• Four Corners Marketing Programs & Services listings of regional resources applicable to a variety of topics.

• Regional Organic Producers’ Resource Guide for more regional organic production and marketing information.

Colorado Resources

CO Department of Agriculture: Organic Program
This program serves both the producer and consumers of organically grown crops through an application and inspection process.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout&cid=1167928162828&p=1167928162828&pagename=CDAGWrapper

Colorado Department of Agriculture
Division of Plant Industry and Accredited Organic Certifying Agent
Don Gallegos
700 Kipling St., Ste. 4000
Lakewood, CO 80215-8000
303-239-4149
E-mail: Don.Gallegos@ag.state.co.us

*Colorado Organic Crop Management Association
The COCMA is a research and educational non-profit association that supports organic tree fruit research on Colorado’s western slope. Initiated in 1999 through funding from Gerber, Western SARE, and CSU’s Specialty Crops Program, they were the first to organize a national organic tree fruit research symposium in 2001 and 2003.

    Contact Information:
Steve Ela – Coordinator & Board Member
30753 L Road
Hotchkiss, CO 81419
Phone: (970) 872-3488
E-mail: info@elafamilyfarms.com

*Colorado Organic Producers Association
Provides education, information, and networking services to promote and facilitate the production, distribution, and consumption of Colorado organic food products. COPA members represent all segments of agriculture-production, processing, wholesale, retail, and consumer.
http://www.organiccolorado.org/

*Valley Organic Growers’ Association (VOGA)
VOGA is a nonprofit membership organization located in the North Fork Valley of Colorado. The members live on the Western Slope of Colorado. VOGA envisions a vibrant community of prosperous, local farms that sustain the land and provide healthy agricultural products.
http://vogaco.org/


New Mexico Resources

New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission
The NMOCC is an independent agency of New Mexico State government, charged with regulation and promotion of organic agriculture. Regulation includes organic certification and registration, as well as oversight of enforcement and compliance with organic statutes. The NMOCC also aids with organic marketing.
http://nmocc.state.nm.us/index.html

New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission
Accredited Organic Certifying Agent
Brett Bakker
4001 Indian School, NE, Suite 310
Albuquerque, NM 87110
505-841-9070
E-mail: brett.bakker@state.nm.us

New Mexico Organic Producer Marketing Guide
This guide is dedicated to supporting agriculture that enables the farmer to make a decent living; allows all of us to nourish ourselves with delicious, healthful, beautiful food; and protects the planet by building the soil, conserving water, increasing biodiversity and generally lightening the footprint left by humankind.
http://nmocc.state.nm.us/pdf/MarketManual.pdf


Utah Resources

Utah Organic Standards
This is a link to the Utah Organic Standards. The state of Utah has adopted and incorporated National Organic Program Final Rule.
http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r068/r068-020.htm


Regional Resources

Organic Farming Compliance Handbook: A Resource Guide for Western Region Agricultural Professionals
For agricultural professionals in the Western US to: Understand effective practices, materials, and processes that comply with organic standards; access expertise and informational resources on organic farming, and answer questions from their clientele regarding effective practices that meet organic standards.
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/organic/complianceguide/

Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE)
The Western SARE puts out a call to area sustainable and organic producers to submit grant proposals each year. They also provide information and answer questions relative to sustainable and organic agriculture. Each state in the western region has a SARE coordinator.
http://wsare.usu.edu/

*For more resources on Organic Marketing and Production in the region, refer to, An Organic Producer’s Resource Guide to the Four Corners States by Katy Pepinsky.


Organizations related to Organic Production and Marketing

National Organic Program: USDA
The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations require that agricultural products labeled as organic originate from farms or handling operations certified by a State or private entity that has been accredited by USDA. This site includes regulatory texts, list of approved materials, lists of accredited certifiers, as well as background and consumer information.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm

Organic Consumers Association
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)
OFRF is a non-profit whose mission is to sponsor research related to organic farming practices, to disseminate research results to organic farmers and to growers interested in adopting organic production systems, and to educate the public and decision-makers about organic farming issues.
http://ofrf.org/index.html

Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
The OMRI specializes in the review of substances for use in organic production, processing, and handling. Their services are directed to all aspects of the organic industry with a primary focus on the decision makers who deal with the compliance status of generic materials and brand name products for use in organic production under USDA’s standards.
http://www.omri.org/

Organic Trade Association
Organic Trade Association (OTA) is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.
http://www.ota.com/index.html


Transitioning to Organic Production

How to Go Organic
This is a resource website produced by the Organic Trade Association. The site is devoted to helping producers make the transition to organically certified operations.
http://www.howtogoorganic.com/

Organic Seed Suppliers: ATTRA
This database provides sources for organic seed of both agronomic and horticultural crops. Some national, mail-order suppliers of untreated seed are included, with the emphasis on small alternative seed companies offering open-pollinated vegetable, flower, and herb seed.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/altseed_search.php

Transitioning to Organic Production
"Transitioning to Organic Production" lays out many promising conversion strategies, covering typical organic farming production practices, innovative marketing ideas and federal standards for certified organic crop production.
http://www.sare.org/publications/organic.htm


Accredited Independent Organic Certifiers

Guide to US Organic Certifiers
The Guide to US Organic Certifiers, from the Rodale Institute, helps a producer determine which certifying body is the most appropriate for their operation.
http://www.newfarm.org/ocdbt/

Oregon Tilth
Oregon Tilth is a nonprofit research and education membership organization dedicated to biologically sound and socially equitable agriculture. Primarily an organization of organic farmers, gardeners and consumers, Tilth offers educational events throughout the state of Oregon, and provides organic certification services to organic growers, processors, and handlers internationally.
www.tilth.org

Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA)
OCIA International provides organic certification services to thousands of organic farmers, processors and handlers from over 20 countries in North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
http://www.ocia.org/

Quality Assurance International
QAI offers organic certification under the National Organic Program for Producers, Processors, Private Labelers, Distributors, Retailers, Restaurants, Wild Crop Harvesters, Greenhouse, Mushrooms, and Facilities.
http://www.qai-inc.com/0_0_0_0.php

Independent Organic Inspector’s Association
The Independent Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) is a non-profit, professional association of organic farm, livestock, and process inspectors dedicated to verification of organic production practices. IOIA was founded in 1991 by organic inspectors who recognized the need for uniform inspector processes and protocols to build inspector skills and promote public confidence.
http://ioia.net/


Organic Certification

Organic Farm Certification & the National Organic Program
Farmers planning to market their products as "organic" must become certified. This guide outlines the considerations involved in "going organic" and the basic steps to organic certification. The sole exemption to mandatory certification is also discussed.
http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organcert.html

Transitioning to Organic Production
"Transitioning to Organic Production" lays out many promising conversion strategies, covering typical organic farming production practices, innovative marketing ideas and federal standards for certified organic crop production.
http://www.sare.org/publications/organic.htm


Organic Marketing

A Guide to Marketing Organic Produce
This guide analyzes marketer perceptions, consumer perceptions and the economics of organic marketing.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/sustainable/publications/organicproduce/organic.html

Labeling and Marketing Information
This article discusses the specifics of what is required to label a product as “Organic” under the USDA organic standards.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/FactSheets/LabelingE.html

The New Farm
"Farmer-to-farmer know-how" is how the Rodale Institute describes its new website and newsletter, The New Farm. The site and newsletter feature a frequently updated "Organic Price Index," tales of high-value farming, a specialty cut flower corner, research updates, numerous columns by experts, book suggestions, letters from farmers, plus lots of other news.
http://www.newfarm.org/

Organic Farming: ATTRA Publications
This is an excellent list of publications from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Articles include information on such topics as marketing, production, certification and transitioning to organic.
http://www.attra.ncat.org/organic.html

Organic Marketing Resources: ATTRA Publications
Market resources for organic food and fiber products, including organic prices, sales data, market trends, and other market data, organic trade associations, directories, and other organic marketing publications and resources, with contact information for ordering them.
http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/markres.html

Selling Certified Organic Produce to Retail Produce Markets in the Upper Midwest
This article provides useful information to help growers market their organic produce. While aimed at the Upper Midwest, its information can be useful to growers in other areas, as well.
http://www.cias.wisc.edu/archives/2000/01/01/selling_certified_organic_produce_to_retail_produce_markets_in_the_upper_midwest/index.php


Organic Regulations and Standards

The National Organic Program: USDA
The NOP is the body within the USDA that has come up with the nation wide organic standards. This site includes regulatory texts, list of approved materials, lists of accredited certifiers, as well as background and consumer information.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm

Organic Regulation, Certification, Transition & History
This is a very detailed collection of articles related to organic regulations. There are resources to help with documentation of production methods to help with preparation for inspections.
http://www.attra.ncat.org/organic.html#overview


Success Stories

*Duncan Family Farms, Goodyear, Arizona
The Duncans have a wholesale vegetable and fruit operation on 2,000 acres, about 400 of them certified organic They also have diverse “agri-tourism” educational and recreational components of their business.
http://www.sare.org/publications/naf2/duncan.htm

*Utah Grain Producer Builds off Last Generation’s Successes (p.9), Utah
Utah farmer Lydia Poulsen sells about 90 percent of her organic grain to area livestock producers. When she transitioned between 1992 and 1994, she found a ready market, but advises other farmers to thoroughly research their sales options.
http://www.sare.org/publications/organic/organic.pdf

*Organic Wheat Growers’ Co-Op Boosts Income for Northern New Mexico Farmers, New Mexico
This article highlights the Sangre de Cristo Agricultural Producers Cooperative which has chosen to go organic to increase profitability.
http://spectre.nmsu.edu/media/news2.lasso?i=28,

*Profile of Good Stewardship: Mark Cortner, New Mexico
To stay healthy, rancher Mark Cortner has decided to go organic. The following article is about a rancher in New Mexico who became one of the first suppliers of organic beef in the state.
http://quiviracoalition.org/Detailed/QC_Publications/Newsletters/Newsletter_11_May_20..._163.html


United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Resources)

National Organic Program (NOP)
The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations require that agricultural products labeled as organic originate from farms or handling operations certified by a State or private entity that has been accredited by USDA. This site includes regulatory texts, list of approved materials, lists of accredited certifiers, as well as background and consumer information.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm


Funding Resources

Conservation Security Program (CSP)
The CSP Provides technical and annual financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to reward new and ongoing good stewardship practices that enhance natural resources and the environment. Organic producers adopting or maintaining whole farm conservation plans will likely qualify for CSP support.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
EQIP provides technical and one-time financial assistance to farmers and ranchers for management conservation practices. Some NRCS state offices have developed specific organic cropping or livestock conservation options under EQIP.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/PROGRAMS/EQIP/

National Organic Certification Cost Share Program
The Organic Certification Cost-Share Program is part of the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program. The program provides financial assistance to producers in 15 states to transition into organic farming. Contact information for each state involved in the program is listed on the website.
http://attra.ncat.org/guide/n_z/organic_certification.html

Organic Farming Research Foundation: Research Grants
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) funds research on organic farming and food systems and the dissemination of these research results to the greater agricultural community.
http://ofrf.org/grants/apply_research.html

Organic Farming Research Foundation: Education and Outreach Grants
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) funds the development of educational opportunities and materials. Visit the OFRF website for more details.
http://ofrf.org/grants/apply_education&outreach.html

Value-Added Agricultural Producer Grants (VAPG)
Organic foods qualify as value-added agricultural products eligible for grant funds through the VAPG program. Individual producers, producer groups, or producer-owned cooperatives or business ventures can apply to develop business plans or feasibility studies or to develop a new marketing or processing venture that will improve farm income and competitiveness.
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm


See also:
·    Financing for general resources to help fund agricultural marketing ventures.

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