Farmers' Market Growers: Sign Up Now to Accept WIC Vouchers in 2009
Beginning this summer, farmers selling fresh fruit and vegetables at Oklahoma farmers' markets can become eligible to accept payment in the form of vouchers from the USDA Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Read on to find out how.
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Idle Impacts
"Going to stop for more than ten seconds? Shut ‘er off." That's how Kerr Center intern Erica Hellen sums up what she learned about whether to leave her vehicle idling during her rounds on the ranch. Her short report explains why.
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Farm To School Program Launches New Website
The state agriculture department has created an Oklahoma Farm to School website to give schools, agricultural producers, and others an inside look at its program designed to put Oklahoma foods in our school lunch programs.
Visit website

Heirloom Variety Trial Reports Available
This summer, the Kerr Center's School of Sustainability evaluated 30 heirloom okra varieties and 20 heirloom sorghum varieties. The results are now available, along with a new overview of heirloom varieties and their importance for sustainable agriculture.
Heirloom Variety Trial Report: Okra Heirloom Variety Trial Report: Sorghum Heirloom Vegetables, Genetic Diversity, and the Pursuit of Food Security

Hoop House Drawings
At the hoop house workshop at their farm on Sept. 14, Tod and Jamie Hanley handed out drawings illustrating the design and construction of their low-cost hoop houses.

Future Farms 2008
Information Online Now
Learn how to be innovative and make your farm sustainable in a rapidly changing world! Presentations by many of the expert speakers at this year’s Future Farms conference are now available. Farm tour photos and info is also online.
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Fall Newsletter
The fall edition of the Kerr Center newsletter, Field Notes, is now online. Check out info on upcoming events and updates on sustainable food and farming from around the state.
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2008 Essay Contest:
The Value of Locally Grown Food
Read the Winning Essays
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SARE 20/20: Celebrating Our First 20 Years, Envisioning the Next
Check out SARE's newest publication, SARE 20/20: Celebrating Our First 20 Years, Envisioning the Next. This special 20th anniversary edition chronicles 20 years of agricultural innovation – from SARE's beginning in 1988 to present-day stories of farmers, ranchers, researchers and educators working across America to develop and implement sustainable marketing and production practices. The publication is available free online, and print copies can be ordered from SARE.
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Educational Resources for Teachers and Students
Learn about sustainably-grown local foods in Oklahoma— who is growing them, where to get them, why they are good for the environment.
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Resources on Local Food and Climate Change
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) recently published this annotated bibliography of resources on the connections between local food and climate change.
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Conference: 28th Annual Horticulture Industries Show
January 16-17

This two-day grower meeting and trade show provides the latest information on vegetables, fruit, herbs, Christmas trees, farmers market crops and public gardening issues. Growers from Oklahoma, Arkansas and surrounding states are welcome to attend.
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Public Comment Deadline: Deregulation of Genetically Engineered Corn (USDA-APHIS)
January 20

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking public comment on a petition submitted by Syngenta Seeds, Inc., to deregulate corn genetically engineered (GE) to produce a microbial enzyme that facilitates ethanol production.
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Conference: Farmers' Markets as a Community Collaboration (and Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Farmers' Market Association)
February 6-7

The Kerr Center's Doug Walton will speak in a session titled, "Maintaining and Growing a Small Market: Importance of community support, building collaboration," during this two-day event.
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2008 Marks Fifth Year for Land Legacy

Oklahoma's only statewide land trust, Land Legacy, is celebrating five years of work conserving and enhancing rural and urban landscapes. The non-profit conservation organization has conserved 14,000 acres of open space since its founding.

Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City Announces Coursework in Sustainable Crops Production

The OSU-OKC Agricultural Technologies Division Horticulture Department is pleased to announce new courses and an Associate of Applied Science Emphasis in Sustainable Crops Production. Coursework began in August 2008 and can be taken for credit or non-credit. Classes involve local farm visits and hands on training.
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USDA Makes Organic Certification Cost-Share Available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making $22 million in federal funds available for organic certification cost assistance. The funds are available for producers and handlers of organic agricultural products.

The National Organic Certification Cost–Share Program, authorized by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 6523), will allocate funds in proportion to the number of organic producers and handlers within each state. The states in turn, will reimburse each eligible producer or handler up to 75 percent of its organic certification costs, not to exceed $750.

To be eligible for reimbursement, an organic production or handling operation must be located within a qualified state, comply with the USDA National Organic Program regulations for organic production or handling and have received certification or continuation of certification by a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
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Oklahoma Agritourism Map
Farms, ranches, wineries, and farmer's markets across the state are opening their gates, barn doors and fences, issuing a heartfelt invitation to sample the abundant bounty and natural beauty found in Oklahoma's growing adventure. The Oklahoma Agritourism Map features over 300 destinations across the state with a synopsis of each place and phone number. Some descriptions also have addresses, directions or web site addresses. Since most agritourism destinations have seasonal operations, hours and days, please call before traveling for their particular operation times and exact locations. Free copies of the map are available online.

New Oklahoma Sustainable Agriculture Website
OSU and Langston University are collaborating on a new website that acts as a central clearing point for resources on all aspects of sustainable agriculture in Oklahoma. Sections include news and events, producer's corner, training opportunities, projects and research, and opportunities for funding.

The Oklahoma Sustainable Agriculture Program closely cooperates with several broad-based sustainable agriculture programs such as the Southern Region and National Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) programs funded by the USDA and EPA, related programs of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
Visit site

Talking to Kids About Farming
Learn about Oklahoma agriculture from Oklahoma farmers! The Oklahoma Farmer Speakers' Bureau is a list of farmers who are available to speak to school classes and/or host tours of their farms.

See the list

Training for Food Entrepreneurs
Every third Thursday of each month (excluding December) the OSU Food and Agriculture Products Center located in Stillwater, OK, holds a “Basic Training” workshop for food business entrepreneurs. Topics covered include planning your business, health regulations, product evaluation and marketing, labeling, processing and co-packing, legalities, assistance available to entrepreneurs. Call (405) 744-6071 for more information, or go to www.fapc.okstate.edu/ PAGES/workshop.htm.

Check out the Kerr Center's Community Foods pages
We invite you to explore these pages and learn about the Kerr Center’s community foods initiatives.
Community food security is a relatively new concept that encompasses three broad areas of concern: adequate food and nutrition for all income levels; sustainable agricultural production; and closer farmer-consumer connections through local markets.
Find out more

The Oklahoma Food Co-op
is a non-profit group bringing together Oklahoma food producers and consumers.

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