Elizabeth Tobey, Author at Organic Farming Research Foundation

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So far Elizabeth Tobey has created 62 blog entries.

Cultivating Connections

EcoFarm 2024 & OFRF’s Organic Agriculture Research Forum

This January, almost half of the OFRF team traveled to Monterey, CA to meet in-person for the OFRF Organic Agriculture Research Forum (OARF) which was held in conjunction with EcoFarm. Considering we are a fully remote team spread across the country, this was a big opportunity for us to connect and showcase our work. OFRF research forum consisted of eight workshops embedded within the 2024 EcoFarm conference. The forum focused on sharing the latest research relevant to organic producers, with a loaded agenda that touched on production issues, soil health, weed management, and of course, organic integrity. The team was immersed in two days of strengthening relationships, fostering new connections, and listening to farmers’ and researchers’ current work and perspectives on the industry. Here are the conference highlights from #TeamOFRF:

Thelma Velez 2023-b&w cropped for feature

Thelma Velez, Research & Education Director

I can’t deny that the best part of hosting OARF at EcoFarm was getting to hang out with so many OFRF staff and board members (past and current), and connecting with partners from across the region. I know that as the Director of Research & Education I should say I was most excited for the great sessions we organized or the workshops that shed light on challenges facing organic growers. But there is something magical about connecting with like-minded folks driven to make the farming world a better space for everyone. It was enlightening to see the tracks dedicated to Indigenous and Tribal knowledge, justice in the food system, and accessible content in Spanish. I am really proud of our team for pulling together great content for OARF. Jose’s presentation on our new Spanish-language course, Los Fundamentos de la Salud del Suelo, was a big hit, and the printed resources we had in Spanish and English flew off the tables. I presented in a session focused on the synergies between organic and regenerative practices and principles. This is both a popular and contentious topic, and I was glad to know that my message resonated with so many growers in the audience.

Mary Hathaway, Research & Education Program Coordinator

I have been hearing about EcoFarm since I was a volunteer with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) almost two decades ago, and I was excited to finally get a chance to attend. The grounds of Asilomar are a beautiful backdrop for learning, and leaning into the awe of nature through our organic experience. Meandering through the beach boardwalks as a casual conversation unfolded with colleagues, or walking out of an inspiring session to the smell of sage and salt were the calm backdrop to a busy few days. Sessions on minimal tillage and supporting BIPOC farmers to transition to organic were especially of interest to me. I also had the pleasure of moderating “Cultivating Farmer-Researcher Collaboration in Organic Agriculture Research”. It was wonderful to hear farmers’ experiences with on-farm research, as well as researcher curiosity on how to better engage; it was a lively conversation that has stuck with me. And of course, you can’t mention the highlights of a multi-day conference without mentioning the meals! Sharing meals of locally sourced ingredients with new friends is a definite highlight of my conference experience.

Jose Perez, Research & Education Engagement Coordinator

It was my first year attending EcoFarm and it didn’t disappoint! I was excited to meet and hear from farmers and service providers who were passionately engaged in the organic farming movement. I particularly enjoyed the session on calculating nitrogen supply for organic vegetables presented by UC Cooperative Extension and Full Belly Farm. I also enjoyed presenting on the new OFRF’s online Soil Health course in Spanish, Los Fundamentos de la Salud del Suelo, and connecting with the Latinx community, including many Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) staff and students.

Leah Lawson, Partnerships & Development Director

All of my agricultural work has been overseas or in the Midwest, so attending EcoFarm was interesting on many levels. I enjoyed learning about the farms and programs in California – seeing what was the same and what was different from other regions I’m more familiar with. I learned a lot about grafting, scions, and fruit trees. The seed swap was fascinating as I chatted with people growing things that are not common in the Midwest. It was a warm and welcoming experience and I look forward to returning in the future.

Kelsey Grimsley, Office & Administrative Manager

This was my third time at EcoFarm, and it was my favorite! It was exciting and motivating to be in-person with so many coworkers who live all over the US, and to feel like there was a team effort to make the most this conference. We would talk between sessions and exchange ideas and experiences in the social hall, then head out to the next event with a clear vision and mission. I’ve always been most inspired when I’m around people with overlapping passions. It was clear that so many conference attendees were looking for where they could plug in to foster a sustainable future. I was elated when we ran out of ALL our research materials the first day of the conference and I had to drive back to Santa Cruz to restock. From our series of soil health guides, to our informational booklet on the certification cost share program, to the executive summary of our new guide to on-farm research, our free resources were being picked up by folks as they passed our table. I spoke with an inspiring variety of people, including a beginning farmer from Thailand, a person using tech to help farming efficiency, and many young people hoping to get involved in whatever way they could. Ultimately we passed out over 835 hard copy research resources. I’m already looking forward to going back next year and bringing even more informational materials!

Gordon Merrick, Policy & Programs Manager

This was my second time attending EcoFarm, but my first time was during COVID so it was a digital conference. The in-person version is definitely a lot more exciting! It was great being able to take part in the constant work of building community in the sustainable and organic agriculture spaces. I was able to attend the session related to the (hopefully) upcoming Farm Bill and the importance of the federal legislative process to farmers, ranchers, and eaters. Hearing the perspectives of people engaged in all levels of the food system has always been a priority of mine, and EcoFarm certainly offers a venue to do exactly that!

Jose Perez and Mary Hathaway at beach during EcoFarm 2024

Kelsey Grimsley, Thelma Velez, Mary Hathaway, and Jose Perez during EcoFarm 2024

Proof we have fun together. Left: Jose & Mary explore the California Coast. Above: Kelsey, Thelma, Mary, & Jose share a meal. Right: Kelsey & Thelma enjoy a quiet moment between conference sessions.

Kelsey Grimsley and Thelma Velez during EcoFarm 2024

By Elizabeth Tobey|2024-02-12T13:49:43+00:00February 9th, 2024|News|

From Regulations to Legislation: Advocating for Organic Agriculture in 2024

The dawn of a new year always brings new opportunities. This year, we are continuing our work to advocate for expanded public investments in organic agriculture research. To be honest, 2024’s political landscape is admittedly daunting:

FY24 appropriations still need to be passed by the end of the month.
The Farm Bill is running up against a new March deadline.
The FY25 appropriations process is about to begin.
There’s a Presidential election on the horizon.

That being said, at OFRF, we see these events as opportunities to ensure organic agriculture gets the recognition it deserves.

As we highlighted last month, 2023 was a momentous year for organic policy development in the regulatory space. In 2024, we hope to bring that momentum to the legislative body and work with our coalition partners to amplify our voices and call for increased public investments in organic agriculture research.

To do this, we have two primary initiatives. First, we will continue to build broad support for the Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act in the Senate and the Strengthening Organic Agriculture Research (SOAR) Act in the House. If you still need to get familiar with these significant marker bills, check out those links for an overview and some information on how you can help spread awareness about them. Second, we are committed to ensuring that appropriators comprehend the urgent need for increased funding in agricultural research and the far-reaching impact these investments have on the nation- economically, ecologically, and socially.

Including the SOAR and OSRI Acts in the 2024 Farm Bill is more than just a step forward in achieving parity between organic agriculture’s share of USDA research funding (currently <2%) and its market share (>6%). More importantly, these investments will touch the lives of communities nationwide.

Agricultural research programs extend beyond answering producers’ queries or supporting early-career scientists—although they excel at both. These programs significantly benefit the rural communities actively participating in and hosting vital research projects. Notably, every dollar invested in public agricultural research generates an impressive $20 of benefits. Despite this documented impact, public funding for agricultural research has seen a 20% decline since the turn of the century, in stark contrast to increased funding in other research areas during the same period.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, we are intensifying our efforts in appropriations advocacy, ensuring that the offices of appropriators understand the critical importance and impact of the programs under their control.

However, for us to maximize our effectiveness, we need your help! If you have a story involving a research finding, participation in a research project, or a persistent research question that needs answering, please use our story form to contribute and help us raise awareness!

As always, please reach out if you want to get involved or are curious about our work! gordon@ofrf.org

Eat well,

Gordon

By Elizabeth Tobey|2024-01-12T15:01:07+00:00January 12th, 2024|Gordon's Policy Corner, News|

Annika La Fave policy intern fall 2023 b&w

Policy & Communications Intern

email: policy[at]ofrf.org

Annika La Fave (she/her/hers) joins the OFRF team as the Fall 2023 policy & communications intern. Annika is a graduate student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on public health communications & food systems policy.

Annika began farming in 2010 while completing her B.A. in Education at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. She has since had a varied career in sustainable agriculture raising livestock, vegetables, and cut-flowers, teaching organic farming and small business management at Clackamas Community College, founding her own small vegetable farm business promoting food equity in partnership with Oregon Health & Science University, and, most recently, managing Baltimore County’s Agricultural Center.

Annika is passionate about land stewardship and the pursuit of occupational tenability for small and beginning farmers. She aspires to help create a more equitable food system for producers and consumers. She spends most of her spare time walking and running with her two energetic greyhounds.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2024-03-27T15:21:58+00:00January 9th, 2024|Interns|

Research & Education Intern

email: research[at]ofrf.org

Marina Vergara (she/her/hers) joins the OFRF team as the Fall 2023 Research and Education intern. Marina is a graduate student at the University of California, Davis studying International Agricultural Development. Her interests lie in exploring participatory agricultural extension and ways to better support marginalized farmers. Her research examines a participatory silvopastoral extension program in Panama, and the ways in which this model facilitates an informal knowledge exchange amongst model farmers and farmers newly entering the program.

Marina discovered her passion for food and agriculture in college after being drawn to the interdisciplinary nature of food systems. After graduating from Cornell University in 2018 with a BS in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Marina moved to Panama to serve with the U.S. Peace Corps as an Agriculture Extension Agent, working with small-scale, organic cacao farmers in product development, marketing, and sales. Marina then served with AmeriCorps VISTA in South Texas, where she focused on coalition building for increasing food security and youth curriculum development for food justice and sovereignty in the Rio Grande Valley.

Marina is passionate about supporting marginalized farmers, through collaboration in projects and increasing equity in access to extension support and materials. In her free time, you can find Marina outside hiking, biking, or lounging with her dog Claudia, at the local coffee shop with a good book, or trying something new and tasty to eat.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2024-03-27T15:23:07+00:00January 9th, 2024|Interns|

Donor Stewardship Coordinator

email: amity[at]ofrf.org

Amity Vargas (she/her/hers) is a Colorado native but grew up on the West Coast, soaking up the beautiful beach sun. She has over fifteen years of experience working within the nonprofit realm, focusing on environmental and social impact missions. Her work has included development, programming, and operations. Amity has led programs that provided watershed protection of the South Platte River in the South Park National Heritage Area, and she started the first Farm to School program in Park County. She has taught environmental education to adults and students from Pre-K through the twelfth grades, writing both standards-based and experienced-based curricula emphasizing mindfulness and a growth mindset. In the Front Range, Amity has worked with a wide variety of schools and organizations, teaching the importance of environmental literacy through a program she started called TREES – Teaching Responsible Environmental Education Skills. Through this program, she was able to start a recycling program within an elementary school in the Colorado Springs area, the first of its kind within that school district. Amity is working towards becoming an Herbalist and completing her portfolio to become a certified Environmental Educator.

Amity loves immersing herself in nature with her family. They camp, hike, bike, snowshoe, raft and volunteer together to keep trails clean. She enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, and writing. She plays the flute and is learning the guitar and melodica. Amity is a nomad at heart and is dedicated to being a lifelong learner.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2024-01-11T19:13:36+00:00January 9th, 2024|Staff|

Farmers across the U.S. are eligible for significant technical and financial assistance from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

Farmers and technical service providers know first hand that the most significant barriers to developing sustainable infrastructure and production practices are due to time and resource scarcity. NRCS’ EQIP program offers financial assistance and technical support to implement new conservation practices on your farm, with additional support for historically underserved applicants including socially disadvantaged, beginning, veteran, and limited-resource farmers and ranchers. In this blog post, we’ll provide an overview of what EQIP has to offer, and the steps to utilizing this program.

Note: all of this information is summarized in printable, downloadable PDFs, available in English and Spanish, at the bottom of this blogpost.

Nota: toda esta información se resume en archivos PDF imprimibles y descargables, disponibles en inglés y español, al final de esta publicación de blog.

Obtain additional translated materials, or schedule interpretation services for phone calls or in-person visits, https://www.farmers.gov/translations, or request personalized Spanish language support for any USDA resource, https://www.farmers.gov/translations#spanish-request.

Important Points:

EQIP is a reimbursement program, most operations will have to pay for improvements up-front and get funding to cover those costs.
Do not begin reimbursable conservation activities & projects prior to completion of your application process and contract with NRCS.
Contacting your local NRCS office is a key step in determining your eligibility and beginning your application process.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and will be reviewed on the next ranking date for your state. Begin your application process as soon as possible to ensure completion by the next deadline! Applications are prioritized by local resource concerns and the applicant’s level of need.
You will need to create a free online account at Farmers.gov and ensure that it is up to date.
If you do not own your land, you will need to submit written permission from the owner with your application.

Step 1. Research Your Options. EQIP offers support for a broad scope of conservation activities & projects to producers including both financial and technical support. EQIP provides funds to reimburse costs associated with specific practices or infrastructure projects on a farm. EQIP’s most popular sub-programs include the High Tunnel Initiative, which covers the cost of high tunnel installation for production farms, the On Farm Energy Initiative, which covers the cost of energy-saving equipment and infrastructure improvements such as refrigeration units or greenhouse improvements, and the Organic Initiative, which provides up to $140k to certified organic or transitioning farms to implement conservation practices such as design and installation of efficient irrigation systems, nutrient & pest management strategies, or developing a grazing plan.

Step 2. Connect with USDA. Create or update your account at Farmers.gov, and contact your local NRCS office to get started. Your conservation specialist will confirm your eligibility and help you identify which projects & practices best suit your operation.

Guiding questions for initial contact with NRCS:

“I’m interested in applying for EQIP’s _initiative(s) of interest_ for my farm to help finance _conservation project of interest_. What do you need from me to get started on my application?”
“What additional funding opportunities are available to my farm?”
“How soon can a conservationist help me set up a conservation plan (AD 1026)?”
“When is the deadline for the next EQIP ranking period?”
“I am eligible for the increased and advanced payment option for Historically Underserved farmers. How will this change my application process?”
“I _(own/rent)_ my land. What documents will you need for completion of my EQIP application by the deadline?”
“My farm is _certified/transitioning_ to organic. What additional will you need for completion of my conservation plan and application by the deadline?”

Step 3. Schedule your conservation plan development. Your NRCS conservation specialist will work with you to develop a conservation plan for your operation and complete the AD 1026 form.

Step 4. Gather your application documents. You’ll need your:

Official tax ID (Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number)
Adjusted gross income certification (Form CCC-941), which requires your Taxpayer ID Number and AGI from the previous 3 tax years.
Deed, or property lease agreement and written authorization from the landowner to install structural or vegetative practices.
Farm tract number (obtained from Farmers.gov or FSA membership).
Documentation of organic certification (if applicable).
Documentation of your land’s irrigation history (if applicable to project).

Step 5. Complete your application & submit! Your NRCS conservation specialist will complete & submit your application form (CPA 1200) with you using your established conservation plan and the above documents.

Step 6. Implement your plan. If you’re selected, you can choose whether to sign the contract for the work to be done. You’ll be provided with guidelines and a timeframe for implementing your plan. Once the work is implemented and inspected, you’ll be paid the rate of compensation for the work.

Apply for EQIP now, and reap the benefits of a more affordable path to sustainable agriculture. Your farm deserves the support it needs.

All of this information is summarized in a printable, downloadable PDF below, available in English and Spanish.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2023-12-20T23:07:11+00:00December 20th, 2023|News, TOPP West|

Organic Expert, General Mills

Charlotte Vallaeys is the Organic Expert at General Mills, one of the largest producers of certified organic packaged foods with brands including Annie’s, Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen. She advocates the perspective of the organic community within the company, leads the sustainability strategy for the organic brands, collaborates with partners to advance initiatives that support organic agriculture, and represents General Mills with the organic industry. Charlotte has been deeply engaged in the organic community for nearly 20 years. Prior to joining General Mills, she worked at The Cornucopia Institute, Consumers Union and Consumer Reports, and has served as a consultant for various organizations on a wide variety of food system sustainability issues, including farm animal welfare and regenerative agriculture. She holds master’s degrees from Harvard and Tufts, and is currently working on a dissertation on regenerative and organic agriculture as a PhD Candidate in the Agriculture, Food and Environment program at Tufts University.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2023-12-20T22:37:41+00:00December 20th, 2023|Board|

Director of Advocacy & Sustainability, Organically Grown Company

Mike Dill oversees organic trade advocacy and sustainability for Organically Grown Company, the Northwest’s largest organic produce distributor. He is the lead coordinator for the Organic Produce Wholesalers Coalition, representing organic wholesalers and growers to the National Organic Program, National Organic Standards Board and Legislators. Mike is also Vice-Chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Produce Sector Council and hold seats on the boards of the Oregon Organic Coalition (OOC), Washington’s Coalition for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) and the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF).

Mike’s 16 years of experience in the organic trade includes eight years managing food safety, compliance and policy and two years managing stakeholder engagement and advocacy for OGC, along with five years working as an organic inspector, Fair Trade inspector and certification officer for Oregon Tilth. Mike received his Food Science and Technology degree with minors in Horticulture and Chemistry from Oregon State University in 2007.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2024-01-31T14:39:26+00:00December 20th, 2023|Board|

Policy Director, HEAL Food Alliance

Nichelle Harriot has over 15 years of federal policy experience working on a range of issues from pesticide regulation to building support for sustainable, organic, and agroecological farming systems and research. As policy director at the HEAL Food Alliance, she brings her learned experiences to enact transformative change to the food and farm movement. Nichelle earned her B.S. in Chemistry and Environmental Science at Morgan State University and her M.S. in Environmental Science and Public Policy at George Mason University. She’s currently based in the DC-MD metropolitan area and enjoys spending time with family and taking trips to the beach.

By Elizabeth Tobey|2023-12-20T21:45:35+00:00December 20th, 2023|Board|

Organic Agriculture Shines in the Face of 2023’s Challenges

2023 was a historic year by many measures. Many of those measures were, for lack of a better word, bad. We’ve written before about the climate effects of this year, and now we have confirmed that we’ve experienced the hottest summer ever recorded, which coincided with record low sea ice levels. In politics, we witnessed a tumultuous speaker election for the first time in nearly a century, followed by the first ever ouster of a speaker just months later. All while narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. We are once again in a political and financial environment that makes work on a new Farm Bill and Appropriations legislation feel somewhat futile.

But, there were historic movements of progress for the organic sector this year as well:

The National Organic Program has promulgated multiple long-awaited rules: the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards, Strengthening Organic Enforcement, and Organic Livestock Origin Rules, among others.
We at OFRF worked with Congressional partners and organic champions to introduce pieces of legislation that would continue to advance organic agriculture research by doubling the funds available to OREI and ORG research programs.
Because of past efforts of OFRF and our allies, the Organic Research and Extension Initiative’s mandatory funding level was not at issue in Farm Bill extension negotiations, ensuring that this program is insulated from political turmoil.
And OFRF board member April Thatcher was named “Organic Farmer of the Year” by the Organic Trade Association, which is a piece of history that hits close to home for us!

Sometimes paying attention to the current events can lead to getting lost in the noise, but for every headline-warranting piece of bad news there’s certainly a positive development or generous act of kindness that goes unnoticed. As we enter the end of year period and reflect over the past year, try to take a moment and revisit some of those positive moments or acts of kindness.

As Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series put it: “happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Wishing you all many moments of light and happiness this winter.