Ahead of the Curve Here in E. WA

A couple years ago, I was 6 feet deep in developing the idea, the base of support and the core foundation of what would become Main Market Co-op.  Mind you, I’m only 5’6″.

One of the primary ways I tried to help people understand what the co-op was about was by introducing the community to the farmers it would support.  We hosted ‘In the Field to (fill in the blank farm)’ tours that showcased the quality of food and transparency of conversation the co-op wanted to introduce to Spokane.

I got lucky 2 summers ago and had the great pleasure of working with an intern to help me organize those tours. Now, Beth Robinette, a 4th-generation cattle rancher, has graduated from Western Washington’s Fairhaven College and chosen to return to Cheney, WA, and her family’s Lazy R Ranch.

If you’ve heard all the hype about how destructive raising cattle for food is on the environment and seen the news about the e-Coli scares with beef, you might think, “She must not have learned anything in school, poor girl.”  Quite to the contrary, she shares her father’s passion for and commitment to raising food, yes beef cattle included, in a manner that is environmentally responsible and those cows are happy and healthy, without drugs.

How?

Come learn about the grassfed, rotational grazing practices that not only minimize negative environmental impacts, but as USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Kathleen Merrigan, points out in recent testimony featured below, might just be a critical part of helping save our environment.  Beth and her Dad Maurice are leading the pack nationally, and starting to see the limelight for their efforts.

Thursday, September 23rd at 6:30pm

WSU Extension Office; 222 N. Havana

Excerpts from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Summary…

Posted: 15 Sep 2010 02:55 PM PDT

On Wednesday, September 15th, the Senate Agriculture Committee gathered for an oversight hearing entitled “The National Organic Law at 20:  Sowing Seeds for a Bright Future.”  The hearing in part commemorated the 20-year anniversary of the passage of the Organic Food Production Act (OFPA), which standardized organic certification and labeling regulations across the country.  Before the passage of the Act, 22 states had different regulations for organic foods.

You can view all of their testimonies, as well as a video rebroadcasting of the hearing, can be found here (click on Wednesday, September 15th).

In short, the hearing highlighted the successes in the organic industry over the 20 years since the passage of OFPA.  The organic industry is one of the fastest growing industries in US agriculture, and one of the few growing sectors in the struggling US economy. As Kathleen Merrigan stated, “Our national debate over organic agriculture has progressed, from an initial tone of conflict and confusion, to one of budding curiosity as to where this sector was headed, to the current dialogue centered on economic opportunity.  I think we are on the right track.”

The witnesses and senators also discussed the current challenges facing organic farmers, including funding the expensive certification process, and competing with non-organic producers who use labels like “natural” to appeal to health-conscious consumers.  Each witness also indicated the growing problem of contamination of organic farms by nearby genetically modified crops, an issue that must be addressed by legislators and seed companies in the very near future.

Witnesses highlighted the need for increased research into organic growing practices, as well as the certification process.  These topics include how organic agriculture can help mitigate climate change, and how growers can maximize production efficiency through practices like rotational grazing and perennial cover cropping.

The hearing was a useful discussion of the successes and challenges of the organic industry, and will hopefully promote dialogue between legislators and organic farmers to further aid organic farming, research, and consumption.

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If you’re interested in upcoming farm tours, please contact me at The Whole Plate (wholeplateinfo@gmail.com), an emerging resource for information, education and conversation about a sustainable food supply (web site to go live Fall 2010).

My next ‘In the Field’ tour is October 10, 2010 to Heron Pond Farm, new, local goat cheese producer.

This tour will also represent Spokane’s participation in 350.org with a biking option and Eat-In potluck!