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Thursday, December 5
 

8:30am MST

Organic U - Welcome and Introductions
Why be organic? What are the stories of people transitioning to organic? Why are you interested in farming organic?
Moderators
avatar for Doug Crabtree

Doug Crabtree

Farmer, Vilicus Farms
MOA Board - Executive Committee, Chair

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 8:30am - 9:00am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Organic Certification

9:00am MST

Organic U - The Story of Vilicus Farms
Starting From Scratch 
Vilicus Farms officially started from scratch in 2009 when Doug and Anna purchased 1,280 acres of Northern Great Plains prairie off the open market with 20 years of savings and lots of hutzpah. The vision for Vilicus began years earlier when Doug, whose family’s grain farm in Ohio had been lost in farm crisis of the 1980’s, began looking for a viable way to return to farming. Without the existence of a traditional family farm base, options were limited. In 2005, Doug and Anna recognized the emerging opportunities in the organic market and began drafting their vision of a model organic farm that would push the boundaries of conservation and sustainability. Since 2009 Vilicus has seen a full cycle of its crop rotation, and grown from 1,280 to 7,400 acres. Doug and Anna have begun an organic farmer apprenticeship program to mentor beginning farmers through the challenges of starting a midscale, dryland organic farming operation.
Speakers
avatar for Doug Crabtree

Doug Crabtree

Farmer, Vilicus Farms
MOA Board - Executive Committee, Chair
avatar for Anna Jones-Crabtree

Anna Jones-Crabtree

Farmer, Vilicus Farms

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 9:00am - 9:30am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Organic Certification

9:30am MST

Organic U - Systems Thinking: Holistic Farming
Dr. Seipel will focus on weed managment in organic cropping systems and will discuss using cropping systems and rotations to manage weeds. He will present information on weeds communties across different management systems and crop rotations during a 5-year organic research project.
Speakers
avatar for Becky Weed

Becky Weed

Owner, Thirteen Mile Lamb & Wool Company
MOA Board - Executive Committee, ChairOrganic Montana Board Member
avatar for Tim Seipel

Tim Seipel

Assistant Research Professor, Cropland Weed Extension Specialist, Montana State University, Dept Land Resources and Environmental Science
I am a plant and agricultural ecologist who work on weed management in organic cropping systems. I am also the cropland weed extension specialist at Montana State University.

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 9:30am - 10:15am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Organic Certification

10:15am MST

Organic U - Break

Thursday December 5, 2019 10:15am - 10:30am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  BREAK, Break
  • Sponsor Clif Bar & Company

10:30am MST

Organic U - Introduction to the Organic System Plan
Experienced inspector and producer Margaret Scoles will help you develop an organic system plan for your operation. At the end of this session, you will walk away ready for your organic inspection.
Speakers
MS

Margaret Scoles

Executive Director, International Organic Inspectors Association

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 10:30am - 11:00am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop

11:00am MST

Organic U - Organic Standards, Inspection, and Certification: Fitting It All Together
 What are Organic Standards and who determines what they are? What are the mechanics of becoming "Certified Organic?" How do organic inspections work? This session is hosted by a veteran organic certifier and inspector who are also organic producers. They will give you the information you need about organic certification.
Speakers
GW

Georgana Webster

Organic Program Manager, Montana Department of Agriculture
Organic Montana Board Member
avatar for Nate Powell-Palm

Nate Powell-Palm

Farmer/Rancher and Organic Inspector, Cold Springs Ranch
Nate Powell-Palm first landed in the world of organics in 2008 when he applied for and received organic certification from the Montana Dept of Agriculture. He currently farms certified organic grains, forages, pulse crops and oil seeds on 1075 acres. A diversified operation, Powell-Palm... Read More →

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 11:00am - 11:30am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop

11:30am MST

Organic U-Developing and Preparing Your Organic System Plan: Round Table Discussions
Breakout sessions hosted by experienced producers;
Speakers
JA

Jess Alger

Farmer/Rancher, Alger Ranch
MOA Board MemberJess Alger graduated from MSU in 1971 with a B.S. degree in Animal Science. He returned to the Alger family ranch near Stanford where he worked for his Dad until 1981, after which he bought the place. He first certified his cropland in 2000 and his cattle were certified... Read More →
JO

Judy Owsowitz

Owner, Terrapin Farms
MOA Board Member
TO

Ty O'Connor

Owner, O'Connor Crops and Cattle LLC
O’Connor Crops and Cattle is a 100% organic farm and ranch. Products that are raised are: winter wheat, spring wheat, Kamut®, oats, barley, sunflowers, peas, lentils, flax, corn, alfalfa, hay and straw. We also produce organic, grass fed, GAP 4 cattle.
avatar for Anna Jones-Crabtree

Anna Jones-Crabtree

Farmer, Vilicus Farms
MS

Margaret Scoles

Executive Director, International Organic Inspectors Association
GW

Georgana Webster

Organic Program Manager, Montana Department of Agriculture
Organic Montana Board Member
avatar for Nate Powell-Palm

Nate Powell-Palm

Farmer/Rancher and Organic Inspector, Cold Springs Ranch
Nate Powell-Palm first landed in the world of organics in 2008 when he applied for and received organic certification from the Montana Dept of Agriculture. He currently farms certified organic grains, forages, pulse crops and oil seeds on 1075 acres. A diversified operation, Powell-Palm... Read More →

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 11:30am - 12:00pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Organic Certification

12:30pm MST

Organic U - Question and Answer Time
After the morning's sessions, you should be just about ready for organic certification. This session is aimed at answering lingering questions. Chances are if you have a question, someone else does too. Montana's organic community is vested in helping others by sharing information and experience.
Moderators
avatar for Doug Crabtree

Doug Crabtree

Farmer, Vilicus Farms
MOA Board - Executive Committee, Chair

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 12:30pm - 1:00pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Organic Certification

1:00pm MST

Is Organic Farming Risky? How to Protect the Farm with Federal Crop Insurance
Using real-life examples from Montana, Jeff Schahczenski shares his knowledge about Whole Farm Revenue Insurance.
Speakers
avatar for Jeff Schahczenski

Jeff Schahczenski

Agricultural and Natural Resource Economist, National Center for Appropriate Technology
Mr. Jeff Schahczenski is an agricultural and natural resource economist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and he has worked on sustainable and organic for over 25 years. For the last 14 years he has worked on whole farm revenue and crop insurance generally... Read More →

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop

2:00pm MST

FSA Financing Options for Your Farm
What federal financing options are available for your farm? What are the requirements for participating?  The speakers will also be available to discuss Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) which provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers who are obtaining organic certification for the first time or renewing their previous certification.
Speakers
MM

Marilyn McMullen

Farm Loan Programs Chief, USDA - Farm Services Agency
Marilyn has 35+ years experience with the agriculture loan program with USDA, first Farmers Home Administration and now Farm Service Agency.  She was a state specialist for 18 years working mostly with litigation cases and loan servicing in Montana.  After spending two years in... Read More →
avatar for Shelly Rolando

Shelly Rolando

Farm Program Chief, USDA - Farm Services Agency
I am a Chief Agricultural Program Specialist with U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Bozeman, Montana. FSA assists farmers and ranchers with stabilizing income, conserving land and recovering from natural disasters. I oversee the Risk Management Division for... Read More →

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Clif Bar & Company


Thursday December 5, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop
 
Friday, December 6
 

8:00am MST

Business Structures - Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm
Business Structures:
  • When an LLC or corporation is the right choice for a farm operation.
  • How to manage an LLC or corporation so its legal benefits are preserved.
  • How to form an LLC or corporation
  • How to draft the appropriate paperwork to protect the business partners involved

Thank you to WSARE for partial funding of the "Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm" workshop.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong

Attorney/Consultant, Farm Commons
My passion for farming goes way back to the days when I proudly proclaimed that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I’ve lived out that dream in many ways, from working on farms to managing a community garden, starting a catering company that featured local foods and running... Read More →
AB

Alexis Bonogofsky

New Agrarian Program Northern Coordinator, Quivira Coalition
Alexis is a fourth-generation Montanan, sheep rancher, and New Agrarian Program Coordinator for the Quivira Coalition in the northern plains. She is also a freelance writer and photographer and lives and works along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana on her family’s ranch... Read More →
avatar for John Wicks

John Wicks

Tiber Ridge, Inc.
MOA Board Member - Executive Committee, TreasurerOrganic Montana Board Member - Treasurer

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Western SARE

Western SARE

Fabian Menalledmenalled@montana.edu

Friday December 6, 2019 8:00am - 8:50am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Preregistration Requested

9:00am MST

Land Purchasing and Leasing - Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm
Land Purchasing and Leasing
  • The legal importance of a written lease
  • What a farmland lease should contain and the process of writing one.
  • How to create the paperwork for informal purchase arrangements such as seller-financing and land contracts.
  • Basic farm financing legal considerations including gifts and crowdfunding.

Thank you to WSARE for partial funding of the "Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm" workshop.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong

Attorney/Consultant, Farm Commons
My passion for farming goes way back to the days when I proudly proclaimed that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I’ve lived out that dream in many ways, from working on farms to managing a community garden, starting a catering company that featured local foods and running... Read More →
AB

Alexis Bonogofsky

New Agrarian Program Northern Coordinator, Quivira Coalition
Alexis is a fourth-generation Montanan, sheep rancher, and New Agrarian Program Coordinator for the Quivira Coalition in the northern plains. She is also a freelance writer and photographer and lives and works along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana on her family’s ranch... Read More →
avatar for John Wicks

John Wicks

Tiber Ridge, Inc.
MOA Board Member - Executive Committee, TreasurerOrganic Montana Board Member - Treasurer

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Western SARE

Western SARE

Fabian Menalledmenalled@montana.edu

Friday December 6, 2019 9:00am - 9:50am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Preregistration Requested

10:30am MST

Insurance and Liability - Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm
Insurance and Liability
  • When and how a farm becomes liable for an injury connected to the farm’s operations including food safety, farm events, farm food service, and value-added production
  • The best options for protecting the farm legally when injuries inevitably occur
  • When and how crop and livestock insurance is available to cover losses
Thank you to WSARE for partial funding of the "Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm" workshop.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong

Attorney/Consultant, Farm Commons
My passion for farming goes way back to the days when I proudly proclaimed that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I’ve lived out that dream in many ways, from working on farms to managing a community garden, starting a catering company that featured local foods and running... Read More →
AB

Alexis Bonogofsky

New Agrarian Program Northern Coordinator, Quivira Coalition
Alexis is a fourth-generation Montanan, sheep rancher, and New Agrarian Program Coordinator for the Quivira Coalition in the northern plains. She is also a freelance writer and photographer and lives and works along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana on her family’s ranch... Read More →
avatar for John Wicks

John Wicks

Tiber Ridge, Inc.
MOA Board Member - Executive Committee, TreasurerOrganic Montana Board Member - Treasurer

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Western SARE

Western SARE

Fabian Menalledmenalled@montana.edu

Friday December 6, 2019 10:30am - 11:20am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Preregistration Requested

2:30pm MST

Food Safety - Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm
Food Safety
  • How every farm can be responsible for a food safety incident, regardless of regulatory compliance.
  • When and how farms must comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act
  • How to manage the risk of food safety incidences with insurance.
Thank you to WSARE for partial funding of the "Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm" workshop.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong

Attorney/Consultant, Farm Commons
My passion for farming goes way back to the days when I proudly proclaimed that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I’ve lived out that dream in many ways, from working on farms to managing a community garden, starting a catering company that featured local foods and running... Read More →
AB

Alexis Bonogofsky

New Agrarian Program Northern Coordinator, Quivira Coalition
Alexis is a fourth-generation Montanan, sheep rancher, and New Agrarian Program Coordinator for the Quivira Coalition in the northern plains. She is also a freelance writer and photographer and lives and works along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana on her family’s ranch... Read More →
avatar for John Wicks

John Wicks

Tiber Ridge, Inc.
MOA Board Member - Executive Committee, TreasurerOrganic Montana Board Member - Treasurer

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Western SARE

Western SARE

Fabian Menalledmenalled@montana.edu

Friday December 6, 2019 2:30pm - 3:20pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Preregistration Requested

3:30pm MST

Employees, Interns, and Volunteers - Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm
Employees, Interns, and Volunteers
  • The basics of minimum wage, overtime, payroll tax, workers’ compensation, and wages in the form of food and lodging.
  • Whether and how farms may utilize unpaid or underpaid interns or apprentices.
  • The legal risks of utilizing volunteers in a for-profit business.
Thank you to WSARE for partial funding of the "Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm" workshop!
Speakers
avatar for John Wicks

John Wicks

Tiber Ridge, Inc.
MOA Board Member - Executive Committee, TreasurerOrganic Montana Board Member - Treasurer
AB

Alexis Bonogofsky

New Agrarian Program Northern Coordinator, Quivira Coalition
Alexis is a fourth-generation Montanan, sheep rancher, and New Agrarian Program Coordinator for the Quivira Coalition in the northern plains. She is also a freelance writer and photographer and lives and works along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana on her family’s ranch... Read More →
avatar for Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong

Attorney/Consultant, Farm Commons
My passion for farming goes way back to the days when I proudly proclaimed that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I’ve lived out that dream in many ways, from working on farms to managing a community garden, starting a catering company that featured local foods and running... Read More →

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Western SARE

Western SARE

Fabian Menalledmenalled@montana.edu

Friday December 6, 2019 3:30pm - 4:20pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Preregistration Requested

4:30pm MST

Agritourism and Adding Value - Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm
Agritourism and Adding Value
  • How zoning codes can limit or prohibit these activities and what do next if the farm’s desired activities are constrained by regulations.
  • Legal considerations when doing on-farm events relative to liability, employment law, business structures, taxes, and land use regulation.
  • The farm’s obligations in terms of access to persons with disabilities
Thank you to WSARE for partial funding of the "Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm" workshop
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong

Attorney/Consultant, Farm Commons
My passion for farming goes way back to the days when I proudly proclaimed that I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I’ve lived out that dream in many ways, from working on farms to managing a community garden, starting a catering company that featured local foods and running... Read More →
AB

Alexis Bonogofsky

New Agrarian Program Northern Coordinator, Quivira Coalition
Alexis is a fourth-generation Montanan, sheep rancher, and New Agrarian Program Coordinator for the Quivira Coalition in the northern plains. She is also a freelance writer and photographer and lives and works along the Yellowstone River in southeastern Montana on her family’s ranch... Read More →
avatar for John Wicks

John Wicks

Tiber Ridge, Inc.
MOA Board Member - Executive Committee, TreasurerOrganic Montana Board Member - Treasurer

Sponsors and Supporters
avatar for Western SARE

Western SARE

Fabian Menalledmenalled@montana.edu

Friday December 6, 2019 4:30pm - 5:20pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Workshop, Preregistration Requested
 
Saturday, December 7
 

8:00am MST

Integrated Weed Management for Organic Chickpeas
Shared presentation with Joseph Kibiwott covering improving practices for organic pulse production. I will present results of our recent organic chickpea weed management trials were we evaluated planting date, seeding rate, and several organic weed control practices.
Speakers
ZM

Zach Miller

Assistant Professor/Superintendent, MSU- Western Ag Research Center

Moderators
AM
CM

Cliff Merriman

Owner, 4M Farms

Saturday December 7, 2019 8:00am - 8:50am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Breakout

10:15am MST

Integration of Livestock into Small Scale Vegetable Cropping Systems
This presentation includes the results and a description from a graduate-level research project investigating livestock integrated systems in the Great-Northern Plains on small scale vegetable crops, specifically looking at differences in grazed versus un-grazed sampling sites with an emphasis on soil health, soil microbial diversity and crop yield. Previous studies of livestock integration have shown a positive impact on soil health. We expect that the grazed portions will have improved crop production due to nutrient cycling compared to non-grazed portions.
Speakers
avatar for Trestin Benson

Trestin Benson

Graduate Student, Montana State University
Trestin Benson is a master's student studying the Impacts of Integrating Livestock into Small Scale Vegetable Farming Systems. She also works as a research associate at the Montana Wool Lab.

Moderators
HE

Heather Estrada

Associate Professor and Agriculture Program Director, Flathead Valley Community College
MOA Board - Executive Committee, Treasurer

Saturday December 7, 2019 10:15am - 11:05am MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Breakout

11:15am MST

An Assessment of Influences on Beginning Sustainable Agriculture Producers’ Decisions to Adopt Innovative Practices
Organic agriculture is a transformative approach that balances the goals of sustainable agriculture. Understanding how producers identify themselves may give insight as to what drives their decision to explore innovative practices. The purpose of this study was to assess influences on organic agricultural producers’ attitudes, behaviors, and decisions related to sustainable best management practices.  Rogers’ Diffusions of Innovations and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) were used to analyze organic producers’ attitudes, behaviors, and decisions related to sustainable best management practices (BMP). This descriptive study utilized a survey research design of producer members of the Montana Organic Association. Data analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between questions and constructs of the TPB. Respondents considered themselves risk-takers, leaders, and deliberators who use an integrated whole farm approach. Influences of peers and social groups had a significant effect on producers’ decisions to implement sustainable BMPs.
Speakers
avatar for Rebecca Kurnick

Rebecca Kurnick

Sustainability Director, Montana Ale Works
Born in the tiny town of Lovell, Maine, ‘Becca’ arrived in Montana in 2006.While working towards a B.S in Soil Science from MSU, she spent time working as a line cook for Montana Ale Works, working in the field for a certified organic market farm, and learning about pastured livestock... Read More →

Moderators
AM
CM

Cliff Merriman

Owner, 4M Farms

Saturday December 7, 2019 11:15am - 12:05pm MST
Expedition/Venture Room
  Breakout
 
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