All Organic Matters
with PCO
Support for this
track provided by
Pennsylvania
Certified Organic (PCO).
Focusing on
certified organic
policies and
practices, this
track provides
instruction and
discussion on
organic topics that
appeal to all levels
of organic farmers
and food processors.
Breakout sessions
allow for diverse
levels of knowledge
and areas of
interest in
certified organic
production. Experts
will speak on topics
such as the
certification and
inspection process,
transitioning to
organic, available
funding, organic
food and farm
policy, pest and
weed management,
rotational grazing
and pasture
management,
marketing, and more.
Thursday, February
4th
9:00-9:15am
Welcome and
Introductions
9:15-10:30am
CONCURRENT
SESSIONS
Session 1:
ABC’s of Organic
Certification
PCO Certification
Team led by Robert
Yang,
PCO
Certification
Program Director
Session 2:
Organic Policy in
the News: Hot Topics
Impacting Organic
Food and Farms
PCO Policy Team led
by Emily Brown
Rosen, PCO Policy
Director
10:30-10:45am
Break
10:45am-12:00pm
Approved
Materials for
Organic Production
Practices: What’s
Allowed and
Prohibited in
Organic Production
for Pest, Disease
and Fertility
Management
PCO Materials Team
12:00-1:00pm
Lunch
1:00-1:45pm
Organic Food &
Farm Policy Update:
Protecting Organic
Integrity
Miles McEvoy, Deputy
Administrator of the
National
Organic Program
2:00-
3:15pm
CONCURRENT
SESSIONS
Session 1:
Quality and Packing
Standards for
Organic Vegetable
Production
Tony Ricci of Green
Heron Farm
Session 2:
Rotational Grazing
and
Productive
Pasture Management
Troy Bishopp of
Bishopp Family Farm
Session 3:
Organic Food
Processing
Al Johnson, Organic
Inspector
3:15-3:30pm
Break
3:30-4:45
CONCURRENT
SESSIONS
Session 1:
Inspector Panel -
How to Prepare and
What to Expect at
Your Inspection
Organic Inspectors
Bob Vernon, Amy
Talarico,
and Brian
Magaro
Session 2:
Farmer/Producer
Panel - Marketing
Organics in
Challenging Economic
Times
Jeff Taylor of
Tuscarora Organic
Growers Cooperative,
Kim Tait of Tait
Farm, and Tim Bowser
of Elk Creek Café
4:45-5:00
Wrap-Up and
Evaluations
5:05-6:20
PCO Annual
Business Meeting and
Awards
