Get all the news: PDF of May | June with full content (9 MB)
Kansas farmer gradually transitions thousands of acres to organic
Tim Raile comes from a long line of innovative farmers. He and his son operate 8,500 acres in Kansas. A lack of understanding of national organic standards coupled with prohibitive financial hurdles have kept Tim from transitioning Raile Farms to organic—until now. Read more.
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Organic production shortfall in U.S. encourages imports, creates risk
The organic food sector is a bright star in U.S. food retailing with sales increasing by over 10 percent in 2015 to reach $43.3 billion. One would expect that U.S. organic farm production would be increasing as well. Instead, U.S. food processors and marketers have been steadily increasing organic imports. Read more.
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Organic label means more than just farming with approved inputs
Viewing organic mostly by inputs used versus overall method of production results in two different definitions of organic integrity. Inputs might define what is allowed or not, but the system distinguishes organic from non-organic. Read more.
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Research compares fatty acids, meat of dairy steers grazing two cover crop systems
Cover crops are commonly used as a “green manure” or harvested for grain and straw; however, they could potentially be grazed with livestock in the early spring and summer. In addition, grazing is a low-input method to feed livestock, which could improve soil health by adding fresh manure to the field or pastures. Read more.
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Faced with fewer members, CSAs offer options for shares, deliveries
As the CSA model ages, and the food climate changes, many long-standing CSAs are struggling to fill annual member quotas. A workshop at the 2017 MOSES Organic Farming Conference, “The Resilient CSA,” covered the trends and solutions being considered by CSA farmers around the Midwest. Read more.
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Vermont herb growers form cooperative to develop reliable markets
Business is blooming for the herb industry, but growers can find it challenging to access markets. One alternative that is gaining ground is forming a cooperative to source herbs from local, small-scale organic farms and aggregate orders to larger buyers. Read more.
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Lawyer explains lessons learned from Hawaii’s GMO controversy
Hawaii—that dream vacation destination—has been a battleground in the debate over the role of genetically engineered (GE) plants and pesticides in agriculture. Hawaii’s struggle to legally control GE crops is a good lesson for those people working at a local level to control GE crops and related pesticides. Read more.
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Paying for end-of-life care doesn’t need to jeopardize family farm
When it became clear that Connie Tjelmeland’s mother, Luetta, could no longer live alone, the family came up with a plan to provide for her end-of-life care. Their goals were to, a) make sure Luetta had the best care they could afford, and b) avoid selling her Central Iowa farmland to pay for that care. Read more.
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Additional Content in PDF
Complete May | June PDF (9 MB)
- Letter from Executive Director
- Certified organic farmer reacts to criticism of organic standards
- Ask a Specialist Q&A: soil testing
- MOSES Organic Field Days Schedule
- Bookstore Roundup: Market Farming
- News Briefs
- Organic Classifieds
- Community Calendar
