REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Increasing demand for organic food is presenting new opportunities for Ohio farmers.
Organics 101: An Introduction to Organic Crop Production will present the latest recommendations for farmers who are considering the transition to organic crop production. Any Ohio farmer who is looking for information on organic crop production is welcome to attend this comprehensive workshop.
This full day workshop is presented by the The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, a nonprofit education organization, and the Ohio State University Organic Food and Farming Education and Research Program, a nationally recognized leader in organic farming research.
This workshop will be held at the Bromfield Administration Building, on the Ohio Department of Agriculture campus, in Reynoldsburg Dec. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The program presenters will include OSU agriculture researchers and experienced organic farmers.
Topics
Participants will learn about the organic certification standards and the certification process, soil biology, crop rotations and pest management in organic cropping systems. The economics of organic production, sources for approved production inputs, and the marketing of organic crops will also be covered.
University scientists and farmers will lead sessions on these and other topics and will answer questions from farmers considering organic production.
Register
Preregistration for this workshop is $30 if received by Nov. 18. Registration received after Nov. 18 is $35.
Lunch will be served at no additional charge.
For registration information, contact Mike Anderson, at 614-421-2022 or mike@oeffa.org. Registration information is also available from Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, 41 Croswell Road, Columbus, OH, 43214.
“We have 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,” said Carol Goland, executive director of Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association.
Ohio farmers who are currently growing certain certified organic crops receive a premium price for their products.
In 2007, approximately 370 farms were certified organic in the state of Ohio. This number is forecast to increase by 30 percent in 2008 to almost 500.
