Resource Library

Financial, Business, Marketing, & Labor Resources

 

ORGANIC COST SHARE (OCCSP):

OCCSP provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP). Unfortunately, in December 2024, Congress failed to include funding for OCCSP in their Farm Bill Extension. 

For information on how to contact your representatives and encourage them to reinstate this vital funding, visit our Reimbursement for Organic Certification Costs page.

 

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES:

Sign up for NOFA-NY’s e-news to learn about up-to-date grant opportunities each month.

 

USDA RESOURCES:

  • Farm Service Agency (FSA) The FSA supports farms and farming communities with programs including disaster relief, conservation programs, commodity price guarantee programs, and Farm Loan Programs. To help you identify which programs you qualify for and help with applications, find your local county office HERE.
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS can help farms address resource concerns, provides technical assistance, and provides funding for on-farm conservation projects. Search HERE to find your local county office.
  • Risk Management Agency (RMA) RMA is committed to increasing the availability and effectiveness of Federal crop insurance as a risk management tool. RMA manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to provide innovative crop insurance products to America’s farmers and ranchers. Manage your farm risk HERE or find out more about their Outreach & Education.
  • Farmers.gov provides assistance with loans, protection/risk management resources, conservation education, and the ability to manage your farm records.
  • Guide for Historically Underserved Farmers & Ranchers by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). A guide to USDA resources for the 4 groups recognized as underserved farmers & ranchers.  Members of these groups have been historically underserved by, or subject to discrimination in, Federal policies and programs. The four groups are defined by USDA as “Historically Underserved,” including farmers or ranchers who are: Beginning; Socially Disadvantaged; Veterans; and Limited Resource.

 

LABOR RESOURCES

TOOL KITS

 

Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE)

CADE is a community of agricultural entrepreneurs and specialists working to build a vibrant food system. Their services include dairy farm support programming to increase the profitability and long-term viability of dairy farms in our region. 

 

Cornell Small Farms Program

Supporting farmers at all phases of small farm business development by sharing projects, courses, trainings, and resources to help small farms succeed. 

 

Social Media Guide

Navigating SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks for your CSA

Farmer Well Being & Mental Health Resources

 

NY FarmNet

NY Farm Net guides NY State farms through periods of transition, opportunity, or challenge by providing free, confidential, on-farm consulting services. Services include financial and business planning and personal wellbeing.

NYS Agricultural Mediation Program

Providing members of the New York agricultural community with the tools to identify and create their own solutions to their challenges and conflicts. Mediation, farm transition, and resources. Free mediation for farms.

NY Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health

New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) mission is to enhance agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injury and illness. They conduct research, outreach, education, and clinical consultation services by a professional interdisciplinary staff of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, social workers, information specialists, occupational health nurses, educators, physicians, bilingual safety specialists, and support staff.

 

Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN)

FRSAN-Northeast/Cultivemos serves Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. and works towards creating a future where diverse farming and ranching communities in the Northeast are seamlessly connected to accessible, culturally-competent, timely, and effective mental behavioral health care and stress assistance programs that support the well-being and livelihoods of agricultural producers, workers, and their families.

 

Farm Aid

Since 1985, Farm Aid has worked to keep family farmers on the land by providing immediate and effective support services to farm families in crisis. They help farmers find the resources they need to access new markets, transition to more sustainable and profitable farming practices, and survive natural disasters.

 

AgrAbility

The vision of AgrAbility is to enhance quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America. Many agricultural workers with disabilities face challenges beyond their physical issues, such as depression, stress, addictions, and other mental/behavioral health concerns. In addition, certain mental/behavioral health issues are considered disabilities in themselves.

 

Farm State Of Mind

The American Farm Bureau Farm State of Mind campaign builds awareness to reduce stigma and provides access to information and resources that promote farmer and rancher mental health wellness. This online guide lists resources, signs to look for, research, and helpful guides for farmers mental health and wellness. 

 

Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)

RHIhub provides information, opportunities, and resources on rural health. This initiative is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to be a national clearinghouse on rural health issues. They are committed to supporting healthcare and population health in rural communities with toolkits, timely updates, and an extensive online library. 

 

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. They’re committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

 

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

 

Climate Change Resources

 

Cornell Climate Smart Farming

 Powerful and user friendly climate tools for farmers in the Northeast. Decision Tools, Resources & MBP’s. Includes a growing degree day calculator, water deficit calculator, and a US seasonal drought outlook.

 

USDA Northeast Climate Hub

Providing regional education, upcoming events, and adaptation resources to meet the needs of both agricultural producers and forestry to aid in responding to intensifying climate variability. See their page on Northeast Agricultural Vulnerabilities.

NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System

NYS specific drought information from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, including data, maps, and statistics.

National Farmers Union (NFU) – Climate Change

Resources for family farmers and ranchers to advocate for policies that will support their efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, details on the latest actions by Congress, the administration and other actors on climate policy, and information on existing programs that could be used and built on to ensure a more economically and environmentally sustainable future for agriculture and rural America.

 

Farm Aid – Farmers and Climate Change: Essential Questions & Answers

A blog post with answers to commonly asked questions regarding farming and climate change, including a printable pdf page. 

 

USDA Climate Hub – “Weathering the Change” Video Series

An eight-part educational video series that talks about what changes are happening in the Northeast and why. It also addresses what farmers can do to be resilient to those changes. Two prime responses are to improve soil health and biological diversity. Within the videos, resources for farmers to implement climate smart agriculture on the farm are provided. The series was created by Elizabeth Marks, biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in New York, in conjunction with the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.

 

Simple Actions Everyone Can Take, Starting Today, to Restore (Sequester) Carbon in the Soil and Mitigate Climate Change

Soil Health Resources

NOFA-NY’s Soil Health Education

Cover Crop Guide For Urban Gardeners, by Koi Dem Mendez & Elizabeth Henderson.

“Healthy soil is a living biological system. It has good structure, a balance of organic matter, carbon, air, and water, cycles nutrients, and hosts a diversity of beneficial organisms, the soil food web.” This practical guide will teach urban gardeners how to use cover crops as a tool to improve soil health. Printable copy available here.

NY Soil Health

The New York State Soil Health Initiative seeks to build on the current strengths and momentum of key stakeholders and coordinate a network for information exchange, prioritization, and identification of barriers and opportunities in order to facilitate farmer adoption of soil health practices.

 

USDA – NRCS Soil Health Resources

Providing an explanation of soil health, the principles in managing soil health, along with other useful resources such as assessment, management, and educator guides and posters. 

 

Soil Health Institute

Their mission is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soils through scientific research and advancement. A science-led team that work with many partners to conduct and translate soil health science into action that benefits farmers, the environment, and society.

 

Organic Farming Research Foundation

Providing an extensive collection of guidebooks, webinars, reports, and instructional videos on the topic of Soil Health.

 

Publications:

 

Videos:

  • Soil Health by NRCS

  • Digging Deep Into Compost from NOFA-NY

  •  Soil Carbon Restoration Series from NOFA-MASS

Fruit/Vegetable – Field Crops – High Tunnels – Gardening/Misc.

VEGETABLES & FRUIT

 

Helpful Links:

Tools:

Publications:

Videos:

FIELD CROPS

 

Helpful Links:

Publications:

Videos:

  • Seed Quality Standards for Success

HIGH TUNNELS

Helpful Links: 

Publications:

Videos:

  • High Tunnel Soil Condition

  • High Tunnel Grapes from NCAT/ATTRA

GARDENING – MISCELLANEOUS

 

Helpful Links:

Publications:

Videos:

  • Tool Maintenance 101: A Care Guide for Everyday Hand Tools from Groundswell Center

  • Healthy Beekeeping Tips

  • Organic Gardening Basics (Part 1 of 4) from Next Level Gardening

  • Top 10 Tips For a Thriving Organic Vegetable Garden from Joe Gardener TV

Dairy – Livestock & Grazing

DAIRY

Visit our Organic Dairy Producer Resources Page:

https://nofany.org/resources/dairy-resources/

HPAI in Dairy Animals – What to watch for and how to handle it

Publications:

Videos:

  • Transitioning to Organic Dairy Management

  • Webinar Hosted by the Milk Quality Improvement Program at Cornell University:

    Understanding thermoduric bacteria in organic raw milk and the laboratory pasteurization count.

  • Newly Transitioned Organic Dairy Grazing: Part I, Part II, Part III (July 2018 Field Day at High Meadows Farm)

LIVESTOCK & GRAZING

Helpful Links:

 

Publications:

 

Videos:

  • Multispecies Livestock Management

  • Transitioning to Organic Grassfed Management 

HPAI/Bird Flu

Here are a few key things to know about Avian Influenza: 

  • The highly pathogenic strain, H5N1, has been circulating since February 2022
  • Spreads from infected feces, surfaces, or through the air when birds are in close contact
  • Can be transported by infected feed, clothing, equipment, wild birds, and rodents
  • Waterfowl, both wild and domestic, act as primary carriers
  • Once on the farm, it spreads rapidly
  • Can infect all domestic poultry, including backyard flocks
  • Symptoms include sudden death, lack of appetite, swelling of head/comb/eyelid, wattles, hocks, purple discoloration of wattles/comb/legs, diarrhea
  • A biosecurity plan will help minimize the risk of your flock getting infected

If you think you have Avian Influenza in your flock, report it to NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets at 518-457-3502.

Defend the Flock: Resources for small flocks

FAQs about Bird Flu in NYS (Cornell resource)