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Owned and operated by Aubrey Schatz and Scott Hoffman
Aubrey Schatz and Scott Hoffman are proud to be small, certified organic dairy producers. Both have backgrounds in small scale vegetable farming, meeting at a diversified farm and eventually embarking on their joint dairy farming journey. That dairy journey began in southern New York, where they first sold raw milk, from their small herd of three cows. Scott had no prior dairy experience, although Aubrey had previously milked at a few small New York dairy farms.
Read More...posted to Featured Farms on Thu, Feb 04, 2021
By Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director
We now have a new administration and it is now the time to educate the new appointees about a ready-made opportunity to improve the future sustainability of organic dairy producers.
Read More...posted to Industry News on Thu, Feb 04, 2021
BY Jeanne Merrill and Chris Schreiner, Opinion Contributors, THE HILL
Farmers should be rewarded for their efforts to become climate stewards. From building healthy soil to on-farm renewable energy to organic production and more, there are diverse agricultural solutions to the climate crisis. Our food security depends upon this fundamental transition in how farmers manage the land.
Read More...posted to Industry News on Wed, Feb 03, 2021
By Tamara Scully, NODPA Contributing Writer
Grazing certified organic pastures means forgoing tools - those chemical controls - which are often the first choice when dealing with plants which are growing where you don’t want them to be. Otherwise known as weeds, unwanted plants in a pasture can also be controlled through a combination of grazing management, maintaining optimal soil fertility, pasture seeding, and observing best practices for avoiding the introduction of weed seeds into fields. Organic graziers can successfully combat weeds, naturally.
Read More...posted to Organic Production on Wed, Feb 03, 2021
Your feedback in needed
The UVM Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Department of Community Development and Applied Economics want to know what helps farmers succeed under difficult conditions. We are sending this in hopes of reaching commercial farmers in Vermont to learn about how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted farming. Please help us all learn by completing the survey about your last two farming years.
Read More...posted to Industry News on Wed, Feb 03, 2021
By Kirk Arnold, NODPA Co-President
Our farm had a very dry year in which our mostly cool season grasses, and even legumes, struggled to produce. We normally grow 20-40 acres of corn with the intent to harvest it as high-moisture shell corn. It's also nice to have it as back-up forage in years where grass and legumes perform poorly. We've ended up chopping it the last two years.
Read More...posted to Industry News on Wed, Feb 03, 2021
Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities
It can be difficult for farmers and ranchers to navigate the wide range of USDA resources and stay up to date with program changes after each Farm Bill. Thanks to the newly updated Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities, producers, researchers, nonprofits and landowners can easily find USDA programs that can help them achieve their goals.
Read More...posted to Industry News on Wed, Feb 03, 2021
NODPA is the largest grass roots organization of organic dairy producers and has remained true to its original goal of advocating on behalf of producers, regardless of who they sell their milk to, for a sustainable pay price, plus protect the integrity of the USDA Organic Regulations.
NODPA depends on the memberships of farmers, consumers, and businesses for support of all its efforts — regionally and in Washington — on behalf of the organic dairy farmers.
If you're an organic dairy farmer, consider one of the following: a milk check-off membership or an annual newsletter membership or choose your own level of annual dues to support NODPA. Learn more >>
If you're a business, consider our high-value business membership.
If you're an interested consumer or educator, look into our associate membership.
You can make easy, secure online credit card payments.