Hails Family Farm: Processing,
Local Sales ... & Wholesale
Added July 1, 2009. Talk about a diversified operation. Paul and Joyce Hail of Wyalusing, PA have a grade A processing plant on farm, make cheese, butter, yogurt and cream cheese, run a small CSA, and sell to local and national markets. MORE >

Pay Price And Support Control
Added July 1, 2009. We all knew that the demand for organic milk could not continue to grow at the 20%+ it has over the last three years but the dramatic drop we have experienced this year is unprecedented and unpredictable. To shed some light on the situation we have an article that attempts to compare what the major companies are doing in this new market place. MORE >

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SAVE THE DATE FOR:
NODPA’s 9th Annual Field Days
And Producer Meeting
Practical Tools for Efficient Organic Dairy Farming in these Tough Economic Times
Noon Thursday August 13 5 pm Friday August 14th
Spring Wood Organic Farm, Kinzers, Pennsylvania

NODPA Field Days will return to Roman Stoltzfoos’ family farm for the 2009 Field Days. The first Field Days was held at Spring Wood Farm 9 years ago this August, and we are returning to walk the fields again, with the always interesting commentary of Roman and his family. Learn more >

Check out the schedule for the two day event.

REGISTER ONLINE! You can now register for the Field Days online.

DOWNLOAD the Field Days Brochure (PDF format)! The brochure gives you details of the event, and a convenient registration form you can mail in with your check if you prefer that method.

ARTICLES RELATED TO FIELD DAYS EVENTS:

Counting the Costs that
Count on Your Farm
An article by keynote speaker James Landis. MORE >

Lameness in Organic Dairy Cattle
A great article on lameness by Hugh Karreman, who will speak on the topic of animal health at the Field Days.
MORE >

Plant Biodiversity: Livestock
Farmacy and Pantry
An article on biodiversity by Jerry Brunetti, which touches on the themes of diversified pasture and hedgerows that will be addressed at the Field Days. MORE >

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GRAIN MARKET UPDATE
Added July 1, 2009
The latest corn and soybean prices, and grain price trends over the past four years. MORE >

ORGANIC MILK PAY PRICE UPDATE
Added July 1, 2009
New England pay price since 2006, trends in organic fluid milk sales for the past four years, and new data comparing conventional and organic prices. MORE >

New Classified Ads: Updated July 1
Animals For Sale: Two certified organic Milking Shorthorn x Jersey heifers, born 4/23/08 and 3/17/08-- daughter and grand-daughter of our best milker. Also for sale, organic Dutch Belted x Jersey, born 5/5/07. 100% grass fed. | 11 heifers, 3 dry cows, 5 milkers, 2 steers. yearling to bred heifers, milkers 35-60 lbs, SCC less than 200,000 DHIA records available. Steers 10-18 months. Need to downsize. | Organic grass based dairy herd for sale. Jerseys and Jersey crosses. This herd includes bred heifers, yearlings, calves, milking cows, cows due to calve this summer and some fall calving cows. All are certified organic by VOF (Vermont Organic Farmers).
Other: Semi-retired nurse/farmer seeks partner for small organic vegetable/flower/herb farm.
Land For Sale: 297 acre NICS certified organic dairy farm. 62 free stalls, single 8 parlor with OTO, two machine sheds (one built this year), TMR, manure structure, rotational grazing paddocks, four silos, 2 story house with 5 bedrooms. Creek through property. Comes with a full line of equipment and cattle. Farm has received numerous milk quality awards and received the 2006 Water Quality Leadership Award for Eau Claire County, WI.
Forages & Grains NOFA-NY Certified organic mixed grass hay, small square and 4X4 net wrapped round bales available. | High quality organic hay from Colorado. Nofa-NY certified organic hay. Certified Organic Hay & Baleage for Sale in Central NY. PCO certified 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cut hay in small squares. 115 bales certified organic baleage-2nd cutting clover and grass. 1st and 2nd Cutting Grass Hay 4x4, NY.
Services: KOW ASSOCIATE specializing in rotational grazing and organic dairy consultation, over 15 years of grazing and organic dairy farming experience, willing to work with farmers in DE, PA, MD, NJ, and NY.

Check out the 20 new entries in our business directory ...
... and consider adding your own business. MORE

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IN THE PAST MONTHS:

Organic Initiative Sign-Up
Extended in Some States
Added June 1, 2009. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has given States the option to extend their sign-up period for Organic Initiative funds beyond the initial deadline of May 29th. Learn more >

Milk Quota’s – What should we look for?
Added June 1, 2009. With the introduction of quotas by Organic Valley, we list some areas to look at when considering any proposed quota system from the milk companies.
MORE >

Making the Most of Your Milk Check
What Dairy Farmers Need to Know About Assignments
By Jill E. Krueger, Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Inc.
Added June 1, 2009. MORE > (in PDF Format)

Report from the May 2009
NOSB Meeting
Added June 1, 2009. The National Organic Standards Board met in Washington, D.C. from May 4 – May 6, 2009. Ed Maltby, NODPA Execlutive Director, summarizes the issues addressed at the meeting. MORE >

Job Openings: Director of National Organic Program; Superintendent,
UNH Organic Dairy Research Farm
Added June 1, 2009. Click here to learn more.

Profitability of Organic Dairy, 2007
Added June 1, 2009. The results of an on-going financial analysis of Vermont’s organic dairy sector by UVM and NOFA-VT indicate farms in the study averaged $18,522 net farm earnings, a 0.5% return on owner equity.
Learn more >

Organic Dairy Research and Outreach
at WCROC in Minnesota
Added June 1, 2009. The University of Minnesota will become the first land grant in the Midwest to manage an organic dairy herd that is dedicated to research and education. The growing organic sector in Minnesota will soon benefit from information that is tested by rigorous science. More on this initiative >

Update on Dairy Management
Research at Cal State Chico
Added June 1, 2009. The CSU Chico Organic Dairy Unit is now into its 3rd lactation as a seasonal, managed intensive grazing, organic dairy operation. Learn more >

FOOD Farmers Speak Out on Abuse of the Producer Handler Exemption
Cincinnati May 11, 2009: Kathie Arnold, Rick Segalla and Tony Schilter supported by Dan Fullencamp presented testimony on behalf of the Federation of Organic Dairy Farmers (FOOD Farmers) to the public hearing that was held to consider proposals seeking to amend or remove the producer-handler provisions and revise the exempt plant provisions applicable to all Federal milk marketing orders.

Click here to download the testimony.
Click here to download the Food Farmers' letter.

Puzzled By PI Spikes?
Added May 7, 2009. Things you can do to reduce the count.
MORE >

What's the Value of High Quality Forage?
Added May 7, 2009. The key management factors influencing forage yield and quality, and an economic comparison of 3 forage systems. MORE >

COMMENTARY
Producers Working as Partners
Added May 7, 2009. It is important that producers use collective marketing to achieve a price level that is fair for all involved rather than going it alone and only serving just oneself, says Charlie Johnson, an organic grain producer in South Dakota. MORE >

Recent Discussions on ODairy
Added May 7, 2009. Not surprisingly, the current state of supply and demand in organic dairy and worry about how the spring flush will play out were common threads in discussions this past month. But there were lots of other management and health issues that became the focus of discussion. Read more >