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A new and exciting chapter is opening in the history of the biodynamic movement — the opportunity to bring biodynamic agriculture into the wider farming and food communities of North America as never before.

Over the past six months, our Executive Director, Robert Karp, has traveled extensively around the country, speaking with members and friends of the Association. Inspired by these many dialogues, we are crafting a far-reaching new vision for our work. Below are eight key themes that have arisen and that illustrate some of the emerging needs and opportunities before us. Obviously, the Association cannot act in all these areas in the short term. And we will not act alone. We must prioritize, work in partnership with others, and grow wisely. But we do want to give you a flavor of what we think the future holds. (Please see our full appeal letter for more details about our vision.)

1. Outreach Programs — Helping Farmers Transition to Biodynamics: expanding the breadth and depth of our conferences and workshops, organizing biodynamic workshops for major organic and sustainable agriculture conferences, providing a biodynamic presence at major alternative agricultural trade shows, organizing field days and traveling speaker tours, and facilitating a better flow of technical assistance to farmers (of all types) transitioning to biodynamics.

2. Youth Work — Building the Next Generation of Biodynamic Leaders: organizing a one-week Biodynamic Youth Conference for 2010 in conjunction with our national conference and investing in the growth and development of the North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program.

3. Biodynamic Research — For the Deepening and Expansion of the Movement: convening biodynamic researchers to help them build collaborative relationships and create a long term research agenda for the movement, facilitating “farmer-researcher” collaborations, and growing and developing our publishing efforts as a key component of our research initiatives.

4. Communications — Telling Our Story Like Never Before: increasing resources to allow us to develop a comprehensive communication plan and become more proactive in telling of our story to the wider world, including growing the reach and readership of our preeminent Biodynamics journal.

5. Paradigm Shifting — White Papers, Advocacy, and Legal Defense: developing white papers, case studies, and position statements and supporting the work of key thought leaders and activists within our movement.

6. Local and Regional Food Systems — Peer-to-Peer Certification and More: working with Demeter USA to launch a new form of peer-to-peer certification that will build local support networks among biodynamic farmers and make Demeter certification more accessible to CSA’s and other direct marketing farmers.

7. Business Development — Channeling Capital and Support to Biodynamic Entrepreneurs: creating a network of social investors and consultants interested in supporting and capitalizing the start up and growth of biodynamic farms and food business throughout North America.

8. Affiliation and Collaboration — Becoming a True Association: building new associative relationships, beginning within the social fabric of our own Association — such as establishing a formal structure for the affiliation of local and regional groups and training centers within our Association, creating a process for groups to nominate board members and participate in our strategic planning work, helping new and existing interest groups get started and grow, providing a social networking platform on our website, helping start biodynamic consumers' associations, supporting and facilitating the healthy cooperation of different national level organizations already working on biodynamics, and establishing a host of partnerships with our brother and sister organizations in the wider sustainable and organic farming movement.

Of course, new tasks require new resources and a deepened commitment from our members, friends and supporters. In order to help move forward the highest priority aspects of this work, we will need to raise $100,000 in unrestricted funds by spring 2010 from individual donors — a first in the Association’s annual fund raising history.

If $100,000 seems daunting, please know that we have encouraging news —

Our new fund raising effort will be launched with a $50,000 Matching Gift Challenge received by an anonymous donor. This means every dollar raised towards our spring goal will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000.

In these difficult economic times, your support is even more crucial. In the midst of all this change, we have an opening for helping biodynamics touch more lives and more land than ever before. Therefore, we ask for the health of our families and the planet, please make as meaningful a gift as you are able.

You may also donate or discuss a legacy gift by emailing info@biodynamics.com, calling (888) 516-7797, or mailing to:

Please make checks payable to: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association.