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Farm-To-Chef week Sept 9-16, 2023

Agrisafe National Farm Safety and Health week seminars Sept 17-23, 2023

National Farm Safety & Health Week, “No One Can Take Your Place”

Date: Sept 17-23

Daily themes:

Monday, Sept 18: Equipment & Rural Roadway Safety

Tuesday, Sept 19: Health & Wellness

Wednesday, Sept 20: Priority Populations

Thursday, Sept 21: Confined Spaces

Friday, Sept 22: Brain Health

Webinars are two times daily and recorded, so you can watch them for free at your convenience.

Click here for more information.

Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo Nov 8-9 in Manchester, NH

Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo will feature these educational sessions on cut flowers on November 9, 2023.

Windham County Farm Bureau An Evening in the Orchard at Lapsley Orchard July 21, 2023

USDA FSA Organic Certification Cost Share Applications Due Oct 31, 2023

Cost Share for Organic Certification

As part of USDA’s broader effort to support organic producers and in response to stakeholder feedback, this year the Farm Service Agency increased the cost share amount under the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which helps organic producers cover organic certification costs, to the maximum amount allowed by statute.

Specifically, FSA will cover up to 75% of costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling and state organic program fees (California only). OCCSP will cover costs incurred from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

FSA begins accepting applications for OCCSP Monday, May 15. Applications are due Oct. 31, 2023. To apply, producers and handlers should contact the FSA at their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP application, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses. Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating state departments of agriculture.

If you would like to receive further information regarding CT DoAg’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program, send an inquiry to Alison.Grabarz@ct.gov.   

USDA Organic Market Development Grant Due Aug. 8

Organic Market Development Grants Program

Through the new Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will issue up to $75 million in competitive grants to non-profit organizations, tribal governments, and state and local government entities to fund projects designed to expand and improve markets for domestically produced organic products. OMDG is intended to increase the consumption of domestic agricultural commodities by aiding in the expansion of markets or development of new markets, marketing facilities, and uses for such commodities. For example, applicants may seek funding to develop and launch new consumer products using rotational grains, or invest in infrastructure like processing equipment to give producers better access to markets.

Through OMDG, AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers and underserved communities.

AMS is accepting applications for the program now through August 8, 2023. 

Click here for more information.

CT DOAG Specialty Crop Block Grant Applications due 3/1/2023

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture solicits applications on an annual basis for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, maple syrup, honey, horticulture, and nursery crops.

Projects must impact and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public. There is no minimum award amount, however projects are capped at $100,000. There is no match requirement.

Click here for more information.

UConn Online Vegetable Production Certificate Course Starting Jan. 30, 2023

Vegetable Production Certificate Course, beginning on January 30^th 2023. It is a fully online course for new and beginning farmers who have 0-3 years of vegetable growing experience or no formal training in agriculture. The participants will learn answers to the basic questions about farm business planning, planning and preparing for vegetable farm, warm and cool-season vegetable production techniques, season extension, identification of biotic and abiotic issues, and marketing. The price of the course is $149.

Please contact the course coordinator, Shuresh Ghimire (Shuresh.Ghimire@uconn.edu, 860-870-6933) with any questions about this course.

For more information or to register, click here.