Knowing your farmer is the best assurance that the food you buy is
responsibly grown with methods that honor the web of life. The Northeast
Organic Farming Association of Connecticut, Inc. (CT NOFA, Inc.)
believes that farmers should work in harmony with nature and leave the
little piece of the world over which they have stewardship in better
condition than when they found it. Farmer Joe’s Gardens is a
member of CT NOFA and has signed The Farmer’s Pledge.
This Pledge seeks to describe sustainable practices in a document that
both certified organic growers and growers that use agro-ecological
systems can attest is an accurate description of how they farm. It
serves as a bridge for consumers and farmers alike to better know the
agriculturists that struggle to create healthy communities, local food
security, and food sovereignty.
We Pledge That in Our Farming, Processing, and Marketing, We
Will:
Build and maintain healthy soils by applying farming practices that
include rotating crops annually, using compost, cover crops, green
manures, and reducing tillage
Serve the health of soil, people and nature by rejecting the use of
synthetic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers
Reject the use of GMOs, chemically treated seeds, synthetic toxic
materials, irradiation, and sewage sludge in our farming, and all
synthetic substances in all post-harvest handling
Treat livestock humanely by providing pasture for ruminants, access to
outdoors and fresh air for all livestock, banning cruel alterations,
and using no hormones, GMOs or antibiotics in feed
Handle raw manure and soil amendments with care
Support agricultural markets and infrastructure that enable small
farms to thrive
Conserve natural resources including the atmosphere and climate by
reducing erosion and pollution of air, soil, and water through
responsible farming practices
Maximize the nutritional value of food and feed by practicing careful
post-harvest handling
Practice minimal processing for all food products to preserve the
natural nutritional value of food: NO use of irradiation,
ultra-pasteurization, excessive heat, synthetic preservatives, or GMO
processing agents or additives, and include all ingredients on labels
Ensure food safety by using potable water for washing crops
Reduce the ecological footprint of farms and homes by limiting energy
use and converting to renewable sources of energy
Reduce food miles by selling produce locally and regionally
Create beneficial habitat for wildlife and encourage biodiversity
Help preserve farmland
Share and develop farming skills and know-how
Use ethical business practices
Pay a living wage to all farm workers and acknowledge their freedom of
association and their right to collective bargaining
Treat family members and farm workers with respect, and ensure their
safety on the farm
Work in cooperation with other farmers and with the neighboring
community to create a more sustainable way of life
Encourage the distribution of unsold but edible food to people who
need it
Sustain the land in healthy condition for future generations
Knowing your farmer is the best assurance that the food you buy is
responsibly grown with methods that honor the web of life. The Northeast
Organic Farming Association of Connecticut, Inc. (CT NOFA, Inc.)
believes that farmers should work in harmony with nature and leave the
little piece of the world over which they have stewardship in better
condition than when they found it. Farmer Joe’s Gardens is a
member of CT NOFA and has signed The Farmer’s Pledge.
This Pledge seeks to describe sustainable practices in a document that
both certified organic growers and growers that use agro-ecological
systems can attest is an accurate description of how they farm. It
serves as a bridge for consumers and farmers alike to better know the
agriculturists that struggle to create healthy communities, local food
security, and food sovereignty.
We Pledge That in Our Farming, Processing, and Marketing, We
Will:
Build and maintain healthy soils by applying farming practices that
include rotating crops annually, using compost, cover crops, green
manures, and reducing tillage
Serve the health of soil, people and nature by rejecting the use of
synthetic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers
Reject the use of GMOs, chemically treated seeds, synthetic toxic
materials, irradiation, and sewage sludge in our farming, and all
synthetic substances in all post-harvest handling
Treat livestock humanely by providing pasture for ruminants, access to
outdoors and fresh air for all livestock, banning cruel alterations,
and using no hormones, GMOs or antibiotics in feed
Handle raw manure and soil amendments with care
Support agricultural markets and infrastructure that enable small
farms to thrive
Conserve natural resources including the atmosphere and climate by
reducing erosion and pollution of air, soil, and water through
responsible farming practices
Maximize the nutritional value of food and feed by practicing careful
post-harvest handling
Practice minimal processing for all food products to preserve the
natural nutritional value of food: NO use of irradiation,
ultra-pasteurization, excessive heat, synthetic preservatives, or GMO
processing agents or additives, and include all ingredients on labels
Ensure food safety by using potable water for washing crops
Reduce the ecological footprint of farms and homes by limiting energy
use and converting to renewable sources of energy
Reduce food miles by selling produce locally and regionally
Create beneficial habitat for wildlife and encourage biodiversity
Help preserve farmland
Share and develop farming skills and know-how
Use ethical business practices
Pay a living wage to all farm workers and acknowledge their freedom of
association and their right to collective bargaining
Treat family members and farm workers with respect, and ensure their
safety on the farm
Work in cooperation with other farmers and with the neighboring
community to create a more sustainable way of life
Encourage the distribution of unsold but edible food to people who
need it
Sustain the land in healthy condition for future generations