Hydroponic farms may still be certified organic
Burlington Free Press has an interesting interview with Miles McEvoy, deputy administrator of the USDA's National Organic Program about the current state of organic hydroponic farms.Among other things,...
View ArticleGrowing Positive Organic Consumer Relationships
You can cultivate a farm like a pro, stock organics wisely in your shop or have the best organic online market in town, but if you fail to grow positive interactions with your customers at the same...
View ArticleEco-friendly benefits of going organic
There are plenty of reasons to go organic - no matter if you're a consumer, farmer or business owner. There's better health, better taste, fewer chemicals, economical benefits and more, but one of the...
View ArticleCan Yeast be Certified Organic?
Just in case you've read one of the older articles on this site, and noticed that some articles note that yeast cannot be certified organic, please note that these pieces have been reflected to show...
View ArticleUpdated NOP Accreditation Policies and Procedures
The National Organic Program (NOP) has just updated the NOP 2000: "Accreditation Policies and Procedures" document. The updated instruction offers up some general policies and procedures for...
View ArticleNational Organic Program Hiring in 2014
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service's National Organic Program (NOP) is recruiting for multiple positions in 2014, including:Policy Analysts, Accreditation Managers,...
View ArticleJoin the April Listening Session About Organic Agriculture
You can join representatives from USDA agencies engaged in supporting organic agriculture for a Stakeholders Listening Session on organic provisions in the Agricultural Act of 2014. USDA is hoping to...
View ArticleIs Organic Food More Nutritious than Conventional?
Typically as an organic selling point, I don't suggest you promote "nutrition" over other organic aspects, simply because of all the organic perks, nutrition is the perk that's least supported by...
View ArticleDo You Need to Obtain Organic Certification?
Not all organic businesses need to become certified, but in many cases, certification will apply. Exceptions usually include being exempt or processing a non-agricultural organic products. However,...
View ArticleLearn About NOP Temporary Variances
National Organic Program (NOP) temporary variances are pretty simple. In general, variances include any practices or requirements that vary from set production and handling requirements of the USDA...
View ArticleGet Your Business Listed in Green America's National Green Pages
As an organic company you're probably not truly thinking about eco-business aspects all the time, but it's a wise move to at least consider how green practices may affect your business image. Research...
View ArticleEducation Options for Organic Producers and Handlers
As an organic producer or handler, there are plenty of ways to get educated, or improve upon your skill sets. You can attend a university program, try out an organic internship or stay on top of...
View ArticleBeginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Application Available Now
USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of USDA has released the 2014 Request for Applications for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). Organizations can apply...
View ArticleNOP Releases Training Modules in Spanish
In March, The National Organic Program (NOP) released 17 training modules on the NOP website in Spanish for 50 participants from Latin American countries who gathered in Costa Rica for the National...
View Article5 good organic reads this week
Here are five interesting organic reads that popped up recently. 1) In case you missed it, in a recap of the good news, Food Safety News covers the success of the recent passage of the 2014 farm bill...
View ArticleCommon Questions About Organic Livestock
Got questions about organic livestock? Here are some quick Q&A articles that may help you out. What's the required origin of organic livestock? Get the answer.What specific living conditions are...
View ArticleComments Needed on Draft Guidance for Post-Harvest Handling of Organic Products
Just a quick reminder: There's currently a notice of draft guidance (pdf) on substances used in post-harvest handling of organics available to comment on. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has a...
View ArticleUSDA is Updating the National Farmers' Market Directory
If you're one of the many organic producers who sells organic products at one of the 8,000+ farmers markets across the country, The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is asking for your help in...
View ArticleWhat are NOP Temporary Variances?
National Organic Program (NOP) temporary variances are simply practices or requirements that vary from set production and handling requirements of the USDA organic regulations §§205.203 through...
View ArticleNew National Organic Program Handbook Revisions
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently announced two new revisions to the National Organic Program Handbook. The new updates include one update to the NOP 2024, Information Submission...
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