NOP Organic Certification & Beyond: Value to Your Farm and Markets

Transcription

1 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO Michigan Greenhouse Growers EXPO December 4-6, 2012 DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI NOP Organic Certification & Beyond: Value to Your Farm and Markets Where: Grand Gallery (main level) Room C Moderator: Vicki Morrone, Outreach Specialist for Organic Fruit and Vegetable Growers, MSU 8:30 am Organic Certification: Its often just getting your ducks in a row Vicki Morrone, Outreach Specialist for Organic Fruit and Vegetable Growers, MSU 9:05 am Why MAEAP Makes Sense for Organic Farms Jennifer Silveri, MAEAP Technician for Eaton and Ingham County, Charlotte, MI 9:40 am Safe Food Risk Assessment: How can it be helpful to an organic farmer? This is a selfassessment tool designed for smaller farms to check safe food production. Kyle Mead, MAEAP Technician for Van Buren Co., Paw Paw, MI 10:15 am Farmer Panel on Organic and Complimentary Certifications: What they have done for our farm and our market Cheryl and Alan Kobernik, North Star Organics, Frankfort, MI (NOP and MAEAP Certified) Emily Freeh, Giving Tree Farm, Lansing, MI (NOP and MAEAP certified) Anthony Cinzori, Cinzori Farms, Ceresco, MI (NOP Certified and initiated MAEAP process) 11:30 am Group Discussion: Record keeping, networking, and applications for certifications 12:00 noon Session Ends

2 11/19/2012 Why MAEAP Makes Sense for Organic Farms Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Expo 2012 Conservation Districts As a result of the nation wide concern over soil erosion growing out of the dust bowl in the 1920 s the District Enabling Act of 1937 was born. The Act allowed the creation of local Soil Conservation Districts within Michigan. o Board of locally elected farmers acting as gateway to connect their communities with government technical and financial assistance o Access a wealth of knowledge to identify and address local resource concerns unique to Eaton County by implementing conservation practices o fields of study as Agronomy, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture and Recreation Jennifer Silveri Eaton Conservation District MAEAP Technician, Eaton & Ingham Counties What is MAEAP? Partnership Farmers IndustryGroups ConservationAgencies MichiganStateUniversity ImplementedbyMDARDwith consultationfromthemaeap AdvisoryCouncil Allfarmtypes allsizes The Mission To develop and implement a proactive environmental assurance program that targets all size Michigan farms and all commodities, ensuring that farmers are engaging in cost effective pollution prevention practices and working to comply with state and federal environmental regulations. Promoting Stewardship, Protecting the Environment How does MAEAP work? What does MAEAP do? 1

3 11/19/2012 MAEAP Farms Have Addressed Chemical storage and use Fuel Storage Well safety Sensitive areas Water resources Soil erosion All related RTF GAAMP s & Environmental Laws And more What Technicians Can Do For you! Digital Field/Farm Maps (with sensitive areas, buffers, setbacks) Nutrient plans by crop, field or fruit block Manure Management plans Grazing plans Pesticide Inventory, Labels and MSDS sheets Farm Emergency Plans Pesticide Risk & Drift Management Plans Connect you with local resources and professionals Improved Access and Ranking for NRCS Cost Share Help Set up a Market Maker Profile Press releases and farm promotion when you get verified! Connect you with local market opportunities Why Do Farmers Participate? Environmental concern Marketing opportunitiescustomer demand Good neighbor Legislated incentives Peace of mind the right thing to do pride Access to cost-share and incentive payments RUP credits Liability/Ins $ Reduction RTF protection GAP audit assistance Follow State and Federal laws Improved Management Plan for long term Ahead of curve Learn & improve Recognition Questions? Jennifer Silveri jennifer.silveri@mi.nacdnet.net (517) Eaton Conservation District 551 Courthouse Dr Suite 3 Charlotte MI Serving Eaton and Ingham Counties 2

4 Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program MAEAP verified farms keep land, water and air as healthy as the food they produce. They represent the highest standards of environmental stewardship and the pinnacle of responsible agriculture. Producers who have achieved MAEAP verification have worked with a technician from their local Conservation District to review all of the management practices at their farm, nursery or greenhouse. They have voluntarily adopted environmentally sound practices to proactively prevent pollution and farm more sustainably. MAEAP farms are required to go through a rigorous review by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development every three years to ensure they are in compliance with MAEAP Standards as well as Right to Farm and all State and Federal Laws. Major Partners For more information about MAEAP visit or find us on Facebook! Contact your local MAEAP Technician to schedule a confidential, free farm visit ext. 112 Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program Jennifer Silveri MAEAP Technician Eaton Conservation District 551 Courthouse Dr. Charlotte, MI x 112

5 The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program is a holistic approach to environmental protection for all Michigan farms. It helps farmers evaluate their entire operation and make sustainable management decisions; balancing society s needs, the environment and the farm s economics. MAEAP looks at every activity that takes place on a farm, its potential to cause pollution and offers easy to adopt, alternative, eco-friendly practices. The successful partnership, with over 50 partners, has set MAEAP apart from other programs giving farmers the confidence to trust local and state technicians and implement long-term management and conservation practices. Through these partnerships there may be programs available to assist with the cost of farm modifications The White House has awarded MAEAP with the Cooperative Conservation Award and it has received national attention as a role model for other states seeking to develop similar programs. There is also current legislature to create a program modeled after MAEAP to be adopted into the Farm Bill and promoted PROMOTING RESPONSIBLITY AMONG FARM- ERS Consumers are also seeking healthy and fresh local food to feed their family. MAEAP farms work very hard to protect Michigan's vast natural resources for future generations. Michigan s family farms produce the nations second greatest diversity of agricultural products. Choosing to buy locally from MAEAP verified farms helps support sustainable farming and promotes environmental stewardship in their own communities. A SIGN OF INTEGRITY MAEAP verification is a way for farms to show both neighbors and their customers that they are farming responsibly. It offers confidence that they are doing everything they can to proactively prevent pollution on their farm and protect your health. Proactively Educating Farmers & Influencing Management Decisions MAEAP is easily tailored to fit all types and sizes of farming operations. Verified farms make a conscious effort to farm with environmental quality & consumer health in mind. All verified farms are required to: Get their soils tested on a regular basis and only fertilize as needed Minimize pesticide and fertilizer usage Safely and responsibly store and apply agrichemicals Responsibly manage manure generated by farm livestock Maintain healthy conditions of lots and pastures for the animals Manage surface water runoff Prevent soil erosion Routinely test wells to screen groundwater for nitrates and bacteria Develop farm emergency plans and know how to respond in the event of a chemical spill or discharge Most verified farms also work with trained technicians to develop: Prescribed Grazing Plans Nutrient Management Plans Integrated Pest Management Plans Conservation Plans Adopt cover crops into crop rotations

6 MAEAP Verification Action Plan

7 Verification Pays! Verification pays! By verifying your farm, you show your peers and neighbors that being a steward of the land is important to you. MAEAP benefits Michigan by: Protecting natural resources using environmentally sound practices. Having emergency plans ready to deal with the unexpected. Using proven scientific standards to protect our air, water and soil. Maximizing natural fertilizer use and reducing use of fertilizers made from fossil fuels. Making good neighbors. Helping protect the Great Lakes. Ensuring safe storage of fuel, fertilizer and chemicals. Balancing efficient production and sound environmental practices. Taking care of the land while making a living from the land. After becoming MAEAP verified, a farm can display a MAEAP sign signifying that MAEAP partners recognize the farm is environmentally assured. Farms can get a rebate on the cost of their sign. MAEAP Large Sign Order Form MAEAP Small Sign Order Form Sign Rebate Information Sheet - MAEAP Partners MAEAP also encourages verified farms to use the MAEAP logo under certain conditions. Before using the logo, verified farms must download and complete the MAEAP Logo Use Terms of Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding and file it with the MAEAP office. You can also purchase apparel with the MAEAP logo on it.

8 MAEAP Get the Facts Promoting Stewardship, Protecting the Environment What is MAEAP? The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is a holistic approach to environmental protection. It helps farmers evaluate their entire operation and truly make sustainable management decisions balancing society s needs, the environment, and economics. MAEAP is a partnership effort that aims to protect natural resources and build positive communities by counseling Michigan farmers that operate farms of all sizes and all commodities on environmentally responsible agricultural production practices. Public Acts 1 and 2 of 2011 codify MAEAP into law, providing incentives and structure. To become MAEAP-verified, farmers must complete three comprehensive steps: educational seminars, a thorough on-farm risk assessment, and development and implementation of an action plan addressing potential environmental risks. The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDARD) conducts an on-farm inspection to verify program requirements related to applicable state and federal environmental regulations, including GAAMPs. To retain MAEAP verification, a farm must repeat all three steps including MDARD inspection every three years. What does MAEAP do for Communities? Connects Farms & Communities Agriculture plays a vital role in Michigan communities, and MAEAP-verification strengthens the relationships between farmers and their neighbors. Farmers who closely examine their operation s potential impact on water; soil and air understand the impact their practices can have on their neighbors concerned about odor, environment and the landscape concerns. Ensures Emergency Preparedness Farmers with MAEAP-verified farms are aware of the need for safety planning and are devoted to both prevention and preparedness. They know how to minimize the risk of infectious animal disease, chemical theft, or bioterrorist actions, and know what to do if an incident occurs. Protects Natural Resources Farming is an environmentally intense practice and the MAEAP-verification process ensures farmers are making choices balancing production and environmental demands. Measures aimed at protecting air, soil, water, and other environmental factors mean MAEAP-verified farmers are committed to farming Forward Thinking Planning & Research MAEAP is based on scientifically supported standards that allow farms to address environmental concerns while remaining economically viable. As knowledge of the economy and our place in the environment progress, so does MAEAP its progressive planning continually strengthens Michigan s agriculture and natural resources. Who is behind MAEAP? MAEAP is a collaborative effort of farmers, MDARD, Michigan Farm Bureau, commodity organizations, universities, conservation districts, conservation groups and state and federal agencies. MAEAP Facts Annually, an average of 5,000 Michigan farmers attend an educational session geared toward environmental stewardship and MAEAP verification. To date, over 10,000 Michigan farms have started the verification process. Over 1,000 MAEAP verifications have been completed. Annually, over $1,200,000 is spent for practice implementation by farmers working toward MAEAP verification. MDARD has verified that responsible manure application and other conservation practices are the rule on over half a million acres of MI farmland. The erosion-reducing aspects of MAEAP verification have kept over 200,000 tons of farming soil where it belongs: in farm fields EACH YEAR. That s 18, yard dump trucks of soil not reaching streams and lakes every year. Annual Phosphorus reduction through MAEAP is over 340,451 pounds PER YEAR enough to grow almost 85,104 TONS of algae in lakes and streams. Phosphorus & Nitrogen reduced on MAEAP farms could have grown enough algae to cover over 85% of Higgins Lake at approx. ¼ in depth. (Higgins Lake is the 11 th largest lake in Michigan) Over 240,000 acres receiving pesticides have approved pest management plans. Almost 6,000 acres of filter strips have been installed and almost 1,300 gullies have been stabilized, improving water quality. practices that protect Michigan s natural resources. For more information visit or or call the MAEAP hotline: Revised Jan. 4, 2012

9 Farmer Panel on Organic and Complimentary Certifications What they have done for our farm and our market Emily Freeh (1035) Giving Tree Farm, Lansing, MI (NOP and MAEAP certified) We are a certified organic farm located North of Lansing, in DeWitt Township. We have been NOP certified for over 10 years and just receieved our MAEAP certification in early November. We are a nonprofit farm, contracting with a company that provides vocational training for adults with Traumatic Brain Injuries. We have 22 acres total, with 7.5 certified and about 4-5 in production each year. We grow a wide variety of vegetables, a small amount of fruit, and have 8 hoop houses for extended production. We have a 52 family CSA, sell at two local markets, and also sell to the East Lansing Food Coop and several area restaurants. I believe our NOP certification has helped us secure the Coop as a steady market for us, especially in the winter. The number of CSAs is growing, but there is still a very limited number of NOP certified CSAs, so our certification may help market our CSA as well, especially to folks that are new to the area. As a non-profit that has changed managers several times in the past decade, being NOP certified has really helped with our record keeping. Having a guiding set of rules, regulations, and paperwork helps (and will continue to help) the farm maintain a level of organization outside of the current manager. Fulfilling the MAEAP requirements rarely went beyond the NOP requirements. We did not have to change our practices drastically; many of the changes were logistical and minor (i.e. where fertilizer is stored, where pesticides are stored & mixed). The reason for the changes were sound and I believe that having the rules in place, again, will help strengthen the institution as a whole. The biggest project we underwent was pouring a cement pad for our diesel tank. I definitely learned more about our operation and about groundwater pollution in general (for example, I did not realize the risks Pyrethrins pose). We have not used the MAEAP certification in marketing yet, as we have just completed it, but I believe that the more regulations we follow, the more the non-profit will benefit. Being an organization and not a family farm, I think it is important to follow more strict guidelines and practices, to ensure continuity, reputation, and viability, and I think MAEAP and NOP certification certainly provide sound guidelines for our farm.