permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@calypso-2.oit.unc.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 12 Oct 95 09:12:00 -0800
From: Cissy Bowman <Cissy.Bowman@f710.n231.z1.fidonet.org>
To: sust_ag-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Regional Marketing Meetings

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Eric Ardapple Kindberg 
501-434-5231
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The National Organic Marketing Cooperative Feasibility Study 
Regional Meetings coming to a location near you!
November through December, 1995


The Regional Meetings' purpose is to bring together organic farmers, 
consumers, 
and supporting public interest and environmental groups to discuss options 
for more efficient marketing of organic products within a region and beyond.
The Farmers Meeting will allow the Study's coordinators to gather input from 
organic farmers in each region on the barriers they face to efficiently 
marketing their crops at reasonable prices. At the consumer meeting, the 
Study will provide a slide show accompanied by a narrative tape. Consumers 
strongly desire to know how their food is produced and the impact of food and 
fiber production on the environment and their health.  This is a valuable
opportunity to encourage dialogue between organic farmers and consumers on a 
regional level.  We hope you will join us in our cooperative attempt to learn 
from one another.

Proposed Schedule for the Event:
Organic Farmers Meeting:  How Can We Cooperate To Enhance Organic Markets?

9:40AM-10:00 AM: Call to order and introductions.

10:00AM-10:45AM: Information on the Feasibility Study: goals and objectives, 
the process and time-line; the regional meetings' purposes. Questions, 
discussion.

10:45AM-Noon: Breakout by commodity groups to identify farmers' needs and 
possible solutions

1:00PM-1:45 PM: Summary of issues and assessments made by each commodity 
group. 

1:45PM-2:05PM: Presentation of Cooperative Marketing Options.

2:05PM-3:00PM: Discussion of Organic Farmers' Marketing Options.

3:00PM-3:30PM: What can we do in our local region? What are the next steps?

Organic Farmer/Consumer Meeting:  Organic Farmers Greet Consumers--
How Can We Create A More Effective Partnership?

4:00PM-4:30PM:  Introductions. Organic Farmers' Goals for the meeting:
-To answer consumer questions on Organic Farm Production and Handling,
-To further build a grass roots Partnership between existing Public 
 Interest and Organic Farmer Organizations for the promotion of organic 
 food and fiber products  
-To make the economic stability of existing and new organic farmers 
 more secure through refining regional consumer outreach programs
 -Organic from the farmer's point of view

4:30   Slide Show:  De-mystifying Organics: will provide an overview on 
organic farm production, handling practices and systems.

5:30   Panel Discussion:  Topics
-The right to know what is in our food. What are the
 standards and procedures of the USDA's National Organic
 Program (Organic Foods Production Act).
-Organic food costs: How  can we determine a fair and
 sustainable farm gate price for organic foods and fibers?
-Choices in purchasing organic farm products: How  close a
 partnership do you want with your food and fiber provider? 
-CSA, Community Supported or Shared Agriculture;
 family farm production versus corporate farm production:
 organic in school lunches; cooperative wholesale distributors, 
 and retail stores. 

6:30PM-7:15PM: Concerns? Questions to the panel and group. 

7:15PM-7:45PM: Creating an organic farmer/consumer regional Alliance. 
What has been done by local consumer/farmer organizations. How can we 
further assist each other? Where can we go from here?

7:45PM-9:00PM:  Organic Wine and Cheese Reception--Social Hour

Locations and Contacts:

November:
Wednesday, November 8, 1995, Indianapolis, Indiana, Contact:
Cissy Bowman, HOME, 317-539-6935 phone/fax, 317-539-2753 phone

Friday, November 10, 1995, Leavenworth Kansas, St. Mary's
College, Contact:  Allen Moody, 316-379-4472

Monday, November 13, Portland, Oregon, Westminster
Presbyterian Church, Contact:  Annie Ladas, 503-285-8279

Wednesday, November 15, 1995, Missoula, Montana, Union Hall,
Contact:  Eric Newman, 406-585-0014 or Nancy Taylor, 208-882-1444

Thursday, November 16, Dubuque, Iowa, Sinsinawa Mound
Center, Contact:  Faye Jones, 715-772-3153

Wednesday, November 29, 1995, Jamestown, North Dakota,
Farmers Union Auditorium, Contact:  Will Schill, 701-256-2424

December
Saturday, December 2, 1995 Amherst, Massachusetts, Hampshire
College Farm Center, Contact:  David Holm, 413-582-5348

Monday, December 4, 1995, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
Department of Agriculture, Contact:   Ron Gargasz, 412-530-7220

Wednesday, December 6, 1995, 
Jim Graham Building, North Carolina State Fair Grounds, 
Raleigh, North Carolina 
Contact: 
Archie Hart, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, 919-733-7125 
Mark O'Farrell, Chatham County Cooperative Extension Service, 
                919-542-8202 voice, 919-542-8246 fax
Lawrence London, 919-942-1114 

Friday, December 8, 1995, Boulder, Colorado, Pleasant View Grange,
95th & Isabelle Streets, 303-442-5133.
Contact: Annie Ladas, West/Northwest Organic Valley Family of Farms,
503-285-8279

Saturday, December 9, 1995, Austin, Texas, AFL-CIO Hall,
Contact: Jay Cockrell, 512-454-5467

Thursday, December 14, 1995, San Jose, California, Shriners Hall, 
Diane Bowen, 408-423-2263

For more details, call the regional contact nearest your home or farm.

We hope that these events will serve to build a lasting relationship 
between organic farmers, consumers and organizations interested in 
land stewardship, conservation, environmental and consumer protection, 
and economic and rural justice! There is no cost for these events.
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The National Organic Marketing Cooperative Feasibility Study
is funded by a USDA Rural development Administration Grant

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Lawrence F. London, Jr. - london@sunSITE.unc.edu 
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/The_Sustainable_Farmstead.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/N_O_M_C.html (under construction)
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/permaculture.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/permaculture.faq
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