The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) is a coalition of seven NOFA state chapters. Our purpose is to advocate for and educate on organic and sustainable agriculture, family-scale farming and homesteading in rural, suburban and urban areas, agricultural justice and other related policy issues. The NOFA Interstate Council serves as the Board of the NOFA chapters’ coalition.

What We Do

The Interstate Council’s works to:

• To support the state chapters in their activities
• To employ Policy Coordinators to:
  • Formulate, coordinate and articulate agreed-upon positions on issues of concern and interest to NOFA members
  • Recommend actions to be taken based on those positions
  • Participate in and represent NOFA chapters at meetings of national and international organizations whose purposes match those of NOFA
• To publish The Natural Farmer, our regional quarterly newspaper
• To organize an annual Summer Conference
• Share information through this website and other publications

Vision

NOFA is dedicated to a vision of interconnected healthy communities living in ecological balance deeply rooted in a sense of place, grounded in organic care of the land.

Mission

The NOFA Interstate Council includes representatives from all seven NOFA state chapters and works to promote the common interests of the NOFA membership.

Organic Agriculture

According to the USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), organic agriculture is defined as “an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, or enhance ecological harmony. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people.” (NOSB, 1997)