All Organic Matters conference begins Feb. 4

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Farmers and food producers looking for ways to diversify their production, as well as organic producers who want to strengthen their organic management skills will find what they need at the All Organic Matters conference Feb. 4 at the Penn Stater Conference Center, State College, Pa.

All Organic Matters is offered as a pre-conference track in conjunction with the annual Farming for the Future Conference, presented by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. Sessions run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

National update

The keynote address will be presented by Miles McEvoy, newly appointed deputy administrator of the National Organic Program.

McEvoy will give insights into how the organic program works, including priorities for 2010, current hot topics and enforcement procedures.

Other conference topics and presenters include:

Quality standards for organic produce, Tony Ricci, Pennsylvania Certified Organic-certified Green Heron Farm; rotational grazing, Troy Bishopp, Bishopp Family Farm; organic food processing, Al Johnson; how to prepare for an inspection, by organic inspectors Brian Magaro, Amy Talarico and Bob Vernon; marketing organics, Jeff Taylor of Tuscarora Organic Growers, Kim Tait of Tait Farm Foods, and Tim Bowser of Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks; ABCs of organic certification, by Pennsylvania Certified Organic staff; hot Topics, Emily Brown Rosen, policy director.

Registration

Registration is $65, which includes lunch at the Penn Stater. Pennsylvania Certified Organic members receive $25 rebate.

To register, visit www.pasafarming.org, or call 814-349-9856 ext. 23. Regular registration ends Jan. 23; a charge of $15 will be applied to all registrations postmarked on or after Jan. 24.

Pennsylvania Certified Organic will hold its annual meeting immediately following the All Organic Matters conference.

The annual meeting will begin at 5:05 p.m. and will include presentation of the annual report, board elections, awards and recognitions.

Dinner is also available following the annual meeting for $32 per person. Call 814-329-9856 to register.