Weekly Harvest Newsletter

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - August 4, 2004

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Web site.

News & Resources
* Farm Beginnings Course Accepting Applications
* Farming Systems Listserv Launched
* Report Looks at Manure's Impact on Chesapeake Bay
* Grazefest to Promote, Educate on Pasture-Raised Meat
* Program Helps Immigrants Establish Farms
* Panel Urges More Evaluation and Monitoring of GM Foods

Funding Opportunities
* Southern Region SARE Grants
* Illinois Organic Certification Cost Share
* Texas Department of Agriculture Urban Schools Grant Program

Coming Events
* Herb Production and Marketing Farm Tour
* America's Heritage: A Slow Food Festival
* Agroecology Online Course: Principles and Practice

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News & Resources

Farm Beginnings Course Accepting Applications
The Land Stewardship Project is accepting applications to participate in its eighth annual Farm Beginnings Course until October 5, 2004. The Farm Beginnings course, held in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, provides participants an opportunity to learn firsthand about low-cost, sustainable methods of farming. Farm Beginnings participants take part in a course that teaches goal setting, financial planning, business plan creation, alternative marketing, and low-cost and sustainable farming techniques. Established farmers and other professionals present at the seminars, providing a strong foundation of community resources, networks and contacts for those interested in farming. Hands-on training provides opportunities to apply knowledge gained in the seminars. There are also opportunities to connect with established farmers through a series of farm visits and one-on-one mentorships. Classes will begin Saturday, Oct. 23, and will run twice a month until the middle of March. After March, course participants will have the opportunity to attend a series of on-farm educational field days. .
URL: http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/04/newsr_040802.html

Farming Systems Listserv Launched
The North American Farming Systems Association, one of six regional associations of the International Farming Systems Association, is being revitalized. This revitalization is beginning with a Listserv to share information and questions about projects, programs, events, opportunities, publications, materials, and ideas related to on-farm participatory research, whole farm systems approaches, and farmer learning in the United States, Mexico and Canada. To subscribe to the NA-FSA listserv, e-mail sejohnson@smallfarm.org. To help get the NA-FSA Listserv started, and build the North American Farming Systems Association, please email a brief summary of your interdisciplinary, on-farm research or farmer participatory development activities or questions related to Farming Systems in North America when you subscribe.

Report Looks at Manure's Impact on Chesapeake Bay
Agricultural waste is the largest source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and animal manure is the largest component of agricultural waste, says a new report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The report, Manure's Impact on Rivers, Streams, and the Chesapeake Bay, finds that farm animals in the watershed produce 1.4 billion cubic feet of manure. In areas where animals are concentrated, this represents far more than can be applied to local land without creating runoff problems, and despite years of effort, water quality in the Bay is not improving. The report not only documents the extent of the problem, but includes examples of small-scale efforts that have reduced polluted runoff in local streams. The report makes several recommendations for action this year, such as reducing nutrient levels in animal feed and establishing viable alternative uses for manure.
URL: http://www.cbf.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9141

Grazefest to Promote, Educate on Pasture-Raised Meat
Grazefest Alabama 2004, set for Montgomery, Alabama, September 11-12, is set to be the first national conference and festival on pasture-raised foods. In addition to a day of educational seminars and presentations aimed at pasture-based farmers, educators, students, and chefs, the event will feature a food festival and series of exhibits aimed at raising awareness among consumers of the health, flavor, and culinary benefits of pasture-based foods. The two-day event also includes banquets featuring pasture-raised meat and an outstanding lineup of musicians. One of the event organizers is Teddy Gentry, founding member of the country music group Alabama and himself owner of a grass-fed beef production and marketing operation.
URL: http://www.kerrcenter.com/event_links/grazefest.html

Program Helps Immigrants Establish Farms
An article in the Monterey Herald profiles the work of the Agriculture and Land Based Training Association (ALBA), a California program that is helping immigrant farm laborers establish their own farms. ALBA not only assists farmers with horticultural training but helps them access government assistance programs and market their crops. Participants in the free program attend Spanish-language classes from October through April, covering the all-encompassing knowledge of farming needed to run a successful, small organic farm. Following the coursework, participants may lease a half-acre of land on the premises to grow their own crops for market. The organization also offers short courses on specific topics of assistance to farmers.
URL: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/business/9281145.htm

Panel Urges More Evaluation and Monitoring of GM Foods
Genetically altered foods should be assessed on an individual basis to determine whether they may have consequences for human health, concludes a new report by the National Academies’ National Research Council and Institutes of Medicine. The committee responsible for the report does not single out genetic engineering for scrutiny, but rather advises that all forms of genetic modification – including traditional cross-breeding, genetic engineering, and the use of chemicals and radiation – should be evaluated for safety. The report claims that genetic engineering is not an inherently hazardous process, but warns that much more research is needed before scientists will be able to predict whether changes in a particular plant genome will cause adverse health effects. The report offers a framework to guide federal agencies in determining proper levels of safety assessment and urges agencies to enhance the traceability of genetically modified foods.
URL: http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309092094?OpenDocument

For more news and resources, visit the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Web site: Breaking News section: http://attra.ncat.org/management/geninfo.html.

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Funding Opportunities

Southern Region SARE Grants
The Southern Region SARE Producer Grant program is requesting grant proposals from producers or producer organizations interested in conducting research or marketing projects related to sustainable agriculture. Projects must be developed, coordinated and conducted by farmers and/or ranchers or a producer organization. Projects may be funded up to two years for a maximum of $10,000 for an individual producer or $15,000 for a producer organization. Southern Region SARE is also requesting grant proposals for its On-Farm Research Grant program. SARE is requesting grant proposals from Extension, NRCS and/or non-governmental organization personnel who work with farmers/ranchers and are interested in conducting on-farm research or marketing projects related to sustainable agriculture. Projects may be funded up to two years for a project maximum of $15,000. The Southern Region includes: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Proposals for both programs are due by December 3, 2004.
URL: http://www.griffin.peachnet.edu/sare/callpage.html

Illinois Organic Certification Cost Share
The Illinois Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the availability of funds under the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program. These funds provide cost-share assistance to producers or handlers of organic agricultural products who apply for and successfully receive or continue their organic certification from a USDA Accredited Certifying Agent. Certification costs must be incurred on an annual basis during the period October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2004. Producers may apply for reimbursement even if they applied and were reimbursed the previous year. Funds will be provided on a first-come first-served basis. Under this program, eligible producers or handlers may receive reimbursement for 75 percent of their certification costs up to a maximum of $500.00. To apply, contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Marketing and Promotion, P.O. Box 19281 Springfield, IL 62794-9281 or phone 217-782-6775 to request the Organic Certification Reimbursement Form and W-9 form. For more information, contact Bob Reese at 217-524-9130. Applications for reimbursement must be received by September 30, 2004.

Texas Department of Agriculture Urban Schools Grant Program
The Texas Department of Agriculture requests proposals for demonstration agricultural projects or other projects designed to foster an understanding and awareness of agriculture for the period of January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005, from certain Texas urban school districts. Proposals must be submitted by a Texas public elementary school from an urban school district with an enrollment of at least 49,000 students. A total amount of up to $2,500 may be awarded to an eligible elementary school in a grant cycle. Applications must be received by October 1, 2004.
URL: http://www.agr.state.tx.us/iga/grants_funding/iga_urbanschools_rfp04.htm

For additional funding opportunities, visit http://attra.ncat.org/management/financl.html.

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Coming Events

Herb Production and Marketing Farm Tour
September 4, 2004
Athens, Ohio
Innovative Farmers of Ohio sponsors this tour of Companion Plants, an internationally recognized herb nursery. The tour will encompass display beds, seed beds, greenhouse operation, seed harvesting and cleaning, and a discussion of various plants and their uses.
URL: http://www.ifoh.org/farmtours.html

America's Heritage: A Slow Food Festival
September 10-12, 2004
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Slow Food Pittsburgh hosts this event where special guests and events will be presented throughout the weekend to celebrate uniquely American regional food, small farms, heritage foodways and pleasures of the table.
URL: http://www.slowfoodpgh.com/

Agroecology Online Course: Principles and Practice
October 4 - November 28, 2004
Online
This web-based eight-week course on the design of biodiverse and sustainable agroecosystems is offered to agricultural professionals (farmers, researchers, extension agents and advanced students). The course will cover the practical aspects of sustainable agriculture such as the role of biodiversity in agriculture, ecological pest management, organic soil management and the design of sustainable agricultural systems through crop diversification schemes. The registration deadline is September 24.
URL: http://www.agroeco.org/agroecology/web_pages/course_info_principles.html

More events at http://attra.ncat.org/cgi-bin/event/calendar.cgi.

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The digital version of the latest ATTRAnews is available online. ATTRAnews is the bi-monthly newsletter of ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
URL: http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html

The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is the Web site of the ATTRA project created and managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), and funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Visit the NCAT Web site for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.