Have you thought about going Organic with your field crops? Have you wondered about what to expect for yield or prices? How your production methods would have to change for Organic Certification? What is the process of transition from conventional to organic production?
The market for certified organic grains continues to increase in the United States. Recently, Red Bridge Farm Livestock Feeds in Kettle Falls got organic certification for their elevator and other parts of their facility. This means that certified organic grains grown locally can now be more easily (and less expensively) sold into nation-wide markets. This Organic Grain Grower’s Summit, sponsored by Red Bridge Farm Feeds, will provide information you need to better understand this expanding market.
Brad Murphy of Red Bridge Farm Feed who owns the feed mill in Kettle Falls says “Since the rail line through our area changed hands, we’ve had an increasing number of buyers looking to buy certified organic grains.” According to Murphy, Red Bridge Farm has always used non-GMO ingredients but they’ve been getting more and more requests to produce a line of certified organic feed themselves. “We do our best to locally source as much grain as we can,” says Murphy, “to keep production local and put money back into farms in our area. So it would be great to have more organic grain available from our area”.
The goal of this Summit is to provide anyone interested in raising certified organic grain with all the information they need to make decisions and get started with a move to Organic, including establishing relationships with buyers for their product.
Space is limited for this event so register early to be sure you reserve your spot.
Event Details
Date: Friday, January 24th, 2020
Time: 9:30 AM – 4:30PM
Location: WSU Stevens County Extension, 986 S. Main, Colville, WA
Cost: $25, which covers snacks and lunch from Backyard Barbeque
Registration: Online through Brown Paper Tickets
If you need help registering online contact Nils Johnson at (509) 684-2588 or Brad Murphy at (509) 738-9004
Event Schedule
- 9:30 – 9:40 Nils Johnson, WSU Stevens County Extension – Welcome and introductions
- Contact Info
- nils.johnson@wsu.edu
- Office: (509) 684-2588
- Mobile/Text: (509) 680-2032
- Contact Info
- 9:40 – 10:10 Brad Murphy, Red Bridge Farm Livestock Feeds – Intro and vision
- Link to Presentation
- Contact Info
- Store: (509) 738-9004
- brad@theredbridgefarm.com
- 10:10 – 10:30 Break
- 10:30 – 11:00 Kyle Madison, Perfect Blend Organics – Organic agronomy
- 11:00 – 12:00 Ron McLean, McLean Family Farms – Organic grain production methodology
- Link to Presentation
- Contact Info
- rronm8345@gmail.com
- (509) 684 4875
- 12:00-1:00 Lunch: From Back Yard Barbeque
- 1:00 – 2:00 Angela Anegon, WSDA Organic Program – Organic certification process
- Link to Presentation
- Contact Info
- AAnegon@agr.wa.gov
- Mobile/Text: (360) 338-5953
- 2:00 – 2:15 Tracy Gaston, USDA FSA – Cost share programs for transitioning to certified organic production
- Link to Presentation
- Contact Info
- tracy.gaston@usda.gov
- Stevens County: (509) 685-0858 ext. 105
- Spokane/Pend Oreille Counties: (509) 381-6719
- 2:15 – 2:30 Jesika Harper, Northwest Farm Credit Services – Financial options for your farm
- Link to Presentation
- Northwest Farm Credit Services Financial Workshop, Feb 13th (free)
- Contact Info:
- jesika.harper@northwestfcs.com
- Office: (509) 340-5216
- Mobile: (208) 818-4667
- 2:30 – 2:45 Break
- 2:45 – 4:30 Organic Grain Buyer presentations
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- Jordan Buck, Marketing Director, Progressive Rail
- Link to Presentation
- Contact Info:
- jbuck@progressiverail.com
- 618-910-8273
- Dean O’Harris, Great Lakes Grain & Transportation LLC
- Joel Williamson, LINC Malts, Spokane
- Link to Presentation
- Contact info:
- Joel@lincfoods.com
- 509-230-1223
- Stephanie Presthus & Dan Rauchenstein, Cereal Byproducts Company
- Contact Info:
- SAP@cercogroup.com
- Office: (360) 693-7420
- Mobile: (360) 521-8777
- Contact Info:
- Jordan Buck, Marketing Director, Progressive Rail
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Handout Materials
- Handout: Profit Potential of Certified Organic Field Crop Production
- Handout: Farming Systems Trial, Rodale Institute
- Handout: US Organic Grain – How to Keep it Growing
A registration fee of $25 is required for this event, which will cover lunch as well as snacks throughout the day. A limited number of scholarships are available to cover this registration fee for the event if the cost would cause financial hardship any for farmers interested in attending. For more information on scholarships or the event itself, contact:
Nils Johnson at the WSU Stevens County Extension
Phone: (509) 684-2588
Email: nils.johnson@wsu.edu
For a map showing the location of the Summit at WSU Stevens County Extension, please visit the Organic Grain Growers Summit Event Calendar page.
WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information or reasonable accommodation need to contact Adenea Thompson at 986 S Main, Suite D, Colville, WA 99114, 509.684.2588, a.thompson@wsu.edu at least two weeks prior to the event.