Organic Grower Summit to provide firsthand knowledge by Tim Hearden of Western FarmPress
Read about the upcoming Organic Grower Summit in Monterey, CA on Nov 29-30th. Discussions topics will include pest management, regenerative agriculture, and AI. The summit is hosted by the Organic Produce Network and Western Growers.
Now's the time to submit your mealybug traps to ODA!
Read OSU Viticulture Extension's reminder to pull traps during harvest and learn more about the program here.
There’s plenty of action down in the Valley with harvest and ferments bubbling away! Don’t miss these hot ticket events coming up over the next six months:
The Willamette Valley Winery Association has an excellent calendar of events for harvest time. Check out their listings here.
The Oregon Wine Symposium is a highlight of the year. Taking place in mid-February, this connects growers, winemakers, and wine sales people to one of the industry's top annual gathering. Sign up to their newsletter to keep up to date with announcements.
Grape Day is the Oregon Wine Research Institute's annual event taking place at OSU's Corvallis campus. Check in soon for registration and a list of speakers or visit the page now for presentations from past years. The next Grape Day is April 2, 2024.
Pinot Noir grapevines at Anne Amie’s estate vineyard. In the summer, the Willamette Valley receives little rain, so dry farmed vineyards will typically show dead grass between and around the vines.
Join the Culinary Breeding Network at Wellspent Market on Saturday, September 16th between 11 am - 3 pm for the third annual Tomato Fest! Taste dry farmed tomatoes (and melon), talk with chefs and farmers, and more. This event is open to the public and will showcase locally grown produce.
Join the International Water Management Institute's World Water Week, taking place August 20th - 24th, for a global look at water and sustainability. The conference is available online here.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is a international research-for-development (R4D) organization dedicated to water management and climate change mitigation founded in 1985.
A view from Lewis Rogers Lane of vineyards in the Ribbon Ridge AVA.
Mark your calendar for May for the inaugural Oregon Asian American Pacific Islander Food & Wine Fest. Taking place at the Stoller Family Estate Experience Center in Dayton, OR, this event will feature Oregon wineries and restaurants led by folks in the AAPI community, including Evening Land and Hundred Suns Wine.
Pollinator Week. June 19th-25th. Celebrate your favorite flying friends by joining one of the many events occurring around the Americas!
UN Session to develop a treaty on marine biology. June 19th-20th. Watch international government negotiations in process! The UN is convening a working group on finalizing aspects of what is expected to become an adopted treaty on marine biology () Keep up to date with developments by reading reports from the IISD's Earth Negotiations Bulletin or directly from the UN.
1% For The Planet Community Ecochallenge. July 10th - August 11th. Are you a member of 1% For The Planet? If so, join their pledge drive to increase your impact and share your story with your fellow members.
Seed Savers Exchange Virtual Conference: July 21st-22nd. Join this online-only virtual conference on community building through the saving and sharing of seeds. Includes how-to guides to growing and saving seed.
IPNC: July 28th-30th in McMinnville, OR. Attend some or all of this public celebration of Pinot Noir. Tickets still available.
Have an event to announce? Email Suzanne at deeprootscoalitionorg at gmail.com
Did you miss Paul Muller’s, co-owner of Full Belly Farm in California, talk at EcoFarm? Read ATTRA’s summary here and learn about soil health, sustainability, and a philosophical take on humans’ responsibilities and roles in agriculture.
ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) is a knowledge source for sustainable agriculture, created by the US Dept of Agriculture Rural Development and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Watch the recording and learn more about EcoFarm here.
Looking for more information on the 2023 UN Water Conference and the over 700 Water Action Agenda commitments? Check out The Hill’s recent opinion piece by Robert G. Varady, Gemma E. Smith and Andrea K. Gerlak here! It explores the US’s commitments, contains a critical analysis of past steps, and recommends a path forward with better integration of science with policy. Curious how far we’ve come? Read Andrea K. Gerlak’s opinion piece at The Hill published in 2016 on American water infrastructure here.
The United Nations just wrapped up their first high-level conference on freshwater since 1977, the UN 2023 Water Conference. The conference was held at the UN in NYC on March 22 - March 24th, and included multiple break out events hosted by participating non-profits, corporations, and collaborative organizations.
Daily reports of the activities are available from Earth Negotiations Bulletin, a branch of the International Institute for Sustainable Development that reports on UN environment and development negotiations. Reports can be found here. The focus on the conference was to highlight the dire need for action on water as the world faces multiple threats from climate change and decades of mismanagement of freshwater systems at all levels of government. The conference’s drive was to register commitments from member states and stakeholders to improve freshwater availability, sustainability, and sanitation for the entire globe. 708 commitments were received, including 112 involving stakeholders in the US.
These commitments are referred to as the Water Action Agenda and include commitments from businesses, local governments, and non-profits. The overarching goal is to improve water management and resiliency and to invest in water and sanitation systems. The program was launched with an Open Call for Water Action by the UN to act on clean water and water conservation. One responding organization included a Business Leaders’ Open Call to Accelerate Water Action launched by 50 large corporations operating in over 130 countries and employing over 2 million people. In the beverage industry, this includes AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Heineken, and Starbucks. The Action will reportedly positively impact 100 water-stressed basin. You can read the call here.
Want an overview of the Water Conference’s history and mission? Read The Udall Center’s briefing here.
For additional information, read the UN’s “Five Things You Should Know About the UN 2023 Water Conference” here.
Read about the freshwater crisis in the US here.
Watch a UN panel on water for climate resiliency here.
Watch the UN interactive dialogue on water and sustainable development here.
Read about and explore the work of the CEO Water Mandate, an organization working to generate similar commitments to water sustainability here.
