The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is having far-reaching repercussions on Ohio’s food and farm system. Four organizations, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA), Produce Perks Midwest (PPM), the Ohio Farmers Market Network (OFMN), and the Ohio Food Policy Network (OFPN) are calling on Ohio’s leaders to implement six important policies that will help small and mid-size farmers, farmers markets, and families who rely on nutrition assistance to access affordable, healthy food. “Ohio leaders can take decisive action and ensure the survival of small and mid-scale family farmers that feed their communities and make sure the public can access much needed fresh food in a way that protects public…

Recognizing that farmers are trying to reach consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is taking steps to get the word out and is making its online searchable database available to all sustainable and organic farmers to list their products for sale. The Good Earth Guide gives consumers an online tool to search for farms and food businesses by product, name, county (Ohio only), and additional options such as community supported agriculture (CSA) and certified organic. Consumers can find out what farms and businesses in Ohio and beyond offer and how to contact them.  “We know farmers, farmers’ markets, and farm-related businesses are scrambling…

The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) has named the 2020 recipients of its Stewardship and Service awards.  David Bell of Logan County received the Stewardship Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the sustainable agriculture community, and Alan Sundermeier of Wood County received the Service Award, which recognizes extraordinary service in support of sustainable agriculture. The announcements were made February 14-15 in Dayton as part of OEFFA’s 41st annual conference, “A Climate for Change.”  2020 Stewardship Award Winner—David Bell David Bell started a farming business with his brother Kevin in 1968, and has owned and operated Paul Bell & Sons, a 450 acre organic farm near Bellefontaine, Ohio with…

The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) was awarded a $7,000 grant from Farm Aid to support policy advocacy on behalf of sustainable and organic family-scaled farms, in recognition of the benefits they provide to the environment and rural communities. This is OEFFA’s eleventh grant from Farm Aid. “We are both grateful and proud to receive this support from Farm Aid, with whom we share a passion for keeping family farmers on the land,” said OEFFA Executive Director Carol Goland. Farm Aid’s grantmaking is focused on work that enhances the viability of family farm agriculture in the United States. They issue grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations that are growing…

Uniting farm, food, and climate movements to demand equitable solutions to the climate crisis will be the focus of a keynote address by agroecologist, political economist, activist, and author Eric Holt-Giménez at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 41st annual conference, A Climate for Change, this February in Dayton, Ohio. In his Saturday, February 15 keynote address, “Food, Farm, and Climate Justice: A New Deal for a Just Transition,” Holt-Giménez will explore the ways in which extreme weather events, environmental contamination, industrial agriculture, energy infrastructure, and other factors have unleashed a perfect storm on our food system, worsening food insecurity and disproportionately affecting family farmers, farmworkers, and people…

Helping farms become more resilient to the impacts of climate change—like the record wet spring most farmers experienced this year—will be the focus of a keynote address by long-time researcher, policy-maker, and educator Laura Lengnick at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 41st annual conference, A Climate for Change, this February in Dayton, Ohio. In her Friday, February 14 keynote address, “Climate Change, Resilience, and the Future of Food,” Lengnick will explore the ways in which sustainable agriculture principles like soil health, biodiversity, and community-based cooperative networks can enhance the resilience of agricultural businesses and the communities they serve. She’ll also share examples of how award-winning farmers and…

Registration is now open for Ohio’s premier educational and networking event for ecological farmers, backyard growers, and others committed to sustainable agriculture, local food, and green living. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 40th annual conference, A Climate for Change, will run Thursday, February 13-Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the Dayton Convention Center in Dayton, Ohio. “This year’s event features speakers and sessions dedicated to creating a climate to change agriculture,” said OEFFA Program Director Renee Hunt. “Cultivating a resilient, just, and sustainable agricultural system can help farmers mitigate their climate risks, and address our global crisis.” Each year, the conference draws more than 1,100 attendees. Online registration is now open…

Columbus, OH— A prominent Ohio agricultural organization applauds the DeWine administration for its H20hio plan to address harmful algal blooms and other critical water quality issues, but says it fails to acknowledge how organic farming can provide solutions. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) finds Gov. DeWine’s top 10 list, released yesterday, misses a critical approach to farming that can reduce phosphorus runoff. “Organic farming should be at the top of this list,” said OEFFA Executive Director Carol Goland. “Synthetic phosphorus is not used in organic agriculture; what could be more effective than that?” The National Organic Program (NOP) standards include some of the best practices identified in…

Columbus, OH—The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) today announced the second phase of its Begin Farming Program to advance the viability of beginning farms and successful transfer of farmland between new and retiring farmers. For the project titled, On Solid Ground: Hands-on Training, Farm Viability, and Land Access Support for Ohio Beginning Farmers, OEFFA and its partners will build on previous work to comprehensively address the educational, skill-building, and service needs of new and beginning farmers to enhance their ability to acquire land, be successful as producers, and manage viable farm businesses. OEFFA will coordinate applied learning experiences, with the nationally-recognized Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, a new Specialty Crop…

Columbus, OH—The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) announces the launch of Heartland FarmLink, a new land linking service for farm seekers and farm owners. HeartlandFarmLink.org is a free online profile listing service where beginning farmers and farm land owners can review potential matches, contact each other, and find resources to help with the financial, legal, and communication challenges inherent in farm transfer. Ohio ranks sixth in the nation with a total of 33,885 beginning farmers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. These young farmers, increasingly well trained and eager, struggle to find affordable farm land. At the same time, the average age of…