Just like many CNG farms, Certified Naturally Grown runs a tight ship to keep our grassroots certification program thriving. We’re proud to announce the addition of three new teammates. Following the departure of Hannah and Ariel, our staff has recently grown from four to a whopping five people! As the farm season starts to wind down, our busy season approaches. We look forward to connecting with you during the winter months!

Read on to meet the new faces joining Alice and Aly at CNG:

If you applied for certification between 2011-2018, it was Hannah who walked you through the application process, offering advice and answering questions about CNG standards every step of the way. In fact, she reviewed more than 2,000 applications during her time with CNG! She also helped to draft standards for new CNG certification programs in both aquaponics and mushroom production. More recently she helped to revise our inspection worksheets to provide more guidance on best practices, as part of our Inspections 2.0 initiative.

After serving as our certification specialist for six years, Hannah is leaving CNG to dive deeper into her PhD thesis on the history of natural resources management in Minneapolis. In celebration of our longest-serving staff person (other than our director!), we interviewed Hannah about her experience here at CNG and the aspects of the job that she'll never forget. We won't forget you, either, Hannah! Thanks for all you've done. 

The 2018 Farm Bill is moving into conference – a time when the House and Senate attempt to reconcile the differences in each of their drafts to pass a final, unified bill. When it comes to growing our nation’s local and regional food economies, the Senate version of the Farm Bill comes out as the clear winner. The Senate’s bill lights the way forward for a brighter food and farm future by including a $60-million-per-year investment in local food systems through the innovative Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). We need to ensure LAMP makes it into the final Farm Bill.

An eye-catching display at the farmer's market requires more than beautiful produce and goods, but also effective signage, spatial creativity and artistry. How do you stand out, draw people in, and bring them back week after week? To answer these questions, we draw inspiration from savvy Certified Naturally Grown farmers and producers who are doing just that. It's impossible to highlight every incredible CNG farm stand in one post, so stay tuned for more!

As a farmer with dozens of varieties of unique, colorful vegetables at the market every week, you're probably asked for cooking advice all the time. If it's too busy at your market to fully answer these questions, you might want to consider including recipes on your website or in your email newsletters! Here are four examples of CNG farmers are doing just that--let their work inspire you!

Certified Naturally Grown flower farmers fill an important void at the market, raising their blooms locally, and guided by environmental and social health. As Americans become more aware of the unsustainable and unfair labor conditions behind floral imports, producers like the ones below exemplify what sustainable and healthy flower farming looks like. Get to know them here!

At last, we have produced the perfect Market Tote for our supporters, made of recycled cotton canvas, and featuring a hand-drawn design by Aly Miller. 

It's a common misconception that CNG members must only rely on another CNG producer to complete their annual peer-review. While we'd love to have so many participants that there's always a CNG-er within an hour's drive, for many, the nearest CNG farm is a couple hours away or more. This post reports on the full variety of inspector-options available to members. 

Peer inspections are at the heart of our grassroots certification program. Farmers who participate know what they're like, but the general public - and your customers - may wonder: what does a peer inspection actually look like? And how is it helpful for your farm and business? We'd like to fill in that picture - and that's where you come in!