FINAL Growing Organic Community September 2023 Newsletter
Midwest
Attachment
3211, 3211, FINAL Growing Organic Community September 2023 Newsletter, FINAL-Growing-Organic-Community-September-2023-Newsletter.pdf, 421334, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/FINAL-Growing-Organic-Community-September-2023-Newsletter.pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/growing-organic-community/final-growing-organic-community-september-2023-newsletter/, , 7, , , final-growing-organic-community-september-2023-newsletter, inherit, 3210, 2023-09-20 20:20:01, 2023-09-20 20:20:01, 0, application/pdf, application, pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-includes/images/media/document.png
Midwest TOPP News
Issue No. 1, September 2023
GROWING ORGANIC COMMUNITY
By Roz Lehman, Executive Director, Iowa Organic Association
Community has been a key factor of success within the growing organic movement – it
provides an important source of social connection and a sense of belonging – especially
when the nearest organic neighbor is possibly hundreds of miles away. For organic
producers, developing a network for sharing organic production methods and resources
has been essential to sustaining this niche community that has now become the fastest
growing agriculture industry in the United States.
The USDA is committed to expanding this model to deliver greater technical and
financial support to extend a range of resources that meet the needs of producers and
businesses interested in organic transition and production. As part of the USDA’s new
Organic Transition Initiative, the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) will
prioritize efforts to increase farmer-to-farmer mentoring; improve NRCS organic
technical capacity, develop market opportunities (supply chains, processing and
distribution for new organic crops) and further strengthen organic communities and
partnerships regionally and across the U.S.
Add a little TOPP is a national collaborative effort involving many partners in every state
working together, in community, towards a common goal. The TOPP network covers six
regions: the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Plains, Northwest, and
West/Southwest. Organizations in these regions are actively forming partnerships and
creating programs to serve transitioning and existing organic farmers. The Midwest
Region represents Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan,
Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The growing group of the Midwest Region’s core partners includes a wide-range of
trusted organizations supporting and representing organic communities – each bringing
diverse resources, experiences and perspective to the project. The leadership,
collaboration, and focus among the Midwest Region’s core partners over the last eight
months has been essential to building the synergy to meet the major goals and
objectives of TOPP.
Farmer-to-Farmer mentoring: connecting experienced farmers with beginning or
transitioning farmers offering first-hand, unmatched, one-of-a-kind technical
expertise.
Technical support: implementing various farmer training, education, and outreach
activities for producers, ag advisors and others interested in learning more about
organic production.
Community Building: bridging various partnerships, programs and resources to
increase organic production.
Workforce Development: identifying and creating training and professional
development opportunities to increase organic expertise within all sectors of the
agriculture industry.
There is an abundance of untapped organic information and expertise in farming
communities all across the country. TOPP and its partners are diligently collecting and
channeling these resources to inspire and encourage greater interest and success in
organic production. Building and strengthening organic community and connections
within a region, state and across the country will lead to greater organic practices and
production.
To learn more about TOPP or to apply to become a mentor or mentee, visit:
www.organictransition.org
3210