It's a new year and Demeter is thinking about its 2019 goals. A big one is working with our Demeter farmers to build value in Biodynamic certification, and we need your help. Would you be interested in participating in a Farm Trade Committee, whose activities may include the development of website content, farm stand signage and brochures, collaborative media campaigns, direct-to-consumer strategies, and more?

Interested farmers already signed up include: Brendan Davison of Good Water Farms, Alice Bamford of One Gun Ranch, Jason Griffith of Aspen Moon Farm, Ezra Sullivan of Sunfield Farm, Katya Redpath of New Day Farm, Gabriel Noard of Pangaea Plants, Victoria Byrnes of Yellow Barn Farm, and Kaitlin Voellinger of Wegmans farm.

Within the next week (January 23) please take 5 minutes to complete this Farmer Marketing Survey that will let us know what marketing activities and strategies you think Demeter should employ to best serve you and your Biodynamic farm.

Then plan to join us on a Farm Trade Call by letting us know this week via DOODLE what dates/times work best for you. We will review the results of the survey and talk further about how we can organize around shared marketing goals and activities.

We are really excited to share the draft Messaging Architecture developed by Wild Hive and a wide variety of folks from our Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Wines & Vines, and Farm Trade Committees. The intention of this work is to take what can be a daunting amount of Biodynamic information and organize it such a way to create consistency in the way we talk to our customers about Biodynamic farming and products. This isn't sexy marketing copy but more the foundation we can use to build website and brochure content, press releases, media campaigns, farm signage, and more. We look forward to reviewing it with you and hearing your input on the Trade Committee call.

CONSUMER TREND COMPANY TOUTS BIODYNAMIC AS BEYOND ORGANIC

Does the infographic above remind you of anything? Looks like Biodynamic agriculture is in the spotlight at The Hartman Group- a highly respected "thought leader" on consumer trends in the food industry. Be sure to check out their "Hartbeat Newsletter," that touts the conclusions in their highly respected "Organic and Natural 2018" report: "...Core consumers idealize food and agriculture that go beyond organic... Many of the principles that Core consumers idealize are encapsulated within biodynamic farming practices and equations they make between soil health, wellness and sustainability." You bet!

Apricot Lane farmer and filmmaker John Chester releases award winning movie!
We couldn't be prouder of Biodynamic farmer and Emmy award winning filmmaker John Chester's (Apricot Lane Farm) new film "The Biggest Little Farm"- which will be in theaters April 2019. John's film has already achieved critical acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, as a 2018 Audience Favorite at the Mill Valley Film Festival, and an official selection for the Toronto International Film Festival and the DOC NYC. Congratulations John- we can't wait to see it!

Rudy Marchesi is named "Person of the Year" by the Oregon Wine Press!
Called out as "Oregon's Beloved Biodynamic Mentor" this wonderful tribute article pays homage to Rudy's long career and commitment to Biodynamic farming, viticulture and winemaking. This recognition couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow: congratulations Rudy!!!

WANTED: Demeter veggies, herbs, and flowers for two special dinners in May
The sixth Steinbesser dinner comes back to the USA and this one lands in Brooklyn! Four of the best female chefs in the United States will create a nine-course Biodynamic/organic vegan tasting menu in collaboration with fifteen artists who will craft custom cutlery and tableware especially for the occasion. These dinners are called Experimental Gastronomy and they are seeking direct connection to sourcing their ingredients from our farmers! If you are interested, please email Demeter's Director of Business Development Erin Agostinelli. 

Still wondering what Experimental Gastronomy is? Check out this The New Yorker video showcasing the 2017 dinners in California.

New Hope Network: "9 natural food, beverage and supplement trends for 2019"
New Hope Network is a content, research and event company that is a leading voice in the natural food space. Their editors were asked to identify top trends for 2019- and first on the list was "Regenerative Agriculture," the "venerable buzzword of 2018." From New Hope: "...more stakeholders—manufacturers, suppliers, investors, etc.—are starting to understand how rebuilding soil and biodiversity in our food-producing landscapes is one way to protect our future." And the exemplar standard for regenerative agriculture? Biodynamic of course!

NSW Farmers: "Reaping the rewards of biodynamic farming"
A really great story about an Australian farmer who transitioned his 2,143-hectare farm from conventional to Biodynamic because conventional or industrial farming "did not match my values or my family's values and wasn't serving us well."
Most interesting quote: "He says regenerative agriculture has taught him to 'love our grass more than our cattle', which is unlike the way he used to farm. 'In a drought we would hang onto our cows. We'd then flog the grass and buy in feed for our cows to try to get them through. When we changed our thinking to love our grass more, retaining ground cover became our priority and when that happens the cows became a tool not a commodity.''

What does Biodynamic in America look like? Sarah Olsen is a Food Studies graduate student at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. She is currently working on her thesis which is focused on biodynamics and spiritual practices in agriculture. Specifically, she is focusing on what being a Biodynamic farmer in American means and what common bonds the practitioners hold. If you haven't done so already (we sent this out in December), please do complete her survey this week- which should only take a few minutes- that is vital to this research. Your answers will be completely anonymous and no identifying information will be saved.
https://chatham.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDHnFuNJkAnliHX

• Biodynamic Messaging Architecture - PPT 2.69MB
  
• Organic Farming Research Foundation just released their eighth guidebook "Organic Practices for Climate Mitigation, Adaptation, and Carbon Sequestration" which you can download free of charge.

Eco-Farm "Resilience is Fertile" annual conference
January 23 - 26, 2019 in Pacific Grove, CA
One of the biggest farming conferences in the USA, EcoFarm supports the continued development of an ecological and just food and farming system.

Midwest Biodynamic Winter Gathering
February 1 & 2 at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School in Viroqua, Wisconsin
This gathering starts Friday evening at 6pm and finishes up at 5:30 on Saturday. Featuring Demeter Board Member Dr. Appachanda Thimmaiah, who is an expert in organic, biodynamic, and Vedic regenerative agriculture systems. For more information please contact Steven Adams and Marcia Hall at cocoon@mwt.net or leave a message at 608.637.2079

2019 Biodynamic Conference
November 20th - 24th in upstate New York
The Biodynamic Conference is growing, so the decision was made to move it from a semi-annual event to an annual one. Mark it in your calendars now as we are aiming to coordinate a Demeter Member's Assembly with future conferences. Dates TBD.

For more agricultural and Biodynamic events be sure to check out the calendar on the Biodynamic Association website: https://www.biodynamics.com/calendar