Workshop will help farmers meet the growing demand for organic food

The strong demand for organic food presents a growing opportunity for Ohio farmers. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA), a non-profit education organization, and the Ohio State University Organic Food & Farming Education and Research (OFFER) Program, a nationally recognized leader in organic farming research, will present “Organics 101: An Introduction to Organic Crop Production.” This educational workshop will be held at the Agricultural Incubator Foundation, in Bowling Green, Ohio, on December 10, 2010, from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The Agricultural Incubator Foundation is located at 13737 Middleton Pike, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402.

All Ohio farmers who are looking for information on organic crop production are encouraged to attend this workshop. The program will include presentations by OSU research scientists and extension educators, organic farmers and organic certification representatives.

Participants will learn about the organic certification standard, the certification process, organic crop production practices, the economics of organic crop production, and the marketing opportunities for organic crop producers. University scientists and experienced organic farmers will lead sessions on these and other topics and will answer questions

from participants.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in the demand for organic foods over the past decade. More and more Ohio farmers are considering organic production to help meet this demand and take advantage of the economic opportunity that it provides. OEFFA, in cooperation with the OSU OFFER Program, is excited to present these workshops to farmers throughout the state,” said Mike Anderson, of OEFFA. “Working together with one of the finest agricultural research institutions in the country, the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center (OARDC), we will be able to provide Ohio farmers who are interested in transitioning to organic the information that they need to be successful. Even if a farmer is just wondering if organics might be right for their operation, this workshop will be a good place to start.”

Preregistration for this workshop is $30.00. Participants will receive lunch at no additional charge. Registration information should be sent to Mike Anderson, OEFFA, 41 Croswell Rd., Columbus, OH 43214/./ For registration information please contact Mike Anderson, OEFFA, at (614) 421-2022 ext. 204, or at mike@oeffa.org. More information regarding this workshop is available on the OEFFA Web site, www.oeffa.org <. Pre registration is encouraged.

The Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association (OEFFA) is a membership-based, grassroots organization, dedicated to promoting and supporting sustainable, ecological, and healthful food systems. The OFFER Program at the OARDC provides outstanding research and educational support for sustainable production, processing, and marketing of organic foods from the field to the table for farmers, gardeners, processors, retailers, and consumers.

Organics 101 is presented with funding provided by the USDA’s North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR SARE).