build demand among our next generation of consumers for delicious, fresh, and sustainably produced local food while offering tremendous financial support to a local food system that nurtures the land and our communities. 

For more information about the ACRE Collective, visit their website or check out The Common Market Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) pages. 

Order farm-fresh pecans right to your doorstep by visiting the Rolling Branch Farms website! 

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

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FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: CLIMATE SMART GRAZING & PASTURE MANAGEMENT

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FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: CLIMATE SMART GRAZING & PASTURE MANAGEMENT

The Winter Farmer Series consisted of in-person networking and educational events hosted at farms across Georgia in February and March. These farmer field days took place in lieu of the annual Georgia Organics Conference & Expo, which has evolved to engage regenerative farm and food advocates across the U.S. Southeastern region under the moniker “SOWTH.”

FARM TO SCHOOL INNOVATION MINI GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Building Opportunities for Local Food and Garden Education for Polk County Students

FARM TO SCHOOL INNOVATION MINI GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Building Opportunities for Local Food and Garden Education for Polk County Students

These garden projects will cultivate healthier, lifelong eating habits by enhancing student’s learning experience and raising awareness about the benefits of locally grown foods. 

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY — Farm Bill News, April 2024

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY — Farm Bill News, April 2024

Ever since the Farm Bill expired on Sept. 30, 2023, federal programming for U.S. farmers has been reauthorized in temporary and short-term ways. This has left many farmers and ranchers feeling fraught about federal support, especially programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and funded through the Farm Bill.

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ORGANIC GROWERS FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: Collective Organic Purchasing & Accessing Organic Markets

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ORGANIC GROWERS FARMER FIELD DAY RECAP: Collective Organic Purchasing & Accessing Organic Markets

On February 19, 2024, Georgia Organics kicked off the Winter Farmer Series with a Collective Organic Purchasing and Accessing Organic Markets Organic Growers Farmer Field Day in Keysville, Georgia. This Farmer Field Day, in particular, highlighted the strength that collective farming and selling models have in accessing more markets.