NEWS

MOA Launches New GMO Webpage, February 4, 2012.

MOA Endorses Just Label It Campaign
A recent study shows that 93% of Americans support mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. Yet for 20 years we have been denied that right. Without labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods, we cannot make informed choices about the food we eat. The Just Label It: We Have a Right to Know campaign was created to advocate for the labeling of GE foods. MOA is the latest of hundreds of partner organizations that have joined together in support of the FDA petition and the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods.  We hope to raise awareness of this issue, drive consumers to submit comments to the FDA and let Washington know that Americans want labeling of genetically engineered foods. Please visit www.justlabelit.org for more information and instructions on how to submit your comments to the FDA.

Six Myths Busted by Organic in 2011, Organic Trade Association, December 2011.

How Change is Coming to Our Food System, Michael Pollan, The Nation, posted December 20, 2011.

Natural Society’s Top 10 Most Important Stories of 2011, Anthony Gucciardi, NaturalSociety.com, December 19, 2011.

The Promising Potential of Open-pollinated Corn, by Kristina Hubbard, Organic Seed Alliance Blog, December 18, 2011. This article is a response to a New York Times opinion piece published on December 15, 2011, titled: “Nepal and Others Mull Monsanto’s Role in Advancing Agriculture.”

USDA report shows organic wheat outshines conventional. A special Agricultural Resource Management Survey conducted by USDA has shown that organic wheat and all wheat producers had similar yields, on average, in 2009, but organic wheat producers received significant price premiums. As a result, the average gross value of production for organic wheat was $110 per acre higher than for all wheat producers, the USDA’s Economic Research Service report shows. Posted December 13, 2011.

“Big Six” Pesticide Manufacturers Guilty of Human Rights Violations, Center for Food Safety, December 10, 2011.

NCR-SARE Announces 2012 Graduate Student Grant Call for Proposals, now available online at http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Apply-for-a-Grant, November 29, 2011.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released the fiscal year (FY) 2012 National Bulletin on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative.
This bulletin provides guidance to State Conservationists for administering the EQIP Organic Initiative in FY 2012.  November 17, 2011.

How to Design a Small Farm, By Lauren Ware, About.com Guide, November 2011.

Build a 12X16' Hoop House, MotherEarthNews.com, November 2011.

Study: Organic farming outperforms conventional in yields, economic viability, conservation, and health, Rodale Report by Ethan A. Huff, NaturalNews.org, October 20, 2011.

Eat Your Medicine: Food as Pharmacology, Mark Hyman, MD, AOL Healthy Living, October 18, 2011.

Barry Flamm’s Frontier, Matthew Frank, Missoula Independent,  October 27, 2011. (Barry Flamm is a co-founder of MOA, NOP’s NOSB Board Member and MOA’s NOSB correspondent.)

Death Blow to GMO Foods? An effort has just been announced in California that seeks to gather enough signatures to put an historical initiative on the ballot which would require the labeling of GMOs in foods. Mike Adams, NaturalNews.org, October 3, 2010.

On the Road with GoodFoodWorld.com, stories from farms in the region. Posted Sept 19, 2011.

Why is George Soros selling gold and buying farmland?, Mike Adams, NaturalNews.com, posted Sept 19, 2011.

Monsanto-spawned superweeds growing three inches daily, destroying farm equipment, Ethan A. Huff, naturalnews.com, posted Sept. 19, 2011.

Organic Seed Alliance has created new multi-media seed production tutorials for beets
and chard, brassicas, carrots, lettuce, onions, and wet seeded crops, along with tutorials
on seed climatic considerations, seed disease and seed quality. To access the tutorials, visit http://campus.extension.org/course/view.php?id=377. Posted July 20. 2011.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations to fill five imminent vacancies on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). More here. Posted April 10, 2011.

MOA members John and Crystal Walkup were the subjects of a recent article on their Mission Mountain Egg Farm here. Missoula Independent, posted April 10, 2011.

Kamut International named state's exporter of the year, Great Falls Tribune, March 5, 2011.

Smiths raise organic beef near Lavina, Billings Gazette, posted February 9, 2011.

The Food Safety and Modernization Act was approved by the House and Senate and signed by President Obama on January 4, 2011. MOA member, Jacob Cowgill, provides a summary and some links to assist in understanding the bill.

USDA is offering Conservation Funding to Organic Producers. USDA will provide funding to help organic producers and those transitioning to organic production implement resource conservation practices on their agricultural operations. March 4, 2011 is the submission deadline. Contact your local NRCS Service Center or visit http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?agency=nrcs to find the one nearest you. Posted December 20, 2010.

Ag Safety Webpage
Find out how to make your workplace safe and apply for a 4% discount on Workmans Comp premiums by visiting MOA's Ag Safety webpage here. Posted November 29, 2010.

The Soil Fertility/Nutrient Management program at MSU focuses on the processes that affect nutrient cycling so that they can be managed more sustainably. Soil testing can detect low nutrient levels that lead to possible crop nutrient deficiencies. Read more here.

Hamilton organic farm (and MOA board member) raising chickens, funds for food bank, by Perry Backus, Ravalli Republic, printed by the Missoulian, November 23, 2010.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana is accepting applications for three Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) special initiatives that target funds for specific natural resource issues on private agricultural land in Montana. December 23 deadline. Posted November 22, 2010.

Trailer: Farmageddon, the Movie, Kristin Canty, Producer/Director. Farmageddon is a documentary about the escalating fight for food rights in America. Posted November 17, 2010.

Organic Food: Cutting Through The Confusion, by Maria Rodale, Huffington Post,  November 6, 2010.

U.S. Says Genes Should Not Be Eligible for Patents, by Andrew Pollack, NY Times, October 29, 2010.

Obesity in America: Are Factory Farms, Big Pharma and Big Food to Blame?, by Mark Hyman, MD, Huffington Post, October 25, 2010.

The World's First Organic Dairy Rap Video, The Grist, October 19, 2010.

Longtime MOA member, Bob Quinn of Kamut International, to receive Organic Trade Association’s highest honor, OTA, August 24, 2010.

Revised Senate Food Safety Bill Includes Important Amendments, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, August 13, 2010.

Read the REAL impact of S. 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, here. From FarmAndRanchFreedom.org, posted August 5, 2010.

Senator Tester has signed on to a congressional letter addressed to USDA regarding GE alfalfa. Senator Leahy and Representative DeFazio initiated this letter to point out the serious shortcomings of the draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roundup Ready alfalfa. You can access a link to the letter here.

Over 150 organizations have signed onto a letter to U.S. Senators asking them to support amendments by Senators Jon Tester and Kay Hagan to S. 510 to protect the viability of small local processors and farms that sell direct to consumers. Read more and sign on here.

USDA’s Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, responds to MOA’s letter urging support of organic issues. Read here.

Supreme Court Case a Defeat for Monsanto's Ambitions, Huffington Post, June 21, 2010.

Organizations and businesses ask Departments of Justice and Ag to take a hard look at Monsanto’s comments regarding health of seed industry. Read the Organic Seed Alliance’s June 1, 2010, press release here.

Read letter to Senator Tester from MOA and AERO regarding genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa here.

Read MOA member Dave Oien's Small Food Safety comments to the Great Falls Tribune, May 26, 2010, here.

David Edward Buschena (1964-2010)
Respected colleague, David Edward Buschena, passed away on April 26. David and his meaningful work will be greatly missed. Read his obituary here.

Food Safety Bill News
Tester to introduce ‘common sense’ amendments to food safety bill, April 14, 2010, press release. Resulting blog by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, April 14 and news story by the Billings Gazette, April 15.

Millions Against Monsanto has published a leaflet titled, 10 Things Monsanto Does Not Want You to Know. Download it here.

USDA Inspector General Finds Bush Administration Ignored Organic Laws, Cornucopia.org, March 18, 2010

Bloom is off organic grains: Prices are down, but growers optimistic, by Peter Johnson, Great Falls Tribune, March 14, 2010

Deciphering 'grass-fed,' by Nancy Reece Jones, Great Falls Tribune, March 12, 2010

AATRA Weekly Harvest Newsletter, March 10, 2010

More Than 200,000 NGOs, Farmers, Consumers, and Organic Producers Call for USDA to Prohibit Genetically Engineered Alfalfa. The National Organic Coalition (NOC) announced on March 3, 2010, that more than 200,000 people submitted comments to the United States Department of Agriculture, critiquing the substance and conclusions of its Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Genetically Engineered Alfalfa. Groups, including NOC, Center for Food Safety, Organic Consumers Association, Food & Water Watch, CREDO Action, Food Democracy Now (and the Montana Organic Association), mobilized their communities to help generate the unprecedented number of comments. Read more here.

Use of Legume Inoculants in Organic Production
Based on the current formulations and on information provided to MDA by EMD Crop Bioscience Inc., we have determined that Nitragin® Gold and NitraStik™-C inoculants continue to be acceptable for use in organic production.  Please understand that it is the responsibility of each producer to specify all products (including inoculants) used in organic crop production in their Organic System Plan; to maintain documentation (including labels, invoices, GMO and irradiation disclosures, and MSDS sheets) for all products; and to make such documentation available for review at your annual inspection.  If you have any questions about the use of inoculants, please contact Doug Crabtree at 406-444-9421 or dcrabtree@mt.gov
Posted 2/9/10.

Montana NRCS is opening the signup period for agricultural producers to participate in a Seasonal High Tunnel pilot program. The sign up begins January 25, 2010. The purpose of the pilot program is to determine the effectiveness of seasonal high tunnels, also known as hoop houses, in reducing pesticide use, keeping vital nutrients in the soil, extending the growing season, increasing yields, and providing other benefits to growers. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide financial assistance for the project through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and the EQIP Organic Initiative. To sign up and learn more about the project contact your local NRCS office. Note: In Montana, non-organic cut-off is February 5, 2010. If you apply via EQIP organic initiative, the cut-off date is March 12, 2010. For more information, visit here.
Posted January 30, 2010.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear a first-time case about the risks of genetically engineered crops. Named Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms, No. 09-475, the case before the high court will be yet another step in an ongoing battle waged by the Center for Food Safety to protect consumers and the environment from potentially harmful effects of genetically engineered (GE) crops. Read more here. Center for Food Safety, January 15, 2010

Belgrade dairy achieving notoriety, awards for artisan cheeses, Billings Gazette, December 29, 2009.

Montana Senator Jon Tester announced that he has hired MOA member Jacob Cowgill to serve as his new state agriculture liaison. Cowgill will be Tester’s “eyes and ears” on agricultural issues.  He will serve as a point of contact for Montana farmers and ranchers, often traveling the state to visit with and hear from them on Tester’s behalf. Cowgill is originally from Sand Coulee, southeast of Great Falls.  He is a graduate of the University of Montana, where he earned a Master’s Degree in science with a focus on food and agriculture. Jacob and his wife Courtney raise wheat, lentils, vegetables and heritage turkeys on a farm near Conrad. Posted October 20, 2009.

The Business of Organic Farming (Watch and Learn) by: Makenna Goodman, Chelsea Green Publishing. Contrary to popular belief, a good living can be made on an organic farm. What’s required is farming smarter, not harder. Farmer Richard Wiswall is here to tell the world it’s possible to start an organic farm, enjoy it, and make a profit. Watch either the 4 minute summary or full 30 minute documentary. Posted September 24, 2009.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Miles McEvoy has been hired to serve as Deputy Administrator of the National Organic Program (NOP). Five new NOSB members have also been appointed. See Barry Flamm's NOSB update, September 25, 2009.

Judge White's Decision: USDA-APHIS Violated National Environmental Policy Act in deregulation of RR sugarbeets. Posted September 24, 2009.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's Farmer's Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program is now available online. Posted September 24, 2009.

USDA Launches Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, an initiative to begin a national conversation to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity. Posted September 24, 2009.

Mother Nature Network profiled a few MOA members in their "40 Farmers Under 40" article series. Charles Holt of Holt Heritage Farm and Supply in Kingston, GA (#1) was showcased on September 24, 2009 and Jacob and Courtney Lowrey of Prairie Heritage Farm in Conrad, MT (#18 and 19) were profiled on July 21, 2009. By Matt Hickman, Mother Nature Network.

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Frequently Asked Questions page has been added to the Organic Farming Research Foundations website. Posted September 16, 2009.

$1.4 Million Made Available for Montana Farmers and Ranchers for Organic Production.
Although it was a very fast sign-up period, 56 organic and transitioning organic farmers and ranchers signed-up for the special Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Posted August 7, 2009.

Background and Resources on Federal Food Safety Enhancement Act.
H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act (FSEA) of 2009 has caused significant controversy among almost all elements of the agricultural community. The FSEA has been approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is awaiting full House debate and vote in the very near future. From ATTRA website, July 27, 2009. UPDATE: July 30, 2009: The US House of Representatives passed the Food Safety Enhancement Act, H.R. 2749.. This was the second attempt to pass the bill. Representative Dingell's willingness to address the concerns of organic and small producers (raised by Representative Farr and Blumenauer), was one of the factors that eased passage the second time around. It's now up to the Senate to move similar legislation.

Specialty Crop Grants Available. The Montana Department of Ag is seeking proposals from individuals and groups for a share of $248,695 in federally funded Specialty Crop competitiveness grants. August 26 deadline. Posted July 21, 2009.

MOA members Jacob and Courtney Cowgill of Prairie Heritage Farm in Conrad are featured in 40 Farmers Under 40, an article from Mother Nature Network, July 21, 2009.

New broadcast spreading system keeps Lund busy, by Terri Adams, The Prairie Star, May 8, 2009. Nice springtime article about MOA members, Mikel and Nancy Lund.

$1.4 available for Montana farmers and ranchers converting to organic, MOA press release, May 8, 2009.

Food Inc., the movie, trailers and information, Hungry for Change, posted May 8, 2009.

Crop rotation planning manual from NRAES, posted May 5, 2009.

Job openings with USDA, posted April 27, 2009.


First widescale USDA survey to be conducted, USDA, posted April 25, 2009.


Obama Foodorama, A Daily Diary of the Obama Foodscape, One Bipartisan Bite at a Time, posted April 20, 2009.


Organic Consumers Association's Current News and Action page for Montana, Posted March 23, 2009.


Congressional Hearing Ignores NAIS Failure to Address Animal Disease and Food Safety Concerns, OCA, March 12, 2009.


It’s Organic, but Does That Mean It’s Safer? New York Times, March 4, 2009.



Kathleen Merrigan, Developer of Organic Regs, Chosen as USDA No. 2, New West, February 24, 2009.


OMRI disallows two fertilizers; NOP issues warning, OMRI press release, February 20, 2009.



Keep hope for an organic future alive by participating in OCA's new USDA Watch Campaign, Organic Consumers Assoiation, February 18, 2009.


Scientists agree that organic farming delivers healthier, richer soil and nutritionally enhanced food. February 13, 2009. Conclusions from panelists participating in a symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).


Garden of Eatin' - Growing Food on the White House Lawn, OCA YouTube video, January 23, 2009.


Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, wrote a letter to Barack Obama viaThe New York Times Magazine, originally published October 12, 2008.


Food garden blooms on skid row wall, Los Angeles Times, August 14, 2008.


Kamut founder recognized for service in organic agriculture at annual convention, The Prairie Star, May 8, 2008.

Read Jeff Schahczenski's (MOA Board Member) analysis of the Montana Governor's Climate Change Adviory Committee recommendations on the role that Montana agriculture could play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.








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