Montana Organic Association 2009 Conference
November 12-14, 2009
Holiday Inn, Great Falls, MT

Conference Schedule

Conference Registration & Hotel

Vendor Information

Sponsor and Advertising

Awards Nominations

MOA Board Nominations




MONTANA ORGANIC ASSOCIATION 7TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE - SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Please note: Due to hip surgery, Paul Hepperly, keynote speaker from the Rodale Institute, will not be able to attend the Conference. In the Friday, 3:45 session, Jeff Schahczenski from NCAT will present Organic Agriculture: A Climate Friendly System for the Next Century, followed by John Pulasky presenting El Nino and the Price of Chicken.. the fowl weather report, a look at how a weather event can alter history. See below for details.



THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009 - ORGANIC UNIVERSITY
Organic University covers the basics on how to begin work in, or the transition into, organic agriculture. These sessions will cover the rules and regulations of certification, standards, organic inspection, economics, weed management, funding and other resources, converting CRP acres and how to sell your products.

9:00 AM - Registration Table Opens

10:00 AM - Welcome and Introductions
Welcome, introduction and overview of the program sessions for the day.

10:10 AM - Foundation, Margaret Scoles (IOIA)
The history of organic production, overview of the National Organic Program (NOP), the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) and certifying agents.

10:40 AM - Certifying Agents in Montana, Doug Crabtree (MDA) and Shawn Matteson (OCIA)
Overviews of the Montana Department of Agriculture's organic program and the Organic Crop Improvement Association's certification program.

11:00 AM - Organic Standards, Doug Crabtree (MDA)
Organic standards for Montana producers.

11:40 AM - Organic Inspection, Margret Scoles (IOIA)
Details of the inspection process.

12:20 PM - Lunch

1:00 PM - Economics, Chad Lee (MDA)
Economics of organic production, transition period, comparisons to conventional production and organic crop pricing.

1:50 PM - Weed Management for Transition Years, Fabian Menalled (MSU)
Studies from MSU and practical advice.

2:40 PM - Funding for Transitioning to Organic, Kris Berg (EQIP)
Funding opportunities for organic transitioning, such as developing pest management plans, cost share on crop rotations and buffer zones.

3:05 PM - Break

3:30 PM - MSU Extension Service Resources, Jim Knight, (MSU)
The MSU Extension Service's role in organic agriculture and how the Extension can assist landowners in decision-making and resources.

3:45 PM - NCAT and ATTRA Resources, Susan Tallman (NCAT)
Will cover the extensive and varied resources of both the National Center for Appropriate Technology and the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.

4:00 PM - Converting CRP Acres, Shawn Matteson (OCIA) and Dee Turner (OCIA)
With over 3 million acres of CRP contracts in MT, landowners should consider their options well in advance of the expiration. A contract holder’s environmental responsibility extends beyond the contract. This session covers a variety of sustainable options available to landowners. (NOTE: This session will be expanded with more detail in the General Sessions, Nov. 14 at 10:30.)

4:20 PM - Where to Sell Your Organic Products, Buyers' Panel
Practical advice from the experts.

5:00 PM - Wrap up and Questions

6:30 - 9:30 PM - Informal Get Together at The Sting (next door to Holiday Inn) for music by the Thrillbillies, dancing, food and drinks.



FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009 - GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS

7:30 AM - Registration Table Opens

9:00 AM - Welcome and MSU Updates, Jeff Jacobsen with Mary Stein, Pat Hatfield and Bruce Maxwell (all MSU)
Dean Jacobsen will present information on the latest agricultural developments at MSU including USDA funding for MSU programs that benefit organic producers, creation of an interdisciplinary B.S. degree in Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems, and plant variety research and the need for protection of related intellectual property. Mary Stein, Pat Hatfield and Bruce Maxwell will cover the latest updates on various MSU agricultural endeavors, including nutritional science, weed control and residue and fossil fuel reduction.

10:30 AM - Break and Visit with Vendors

11:00 AM - Break Out Sessions

11:00 AM ----Carbon Credits, Jim Sargent
How the carbon credits market works and how organic farmers can use these systems on their farms and ranches.

11:00 AM ----Land Monitoring and Grazing Management Part 1, Charley Orchard (Land EKG)
Intro to land monitoring, tips and core strategies to optimize return from the land.

11:00 AM ----Organic Seed Production: Challenges and Opportunities for Farmer to Farmer Collaboration, Jan Tusick(LCCD) and Micaela Colley (OSA)
Results of the Montana Seed Survey, resources of the Organic Seed Alliance, opportunities and challenges in organic seed production, and potential of setting up a regional seed production structure in Montana.

12:30 PM - Lunch, including Legislative Update: Jacob Cowgill (Senator Tester's office) and messages from Senator Baucus and Congressman Rehberg. NOSB Update, Barry Flamm (NOSB Board).
Update from Montana legislators and an update on the work of the National Organic Standards Board.

1:45 PM - Break Out Sessions

1:45 PM ----MSU Researchers: Information Exchange, Clain Jones, Perry Miller, Bruce Maxwell and Catherine Zabinski
MSU Faculty will present recent organic farming research findings and challenges, field questions on cropping systems, weed management, nutrient cycling, and soil biological processes and request ideas for future research that could be conducted by MSU researchers in collaboration with organic growers.

1:45 PM ----Land Monitoring and Grazing Management Part 2, Charley Orchard
Hands-on excercises to determine forage balance and stocking rates, grazing indexing and ecosystem monitoring.

1:45 PM ----Organic Seed Production Basics, Micaela Colley (OSA)
Presentation covering the basic skills to successfully grow and save seed, including field planning, isolation distances, selection, population, harvesting, threshing and cleaning. Beginning seed session for farmers and gardeners.

3:15 PM - Break and Visit with Vendors

3:45 PM - Organic Agriculture: A Climate Friendly System for the Next Century, Jeff Schahczensk (NCAT)
Well-managed soils and crop production systems have been suggested as a means to mitigate green house gas emissions which are a major cause of global warming. But a critical question that needs to be answered is what /systems/ of agricultural production can best manage soils to reduce GHG emissions and optimize soil carbon sinks? This talk will focus on the growing evidence that organic agriculture offers one of the best climate friendly systems of production.
4:25 PM - El Nino and the Price of Chicken.. the fowl weather report, John Pulasky (NBS)
A look at how a weather event can alter history.

5:15 PM - Social Hour with no-host bar

7:00 PM - Dinner with Guest Speaker, Ron de Yong, Director of the MT Dept. of Ag.
Updates on the MDA's organic certification and marketing programs.
Followed by MOA Awards Ceremony

8:30 PM - Entertainment, Chuck Fulcher
An eclectic variety of acoustic guitar music.



SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009 - GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS


7:30 AM - Breakfast

8:30 AM - Break Out Sessions

8:30 AM ----Cooking with Chefs Sedgie and Howard
Cooking session showcasing variety of flavors around the world, such as Mediterranean, Cajun and Asian.

8:30 AM ----Off Site Tour of Montana Milling, Sam Schmidt (Montana Milling)

10:00 - Break and Visit with Vendors

10:30 AM - Break Out Sessions

10:30 AM ----From the Farm to the Fork: A Retailer's Perspective, Paul Rosen (Good Food Store)
Discussion of organic product trends and consumer issues.

10:30 AM ----Ready to Break New Ground - Panel Discussion with Organic Farmers about CRP Land, Dave Turner, Randy Hinebauch, Roy Benjamin, with Shawn Matteson, Dee Turner (OCIA)
Topics include options for land coming out of CRP, legalities, land considerations, how CRP fits into organic production and more.

12:30 PM - Lunch

1:30 PM - Don't Give Up the Farm, Sandra Hare (S-Hare Solutions)
Improving inter-generational communications within ranching and farming families.

3:00 PM - MOA Annual Meeting

5:00 PM - Conference Adjourns

6:00 PM - MOA Board Meeting (MOA Board Members only)





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If you have any specific questions about the conference, please email Conference Coordinator, Susan Waters or phone (406) 871-0019.