I hope this finds you well and not too wet or dry. Please note our offices will be closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday, and we will be back and ready to assist you on Tuesday, May 30. It’s a full and busy season ahead, please read on for updates from AGW. 

WEBINAR: Innovations in Waste Management for Meat Processors
On May 30, 9:00am PST/12:00 pm EST, The Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network (NMPAN) will be joined by Ecodrum and Assured Renewables to discuss innovative solid waste management for small meat processors. Learn more and pre-register here.

Reminder for AGW-certified producers: Please send us your UPC codes by June 5
AGW works with SPINS, a retail analytics company, to analyze sales (through UPC codes) of certified products in the North American marketplace. For this purpose, we keep track of AGW-certified products that carry UPC codes and are currently working to update this information. We appreciate you taking the time to assist with this project, and please contact info with any questions.

Reminder: May 31 deadline to respond to 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture
Data collection for the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture will end Wednesday, May 31, so if you haven’t already, learn more through the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) and submit your response. Every response matters! Ag census data guides decision making about farm programs, loans, insurance, rural development, disaster assistance, and more. For assistance filling out the ag census, recipients can call 888-424-7828. Information on Canada’s recent 2021 Census of Agriculture is available here.

Featured Resource: New Article – Digging for a Gold Standard
It is generally accepted that increasing the amount of organic carbon in soil is beneficial for soil health and helps to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. But while soil carbon is a key component of evaluating the health of soil, it doesn’t encompass the totality of soil health. It is just one of the three indicators of soil health recommended by the Soil Health Institute (SHI). Learn more in this recent article, originally published in the Spring 2023 issue of Sustainable Farming magazine.

Featured Resource: Farm Templates and Plans
Need some guidance on writing a regenerative plan, farm health plan or streamlining your records? A Greener World offers free templates for farm records, health plans and more. These are designed for AGW-certified farms and ranches, but feel free to use and share widely—whether you’re certified or not! Check out the full list of free downloads.

In the Media

• Decanter features Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA in the May 2023 issue.

• Rural Life Magazine features AGW-certified UK pet food company Ethically Raised in “Top Dog: Dave Kemp Interview”

• Mystateline.com features Gretta’s Goats in Pecatonica, IL in “Pecatonica celebrates Mother’s Day by cuddling baby goats”

• Lancaster Farming features Locust Point Cattle Company in Dover, PA in “Farmers Provide Grass-fed Beef to Local Restaurants”

• Morning Ag Clips features North Country Creamery in Keeseville, NY in “Summer Leadership Opportunity for Young Adults with Passion for Agriculture”

You can help us reach more farmers by sharing our weekly farmer updates. Just pass this linkalong and thanks for helping us get the word out about farmer resources and AGW-certified businesses.