TOPP MEETING RESOURCE PAGE

NOC is convening national TOPP meetings two times each year, in connection with National Organic Standards Board Meetings. These meetings provide the opportunity for regional and national TOPP partners to share information and best practices. Below are the resources shared in connection with each meeting.

The NOC team is eager to hear from regional and national leads and partners, and encourages colleagues to reach out with ideas, questions, and/or concerns:

Summer 2025 TOPP Virtual Meeting - July 23, 2025: Assessing And communicating TOPP Impact.

Meeting agenda.

Slides

Summary

Meeting resources:

  • TOPP Impact Report

  • Social Media Toolkit for TOPP Impact Report

  • NOSB Spring 2025 Meeting with TOPP Presentation

    Thank you to the presenters & facilitators!

    Facilitators / Presenters

    • Abby Youngblood, NOC, abby@nationalorganiccoalition.org

    • Alice Runde, NOC, alice@nationalorganiccoalition.org

    • Jessy Beckett Parr, CCOF, jparr@ccof.org

    • Esteve Giraud, ASU - Swette Center, egiraud@asu.edu

    • Courtney Buzzard, ASU - Swette Center, Courtney.Buzzard@asu.edu

    • Elora Bevacqua, ASU - Swette Center, ebevacqu@mainex1.asu.edu

    • Kelly Benoit, ASU - Swette Center, Kelly.Benoit@asu.edu

  • Pitch Slam Presenters

    • Maile Woodward, Kona Organic, konaorganicinfo@gmail.com

    • Katherine Myrvold, Viva Farms, katherine@vivafarms.org

    • Angie Oliva, Central Carolina Community College / SE TOPP, aoliv941@cccc.edu

    • Luke Freeman, Center for Arkansas Farms and Food, Lfreeman@uada.edu

    • Laura Davis, NOFA/Mass, Lauradavis@nofamass.org

    • Sherlene Rodriguez, NOFA-CT, sherlene@ctnofa.org

  • Breakout Room Facilitators

    • Allison Walent, MOSA, awalent@mosaorganic.org

    • Steve Ela, NOC, steve@elafamilyfarms.com

    • Ryann Monteiro, Organic Farmers Association (OFA). ryann@organicfarmersassociation.org

    • Esteve Giraud, ASU - Swette Center, egiraud@asu.edu

    • Courtney Buzzard, ASU - Swette Center, Courtney.Buzzard@asu.edu

    • Elora Bevacqua, ASU - Swette Center, ebevacqu@mainex1.asu.edu

    • Kelly Benoit, ASU - Swette Center, Kelly.Benoit@asu.edu

Growing Organic Markets, Virtual, July 9, 2025

Meeting Resources

Meeting Agenda

Slides

Recording

Summary

Market Data and Analysis

  1. Organic Trade Association - Growth of US Organic Marketplace Accelerated in 2024

  2. National Organic Coalition White Paper - Expanding U.S. Organic Production

Organic Transition & Market Development Resources

  1. Transition to Organic Partnership Program - Support to transition to organic - OrganicTransition.Org

  2. Advancing Regional Organic Markets: A Farmer’s Toolkit

  3. USDA Organic Market Development Grants Program

  4. OATS - Profitability & Marketing Organic Field Crops

  5. OFRF - Organic Research Hub

  6. CCOF - Small Organic Farmer Marketing Toolkit

Handler Resources

  1. Organic Integrity Learning Center 

    • NOP-997: National Organic Program Microlearning Course - A Newcomer's Guide to Organic Handler Certification

  2. Certification Process Overview for Handlers 

  3. A Newcomer’s Guide to Organic Regulations for Handlers 

  4. Glossary of Terms for Organic Certification for Handlers 

Helping Organic Producers Access NRCS Programs, Virtual, January 15, 2025

Meeting resources, slides, and recording.

PORTLAND, OR, OCTOBER 23, 2024

Meeting Agenda

Participant List

Slide Deck

Pictures

Summary of Key Findings from TOPP Meeting in Portland

Topic #1 Evaluating TOPP’s Impact - What We Know So Far

  1. Presentation Slides

Topic #2 Helping Organic Producers Access NRCS Programs

  1. Presentation Slides

  2. NRCS Support for On-Farm Conservation

  3. NRCS Resources for organic producers - videos, guides, factsheets

  4. OFRF Resource Page for Farmers on CPS 823 - both English and Spanish

  5. OFRF Resource Page for Farmers on Applying for EQIP funding - both English and Spanish

  6. OFA FactSheet - New Organic Transition Management EQIP Practice 823

  7. Technical Note 12 - Conservation Activities in Organic Farming Systems

Topic #3": Inclusive Strategies to Connect with Unreached Farmers

  1. Barriers to Organic Certification for BIPOC farmers

Milwaukee, WI, April 30, 2024

Meeting agenda

Participant List

Pictures

Summary of Key Findings from TOPP Meeting in Milwaukee

Topic #1 Workforce Development: TOPP’s role in bridging the workforce gap & creating a next generation of diverse organic professionals

Resources:

  1. Inspector Retention Working Group Report (From September 2022)

  2. Inspectors trained versus age - from Margaret Scoles

  3. Request for Proposal: Workforce Development Needs Assessment for the Organic Industry (Apply by May 30 at 12 pm PT)

  4. Powerpoint Presentation - Organic Inspector Recruitment

  5. Organic Career Network

  6. Diversifying Recruitment Strategies at Organic Organizations

  7. Considerations for Supporting BIPOC Staff at Organic Organizations (content by Cambium Collective)

  8. USDA NextGen Program

Topic #2 Measuring Success – What is TOPP’s purpose and how do we measure success?

  1. TOPP Reporting and Metrics via Airtable

NRCS Organic Management Practice Standard 823

  1. Update on Iowa Organic Management Practice Standard

  2. OFRF Resource Page for Farmers on CPS 823 - both English and Spanish

  3. OFRF Resource Page for Farmers on Applying for EQIP funding - both English and Spanish

  4. Technical Note 12 - Conservation Activities in Organic Farming Systems

Providence, RI, October 23 & 24, 2023

Meeting agenda

Participant list

Pictures

Key Findings of the TOPP Partner meeting in Providence

Day 1: National Projects

Day 2: Centering Racial Equity in Organic

Atlanta, GA, April 24, 2023

Meeting agenda

Participant list

Pictures

Key Findings of the TOPP Partner meeting in Atlanta (Spring 2023)