By Amy Anselm, NODPA Contributing Writer, Tioga Family Farm, Truxton, NY.
Spring Creek Farms in Wernersville, Pennsylvania has been certified organic since 1999, and the family-run dairy has managed multiple evolutions and additions to its operations since. Greg Stricker now manages the majority of the farm’s day-to-day operations, in continued partnership with his father, Forrest, as well as his wife, Stacy, his mother, Barb, and children Rachel, Jonathon and Joel. The dairy includes an annual average of 130 mature cows—including their milking herd and dry cows—and uses a once-a-day milking regime for optimum labor efficiency. They manage a total of 600 acres, and the Strickers maintain a 100% grass-fed diet for their cows, moving portions of the herd multiple times a day to ensure fresh and nutrient-rich pasture.
Read More...posted to Featured Farms on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
26th Annual NODPA Field Days, Berks County Agricultural Center, Leesport, PA
Mark your calendars for the 26th Annual NODPA Field Days. With a lot happening in the Organic Dairy industry, the NODPA Board is working to create a cutting edge education program that focuses on strategies to prepare your farm for the impacts of unpredictable climate changes, such as those we experienced in 2025. Pasture management, silvopasture, renewable energy, soil health to grow the best forage, and animal nutrition are the themes that have been identified. These themes will all be considered in the context of sound economics to ensure that the farm is profitable and economically sound for the next generation. More details on workshop titles and presenters will be featured in the May NODPA News and online.
Read More...posted to Field Days on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Klaas Martens, Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens Farm, Penn Yan, NY.
With variable weather patterns across the country, it is essential to adapt grazing management practices to accommodate such fluctuations. Last year exemplified this challenge, beginning with excessive rainfall and ending with severe drought in many parts of the northeast. These conditions illustrated the adverse effects of both extremes: initially, saturated pastures resulted in hoof damage, root disruption, and soil compaction; subsequently, dry soils hindered grass recovery and regrowth. Ideally, surplus water stored in the plants root system and excess forage could have been preserved for later use. While it is possible to retain some resources, doing so requires strategic planning and may necessitate modifications to current pasture management approaches. Pasture can be both the cheapest and the highest quality feed that dairy cows get. We need to think of pasture as our highest value and high profit crop. To take advantage of its full potential, we must manage it like a high value crop. The challenge is that we need to use our cows to manage the pastures instead of letting the pastures manage the cows. The big question is how do we do this?
Read More...posted to Organic Production on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Sara Ziegler, Research Specialist, University of Vermont Extension, Heather Darby, Professor of Agronomy, University of Vermont Extension, and Elizabeth Seyler, Outreach Specialist, University of Vermont Extension
If you’re a farmer in the Northeast, you’re probably sick of historic weather events that dominate your daily life, year after year. Unfortunately, last year there was no exception: Devastating drought conditions swept the region (Image 1). Though we’d like to think these conditions will settle out into something normal sooner or later, their aftermath can impact us for a long time.
Read More...posted to Organic Production on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Sara Ziegler, Research Specialist, University of Vermont Extension, Heather Darby, Professor of Agronomy, University of Vermont Extension, and Elizabeth Seyler, Outreach Specialist, University of Vermont Extension
Last year’s drought created one of the toughest seasons in Vermont’s recent history. The breadth and severity of damage will continue to impact us as we struggle to fill forage inventories and grapple with the economic repercussions. The best we can do now is prepare for the coming season focused on recovery. In another article, we shared strategies for identifying pastures that require additional seeding to recover their production potential and management strategies to avoid further damage. In this article, we focus on the specifics of how to successfully seed damaged areas.
Read More...posted to Organic Production on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Lia Sieler, Executive Director, Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (WODPA), Chico, CA
New World Screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is recognized as a highly destructive pest. NWS fly larvae, also known as maggots, invade the tissue of living animals, resulting in severe and often fatal injuries. This species can infest warm-blooded hosts, including livestock, pets, wildlife, humans, and even birds.
Read More...posted to Organic Production on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director
First, an apology to John Cleary and a correction. In the January 2026 NODPA News I mistakenly said that there were no CROPP field reps in New England. I took John’s title of New England Regional Manager and his many years of service to indicate a more supervisory role. All CROPP field staff hold the title of Regional Manager, so he was, and is, the field rep for New England. John continues to demonstrate outstanding commitment by supporting CROPP members and organic dairy farm families in New England.
Read More...posted to Industry News on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Dayna Locitzer, DVM
In my last article I wrote about good practice when it comes to hoof health and preventing the common issues. This article will tackle treating those lesions when your prevention efforts were not successful. Approaching hoof health is multi-pronged with treatment as only a small, but important part. Treatment can be difficult due to the time and management needed to be successful as well as the expense of bringing in a hoof trimmer. It can also be costly if antibiotics are needed, as that will make the cow lose her organic status.
Read More...posted to Organic Production on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director
Year-end total sales of organic packaged fluid milk show a decline of 1.19% over 2024 sales. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Market Information Branch published estimated national organic fluid milk product sales for November, December and year-end 2025, compiled with data from the Federal Milk Marketing Order. Total US sales of packaged organic fluid milk products were estimated at 234 million pounds in November 2025, with organic Whole Milk sales at 128 million pounds, and sales of organic Fat Reduced Milk at 104 million pounds. In December 2025, total sales of organic packaged milk were 263 million pounds, with sales of organic packaged Whole Milk at 146 million pounds, and sales of organic Fat Reduced Milk at 115 million pounds.
Read More...posted to Organic Pay, Feed & Grain Prices on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
By Susan Beal, DVM
This is a historical time for homeopathy. After nearly ten years of work led by Paola Brown, President, and the crew at Americans for Homeopathy Choice Action (AHCA), the non-partisan bill (H.R.7050 - Homeopathic Drug Product Safety, Quality, and Transparency Act) was introduced in to the House on January 14, 2026. U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) introduced the bill that will at long last clarify the role of homeopathic medicine in American health care. Paola Brown explains, “The bill is the best solution for long-term protection of access to the full range of homeopathic medicines and for addressing the unique nature of homeopathic medicines and the specific conditions and requirements related to their manufacture, labeling, promotion, distribution, and use.”
Read More...posted to Industry News on Tue, Mar 03, 2026
| Name | Date and Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 44th Winter Conference of CT-NOFA | Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 12:00 AM | Wesleyan University. Middletown, CT |
| 2026 Northeast Dairy Innovation Summit: DYNAMIC DAIRY Opportunities at Every Scale | Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 8:00 AM | Crowne Plaza Albany--The Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Rd., Albany, NY |
| 2026 Northeast Dairy Innovation Summit | Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 8:00 AM | Crowne Plaza Albany--The Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Rd., Albany, NY |
Below we have a list of contacts for milk buyers who responded to our request to have their information made public or suggested contacts for those that didn’t respond:
