FINAL MW TOPP September 2023 Newsletter
Midwest
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Issue No. 1
September 2023
NEWSLETTER
MIDWEST TOPP NEWS
SUPPORTING ORGANIC PRODUCERS TO ADVANCE FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE
MEET
TOPP
By Allison Walent
Program Director, MW TOPP
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
In August 2022, Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, unveiled
the Organic Transition Initiative. Through this 300 million
dollar, multi-agency USDA effort, the USDA hopes to open
opportunities for new and beginning farmers; build and
strengthen organic markets and streams of income for
farmers and producers; and expand direct consumer access
to organic foods through increased production.
COMMUNITY
BUILDING
By Roz Lehman
Executive Director, Iowa Organic Association
TOPP PRIORITIES
MENTORSHIP
Our Mentorship Program connects producers transitioning to organic
practices with experienced organic producers who serve as mentors.
These mentors guide them through the transition process and offer
valuable insights into their journey into organic farming.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TOPP offers a variety of workshops, field days, and educational
events in the region to provide technical assistance, training, and
advising on organic-specific resources.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
To foster connections within the organic agricultural community, we will
organize conferences, workshops, field days, and round table discussions
to facilitate networking and collaboration.
WORKFORCE TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT
TOPP provides targeted training and education for the organic
workforce, including the entire supply chain. Workforce development
is key to our mission.
APPLY TO BE A MENTOR
OR MENTEE
Visit: www.organictransition.org to
complete the online form
INCLUDING NRCS IN YOUR TOPP PROJECTS
CONNECTING NRCS ORGANIC PROGRAMS WITH GROWERS
By Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University and Lindsay Haines, USDA-NRCS, Washington, D.C.
NRCS
There’s a lot going on in NRCS (USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service) these days to support farmers
transitioning to organic ag, and for those already using certified organic practices. Ideally, your local and/or state NRCS
should be included in all your TOPP projects, since they have a mandate to work with producers to conserve soil, water,
air, plants, and animals on their land, which directly corresponds to organic ag’s mission. This is the umbrella webpage
for all of NRCS’ organic programs: NRCS – Organic
LAUNCH OF
THE NATIONAL
TOPP WEBSITE
In collaboration, the six regional TOPP
leads developed and launched a national
TOPP website which includes
mentor/mentee sign up forms, event
announcements, and resources for
transitioning producers.
Visit: https://www.organictransition.org/
EQIP
The beauty of the NRCS offerings is that they will provide free
technical assistance for conservation plans, plus assist eligible
farmers with applying for funds in their various conservation
programs. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a
“voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance
to agricultural producers to help plan and implement conservation
practices that address natural resource concerns and for
opportunities to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related
resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.”
In addition to traditional EQIP-supported practices, since 2009, the
EQIP-Organic Initiative funds directly target organic ag. EQIP Organic
ORGANIC SYSTEM PLAN
The first step is a visit to your local NRCS office to determine your eligibility for funding. It is the responsibility of the
producer to provide sufficient documentation to prove that no prohibited substances have been applied for 3 years,
and that they can demonstrate compliance with all applicable USDA-NOP organic regulations. A site visit with an NRCS
conservationist will help identify conservation resource needs on your farm. Examples that can be supported through
NRCS programs include Crop Rotation, Cover Crops, and Residue and Tillage Management (which could include organic
no-till). A conservation plan can be developed by NRCS staff, or producers can work with a TSP (Technical Service
Provider), to develop a Conservation Planning Activity, called a CPA 138-Conservation Plan Supporting Organic
Transition. Both types of conservation plans can be used as an opportunity to learn transition requirements and
become the foundation for an organic system plan. The CPA 138 is a plan to transition some or all of the farm to organic
production and will address conservation concerns on your farm. The final product is conservation plan or an NRCSapproved Conservation Planning Activity (CPA) that supports the Organic System Plan (OSP).
READ MORE
Editor: Elle L. Lynch, Midwest TOPP Operations Manager
elynch@mosaorganic.org
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