CT NOFA Joins with Regional Partners in TOPP (Transition to Organic Partnership Program)
April 14, 2023
CT NOFA is proud to announce its participation in TOPP, the Transition to Organic Partnership Program. This program, funded by and operated in conjunction with the USDA, covers the entire nation (see map, below). CT NOFA joins regional partners here in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region to help develop a unified, programmatic system to help farmers transition to organic growing methods. The program will be developed over the course of the next several years, but CT NOFA expects to commence the Mentorship portion of it during the 4th quarter of 2023. This will involve connecting paid mentors (experienced organic farmers) to mentees (farmers seeking to transition to organic) for one year to assist with the transition process. Additionally, CT NOFA staff will assist with helping mentee farmers navigate the organic certification process.
In pursuance of this year’s goals, CT NOFA is currently recruiting the following individuals and groups to participate in this program at various levels:
- Mentor farmers who have operated certified organic farms for at least three years that are interested in assisting mentee farmers as they transition their farms for certification.
- Farmers looking to transition to organic: if you are operating a farm and would like the assistance of an experienced organic farmer during your transition to organic, we welcome you to join our group of mentee farmers.
- Partner organizations which wish to help grow the program
- Technical experts who are interested in helping provide guidance on specific topics, skills, or areas of interest to farmers who are transitioning to organic methods
CT NOFA welcomes partner non-profit organizations, public organizations, or individuals who wish to work to provide community building opportunities, technical assistance, train-the-mentor support, and workshop and field day activities covering topics including organic production practices, certification, conservation planning, business development, regulations, and marketing. All interested parties (including potential mentors and mentees) may sign up for involvement with the program through this form, or learn more about TOPP here.
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Advocacy News: May 2026
The Good News: CT Senator Chris Murphy has introduced a bill (bipartisan and bicameral) to increase funding for Agricultural Management Assistance to $30 million and to expand the eligible uses for these funds to include “soil health improvements, composting, implementing organic farming, and food safety certification in addition to existing authorized uses such as water management structure and soil erosion control.” Let’s thank Senator Murphy for introducing this bill!
The Bad News: The Farm Bill passed the House of Representatives on April 30, despite 320 food, farm, and conservation organizations, including CT NOFA, voicing our opposition to a bill that does not fix SNAP, does not support new and beginning farmers, and does not adequately support conservation programs or organic agriculture. Now it goes to the Senate and we need to urge both of Connecticut’s Senators to reject this Farm Bill.
Our Vision for a Future of Resilient, Plentiful, Healthy and Locally-Grounded Farming and Food
In concluding its annual retreat, the Northeast Organic Farming Association Interstate Council (NOFA IC) reaffirms the values that have grounded our work for 55 years.
Our vision is that every person is able to live their life with healthy food, clean water and air, community, livelihood, dignity, and purpose within the means of our life-giving planet. We seek that vision on every level, from our households and farms to our communities, states, bioregions, nation, and world. For that vision to be fulfilled, every person, no matter their origin or circumstances, must have all their basic human needs met without degrading the air, water, soil, ecosystems, and climate which we have been given and on which we depend for our lives.