Greetings from High Summer!
And welcome new subscribers...we appreciate your interest in our work.
The OOC is excited to announce the return of the Organic Awards for Excellence on October 22, 2024 in Portland. This year, the Awards will be held as part of Organically Grown in Oregon Week, at the same time as the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is in town. We are combining the Awards for Excellence with a post-NOSB Reception in order to include national organic stakeholders in the celebration and share our accomplishments with a wider audience.
This is your opportunity to uplift, share, and support organic farmers, farmworkers, handlers, scientists, researchers, conservationists, and advocates who embody the organic movement’s core tenets and are furthering the sector. To be considered for this award, nominees are required to qualify in a variety of categories, including innovation in organic practices; service to the industry; expansion of organic business opportunities; and overall achievement in the state’s organic industry.
Are you or someone you know interested in becoming certified organic? Get free support and guidance by joining the TOPP Mentee Program.
The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and resources. With TOPP, producers transitioning to organic will find support through the transition and certification process.
As a transitioning producer you will receive free mentorship from an experienced organic producer. Mentors and transitioning producers will work together to set goals for the mentorship year and will form a strong network of organic producers across the region.
OMDG Updates
As part of the OOC’s USDA Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Award we are sponsoring three events before the end of the year.
First up is the Culinary Breeding Network’s 10th Annual Variety Showcase on Sunday, Sept. 8 from 3 PM - 7 PM at The Redd on Salmon in Portland.
We’ll be sponsoring three tables highlighting organic hazelnuts from the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective, organic hulless pumpkin seeds from Hummingbird Wholesale, and organic purple radish from Siskiyou Seeds.
Each of the producers will be teamed up with a chef who will create a bite showcasing the organic ingredient and telling the breeding story behind it.
Next is the Taste of PNW Organic trade event, which Tilth Alliance is organizing in conjunction with their 50th Conference in Vancouver, Washington, Nov. 14 to 16.Taste of PNW Organic will be held on Nov. 14 from 1 PM - 7 PM.
Register for your free ticket by October 28th.
We’re also supporting Culinary Breeding Network’s Sagra del Radicchio on Sunday Dec. 8 from 3 PM - 6 PM. Tickets go on sale on Oct. 8.
Come taste, learn, and experience the diversity of locally grown winter vegetables and grains that often go unappreciated. Farmers and chefs from the PNW and afar will share dishes, drinks, and stories at over 40 tables.
Getting out in the Field and Ready for the Legislative Session!
ODA Director Lisa Charpilloz Hanson with OOC Board Member Mike Dill and Adam Warthesen from Organic Valley with Organic Valley farmers and stakeholders at a meeting in June that the OOC's lobby team put together. Photo courtesy of Dale Penn, CFM Advocates.
In the lead up to the 2025 legislative session, we’ll be taking legislators and other policy makers on farm and facility tours, continuing to educate them on the triple bottom line benefits of Oregon's organic sector. We'll delve into our Legislative Agenda in the Fall Newsletter.
We're also excited to announce that interviews have been conducted for OSU's Organic Extension Soil Management and Grains & Pulses specialist positions, and the Seed & Planting Stock position interview is later this week. The Organic Tree Fruits & Nuts specialist position will remain open until Sept. 30th. Please share with your networks to ensure a good slate of candidates.
In other ag news, two producers, including one with an organic focus, were appointed to Oregon’s Board of Agriculture in June. Tyrel Kliewer is a third-generation Klamath Basin farmer, rancher, and part-time brewer. Ellie Norris is a second-generation blueberry farmer with Norris Farms located in the Umpqua Valley. Norris Farms grows conventional and organic blueberries, and organic hardy kiwi.
There are at least two open producer positions on the Board of Agriculture, along with a Public Member position, and additional positions are expiring soon. Currently, the state only has one of the positions advertised, but we’ll continue to monitor this process. The OOC hopes to see more organic producers, and organically-minded public members, apply to the Board and is happy to help applicants with their materials.
Opportunities
Learn more about how you may be eligible for up to $25,000 with ZeroFood Print's Restore Grant!
The last day to apply for a USDA FSA Urban Agriculture Microgrant is Aug. 13th. Learn more here.
The USDA allotted $150,000 to help with Organic Certification costs. See Cost Share program details here.
OWEB is now accepting applications for the Fall 2024 Open Solicitation Grant Offering for Restoration, Technical Assistance, and Engagement. Get details here.
Save the date for the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective's 7th Annual Summer Tour on Aug. 27 at Meridian Orchard from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. It is one of the OOC's favorite events to attend. Register here.
Looking for a new role in the organic sector? Our friends at Oregon Tilth are hiring for a variety of positions.
May the rest of the summer flow smoothly and we hope to see you at one of the events we’ll be participating in. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with questions, comments, or feedback. All are welcome, as are donations--we can't do the work we do without community support.
In appreciation,
Coalition Director, Oregon Organic Coalition amy@oregonorganiccoalition.org
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