The U.S. crop does not appear to be as robust as USDA was projecting. And information reported by the OFARM member organization marketers on our twice monthly conference calls appears to bear that out for organic crops as well. A lot of conventional corn across the center of Wisconsin along the Highway 29 corridor which runs from Lake Michigan to just east of St. Paul, Minnesota is still in the fields. Test weights are running in the range of 51-52 pounds and moisture content is anywhere from 20 percent on the low end to 30+ on the high end. And a lot of corn, organic and conventional has considerable drying costs attached to it.

How this bodes for organic corn prices remains to be seen. A recent article quotes Lynn Clarkson, of Clarkson Grain in Illinois that 50% of the U.S. organic corn supply is imported. And there are indications that imports have the potential to impact organic corn prices in the early months of 2015.

Bottom line is, be in touch with your OFARM member organization marketer to discuss your marketing needs, what you have to sell and when you need to sell it. Strategic market planning will be a key in the coming months and they are there to help you maximize your potential dollars for what you have to sell. The contact information for the marketers is listed on this website under "Member Organizations."

Issues and happenings related to organic agriculture and OFARM of importance to organic farmers will be highlighted and discussed.

“Organic the Real Natural” is our newest project funded by the Ceres Trust. It is a series of 8 short videos (60-90 seconds) with organic farmers from across the Midwest telling their stories about why consumers should buy organic. Filming took place this past summer.

You can check out the videos at www.OrganicTheRealNatural.com. And be sure to send the link to all your friends and neighbors.

The demand for organic food continues to grow 15-20% per year and we want to keep it that way. It is of benefit to all of us to promote what is grown by organic farmers in order to maintain a viable profitable organic farming sector.

In subsequent posts, we will be addressing other issues of concern to organic grain and livestock farmers.

If you are a Midwest Organic Farmers Cooperative (MOFC) or Montana Organic Producers Cooperative (MOPC) member, be sure to attend your annual meetings. MOPC’s is this week in conjunction with the Montana Organic Association conference and MOFC’s is next week in Sibley, IL on Saturday, December 13th. Contact MOPC administrator Mark Smith at 406-667-2332 or MOFC general manager Merle Kramer at 734-429-9110 or 9109 for exact details.

And check back for our next blog installment by early next week.

Let me know what you think and any suggestions you have would be welcome.
John