Organic Workshop & Cuba Trip

Organics are gaining a lot of ground in the ag marketplace and to that end a workshop is being planned for December 3rd in Twin Falls. The Organic 101 workshop will feature a farmer panel discussion on tips for organic transition and certification, certification training, organic nutrient sources and organic market opportunities. The Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides is presenting the workshop and you must pre-register by November 27th at www.pesticide.org.

Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, and Reps. Suzan DelBene, of Washington and Kurt Schrader of Oregon, just got back from a trip to Cuba with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. It was USDA's first official trip to Cuba since 1961 and the group met with Cuban officials to discuss the possibilities of U.S.-Cuba ag trade. Vilsack says this trip is another step toward better relations with Cuba.

VILSACK: These conversations are designed, first and foremost, to begin the process of building relationships between the American people and the Cuban people understanding that agriculture can act as a bridge in developing that relationship. I come away from this trip with the hope that at some point in time USDA can have a more permanent presence here in the form of foreign ag service personnel, in form of APHIS personnel.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.