New Video: Habitat Diversity Creates Farm Resiliency

Learn how habitat diversity brings positive results for bird populations and farm profits. Clare Hintz of Elsewhere Farm in Wisconsin showcases her operations and explains how she enhances biodiversity within production. This includes using pigs to graze orchard vegetation, instead of mowing which can harm ground nesting birds. She also has fruit trees blossoming most of the season, which supports hummingbirds that help to manage spotted wing drosophila. Olivia Smith in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University discusses her research on supporting birds through crop and habitat diversity and managing bird pests with kestrels.

Tell Your Rep to Vote No:
We Deserve a Better Farm Bill!

After a year of intense market volatility, severe weather disasters, and a drastically reduced federal work force, farmers and the American food system at large have been hit hard. We urgently need to pass a comprehensive farm bill that offers a new way forward. The House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a farm bill that simply isn’t strong enough to meet the needs of farmers right now.

This farm bill as currently written:

• Strips state and local pesticide protections, putting kids at risk near schools, parks and playgrounds.
  
• Diverts CSP dollars to a new soil health program, further limiting access for farmers in our country.
  
• Fails to provide real funding for local food resiliency programs.
  
• Falls short for small, beginning, and diversified farmers who need better safety net access.

Farmers deserve more than what this farm bill offers. We must take action to tell our representatives to vote against its passage. Can you take 60 seconds to call and email your Representative today, urging them to vote NO on the House’s farm bill draft?

Want to know more about the farm bill draft?
Check out this blog from NSAC for an analysis of each title.

Building Nest Boxes for Midwest Farms

By Alayna Merchlewitz, Program Operations Coordinator

On April 8th, Wild Farm Alliance teamed up with Farm Buds, a Twin Cities volunteer organization that helps with projects for small-scale Midwest farms, to build songbird nest boxes at Bang Brewery in St. Paul. The event brought together more than three dozen volunteers who share a love for local agriculture and an eagerness to put their passion (and power tools) to work.

Wild Farm Alliance supplied nest box kits for the volunteer event, each containing pre-cut wooden pieces ready for assembly. By the end of the evening, every last piece of lumber was used, resulting in 40+ completed songbird nest boxes! These structures will soon be installed on farms across Ramsey and Washington County in Minnesota, helping to support bird habitat and on-farm biodiversity.

The evening was a true success, ending with a celebratory pizza dinner and an excitement for future partnerships.

Interested in building or purchasing a nest box? Check out our nest box resources at the link below.

Songbirds in the Vineyard: Research Film Screening and Panel Discussion

Thursday, April 30, 2026
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM PST
Cameo Cinema - 1340 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574

Join Wild Farm Alliance and Dr. Matthew Johnson of the Vineyard Songbird Research Team for a morning screening and discussion on the role of songbirds in vineyard ecosystems. It will play at the historic Cameo Cinema.

The program will feature the premiere of an 18 minute short film, Birds & Vineyards are Mutually Beneficial, highlighting research from Napa Valley vineyards. Following the screening, researchers and growers will participate in a panel discussion and Q&A.

Learn how songbirds contribute to natural pest control and gain practical strategies for supporting bird habitat in working vineyards.

From Soil to Stream: No-Till, Mixed Covers, and Farm Stewardship

Tuesday, May 19, 2026
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PST
Online Webinar

Learn about farm steward efforts to keep waterways clean and our ecosystems healthy – from soil health practices to wildlife conservation.

Speakers: Andy Livestay, Westwood Farms and Shannon Cappellazzi, Organic Soils Specialist at Oregon State University

Andy Livestay will share information about the farming practices at Westwood Farms, which center around regenerative farming. They rely on cover crops, which are grown to benefit the soil rather than produce a harvest, to curb weed growth. They reduce tilling as much as possible. These methods nurture the soil and reduce erosion. Conservation is also a top priority, with a goal of safeguarding some of Oregon’s most threatened habitats: the wetlands and white oak savannas. They treat water like the precious resource it is, using specialized sensors in the fields. These power micro-irrigation systems, which ensure precise, highly-efficient water usage.

Shannon Cappellazzi will discuss the science behind the mixed cover crops and no-till used at Westwood Farms to build soil health.

Washington. California. Oregon. Idaho.
Four FREE Field Days on Working Farms This Season

We’re partnering with Salmon Safe alongside farmers and researchers to host four free upcoming field days. Together we'll explore conservation biological control, soil health, and climate resilience: practices proving critical as farmers navigate a changing landscape.

Each field day will be specific to the eco-region of the farm, covering a range of topics including; beneficial insects, cover cropping, no-till systems, and habitat for native species, with time to walk the land, ask questions, and connect with peers over lunch.

May 27: Moon Family Farms (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington)
June 2: Jessie’s Grove Winery (Lodi, California)
June 16: Scenic Valley Farms (Willamette Valley, Oregon) coming soon!
July 15: Gooding Farms (Parma, Idaho) coming soon!

WFA Seeking Applicants for Co-Director

Location: California
Start Date: September 1, 2026
Compensation: $80,000 - $100,000 annually

WFA is seeking a Co-Director to join the organization at a pivotal moment of leadership transition and growth. This open position of Co-Director will partner as an equal executive leader to steward WFA’s mission, strategy, programs, staff, fundraising, and financial health.

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of leadership experience, proven fundraising skills, strategic and creative thinking, have a genuine interest and passion for the nexus between sustainable agriculture and conservation, and a deep commitment to WFA’s mission.

WFA’s Jo Ann Baumgartner Joins Agency Advisory Committee

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced the appointment of 18 members to its new Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Advisory Committee, including WFA’s Executive Director Jo Ann Baumgartner. Committee members will inform and prioritize the department’s work to mitigate pesticide risks and to foster sustainable pest management in California. With Jo Ann retiring at the end of the summer, we are pleased that she will continue to be a part of the roadmap towards supporting sustainable, biodiverse agriculture.

“DPR is thrilled to onboard such a remarkable group of committee members to support our work to continuously evaluate and mitigate pesticides and to effectively foster sustainable pest management approaches across the state,” said DPR Director Karen Morrison. “The breadth of expertise represented – from scientific and academic fields to public health, agriculture, community and environmental protection – will enhance DPR’s ongoing commitment to making decisions that are informed, inclusive, and grounded in the best available information to protect California’s people and environment.”

Getting Paid to Farm for the Climate:
Minnesota's New Incentive Program

Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) CFAP program is offering flat-rate incentive payments for up to $10,000 for farmers implementing sustainable practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read more to see if your farm qualifies and what the process entails.

Regenerative Avocados, Citrus, and Strawberries Conference in Ventura County, California

Is regenerative farming the future for avocados, citrus, and strawberries for Ventura County? Join a two-day gathering exploring the foundations, priorities, and practices shaping regenerative farming across avocados, citrus, and strawberries.

Through field days, panels, and dialogue, farmers, scientists, and community partners will explore agriculture as a living ecology, where certified organic practice, regenerative outcomes, Indigenous stewardship, and water stewardship meet in relationship.

May 4: Avocados & Citrus, Rancho dos Hermanas
May 11: Strawberries, McGrath Family Farm

Registration is $75/day or $140 for both days (lunch included).

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