Top 5 - Organic News to Help You Grow #315

1. "Our Biggest Growth Is in Organic Sweet Potato Farming"

The Portuguese sweet potato season is currently coming on strong at East4Fresh. "Other Mediterranean countries have stopped delivering, and we are pretty much the only ones left with good quality in both organic and conventional," Helien Verhagen says.  Read More

2. NRCS Investing $75MM To Help Producers Transitioning to Organic

The US Department of Agriculture recently announced details around its $75 million investment in conservation assistance for producers transitioning to organic production. As part of the multi-agency Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will dedicate financial and technical assistance to a new organic management standard and partner with new organic technical experts to increase staff capacity and expertise.  Read More

3. The Future Is Clear for Highline Mushrooms

A new direction is on the horizon for Highline Mushrooms as the company has added sizable talent to its team. Building on years of historical excellence in the growing of organic mushrooms, new vision and energy will undoubtedly serve to further boost the company's growth and innovation.  Read More

4. Raley’s, FirstFruits Farms Deliver 17,000 Pounds of Apples to Food Bank

Raley’s and FirstFruits Farms teamed up to provide fresh apples to the Placer County Food Bank. As part of the Take a Bite Out of Hunger program, 17,000 pounds of fresh apples were delivered last week.  Read More

5. Rodale Institute, KWU, and a Kansas Farm Partner to Expand Access to Regenerative Organic Agriculture Education

Rodale Institute, a global research and education nonprofit, is joining forces with Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) and Quail Creek Family Farms (QCFF) to grow education programming in Kansas focused on regenerative organic farming models. Priorities for the organizations include developing an accredited Kansas-based Rodale Institute Farmer Training (RIFT) program, establishing a Rodale Institute Regional Resource Center in Salina, Kansas, and exploring potential sites for a local farm-to-institution production facility.  Read More