Rewarding farmers for their practices - A dialogue between buyers and farmers slated for September 17, 2020 https://youtu.be/Ot1KSrfsfLA

Getting ahead of marketplace demands – What farmers can do  -

August 31, 2020  https://youtu.be/Ot1KSrfsfLA 

“Last fall, I participated in the National Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Indianapolis, IN,” says Jeff Mitchell, Cropping Systems Cooperative Extension Specialist with the University of California, Davis.

This was a very large gathering of over 650 people representing various sectors of the food system.

 One of the main messages in the keynote address of this meeting that was delivered by Patricia Stroup, Vice President of Nestle, - the largest buyer and seller of food in the world was that “if you want to sell your food to us, you'll meet our specifications.”  

A rather blunt warning to farmers about how they do things.

“And I don't know how far along it's gotten,” Mitchell adds, “but there are now apparently efforts under way in Europe mandating an increase in organic agriculture to 20%, along with a 50% reduction in pesticide use and 20% less fertilizer use by 2030.”

“I know a farmer though, who is quite fond of saying that he doesn't want to be told how he should farm.” 

He is quite literally way out ahead of these sorts of supply chain, or for that matter, government pressured that are now beginning to be seen.

It is not at all exaggerating to say that buyers are ‘beating a pathway to his farm' because they want to buy what he grows.

He is beyond being pressured.

The question of what farmers may start to do to be ahead of marketplace demands is what will be discussed in a public webinar that will be held on September 17^th from 9 AM to noon. 

A $10 registration fee to offset meeting coordination expenses and to support the long-term research work in Five Points may be paid by registering early at https://ucanr.edu/sjvcottonwebinar 

Cotton growing following soil health management practices of reduced disturbance and surface residue preservation, Five Points, CA

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