The U.S. Department of Ag announced it will delay the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule until January 19. The Hagstrom Report says the announcement was strongly criticized by several…
Soilless Production Falls Under Organic Certification
A group of proposals aimed at banning soilless production from being eligible for organic certification by the USDA was recently voted down by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The…
“Growing Together” Latino Farmer Conference an Annual Success
…organic dates and sells them in their store, at local farmers markets and online. The courses are held in two 90-minute blocks. This allows each attendee to choose two different…
Consumers See ‘Organic’ and ‘non-GM’ Food Labels as Synonymous
A study by Florida State University shows consumers regularly mix up food labels. Florida State University’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences says consumers mix up foods labeled “organic” and…
New Film Discusses GMO Misinformation
The maker of a film called Food Evolution, supported by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, says his documentary shows how easily misinformation can overwhelm objective analysis. Scott Hamilton Kennedy…
Easy to Grow or Forage Lettuce
…Buying a small rubber band’s worth of organic kale, or spinach can be somewhat expensive. So to save a few cents or more, it makes sense to grow your own….
Building Your Own No Dig Garden Bed
…building one. The easiest and least labor-intensive method is sheet mulching – or the lasagna method. Layer upon layer of organic material atop the soil. This creates a raised bed…
Benefits of No-Dig Garden Beds
…Beds Imagine a garden where you never have to lift a shovel, dig into the ground and turn up the soil. You just create your garden by piling organic matter…
NIFA Invests in Research to Help Boost Organic Farming, Ranching
…The grants are funded through the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) and Organic Transitions Program (ORG). “Organic farming is one of many approaches to making American agriculture sustainable…
Grow Kale in the Winter
…be high in nitrogen, as well being rich in organic materials. The best time to plant kale is when the soil is between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. As colder…
California Benefits from Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
…of organic and sustainable production practices, along with pest control and disease study. Grant awards also addressed workforce concerns throughout the supply chain. Funding for employee training on new technologies,…
Farm Bill Opposition Groups Discuss Strategy
…on the (conservative) right to the Organic Consumers Association and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group on the (liberal) left. Agri-Pulse attended the meeting and noted that there are going…
Medfly Quarantine Affects Solano Farms
…quarantine. The answer was to apply an organic insecticide to the crops four times during a 30-day period. Lum decided to do that, with the first application taking place on…
Methods for Building Fertile Soil
…nitrogen-fixing plants – since nitrogen is the main ingredient in most fertilizers. Plant green manure during rest periods when crops aren’t being produced. Don’t forget to mulch – using organic…