The 20th annual national SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) conference took place in Kansas City March 25-27, 2008. I was the staff person at the MOA booth in the Exhibit room and was able to attend conference sessions as well. I immediately felt at home: booths on either side of me were the Farmers Union and another MOA member, Daniel Roth of One Garden.

The conference opens at noon on the first day and during the next day and a half there are 5 break-out sessions with 8 – 9 choices of workshops in each time period. Interspersed, there are plenary and poster sessions, meals, and receptions. The final day is devoted to all day tours: a choice of 12 tours: vegetable, nut, grain, and livestock production, value added businesses, marketing groups, urban agriculture, the flint hills in Kansas, etc. I choose not to go on any tour to spend time with a friend instead.

SARE is funded by USDA. One of its main function is to award funds for a variety of demonstration projects and, as the name indicates, research & education are prominent goals. At one of the workshops I attend, about half of the participants are University Extension and/or teaching/education personnel. The last 15 minutes of every session are devoted to brainstorming ideas about further research and/or education suggestions to be passed along to SARE.

One large room is full of posters: each one describing a particular SARE grant within the last few years. It includes the research topic, names of people involved, a description of the methods & findings, and usually a diagram or photos explaining the project. During the scheduled poster sessions (an hour each day), many of the people receiving the grants are present to talk about and give more info on their projects to anyone interested.

There is a wide range of workshop topics: soil fertility, cover crops, organic no-till, bio-fuels, conservation practices, bees, greenhouse & high tunnels, beneficial insects & plants, encouraging the next generation of leaders in the field, etc. The presenters are a mix of producers and University researchers. The common thread underlying it all is sustainability: many, but not all, are organic; those who are not, minimize chemical inputs.

My personal impressions. This is my first SARE conference. I am immediately struck by the diversity of folks here. Most of the agricultural conferences I go to are mostly white; it is refreshing to have African Americans and other people of color here. My only previous experience with SARE is as a recipient of a grant for agricultural research. I find that this is true for many of the folks I meet as; however, for others, it is a community as well. Many have been to several SARE conferences and a handful were at the first one - 20 years ago. It feels like a “community” or a tribe. It reminds me that many of us feel estranged from conventional agriculture/society and we look to be part of an alternative larger movement or extended family: a clan, tribe, etc. It seems that for many at the conference, this is their tribe; it feels inviting and inclusive. My initial impression of SARE as a money funding organization has expanded into seeing it as part of the larger movement toward sustainable living and wholesome food systems.

An Organic Gardening workshop will be held at the Northern Star Restaurant in Macon on Thursday, April 3 from 9:30-3:30. This is the new restaurant on the north end of Macon on Highway 63. Topics to be covered include: why go organic or naturally grown; organic weed control; organic disease & insect control; organic soil amend-ments; and buying and marketing organic or naturally grown produce. You will also get to hear from and learn how a local gardener has spent years garden-ing organically. This is not just for vegetable gardeners. This will apply to flower gardening also. There is no cost to attend the workshop, but we are getting to use the meeting room at no charge if we eat lunch there. There is a lunch buffet available for around $6.50. You will be responsible for purchasing your own lunch. You must pre-register by March 26 so I can turn in a head count to the restaurant. Please call Jennifer Schutter at the Adair County Extension Center at 660-665-9866 to pre-register or email me at schutterjl@missouri.edu.

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – The Missouri Organic Association is bringing together producers, consumers and organic leaders on Feb. 15-16 for a two day conference in Jefferson City. The annual conference held at the Carver Research Farm, will include presentations, workshops, discussions, networking and trade show exhibits focused on agricultural marketing and organic production. The event offers an opportunity for producers and consumers to gather in one location to share ideas, experiences and resources to promote sustainable living.

Highlighting this year’s conference is Kathleen Delate, state organic specialist from Iowa State University and the first organic specialist at a major university. Delate will present on topics including organic grains and vegetables.

The keynote speaker is Pat Garrity, executive director of Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market, a grocery store featuring locally produced foods and crafts, open air-farmers’ markets, a food processing center and a resource and education center for seminars.

Friday, Feb. 15 will include agricultural marketing and is funded by a risk management education grant to promote organics in the state. Saturday, Feb. 16 will include sessions on organic production on topics from grains and herbs, small fruits and vegetables to cattle, goats and dairy.

For a full program agenda and registration, visit www.missouriorganic.org. Registration for this event includes meals. Scholarships are available for registration costs. For additional information, contact kellyd@missouri.edu or call (573) 882-1905.

Whole Foods Market, St. Louis's largest natural and organic supermarket in Brentwood, Missouri donated 5% of it's sales totaling $4590 to MOA on Thursday, October 17. The 5% day kicked off a three day local food festival at the store to encourage shoppers to support local farmers and food artisans.

John Wilkerson, Terry Durham, Geoff Beal, and Melinda Hemmelgarn were in the store throughout the day to greet customers, educate them about the MOA mission, and encourage them to shop to raise money for MOA. In addition, MOA members and Whole Foods Market suppliers sampled their products for customers including Sandhill Sorghum, Elixir Farm Potatoes, Berhanu Lentil Dip, American Grass Fed Beef, Goatsbeard Cheese, Ozark Forest Mushrooms, and Missouri Native Pecans.

The following Sunday, October 20, more MOA members (Linda Williams, Doug and Angie Brown, and Kathy Burney-Miller) were back in the store to continue raising awareness about MOA. The event was a big success, raising funds and awareness about MOA, and gathering hundreds of new contacts for MOA's email list.

The Missouri Organic Association (MOA), in cooperation with the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture and the University of Missouri Extension is working on promoting Missouri organic products and educating consumers about the organic industry through online media.

Through a North Central Risk Management – Organic Marketing for Producers Grant the organization’s website has been re-designed and a buyer’s guide has been developed for the site that will enable viewers to search for organic products in their area by farm and county. In addition, the MOA website will include a blog with weekly organic podcasts produced Brownfield, Ag News for America, as well as news information regarding organic agriculture.

The podcasts will consist of a multiple of topics including: certified organic and how to decipher organic labels, nutritional benefits of organic fruits and vegetables, concerns about pesticide residue for children, nutritional benefits of organic dairy products, risks of antibiotic resistance, pesticide residue in and on food, pesticide residue in the watershed, interpreting labels, nutritional benefits of organic meats and where can you find organic foods.

Organic producers interested in including their operation and organic products on the Missouri Organic Online Buyer’s Guide will be asked to submit the following information:
Producer name, contact person
Address (including county)
Email, phone, fax, website info (if applicable)
Year certified (if certified), and certifying agency
Total acreage & organic acreage
A list of organic products produced for sale

Produces can submit their information by mail to: Kathy Burney-Miller, 229 Riverbluff Drive #209, St. Charles, Missouri 63301 or via email kburney@umsl.edu.

The Missouri Organic Association website, buyer’s guide and podcasts can be accessed at http://www.missouriorganic.org/.