Organic Academy Roadshow helps beginning farmers and ranchers
The Organic Academy Roadshow will come to the Carrington REC on July 15-16, 2024. This workshop is for beginning farmers and ranchers who want to transition into organic production.
The organic food industry is a small but growing segment of agriculture. Organic producers raise crops and livestock without pesticides, herbicides, commercial fertilizers, or genetically modified seed or feed. Higher market prices are sometimes associated with certified organic foods.
The Organic Academy Road show is conducted by the National Center Appropriate Technology’s Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas sustainable agriculture division. (NCAT and ATTRA, respectively). The National Center for Appropriate Technology is leading a regional partnership, funded through the USDA BFRD (Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development) program, to help more than 300 beginning farmers and ranchers across the Northern Great Plains explore the value, viability, and resilience of raising organic field crops. Other sessions have been held in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Several sessions are planned for the two-day workshop., including getting started in organic production and building resilient systems. Two areas of planning will be discussed: Grain & Specialty Crops and Livestock production. Other sessions will focus on the economics and markets for organic products, transitioning into an organic operation with considerations for production, timelines, government programs, and crop insurance. An evening session will feature local organic farmers.
The second day of the program dovetails with programming for the 65th Annual Field Day at the CREC. The organic and sustainable agriculture tour, which is open to the public, will take place in the field with sessions on integrating crop and livestock production on an organic farm, discussions on growing organic crops, equipment needs, weed control, harvesting, and all aspects of a systems approach to making an organic farm productive.
Beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for stipends up to $200 each to defray cost of travel and accommodation. There is no registration fee but registration is required. Register at https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/events/organic-academy-roadshow
USDA SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) has information about organic farming and a book, Organic Transitions.
Karl Hoppe. Ph. D.
Karl.Hoppe@ndsu.edu
Extension Livestock Systems Specialist
ND State Co-Coordinator – USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
