On February 12 at 1 p.m. at the Cross Building in Augusta, the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry will hear a bill addressing the large of amount of meat being advertised falsely as “local” or “Maine-raised” when the animals actually were produced Read More »
News Archive
Real Organic Project Seeks Public Comments on Provisional Standards
The Real Organic Project provisional standards for a new add-on label were created in Winter 2018 by the Real Organic Standards Board. The standards are based on the principal that healthy soil is the foundation of organic farming. The Real Organic Project is asking the Read More »
Uncertainty Prevails as the Partial Government Shutdown Continues
From the National Organic Coalition (NOC). The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) remains closed as the government shutdown continues for a fifth week and the NOP has canceled its annual certifier training, which was scheduled for January 29 in Greenville, South Carolina. The training provides Read More »
Winter Regional Growers Meetings Scheduled for February 2019
You’re Invited! Winter Regional Grower Meetings – Four Locations in Maine Southern Maine: February 14th, York County Extension Office, Springvale, ME Maine Highlands: February 16, Sangerville Grange, ME Downeast: February 27th, Ellsworth City Hall, Ellsworth, ME Aroostook County: February 28th, Littleton Snowmobile Club, Littleton, ME Approximate Read More »
NOP Issues Final Amendment to National List
On December 26, 2018, the NOP published a final rule that amends the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Please see below for a brief summary, and contact your Certification Specialist for more information or if you have questions. IMPLEMENTATION: The rule will be fully implemented on January Read More »
The Organic Sprout – Fall 2018 Issue
The Fall 2018 issue of The Organic Sprout is available online! Please follow this link. You can read it from any device of your choice or download as a PDF. Contents include the results of our MCS Client Survey, a report on Organic Cost Share, Read More »
MOFGA Notes Mixed Results with the 2018 Farm Bill
Wins on funding for organic certification, research, new farmers and import enforcement shadowed by changes to the National Organic Standards Board. December 12, 2018 (Unity, ME) – The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) generally is pleased with the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act Read More »
Sign up for a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training at MOFGA
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is presenting three sessions focused on the FSMA training requirement for all covered produce growers, and recommended for all produce growers of all sizes. Who Should Attend. Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety, Read More »
NOP Issues Extension of Allowance of Paper Pots
Nop Issues Extension Of Allowance Of Paper Pots In Organic Production On Monday, November 5, MCS and all NOP-accredited certifiers were informed that the NOP has extended the use and allowance period for paper pots, originally scheduled for prohibition at the end of the growing Read More »
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Meets October 24 – 26th
The NOSB will meet in St. Paul, MN from Weds, October 24 – Fri, October 26, 2018 to discuss substances petitioned for addition to or deletion from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List), substances due to sunset from the National List Read More »
The Organic Sprout – Spring 2018 Issue
The Spring 2018 issue of The Organic Sprout is available online! Please follow this link. You can read it from any device of your choice or download as a PDF. Contents include the results of our MCS Client Survey, a report on Organic Cost Share, Read More »
MOFGA Certification Services 2017 Year in Review
MOFGA Certification Services (MCS) continued to see steady growth in 2017. We certified 49 new applicants, bringing our year-end total of MOFGA-certified operations to 536 and over 88,000 acres. This is an amazing achievement in a state our size, and much of the success of Read More »