2023 TOPP WSW Region Public Report – Final Report
2023 public facing year-end report for TOPP West/Southwest.
West/Southwest
Attachment
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2023 Achievements Summary
Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, Berkeley Food Institute, California Certified Organic Farmers
(CCOF), Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), Development of Regenerative Yield Co-op, Ecological
Farming Association, Farmshare Austin, Hawaii Farmers Union Foundation, MA’O Organic Farms, Organic
Agronomy Training Service, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Rodale Institute, ASU Swette Center for
Sustainable Food Systems, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, UC Organic Agriculture Institute, Utah State University,
Utah State University Student Organic Farm
The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is a network assembled by the USDA’s
National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and
resources. Six regions work together toward a common goal: to grow the network of organic
producers.
The West/Southwest TOPP Region is a coalition of partners led by California Certified Organic
Farmers (CCOF) who are dedicated to providing mentorship, technical assistance, and
comprehensive support to both transitioning and existing organic producers. Our partners serve
producers in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Texas, and Hawai’i.
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Figure 1: Events Hosted by Type
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Cross-pollination between W/SW Region partners
and within states has facilitated expanded
networks and opportunities.
Q3
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In Q1 – Q3, 18 partners hosted 72 events throughout
the region and reached more than 6,600 people, of
whom approximately 40% were producers and 6%
of participants received workforce training. An
estimated 42 events were hosted in Q4 (data not yet
available).
Q1 &Q2
30
Co
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Coming out of year one, TOPP programs are gaining
momentum with increasing levels of interest across
the W/SW region.
TOPP partners focused on designing and
standing up programmatic support systems
like project plans, recruitment and hiring, and
outreach materials.
A total of 60 resources were created
between Q1 and Q3 2023, with almost half
reported as “other”. Other resources include
forms, media toolkits, flyers, brochures in
Spanish, work plans, and program details.
Learn more: TOPP Resources
Figure 2: Resources Created by Type
Partner Testimonials
“Event attendees were engaged and excited to be at the
farm. Many of them had interesting questions, expressed
interest in the cost/benefit analysis of organic agriculture,
and voiced their own concerns with organic management
based on personal experience gardening or farming. All of
our attendees expressed a desire to attend similar events in
the future.”
– Utah State University Student Organic Farm
Many students did not know that [agricultural] TA was a
career area. When asked about learning takeaways, some
respondents said: “I learned about the job of Technical
Assistance – I had been thinking of what I want to do in the
food systems industry but had no name for it – attending
the technical assistance part of the event gave me a word
for this job that I want to explore!”
Students participating at Utah State
University’s Student Organic Farm
celebration event
Credit: USU Student Organic Farm
– Berkeley Food Institute
The record keeping forms that we’ve been trialing have
made it easier for our farm to keep records in real time as
well as being able to train the skill to our students!
– Farmshare Austin
Farmshare Austin Spring 2023
Graduating Class
Credit: Farmshare Austin
Co-authored by: Erica Martin, Estève Giraud, Jessy Beckett Parr, Courtney Buzzard
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