COLUMBUS — Making the transition to organic farming and completing the paperwork required for certification can present challenges. To help farmers meet this growing demand, Ohio State University’s Organic Food and Farming Education and Research program and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association have organized this “Organics 201” seminar.
“Organics 201” is a one-day training seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 24 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture‘s Bromfield Administration Building, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg.
The workshop will guide farmers through the process of completing an organic farm plan, which they must complete annually to receive and maintain organic certification.
Instructors
The seminar will feature Deb Stinner, director of OSU’s OFFER Program. She has studied organic crop production practices at the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio, for nearly two decades.
Specialists from OEFFA’s Organic Certification office will guide participants through the development and completion of individualized organic farm plans.
“To receive organic certification, farmers have to follow rigorous production standards and submit a detailed application to an accredited certification organization,” said Mike Anderson, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s organic educator. “This seminar is designed to demystify the certification process.”
Registration
Registration is $35; $30 for OEFFA members. Registration fee includes lunch and a copy of the Organic Whole Farm Planning Workbook by Margaret Frericks Huelsman.
For more information, contact Mike Anderson, mike@oeffa.org, 614-421-2022 ext. 204.
