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If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about urban agriculture in Santa Clara County, then check out the newly released 2019 Crop Report! This year’s report not only includes data about crop trends in the county overall, but it highlights several urban agriculture organizations in the area and their journey to provide food access and improve community resilience in the urban communities that need it most. These organizations work tirelessly to not only improve food access within the city, but to also educate, unite, and revitalize their communities. Learn more about their work and impact by reading the 2019 Crop Report here.

Survey link. Small-scale farms throughout the US grow a diversity of produce, including many culturally important crops. New food safety regulations could impact these farms, especially immigrant and refugee farmers. Produce that is usually eaten raw, like lettuce, has stricter requirements for farmers to follow, while produce that is almost always cooked, like potatoes, could have fewer requirements. The FDA has a list of crops that are almost always cooked before eating, and these crops are exempt from federal food safety regulations. However, this list is mostly mainstream crops and does not include many types of produce consumed by diverse cultural communities in the US. This means that although some culturally important crops are hardly ever eaten raw, they are still subject to regulation because the FDA does not have data from US consumers to show that they are usually cooked.

We are conducting a

Survey link. Small-scale farms throughout the US grow a diversity of produce, including many culturally important crops. New food safety regulations could impact these farms, especially immigrant and refugee farmers. Produce that is usually eaten raw, like lettuce, has stricter requirements for farmers to follow, while produce that is almost always cooked, like potatoes, could have fewer requirements. The FDA has a list of crops that are almost always cooked before eating, and these crops are exempt from federal food safety regulations. However, this list is mostly mainstream crops and does not include many types of produce consumed by diverse cultural communities in the US. This means that although some culturally important crops are hardly ever eaten raw, they are still subject to regulation because the FDA does not have data from US consumers to show that they are usually cooked.

We are conducting a survey that asks consumers whether they eat each vegetable or herb as raw, cooked, or both. Based on this information, additional crops could be added to the FDA’s “rarely consumed raw” list so that these crops can be exempt. Having the right crops on the list could help small-scale farmers to avoid unnecessary paperwork, costs, and inspections. If you consume any produce that is not already on the rarely consumed raw list, we would appreciate your help in finding out which crops could be added, and upon completion of the survey, you earn a chance to win 1 of 10 $50 gift cards!

If you eat ethnic vegetables such as bok choy, amaranth greens, daikon radish, and others please complete this survey. Your input is much appreciated. Thank you.

Are you farming in a fire-prone area and overwhelmed by the “new normal” of wildfires? Wondering how to adapt?

Are you farming in a fire-prone area and overwhelmed by the “new normal” of wildfires? Wondering how to adapt?

This (free) online coursewas made for you.

Drawing on decades of training small-farmers amidst climate change, Farmer Campus in collaboration with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), brings you a self-led online course that will give you the toolkit needed to reduce human, production, financial and legal risks from wildfires.

Create actionable solutions, deepen your knowledge of wildfire risk and emergency preparedness, and carry-out a hands-on fire resilience plan to help you and your farm face a future with fire.

Learn more and Enroll Here to start building fire resilience today.

"2020 has been a wild ride. A national pandemic, a looming recession, a racial injustice reckoning, and now unprecedented wildfires sweeping through CCOF’s hometown of Santa Cruz, California and across Northern California.

But, despite it all, CCOF is stronger than ever before. We implemented successful emergency preparedness strategies, including securing our company and member data to ensure as little interruption in services as possible. Additionally, our skilled remote workforce ensures stability when staff and members experience geographic-specific natural disasters.

We are also adept at helping our members through rough times. When disaster strikes, we quickly implement fee waivers and extend deadlines for certified members. Once the immediate dangers have passed, our Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund is available to any organic producer in the nation facing any hardship. Since 2007, we have given

"2020 has been a wild ride. A national pandemic, a looming recession, a racial injustice reckoning, and now unprecedented wildfires sweeping through CCOF’s hometown of Santa Cruz, California and across Northern California.

But, despite it all, CCOF is stronger than ever before. We implemented successful emergency preparedness strategies, including securing our company and member data to ensure as little interruption in services as possible. Additionally, our skilled remote workforce ensures stability when staff and members experience geographic-specific natural disasters.

We are also adept at helping our members through rough times. When disaster strikes, we quickly implement fee waivers and extend deadlines for certified members. Once the immediate dangers have passed, our Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund is available to any organic producer in the nation facing any hardship. Since 2007, we have given away $210,000 to farmers in need.

Our incredible family of staff, inspectors, governance, and members continue gathering virtually to share experiences and resources. As you can imagine, hosting meetings via Zoom is not a farmer’s favorite pastime. Nonetheless, the CCOF Board of Directors members and CCOF chapter leaders still found ways to connect and spearhead record donations to our Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund because they wanted to help other producers in need.

Our programs and services are backed by our people-first work culture. CCOF offers generous leave policies, flexible schedules, and other assistance. Not only is it the right thing to do, but we also know that our staff need to be personally secure before they can best serve our members and our mission. Company policies aside, what really sets our culture apart is how we come together as a community with empathy and support.

Of course, we are not perfect. You may experience delays in service as our largest group of staff and home office in Santa Cruz County navigate evacuation orders and even loss of homes from the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Like many of you, our staff are balancing childcare, remote school, and the many other impacts of COVID-19.

Moreover, we always want to do more to support organic producers in need, including farmworkers who are among the hardest hit in our agricultural community. We also have tough conversations ahead as CCOF continues our racial justice and equity learning journey.

But I am deeply grateful to continue improving our services and programs with you as we work together to advance organic agriculture for a healthy world. CCOF’s resilience is directly attributable to the courageous organic farmers, handlers, retailers, and restaurant owners who have poured their passion into our organization and our mission. Thank you for helping us continue developing resilience through a challenging but strength-building year.

Sincerely,

Kelly Damewood
CCOF CEO"

View newsletter online: https://mailchi.mp/ccof/resilience-2020?e=a2db0e6827

CCOF main site: https://ccof.org/

New piece published today! In the time of COVID-19, The Moment for Food Sovereignty is Now: From panic planting to cooperative gardens, farmers focused on equity and food justice know that ‘if you can feed yourself, you can free yourself.’

https://civileats.com/2020/04/02/the-moment-for-food-sovereignty-is-now/

Hi all,

Are you overwhelmed thinking about how to face a future of intensifying wildfires? Join our newest 7 week online course: “Farmers Build Fire Resilience, Feb 13-March 26 2020” to help you face a future of fires. Free to farmers and ranchers, though anyone interested may join as well. By the end of the course, you’ll have built your own Resilience Plan specific to your site that you can start applying right away.

Last Call - Sign up and Reserve your Space

Feel free to reach out with questions to fires@mesaprogram.org. We look forward to learning with you!

Topics Include: Land Management for Fire Preparedness & Mitigation Emergency Response Preparing Your Home, Farm Crew, Family & Livestock Community Preparedness & Organizing for Recovery Fires & Finances Health & Food Safety Understanding Fire Ecology

Katie Brimm and the Fires Resilience Team

With the current issues about fire, and air permits and insurance, we are going to have to move away from flame weeding.

Wondering if anyone has experience with steam as a weed top kill agent ? a couple weekly cycles and that should eventually starve the roots. Anyone have a system for hire, or maybe consider shared ownership or tool library. $17K for weeding 6x a year is steep..

Hi Folks,

Overwhelmed thinking about how to face a future of intensifying wildfires? Did October’s fires have you wondering if your farm, ranch and community know how to prepare, adapt or recover?

You’re not alone. With 65 years of combined experience working with farmers, MESA and CAFF/The Farmers Guild have worked hard to bring you an innovative, farmer-centered, holistic online course and network, “Farmers Build Fire Resilience, Feb 13-March 26 2020” to help farmers and ranchers face a future of fires.

By the end of the course, you’ll have built your own Resilience Plan that you can start applying right away. Free to farmers and ranchers in California.

Register Here and See Full Course Details Here

Feel free to reach out with questions to fires@mesaprogram.org. We look forward to learning with you!

Katie Brimm and the Fires Resilience Team