TOPP Educator Webinars: Research & Education that Centers Farmer Knowledge
July 23, 2026 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Online
Contact: For information, contact Katie Brandt at brandtk7@msu.edu or Mariel Borgman at mborgm@msu.edu.
TOPP Educator Webinar: Research & Education that Centers Farmer Knowledge
Online Webinar Series for Farm Educators & Agricultural Professionals
FREE!
These webinars are open to all, but speakers will emphasize information relevant to farm educators working with Conservation Districts, MSU Extension, NRCS, MDARD, MAEAP, and nonprofit farm organizations.
July 23 | 12:00–1:00 PM EST
Research and Education that Centers Farmer Knowledge
Speakers:
- Sarah Janes Ugoretz, University of Wisconsin – Farmer participation in webinars & listserv communities
- Mariel Borgman, MSU Extension – Farmer-led and farmer-friendly field days
- Florencia Collella, MSU Extension – Creating farmer‑directed working groups
- Dr. Dan Brainard, Michigan State University – Engaging farmers as equal partners in research
- Alex Cacciari, Washtenaw County Conservation District & Seeley Farm – Peer‑to‑peer learning through mentorship
- Roundtable of everyone in the webinar! Full-group discussions and breakout rooms to share best practices and integrate more farmer wisdom into your outreach.
Where: Online Webinar
Join fellow farm educators and ag professionals for this TOPP webinar on how research, outreach, and education can better center farmer knowledge. We’ll begin with a series of quick, highly practical lightning talks from five educators explaining how they elevate farmer wisdom through webinars, field days, working groups, research collaboration, and mentorship.
The second half of the session will feature interactive discussions and breakout conversations, giving participants space to share their own approaches and identify realistic, actionable strategies for strengthening farmer‑centered education in their work.
You may also want to join some of the other webinars in the series....
This series will help farm professionals engage more effectively with growers by providing farmer‑led, scale‑relevant, financially savvy information that farmers are actively asking for.
Join the series to dig into three timely topics:
- Organic Certification for Urban Farms
- Research & Education that Centers Farmer Knowledge
- How Producers Weigh the Cost–Benefit of Organic Certification
July 16 | 12:00–1:00 PM EST
Organic Certification for Urban Farms
Speaker: Patrick Crouch
Where: Online Webinar
This webinar equips farm educators and agricultural professionals with a clear, real‑world understanding of how organic certification works on urban farms such as Earthworks. Learn about certification requirements, practices, records, inspection processes, and the challenges specific to urban production.
We will also explore when certification does or doesn’t make sense for urban growers and share lessons from urban farmer mentees who have navigated the process—from motivations to barriers to unexpected benefits.
July 30 | 12:00–1:00 PM EST
How Producers Weigh the Cost–Benefit of Organic Certification
Speakers: TBD
Where: Online Webinar
This interactive session digs into how farmers evaluate the return on investment of organic certification—financially, culturally, and in their markets. We’ll explore how producers think through the costs of certification compared to building trust “organically,” through transparency, consistency, and community relationships.
Through research insights, real‑world farmer stories, and a facilitated panel conversation, participants will gain a richer understanding of:
- The financial calculus to guide farmers' organic certification decisions
- How scale and market type shape decision‑making
- The role of relationships and community trust
- Why some producers pursue certification while others rely on marketing 'organically'
Why join this series?
✔ Designed specifically for farm educators supporting organic & transitioning growers
✔ Farmer‑led insights on scale‑appropriate, financially grounded decision-making
✔ Tools that strengthen technical assistance, outreach, and educator–farmer relationships
✔ Practical strategies you can apply immediately in your work
Registrants will be notified as soon as possible if there is a cancellation. Please contact Katie Brandt at brandtk7@msu.edu if needed.
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