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Weekly Harvest Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - May 23, 2007
Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Web site. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online.
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News & Resources
* Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act Introduced
* Diverse Alliance Wants Federal Aid for Smaller Farms
* Appalachian Local Produce Facility Destroyed by Fire
* On-Campus Farmers Market
* Farmers Choose Direct Market over Certification
Funding Opportunities
* Northeast SARE Research & Education Grant Program
* North Dakota Agricultural Product Utilization Commission
* New Hampshire Grazing Lands Technical Assistance Grant
Coming Events
* Managing Weeds and Soil Quality Organically
* Southern Conservation Agricultural Systems Conference
*
Global Food Alaska 2007
News & Resources
Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act Introduced
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Kent Conrad (D-ND), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, introduced the Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act. This Act would encourage American farmers to produce cellulosic energy crops and provide transition assistance for farmers to grow dedicated energy crops (crops like switchgrass grown solely for the purpose of producing energy). Iowa Ag Connection reports that participating farmers would have to agree to adopt conservation practices for soil quality, water quality and wildlife habitat. This legislation also allows for an additional incentive to farmers who produce native perennial energy crops, such as prairie grass mixtures, because of the tremendous conservation benefits those crops provide.
Diverse Alliance Wants Federal Aid for Smaller Farms
A diverse grassroots movement, including environmentalists, energy-efficiency proponents, and local food and health advocates, is calling for more federal farm aid to be directed to small farms close to cities, according to an article in The Baltimore Sun. Legislation along these lines, known as the Healthy Farms, Foods and Fuels Act of 2007, has already been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, with numerous supporters. With interest growing in healthy and local foods and in farm to cafeteria programs, many believe that the time could be right for a federal policy change.
Appalachian Local Produce Facility Destroyed by Fire
Appalachian Harvest's preparation center for local and organic produce in Stickleyville, Virginia, was completely destroyed by fire on May 16, reports a TriCities.com news story. The project, operated by Appalachian Sustainable Development, helped about 50 local organic farmers process their products for distribution to retailers, and a 3,000 square foot addition to the facility had just been completed weeks ago. Executive Director Anthony Flaccavento pledged that Appalachian Harvest would go on helping farmers process their crops, using the group's refrigerated trucks if necessary.
On-Campus Farmers Market
The University of California, Davis will have its own farmers market for a few weeks this summer. The East Quad Farmers Market is part of a larger pilot project of the Davis Farmers Market Foundation to expand sales of local produce, promote the use of farm-fresh foods in K-12 schools and on the campus, and educate consumers about nutrition and healthful eating. The campus farmers market is being held in conjunction to UC Davis' Foods for Health initiative, an interdisciplinary effort, addressing issues including nutrition, obesity, the availability of healthy foods, organic farming and industrial food production. The campus market will have a dozen vendors selling a variety of items including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers.
Farmers Choose Direct Market over Certification
Some farmers are foregoing organic certification, even though they follow organic farming methods, reports The Oshkosh Northwestern. When farmers can have a direct relationship with their buyers, some feel certification of their beef and produce is unnecessary. On the other hand, larger farmers who sell to grocery stores and other distributors rely on certification to assure customers of their environmental integrity.Some farmers are foregoing organic certification, even though they follow organic farming methods, reports The Oshkosh Northwestern. When farmers can have a direct relationship with their buyers, some feel certification of their beef and produce is unnecessary. On the other hand, larger farmers who sell to grocery stores and other distributors rely on certification to assure customers of their environmental integrity.
> More Breaking News
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Funding Opportunities
Northeast SARE Research & Education Grant Program
The Northeast Region SARE program seeks proposals for the Research & Education program, with an emphasis on projects that lead directly to improved farming practices and an enhanced quality of life for farmers and rural communities. They fund projects that involve farmers and other stakeholders in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project; they also fund projects where research, Cooperative Extension, and education are closely linked. The Northeast SARE region is made up of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Washington D.C.
Proposals are due May 31, 2007.
North Dakota Agricultural Product Utilization Commission
The mission of the Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC) is to create wealth and jobs though the development of new and expanded uses of North Dakota’s agricultural products. A maximum of 15 qualifying applicants present funding proposals for the following categories on a quarterly basis: basic and applied research grants; marketing and utilization grants; farm diversification grants; and an agricultural prototype development grant program. The deadlines for submitting applications are: January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.
New Hampshire Grazing Lands Technical Assistance Grant
The New Hampshire Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces the availability of up to $50,000 to fund the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) program. The Conservation Technical Assistance Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) is a nationwide collaborative process of individuals and organizations working together to maintain and improve the management, productivity, and health of the Nation's privately owned grazing land. Applications are requested from eligible government or non-government organizations or individuals within the State of New Hampshire for projects that provide technical planning and design assistance for prescribed grazing system plans.
Proposals are due May 31, 2007.
> More Funding Opportunities
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Coming Events
Managing Weeds and Soil Quality Organically
June 13, 2007
State College, Pennsylvania
This hands-on field day--a collaborative effort of PASA, Penn State University, and Pennsylvania Certified Organic--highlights a unique project at Penn State dedicated to organic transition research. Discussions and activities will focus on the interaction between soil and cover crop management and its impact on weed populations and soil quality. Participants will look at several types of cover crops in an organic cover crop demonstration garden to discuss how cover crops can be used to manage annual and perennial weeds and soil quality. This field day will have something to offer all types of producers, educators, students and ag professionals.
Southern Conservation Agricultural Systems Conference
June 25-27, 2007
Quincy, Florida
The focus of this year's conference is on the use of perennial grasses in rotation with row crops. The primary mission of the SCASC is to provide a medium for exchanging information about conservation tillage and related technology between and among researchers, extension personnel, NRCS personnel, crop consultants, agrochemical companies and farmers. The overall objective of the SCASC is to expand conservation tillage systems in the southern United States for the purpose of controlling erosion and reducing environmental degradation.
Global Food Alaska 2007
June 13-14, 2007
Soldotna, Alaska
This 2-day Tradeshow, Conference & Recognition of Achievement is designed to welcome commercial and institutional buyers, investors and food supply chain partners to meet Alaska's commercial harvesters and producers of food, beverage and bio products. It's touted as a grass roots initiative to support sustainable businesses and products from the bounty of Alaska's land and water resources.
> More Events
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of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
 ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is 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.
© Copyright 2007 NCAT
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