OEFFA News

A publication released today by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) will help produce farmers understand what it means to develop a farm food safety plan and meet new federal food safety rules.     . Food Safety Planning Down on the Farm: Examples from Ohio Certified Organic Farms features eight vegetable and fruit farms of various scales and serving diverse markets.     . “Our hope is that farmers, whether or not they are certified organic, will see themselves in these profiles,” said OEFFA Education Program Director Renee Hunt.  “We want these case studies to give produce growers ideas of what they can do and make food safety…

Contact: Amalie Lipstreu, Policy Program Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, amalie@oeffa.org Lauren Ketcham, Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, lauren@oeffa.org . Columbus, OH—A government survey of U.S. organic farms shows that Ohio ranks 7th in the nation in its number of organic farms. Ohio is seeing double digit growth in the number of organic farms, organic land in production, and organic sales, illustrating the role of organic production in economic development.  . The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service’s “2016 Certified Organic Survey,” showed Ohio’s organic sales increased by more than 30 percent since 2015 and the number of certified organic farms in Ohio is up by 24 percent. Since…

Statement from Amalie Lipstreu, OEFFA Policy Program Coordinator      For Immediate Release: October 5, 2017 Contact: Amalie Lipstreu, OEFFA Policy Program Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, amalie@oeffa.org Lauren Ketcham, OEFFA Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, lauren@oeffa.org Columbus, OH—Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced the Local Food and Regional Market Supply (FARMS) Act (HR 3941) yesterday. This legislation directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue positive investments in local food systems, community economic development, and public health. Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (OEFFA) Policy Coordinator Amalie Lipstreu, released the following statement: “The bill introduced by Senator Brown makes important investments that will allow farmers to reach…

For Immediate Release: Monday, June 26, 2017 Contact: Kelly Henderson, (614) 421-2022, beginfarming@oeffa.org (Columbus, OH) The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is now accepting applications for Heartland Farm Beginnings®, a community-based, farmer-led, field-tested, in-depth farmer training program which helps beginning farmers create successful sustainable agriculture businesses. OEFFA has partnered with the Farm Beginnings Collaborative (FBC), a national alliance of regional groups, which offers Farm Beginnings® programs in 13 states. The program has not been available in Ohio until now. Hundreds of farmers have graduated from Farm Beginnings® programs, and they have a strong track record.  For example, 71 percent of graduates were still farming in 2016. “Participants are…

For Immediate Release: February 13, 2017 . Contact: Carol Goland, OEFFA Executive Director—(614) 421-2022 Ext. 202, cgoland@oeffa.org Amalie Lipstreu, OEFFA Policy Program Coordinator—(614) 421-2022 Ext. 208, amalie@oeffa.org Lauren Ketcham, OEFFA Communications Coordinator—(614) 421-2022 Ext. 203, lauren@oeffa.org     The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) has named the 2017 recipients for the Stewardship Award and Service Award, as well as the first winner of the Advocate of the Year. . Mike Anderson of Delaware County received the Stewardship Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the sustainable agriculture community, Holly Harman Fackler of Richland County received the Service Award, which recognizes extraordinary service in support of sustainable agriculture, and Alex Dragovich…

For Immediate Release: January 17, 2017 Contact: Lauren Ketcham, OEFFA Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, lauren@oeffa.org Sabrina Pritchett, CSU Associate Director of Public Relations and Marketing, (937) 376-6323, spritchett@centralstate.edu    Urban agriculture offers exciting opportunities for individuals to make a living farming and gain educational and job training, and provide communities with healthy food.  . Addressing the specific challenges and issues that face urban farmers is the focus of a six-part workshop track sponsored by Ohio’s recently-designated 1890 land-grant institution, Central State University (CSU) Cooperative Extension.  . The workshop track is part of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 38th annual conference, Growing Today, Transforming Tomorrow, which will run…

For Immediate Release: January 10, 2017 Contact: Lauren Ketcham, OEFFA Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, lauren@oeffa.org Renee Hunt, OEFFA Program Director, (614) 421-2022, renee@oeffa.org   Four full-day pre-conference intensive workshops designed to help farmers develop their production and business skills will be featured as part of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 38th annual conference, Growing Today, Transforming Tomorrow.   . The conference will be held Thursday, February 9 through Saturday, February 11 at the Dayton Convention Center in Dayton, Ohio.   . “These day-long workshops allow farmers to delve deep into these topics with experienced presenters who have direct, hands-on experience,” said OEFFA Program Director Renee Hunt.  …

For Immediate Release: January 3, 2017 Contact: Lauren Ketcham, OEFFA Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, lauren@oeffa.org Kelly Henderson, OEFFA Begin Farming Program Coordinator, (614) 421-2022, kelly@oeffa.org    Helping beginning farmers start and grow their operations is the focus of a six-part workshop track, which is part of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 38th annual conference, Growing Today, Transforming Tomorrow. The event will be held Thursday, February 9 through Saturday, February 11 at the Dayton Convention Center in Dayton, Ohio. . “Our goal is to help early career and aspiring farmers increase their knowledge and skills, find leads on farmland, and make business and professional connections,” said OEFFA Begin…

For Immediate Release: December 15, 2016 Contact: Renee Hunt, Program Director, (614) 421-2022 Ext. 205, renee@oeffa.org Lauren Ketcham, Communications Coordinator, (614) 421-2022 Ext. 203, lauren@oeffa.org How we can heal a sick food system will be the focus of a keynote address by concerned mother, author, and activist Robyn O’Brien at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 38th annual conference, Growing Today, Transforming Tomorrow, this February in Dayton, Ohio.   .  In her February 11 keynote address, “Building the 21st Century Food System: Capitalizing on the New Food Economy,” presented by Horizon Organic, O’Brien will describe her journey from Wall Street to the farmers’ market aisle and call for…