Registration Now Open for 2017 Winter Conference
Our excitement is building as we connect with presenters and exhibitors for the
2017 Winter Conference! In addition to this year's wide selection of workshops and fantastic local organic food, we have
Joel Salatin coming to inspire us at the keynote event in the evening (for those who can't join us for the full day, you can get tickets separately to just the keynote event).
member's discount)!
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NOFA-NH Announces New, Simplified Membership Structure
We're streamlining to just two membership levels to make it easier for members
to understand their benefits and easier for NOFA-NH to serve our members.
- Student/Senior Member: $30 (Available to full-time students currently enrolled in school and persons over 65 years old)
- Member: $45(Available to everyone)
Check out list of member benefits on the membership page of our website.
Current memberships
will continue to last for one year from the date you joined. So, for anyone who joined before October 2016, your membership and corresponding benefits will be good until one year from when you joined.
Marketing opportunities were previously offered for free, or discounted, to higher level memberships (Family/Farm, Non-Profit Organization, Business). However, not all members used all these benefits and wanted the option to not pay for them if they did not use them. In the new membership structure, these opportunities will be available for a separate fee enabling members to select which additional benefits they wish to participate in.
Should you have any questions about the restructuring of the membership levels, or your current membership status, please contact the NOFA-NH office at:
[email protected]
or (603) 224-5022 (office hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9am to 2pm).
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Thank you to our sponsors for joining our members in helping us to build a strong organic community in New Hampshire!
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Applications Sought for Northeast SARE Committees
The
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is a federal competitive grants program that supports projects aimed at enhancing the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of farming. SARE relies on a diverse group of individuals from across the agricultural community to provide leadership that will keep our program innovative and responsive. To that end they are inviting people to apply to serve on their
Administrative Council and
Technical Committee.
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USDA Grant Opportunities
The 2014 Farm Bill makes over $100 million available to support local food, organic operations, ranchers, and specialty crop growers.
- Farmers Market & Local Food Promotion Program
- Cost-Share Program for Organic Certification
- Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
- Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program
- Sheep Production Marketing Grant
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Farmland Access Legal Guide
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USDA Issues Safety-Net Payments to Farmers in Response to 2015 Market Downturn
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that beginning on October 4, 2016, many of the 1.7 million farms that enrolled in either the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will receive safety-net payments due to market downturns during the 2015 crop year. For more details, click here to download press release.
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Why Organic? Pre-natal Pesticide Exposure Effects Greater in Stressful Environments
Excerpted from The Organic Center
A new study published in the journal
Neurotoxicology
demonstrates that social stressors such as economic strain or poor learning environments can magnify the negative impacts of pre-natal exposure to organophosphate pesticides. Researchers found that higher levels of total social stress as well as negative parent-child relationships and poor learning environments were generally correlated with lower IQs for all test subjects but the negative correlation was significantly stronger for children of mothers who were exposed to pesticides during their pregnancy.
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NH Food Alliance (NHFA) North Country meeting
Tuesday, October 25, from 12:30pm to 3pm
Mountain View Grand Resort, Whitefield
NHFA would like to connect with North Country stakeholders to address food system needs and identify funding opportunities.
North Country Fruit & Vegetable Seminar & Trade Show
Wednesday, October 26, from 9am to 3pm
Mountain View Grand Resort, Whitefield
The daylong event will feature guest speaker from UVM Extension, agricultural engineer Chris Callahan. Any crucifer growers out there will want to be in attendance since we will learn about swede midge, a small fly with a big threat for NH growers from UVM PhD Candidate in Entomology, Elisabeth Hodgdon. We will have a short update on the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program from Keith Farrell at NH Farm Service Agency.
Lunch will be prepared by the Mountain View Grand and will feature a seasonal, local fare. Guests are encouraged to attend early and visit the trade show where a variety of agriculture vendors will be on hand. See brochure for details.
Rally in the Valley
Sunday, October 30, at 12pm
Cedar Circle Farm, East Thetford, VT
The organic farmers and eaters of northern New England will be gathering to make our voices heard by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). T
here will be a tractor cavalcade, some speechifying, pizza from the NOFA-VT oven, food from the Skinny Pancake, and music. NOFA-VT will be filming the event to share as testimony at the NOSB meeting in St. Louis and renowned organic farmer Eliot Coleman from Maine will be joining us as well as Senator Patrick Leahy, a long-time advocate of soil-based organic farming.
Come rain or shine to celebrate organic farming and let the USDA know that we care. Please contact the NOFA-VT office (802-434-4122) for more information.
New England Farm Succession School
November 2 / December 7 / January 25, from 10am to 3:30pm
NH Farm Bureau office, Concord
The Farm Succession School is for seniors farmers and farm couples looking for a bit of structure and motivation to tackle succession planning. Program includes presentations, group discussions and individual exercises, with "assignments" between sessions. Topics include goal setting, estate planning, retirement planning, family communications, taxes, legal structure, Medicaid, and bringing on a successor. Visit website for more details.
NH Direct Marketing Conference: How to Successfully Sell New Products and Expand Your Business
Wednesday, November 2, from 12:30pm to 6pm
Portsmouth Country Club, Greenland
Do you have a great idea to bring a new product to market to grow or expand your agriculture business? Before investing money, good planning and networking are essential. Entrepreneurs, growers, farmers, and faculty who have successfully brought a new product to market, will be speaking on growing and marketing unusual specialty crops; value added products & services and food preparation. Registration is $20 per person. For more information contact Food and Agriculture Field Specialist, UNH Extension,
[email protected]
or 603-679-5616.
See flyer
for more details.
Monday, November 7, from 6:30pm to 8pm
Boscawen Municipal Complex, Boscawen
Come and listen to UNH Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, Ann Lacroix, discuss what you need to do this fall to put your garden to bed for the winter, so next season you can have a thriving garden! To register for this free event, please contact Mary West at 603-796-2151.
Tuesday, November 15, from 10am to 3pm
Women's Farm Equipment and Maintenance Workshop
Saturday, December 10, from 9am to 4pm
UNH Thompson School, Durham
Emphasis will be placed on safety, breakdown prevention, and buying new vs used.
Registration is open and space is limited, so sign up early!
Click here
for more information and registration.
NOFA-NH Holiday Potluck
Tuesday, December 13, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
NH Audubon Center, Concord
You're invited to join NOFA-NH's Board of Directors for our holiday potluck. Come celebrate with us and enjoy the bounty of organic food that NH has to offer!
NOFA-NH's 2017 Winter Conference
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Rundlett Middle School, Concord
What's happening in neighboring states?
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