For Farmers
Getting Organic Certification
A Certified Organic Farm is in compliance with the National Organic Program (NOP) standards, and has been inspected and certified by an accredited USDA certifying agent. Products have been grown/raised without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth hormones, irradiation, or genetic engineering. The certification process is rigorous and requires extensive record-keeping, payment of an annual fee, and an annual inspection. Note: The NOP allows farmers who sell less than $5,000 worth of organic produce per year to call their produce “organic” if they follow the national standards. Yet, this produce is not certified organic.
Without an organic label, it can be hard for shoppers to know how the farm has produced the food thier plates. For this and many other reasons, CT NOFA recommends you become a certified organic operation. For example, you would then be counted among the nation’s farmers who are leading the way to organic – the most ecologically-sound farming paradigm. Also, the organic certification process and your farm’s certifiers often share useful new business practices, too. It is easier than you think!
- Information on CT NOFA’s Farmer’s Pledge and Organic Certification
- Baystate Organic Certifiers Certification Program
- Baystate Organic Certifiers – baystateorganic@earthlink.net or 774-872-5544
- USDA’s Organic Program Handbook
- Organic Farming Research Foundation
Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation provides a centralized collection of technical tools, guides, and research resources designed to support organic and transitioning farmers across the U.S. Inside the Hub, you’ll find:
- Research summaries
- Factsheets and guidebooks
- Webinars and videos
- Tools curated from the nation’s top organic institutions and organizations
Organic Producer Resources from MOFGA
MOFGA (the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) offers a variety of free educational resources, covering topics such as:
- Becoming MOFGA Certified Organic – Producer Toolkit Brochure
- MOFGA’s Farmer Programs
- Organic Certification Video Series
- Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA)
- MOFGA Pest Report
- Record Keeping Example Forms
- ATTRA Organic Farming Resources and Library
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Provides cost share for farm improvements, including deer fencing, wells, compost pads, forestry practices and more.
- Soil health, conservation planning, & cover crop resources – use the Soil Health portal
- Talk with NRCS staff in Connecticut – visit the local NRCS office website
Cornell University Farming Resources (NY)
- Cornell Guides & Resources for NY Farmers
- On-Farm Poultry Slaughter Guidelines
- Cornell’s buckwheat and beneficial insects to control Colorado Potato Beetles study
- Cornell’s Northeast Beginning Farmers Project
Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook
from Partnership for Sustainable Communities
Livestock Farming Resource Directory
A livestock farming resource network focused on the Berkshire-Taconic region.
- Meat processors
- Feed sources
- Livestock healthcare providers
- Grants
Solid Ground Farmer Trainings (UCONN)
UCONN's Solid Ground program offers free consultations (covering vegetable production, soil health, fruit production, urban farming, and more), farmer trainings and webinars (including their 'Stress & Solutions' series), online tutorials, and more.
CSA Toolkit for Connecticut Farmers
Getting Started; Pricing; Best Practices; customers; annual prices for CSA shares in CT.
NOFA-NY’s Breeding Organic Vegetables
A Step by Step Guide for Growers. A link to the view a PDF file can be found here.
Finding Land To Get Started Farming!
- New England Farmland Finder
- Connecticut FarmLink
- New England Landlink
- Carrot Project: facilitates access to financing and business support small farm and food businesses
Internship/apprenticeship resources
Leasing From Land Trusts To Farm Upon
- Farmland conneCTions – A Guide for Connecticut Towns, Institutions and Land Trusts Using or Leasing Farmland
- Equity Trust: local land trusts and others to preserve the affordability of farms for farmers
Rodale Institute Webinars
Webinars from Rodale Institute give you firsthand access to their staff and research, no matter where you’re located. Visit their website to view and register for upcoming broadcasts. You can also navigate to an archive of their previous webinars to watch at your convenience.
New Farmer Bucket List (UCONN)
Key Resources for New and Beginning Farmers in Connecticut. Collaboratively compiled by CT’s top agriculture service providers.
Local Poultry Resources
- My Pet Chicken – coops, supplies, and more online (CT company)
- Clark Farm in (Higganum, CT) – custom coops and chicks/pullets
- Margitas Poultry (Wallingford, CT) – custom coops and chicks
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE)
Grants and Education to Advance Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture
Grants, Funding & Training
National Center for Home Food Preservation
source for current research-based recommendations for most methods of home food preservation.
Agritourism
Cultivating Tourists on the Farm