We’re excited to announce the launch of our brand new website! The new site features more tools for providing accurate, reliable market information for organicand non-GMO commodities and brand new tools for buying or selling organic or non-GMO grain. And, we think it looks pretty snazzy, too!  If you’ve already signed up and created an account with us, your existing email and password still work.  If you’re visiting for the first time, you can get started by creating a free account from the sign up page. 

Whether you're a grower, merchandiser, processor, consultant or food company, there’s something for you on our website.  Please check it out and let us know what you think!  We’ll be rolling out even more tools for you over the coming weeks and months, so the time to join is now.

If you've been watching the news from the organic sector, or if you're involved in the organic supply chain, you know that finding and procuring high quality, reliable supplies of organic commodities and ingredients is a real challenge.  Consumer demand continues to outpace supply, particularly for U.S. grown organic grains & oilseeds.

There are several reasons behind the tight supply. However, there is one key factor that has proven to be a significant barrier to entry for growers looking to convert conventional farmland into organic production. That is, the three years that elapse between the time a farmer begins to manage his or her acreage under USDA NOP rules, and when the farmer receives organic certification and can begin marketing crops as certified organic.  During that time period, the grower may be incurring the higher burdens and costs of changing management practices but cannot yet reap expected organic premiums.

One way of  facilitating and supporting transition is to determine whether there is demand in the marketplace for crops grown under accepted organic farm management practices during the transition period (Transitional Organic).  If so, what is a market price for those crops?

• 10,000 bushels of organic, food grade oats were sold;
• The price per bushel settled 60% above the local cash price for conventional oats, and 85% below the national price for organic oats;
• Buyer participation was motivated by the chance to form early relationships with new organic growers
• Establishing a market price for transitional crop was an efficient way to support the goals of both buyer and seller.

Companies that are proactive about procurement opportunities and growers that wish to capture some of the financial and environmental benefit of transitioning acreage now have one more option available to them for easing the transition into organic production.  For more information, contact Lizzie Ekeberg, Director of Market Operations directly by email or by phone at 312-423-1875.