NODPA Events Calendar

January | February | March | April | May | June | July

August | September | October | November | December

April 2010

Monday, April 5th (rescheduled from 2/26/10)
2010 Troy Grazing Conference – –
9:30 am to 3:00 pm – Troy Fire Hall, Troy, PA

The focus of the conference is on the economics of grazing, making grazing work during these challenging times, and renovating ideal land with cattle and management.  Featured speakers include Jim Grace of Cornell Cooperative Extension, organic dairyman Nate Harkness, and seasonal organic dairyman Dave Johnson.  The day will wrap up with a producer speaker panel discussing how grazing worked in 2009 and finally a session on business planning and farm recordkeeping.  Registration is $20 per person as soon as possible, and includes lunch and snacks – please contact Diane White at Endless Mountains RC&D at 570-265-5288 or diane.white@rcdnet.net or registration forms available at www.endlessmountainsrcd.org.

April 7, 2010
NOP Pasture Rule Training Session
Denver, Colorado
The National Organic Program (NOP) recently completed a training session on the Access to Pasture (Livestock) final rule on February 25, 2010 in La Crosse, WI. The NOP will be conducting additional Access to Pasture Rule training sessions New York, Colorado and California and these trainings are open to ALL. NOP will post more information about these sessions as they become available. Pre-registration is required.

To pre-register, contact Judith Ragonesi, Training Manager, National Organic Program at judith.ragonesi2@ams.usda.gov. For training updates, go to: www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop and click on Pasture Rulemaking Information on the right hand side of the page.

April 8, 2010
Alfred State Farm Shows Plans, Invites Public
At Center for Organic and Sustainable Agriculture in the Horticulture Building on Route 244 in the Village of Alfred from 9 am to 5 pm.

Alfred State College Center for Organic and Sustainable Agriculture will host a public display of the proposed plans for the renovation of the college farm. The plans will feature designs for the new dairy barn that will accommodate both organic and non-organic cows. Pasture management, renovation of existing buildings, and other agricultural enterprises on the campus will also be subjects for discussion. Farmers, members of the community, and all other stakeholders are invited to participate and give their feedback on the plans. The plans will be on display in the former flower shop and future site of the Center for Organic and Sustainable Agriculture in the Horticulture Building on Route 244 in the Village of Alfred from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 8. For more information, contact Brian Baker at 607-587-4744 or bakerbp@alfredstate.edu.

April 8, 2010
Rotational Grazing Webinar
6:45 Eastern Standard Time

Join Rachel Gilker and Jenn Colby of the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture's Pasture Program for a practical primer on pasturing. Jenn and Rachel will outline rotational grazing fundamentals for success, including soil testing, plant growth, grazing infrastructure, animal behavior and calculating pasture forage for your animals. To participate, please go to http://tinyurl.com/GrazingBasics2 at about 6:45 pm Eastern time. Visit the following website to download the Grazing Basics for Beginners Fact sheet for information about the concepts covered in this webinar. 
www.uvm.edu/newfarmer/?Page=webinars.html

APRIL 8 OR MAY 25 OR JUNE 11
BEYOND MILK! RAW DAIRY PROCESSING CLASSES
1 TO 4 PM
CLASSES $20-40, SLIDING SCALE, PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED
Multiple Locations, VT

Learn how to make all kinds of delicious dairy goods in your own kitchen With some simple
instruction and good quality raw milk, it’s easy. Rural Vermont is partnering with raw milk
farmers to bring you both. Classes will cover dairy processing basics, and will include info
about how and where to purchase local, raw milk. All proceeds benefi t Rural Vermont.

April 8th Hollister Hill Farm, Marshfi eld, VT
Mozzarella, Ricotta, & Fromage Blanc with Lindsay Harris of Family Cow Farmstand

May 25th Hollyhock Farm, Putney, VT
Chevre with Gay Foster

June 11th United Church of Hinesburg, Hinesburg, VT
Feta, Ricotta, & Chevre with Sara Armstrong Donegan of Trillium Hill Farm

CONTACT: Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222 or shelby@ruralvermont.org

APRIL 10
FARM TO PLATE SUMMIT
9:30 AM TO 4 PM
$10 DONATION; PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED; LUNCH SERVED
Rutland Middle School Rutland, VT

Keynote by Ken Meter, Crossroads Resource Center (www.crcworks.org). The purpose of the
Farm to Plate Summit is to bring together stakeholders from the whole state to review and vet
the draft plan goals and provide specifi c feedback to guide final drafting of the Farm to Plate
strategic plan. An inspirational keynote speaker will begin the day and many breakout sessions
will be organized to seek feedback on draft recommendations. Registration required.

CONTACT: Heather Pipino, heather@vsjf.org,
www.vsjf.org/project-details/5/farm-to-plate-initiative

Monday, April 19th – 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Mohawk Valley Graziers
Room 111 Montgomery County Annex Building - Park Street, Fonda, NY

Come eat, chat, and learn with peers about pasturing techniques and management. Open to both small and large livestock producers, or anyone interested in starting up. We meet once per month, each session on a different topic and lunch will be served! This month’s topic will be "Grazing Nutrition" with speaker Karen Hoffman from USDA-NRCS. For more information contact Amanda Schaller at 518-853-4015 or amanda.schaller@ny.nacdnet.net. Sponsored in part by NY-GLCI.

April 19, 20, 21, & 22, 2010
Decision Making to Maximize Dairy Profits Workshop
Lancaster, Chambersburg, Altoona, Meadville, and Troy, Pennsylvania

The speaker is Wayne Weiland, the Midwest regional manager of Stardard Dairy Consulting. Mr. Weiland will discuss how diary professionals can help producers make better decisions, and will specifically look at evaluating management interventions.

Go to www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/index.php/register-for-dairy-pros.html for more information.

April 21-23, 2010
Dr. Dettloff Organic Veterinary Workshop
Viroqua, Wisconsin

This workshop consists of two and a half days of classroom lecture, interactive discussion groups and hands-on cattle work with a special emphasis on organic techniques and materials. Subjects covered include: delivering calves, the reproductive cycle, pipette and neddle techniques, rolling a displaced abomasum, hardware, ketosis, mastitis and pneumonia, among others. Cost of the workshop is $450/person, which include all meals during the school and hotel stay for two nights (April 22 & 23). For more information contact: Heather Dolan 608-625-3588 heather.dolan@organicvalley.com

April 26, 2010
NOP Pasture Rule Training Session
Davis, California
The National Organic Program (NOP) recently completed a training session on the Access to Pasture (Livestock) final rule on February 25, 2010 in La Crosse, WI. The NOP will be conducting additional Access to Pasture Rule training sessions New York, Colorado and California and these trainings are open to ALL. NOP will post more information about these sessions as they become available. Pre-registration is required.

To pre-register, contact Judith Ragonesi, Training Manager, National Organic Program at judith.ragonesi2@ams.usda.gov. For training updates, go to: www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop and click on Pasture Rulemaking Information on the right hand side of the page.

Monday, April 26th
National Organic Coalition pre-NOSB Meeting
Woodland, CA
Co-sponsored by CCOF
 
Please join us 8:30am - 2:00pm for our semi-annual pre-NOSB meeting
Hampton Inn & Suites, 2060 Freeway Drive, Woodland, CA 95776 (530)662-9100 
(Less than a mile from the NOSB meeting site)
NOSB meeting April 26 (3 pm) through April 29. See details at NOP website
Highlights of the NOC/CCOF pre-NOSB meeting will include:
• Pasture Rule debrief
• GE Alfalfa -- Action -- Lawsuit
• Farm Bill 2012 brain storm
• Food Safety
• NOAP
• Updates -- What you've been doing in the organic world
• Lunch included  for a small fee -- please RSVP by emailing Liana Hoodes: Liana@NationalOrganicCoalition.org

NOSB will be starting at 3pm on the 26th.
 
Please RSVP to Liana@NationalOrganicCoalition.org .
We have also reserved a block of rooms under "National Organic Coalition" for $99 per double.  This offer ends midnight April 5th. Please book early!

April 26-29, 2010 
NOSB Meeting
Heidrick Ag History Center
1962 Hays Lane
Woodland, CA 95776

(Abbreviated Agenda below. For full agenda, please go to: www.ams.usda.gov/nosb/ )
 
Monday, April 26, 2010
 
3:00 p.m.: CALL TO ORDER
Remarks: Dan Giacomini, Chairperson

3:15 p.m.: SECRETARY’S REPORT
Tina Ellor, Secretary
 
3:30 p.m.: NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM REPORT (PDF)
Miles McEvoy, Deputy Administrator
National Organic Program
 
4:00 p.m.: Proposed NOP Guidance Documents for Discussion
• Corn Steep Liquor
• Accessory Nutrients
4:30 p.m.: NOSB MATERIALS REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE
Katrina Heinze, Chairperson, Materials Committee
 
5:00 p.m.: Recess

Tuesday, April 27, 2010
 
8:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m.: Public Comment on NOP Guidance Documents, and NOSB Action & Discussion Items

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
 
NOSB COMMITTEE PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
 
8:00 a.m.: CROPS COMMITTEE, Tina Ellor, Chairperson 
Sunset 2011
• Ferric phosphate for snail bait – Recommendation (PDF) 
Sunset 2012 for substances on § 205.601 & § 205.602 –see spreadsheet for Recommendations (PDF) 
List 4 inerts in pesticides – Recommendation (PDF)
Production standards for terrestrial plants in containers and enclosures – Recommendation (PDF) 
 
9:45 a.m.: LIVESTOCK COMMITTEES, Kevin Engelbert, Chairperson

Petitioned Materials
• Methionine – Recommendation (PDF)
Sunset 2012 for substances on § 205.603 & § 205.604 –see spreadsheet for Recommendations (PDF)
Animal Health Care Products
• Definition – Recommendation (PDF)
• Clarification of 205.238(c)(1) & 205.238(c)(2) – Recommendation (PDF)
Animal Welfare – Discussion (PDF) on stocking charts
Apiculture – Discussion
 
11:30 a.m - 2:00 p.m.: HANDLING COMMITTEE, Steve DeMuri, Chairperson

Sunset 2012 for substances on § 205.605 & § 205.606 –see spreadsheet for Recommendations (PDF)

2:00 p.m.: JOINT MATERIALS & HANDLING COMMITTEES, Katrina Heine, Chairperson

Clarifications of the Definitions of the National List – Addendum to November Recommendation – Recommendation (PDF)

Classification of Materials – Discussion of Guidance Document (PDF)

3:15 p.m.: MATERIALS COMMITTEE, Katrina Heinze, Chairperson

Nanotechnology – Status Update
 
3:45 p.m.: COMPLIANCE, ACCREDIATION, AND CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE, Joe Smillie, Chairperson

 Use of Inert Atmospheric Gases in Products Labeled as 100% Organic – Guidance Recommendation (PDF)

4:30 p.m.: POLICY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, Barry Flamm, Chairperson

Board Policy & Procedures Manual
• Section VIII – 2 tier decision-making on materials – classify, then vote on whether to list Recommendation (PDF)
• Section VIII – Sunset Review Approaches – Discussion (PDF)
• Section V – NOP/NOSB collaboration – Discussion (PDF) 
Rotation of Board Positions – Discussion (PDF)

5:00 p.m. Recess

Thursday, April 29, 2010

NOSB COMMITTEE PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
 
8:00 a.m.: CROPS COMMITTEE, Tina Ellor, Chairperson
 
Sunset 2011
• Ferric phosphate for snail bait – Recommendation (PDF) 
Sunset 2012 for substances on § 205.601 & § 205.602 –see spreadsheet for Recommendations (PDF) 
List 4 inerts in pesticides – Recommendation (PDF)
Production standards for terrestrial plants in containers and enclosures – Recommendation (PDF)
 
9:45 a.m.: LIVESTOCK COMMITTEES, Kevin Engelbert, Chairperson
 
Petitioned Materials
• Methionine – Recommendation (PDF)
Sunset 2012 for substances on § 205.603 & § 205.604 –see spreadsheet for Recommendations (PDF)

Animal Health Care Products
• Definition – Recommendation (PDF)
• Clarification of 205.238(c)(1) & 205.238(c)(2) – Recommendation (PDF) 
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: HANDLING COMMITTEE, Steve DeMuri, Chairperson

Sunset 2012 for substances on § 205.605 & § 205.606 –see spreadsheet for Recommendations (PDF)

2:00 p.m.: JOINT MATERIALS & HANDLING COMMITTEES
Katrina Heine, Chairperson
 
Clarifications of the Definitions of the National List – Addendum to November Recommendation – Recommendation (PDF)
 
3:15 p.m.: COMPLIANCE, ACCREDIATION, AND CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE, Joe Smillie, Chairperson

 100% Label – Guidance Recommendation (PDF)
 
3:45 p.m.: POLICY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, Barry Flamm, Chairperson
 
Board Policy & Procedures Manual
• Section VIII – 2 tier decision-making on materials – classify, then vote on whether to list Recommendation (PDF) 
4:00 p.m.: COMMITTEE WORKPLANS
 
4:45 p.m.: OTHER BUSINESS & CLOSING REMARKS
 
5:00 p.m. ADJOURN