Wolf & Associates, Inc.

Wolf & Associates in a nutshell--what we do, and why, and how it could benefit your business.

There’s still time to submit a proposal for the Organic World Congress. Send your ideas by September 15. The Organic World Congress, held every three years by IFOAM - Organics International, will be November 30-December 4 in Taiwan. The theme is ‘Cultivating Organic Solutions for True Sustainability’ with four tracks: ‘Organic Culture and Lifestyle’, ‘Knowledge and Practice Sharing’, ‘Growing Organic Market, Rooted in Organic Principles’ and ‘Policies for Scaling up Organics and Agroecology’. Submit proposals until September 15, or register to attend before November 10. #organic #organicworldcongress #continuousimprovement #leadership

Do you have input materials perfect for use on organic farms, ranches and processing facilities? Have you considered an OMRI listing? Learn how to navigate the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) materials review process in a free webinar designed for first-time applicants. Register for one of two sessions—September 19 (https://lnkd.in/ejYECs4Q), 1 p.m. EDT or September 24 (https://lnkd.in/ezRp4jK2), 4 p.m. EDT—and learn the ins and outs of getting a product OMRI Listed. Rather not do it yourself? We can help! #organic #organicfarming #organicfoodprocessing #organicproducts

There's still a few hours to go before this free webinar on the Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations and how they impact the organic coffee sector. Do it! #organic #coffee #regulations #import #export #specialtycoffee

It’s official--the unofficial grace period for the Strengthening Organic Enforcement regulations is over. From US Customs and Border Protection: “Effective September 19, 2024, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) will no longer allow the use of the temporary filing code (999-999-T) in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for organic entries without an NOP Import Certificate (NOP-IC). Brokers/filers are reminded not to use this code for filing in the OR Message Set after that date. Shipments using the temporary code after September 19, 2024, will be subject to adverse actions or additional enforcement actions. If a valid NOP-IC is not available at time of filing, the shipment must either be changed to a conventional (non-organic) status, or reexported. The NOP-IC must be obtained prior to the shipment departing the foreign port of lading from the exporter. The NOP-IC cannot be issued after the product has departed. U.S. importers facilitating organic trade must be certified organic under the new USDA organic regulations. Certified importers are listed in the Organic Integrity Database (https://lnkd.in/eDQ4X7Ew). Organic imports not associated with a valid NOP-IC will not be allowed to claim the shipment as certified organic. Also, the AMS AM8 tariff flag will be enforced with a reject severity in ACE Production. AM7 flags will continue to be enforced with a warning severity.” More: https://lnkd.in/gcNq2VFy Need a hand sorting through the implications for your business? We can help. #Organic #importexport #strengtheningorganicenforcement #organicproducts

Just making sure this gets to those that need to know...NOSB agenda for the fall meeting in Portland is out. We'll be reviewing details over the next few days to find the delicious NOSB morsels for you. Oral comments sign up links are on the web page below. Go to it!

Spread the word to folks in the heartland. These grants can make a big difference to small businesses. Small, mid-sized, and diverse food and farm entrepreneurs in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and northwest Arkansas are eligible for USDA Business Builder Grants to promote business expansion, job creation, business capacity building, and increasing local products in the local market. USDA Heartland Regional Food Business Center is accepting applications (https://lnkd.in/gjuiZ4mB) for competitive awards of $5,000 to $50,000 each in its first-round funding through October 15, 2024. A total of $3.1 million is available through the program. #Organicproducts #Organicfarming #foodprocessing #smallbusiness #grants

Thanks, John and Tara! #organic #leadership #Newtopianow

Organic farmers and ranchers know something about third-party verification and environmentally friendly agriculture, so this seems like a good fit! The United States Department of Agriculture seeks nominations (https://lnkd.in/gCMTCh_F) for its new Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council. The advisory council’s purpose is to make it easier for farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners, including beginning, underserved, limited resource and veteran farmers, to participate in voluntary markets offering environmental credits that represent real, additional, lasting, unique, and independently verified greenhouse gas emissions reductions or removals. A majority of the council members will be farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners. Nominations are due October 15. #Organic #leadership #climatesmartagriculture #advisoryboard #sustainability #climatechange

As part of an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels, livestock farmers in Denmark will face a tax on emitted carbon dioxide beginning in 2030, once the Danish parliament approves a new agreement. The main provisions will tax emissions from cattle and pigs, establish emission reduction targets, establish forests, and more. #Climatesmartagriculture #dairyfarms #cattle #swine #climatechange (Photo courtesy of ClaireC68)