Fertile Ground USA...Celebrating the people behind the plow

Powerful New Evidence Suggests that Exposure to a Common Weed Killer can Trigger Insulin Resistance
From The Organic Center:
Just days after completion of the pesticide chapter in our March 2009 report "That First Step: Organic Food and a Healthier Future", the prestigious open-access journal Plos One published a new, highly relevant report on the effects of chronic exposure to the herbicide atrazine. 

This triazine herbicide is the second most heavily used pesticide in the U.S. and is present in much of the drinking water in corn growing areas.  Multiple studies have demonstrated atrazine's ability to disrupt endocrine system functions and normal developmental processes.
organic community and the environment.

Organic Farming Research Foundation Hails Historic USDA Plan To Aid Farmers and Ranchers with Organic Transition
Santa Cruz, CA
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service today announced plans to provide $50 million in 2009 to help farmers and ranchers throughout the country transition to organic production systems.  The funds will be distributed through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and will be available to farmers or ranchers working to transition new acreage or livestock to an organic system.

The Santa Cruz-based Organic Farming Research Foundation’s policy team played a key role in the Farm Bill effort to win organic transition funding.

OFRF Reaction:  Today OFRF’s Senior Policy Analyst Mark Lipson called the USDA’s announcement a tremendous victory for the organic community and the environment.

Celebrate Earth Day the Organic Way
The Center for Rural Affairs by Julia Hudson
Organic farming has been growing by leaps and bounds, and that's terrific for farmers, consumers, and the planet. But as any farmer or rancher who has gone through the USDA's organic program knows, "Certified Organic" carries some upfront costs while the certification process is underway.

Even with more organic certification cost-share dollars now available through the farm bill, some smaller farmers and ranchers can't afford the fees. But there is an alternative market for these farmers and ranchers to consider. Wanting to make sure their customers know they follow strict growing practices, a group of farmers created a nonprofit alternative certification program called Certified Naturally Grown (CNG).

Judge rules U.S. almonds must be pasteurized
San Francisco Chronicle by George Raine
Friday, March 13, 2009
In a setback for organic almond growers and handlers in California's Central Valley, a federal judge this week dismissed a lawsuit protesting the requirement that almonds sold on the domestic market be pasteurized.

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Organic farm sales triple, new Agriculture Census data show
Crossroads Resource Center

Organic food sales more than tripled, to $1.7 billion in 2007 from $393 million in 2002, according to new data released today by USDA9s Agriculture Census.  This is an increase of 335%, though it lowers to 281% once inflation is taken into account.

3For several years, organic food sales have been driving the growth of grocery sales.2 said Ken Meter of Crossroads Resource Center, who consults with community foods initiatives in 19 states.  3Until the recent downturn, organic food sales were rising 16% per year for several years in a row.2  Many of these organic products, however, are imported from outside the U.S., as industrial producers open new lands.

Organic sales are still a relatively small share of total U.S. farm commodity sales, which totaled $297 billion in 2007.  Overall farm sales rose 48% over the previous farm census in 2002.

Turf wars: New rules for organic dairies' cows
By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

To hear why one dairy farmer does NOT want to go organic and how he keeps farmers in business by stabilizing milk prices, listen to WNYC's The Leonard Lopate Show with guest Dr. Sam Simon, co-founder of Hudson Valley Fresh, a Dutchess county dairy cooperative in New York State.

Joining the new leaders in Washington, D.C., is Jeff Moyer, farm director of the Rodale Institute, who was elected chair of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board this week. The board members’ vote elevated Moyer from his vice-chair position held during 2008, his third year of a five-year term on the organic community’s high-profile advisory body to the National Organic Program staff, who are employees of the USDA.

USDA Issues its Access to Pasture Rule:
After a very, very long wait, USDA has finally issued a proposed amendment to the National Organic Program Standards clarifying the access to pasture rule for organic livestock. The new proposed rule addresses in great detail the livestock living conditions, feed requirements and pasture practice standards to be followed by certified organic livestock producers. The public comment period for the new rules ends December 23, 2008. The organic community is busy gathering input, questions and suggestions from producers and working to forge a consensus to guide our response. The pasture rule will be discussed at the Organic Committee meeting at the NCSA Gathering on November 14th and at the pre-NOSB meeting in Washington sponsored by the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, the National Organic Coalition and the NCSA on November 16th.  If you are unable to attend either of these meetings you can send written comments to annette@sustainableagriculture.net.