• Cattle
    OEFFA Press Releases

    Senator Brown, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Local Meat Processing Support, Bolster Resilient Food Systems

    Yesterday, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and John Thune (R-SD), U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Jim Baird (R-IN), and members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the House Agriculture Committee reintroduced the Strengthening Local Processing Act. The bipartisan legislation would support small meat and poultry processors, helping them streamline and strengthen their operations. This legislation is endorsed by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA). The bill would provide small meat processors with access to critical information regarding food safety planning. This would enable more inspector-approved meat products to be sold across state lines, and channel federal dollars towards education, training, and technical assistance…

  • OEFFA Conference 2023
    OEFFA Press Releases

    Mohawk Seedkeeper Rowen White and Agronomist Ricardo Salvador to Keynote 44th OEFFA Conference

    Cultivating a diverse regenerative agricultural movement and shaping a more current and equitable farm bill will be the respective focal points of keynote addresses by Mohawk seedkeeper Rowen White and agronomist Ricardo Salvador at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 44th annual conference, Germinate, Regenerate, Agitate.  In her Thursday, February 16 keynote address, “Reseeding Imaginations of a Relational Agricultural System,” Rowen White will speak on Indigenous leadership, ecological knowledge, cultural memory, and the cultural inheritance of land and seeds. “Seeds are the foundation of agriculture, but they also encode a memory of the land, the climate, the weather, as well as people’s cultural values, aesthetics and stories,” White…

  • OEFFA Press Releases

    OEFFA Announces Rachel Tayse as Executive Director

    The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association is pleased to announce that Rachel Tayse joins the organization as executive director, effective January 1, 2023.    “OEFFA Certification Board President Bryn Bird and I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to our executive director, Carol Goland, who has guided and grown OEFFA expertly for 18 years. She has decided to ‘pass the torch’ to the next leader, and the board, staff, and stakeholders have been working diligently to find a replacement. As the natural and social environments continue to change, so does OEFFA,” said OEFFA Board President Steve Edwards. “Our new director, Rachel, along with the board and our other great staff, will continue to serve our…

  • OEFFA in the News,  Other

    It’s Been a Great Ride!

    A letter from OEFFA Executive Director Carol Goland In July I shared with the board and staff my intention to leave my position as executive director of OEFFA at the end of this year. I’m now including you in that news, and I’d like to take a moment to say more about my decision and to reflect both on my time with OEFFA and what lies ahead for us both.  I’ve long had a suspicion that executive directors have a certain shelf life, and I’ve wanted to be mindful of not staying beyond my expiration date. The average tenure of non-profit executive directors is six years. Staying on through the…

  • OEFFA Press Releases

    44th Annual Ohio Food and Farm Conference Opens Registration

    Registration is now open for Ohio’s premier three-day educational and networking conference on sustainable agriculture, local food, and green living. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 44th annual conference, Germinate, Regenerate, Agitate, will take place Thursday, February 16 through Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Cherry Valley Hotel and Ohio Event Center in Newark, Ohio. Online registration is now open at conference.oeffa.org. Keynote Speakers Thursday, February 16: Rowen White will speak on Indigenous leadership, ecological knowledge, cultural memory, cultural inheritance of land, seeds, and more. A seedkeeper and farmer from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, White is a passionate activist for indigenous seed and food sovereignty. Saturday, February 18:…

  • OEFFA Press Releases

    OEFFA Announces 2023 Farm Bill Platform

    Today, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) released its 2023 Farm Bill Platform, comprised of five planks:  Promote soil health and climate resilience through conservation policy;  Increase investments in local and regional food systems;  Address consolidation in the food and agricultural system;  Invest in organic and sustainable research; and  Provide more support to beginning and BIPOC farmers.  The farm bill virtually structures the entire food and agricultural system in the United States. It is a major commitment by the government–and, by extension, taxpayers–to provide nutrition assistance, commodity and crop insurance subsidies, funding for on-farm conservation, support for renewable energy, and much more.   The OEFFA 2023 Farm Bill…

  • OEFFA Press Releases

    OEFFA Organizes Farm Bill Roundtable with Sen. Brown, Green Field Farms

    Sustainable and organic farmers share their needs for the 2023 Farm Bill  On Aug. 30, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown met with Ohio sustainable and organic farmers to discuss their needs and challenges before the 2023 Farm Bill.   Held at Green Field Farms in Wooster, this roundtable brought together organic grain producers, grass-based livestock farmers, fruit and vegetable growers, and food and farm businesses involved in the sustainable agriculture economy. The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) partnered with Green Field Farms for a tour and listening session.  “This is an incredibly challenging time that also provides many opportunities,” said OEFFA Policy Director Amalie Lipstreu. “We can provide greater…

  • OEFFA Press Releases

    Connect with Farmers at a Sustainable Farm Tour or Workshop

    The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) and its partners invite you to experience the diversity of agriculture this summer during the 2022 Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series. This annual series of public tours and workshops features nearly 20 organic and ecological farms and businesses in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, providing unique opportunities for farmers, educators, and conscientious eaters to learn about sustainable agriculture, local foods, and those who make it possible. Tour guests can walk through urban farm fields, livestock pastures, and more during these OEFFA farm tours:  Sunday, June 26: Commercial Urban Farm Tour—Eden Urban Gardens, Hamilton Co. Wednesday, June 29: Infrastructure Capitalization Farm Tour—Three Creeks…