This webinar by Haley Baron, Mark Lipson and Mark Schonbeck of the Organic Farming Research Foundation took place on March 31, 2020.
About the Webinar
Managing risk is of utmost importance for all farmers, especially for organic producers. During this webinar, attendees will learn how changes to federal crop insurance programs in the 2018 Farm Bill may impact organic and transitioning farmers. Presenters will also discuss several provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill that can help organic farmers build healthy soils and thereby reduce on-farm risks including those related to climate change. The webinar is open to all including farmers and ranchers, policy makers, extension agents and more. This project supports the Risk Management Agency’s goal of increasing access to risk management practices and programs for underserved audiences. This webinar is funded in partnership with the USDA Risk Management Agency, under Award #RM18RMEPP522C020.
About the Presenters
Mark Lipson is currently (since 2016) staff affiliate for “organic policy studies” at UC Santa Cruz, Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS). He still gets his hands dirty as a partner in Molino Creek Farm in Davenport, CA. He was Policy Director at Organic Farming Research Foundation (1995-2010) and was the first USDA Organic & Sustainable Ag Policy Advisor, Office of the Secretary (2010-2014). At USDA HQ Mark led the Department-wide Organic Working Group and co-led the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Initiative. His portfolio covered crop insurance, conservation programs, food safety regulations, and other policy topics.
Mark Schonbeck has worked for 33 years as a researcher, consultant, and educator in sustainable and organic agriculture. For the last five years, Mark has been the Organic Farming Research Foundation’s top soil health researcher and writer. He has participated in on-farm research into mulching, cover crops, minimum tillage, and nutrient management for organic vegetables. For many years, he has written for the Virginia Association for Biological Farming newsletter and served as their policy liaison to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Find all eOrganic upcoming and archived webinars at https://eorganic.org/node/4942
