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Weekly Harvest Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - May 28, 2008
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
* Report Examines Climate Change Impact on Agriculture
* Organizations Evaluate New Farm Bill
* Farm Aid Invites Submissions of Farmer Heroes
* Organic Seed Growers Proceedings Online
* MOSES Accepting Nominations for Organic Farmer of the Year
* Farmworkers Learn English and Sustainable Agriculture
Funding Opportunities
* Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act Partnership Grants
* Colorado Ag Products Utilization & Marketing Program
* Packard Foundation Agriculture Subprogram
Coming Events
* Raising Heritage Turkeys on Pasture
* Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference
* Conservation in Action Tour
News & Resources
Report Examines Climate Change Impact on Agriculture
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) today released "Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3 (SAP 4.3): The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States." The CCSP integrates the federal research efforts of 13 agencies on climate and global change. The report finds that climate change is already affecting U.S. water resources, agriculture, land resources, and biodiversity, and will continue to do so. For example, grain and oilseed crops will mature more rapidly, but be at greater risk of crop failure. Higher temperatures will negatively affect livestock. Under projections reported in the assessment, weeds migrate northward and are less sensitive to herbicide applications.
Organizations Evaluate New Farm Bill
Now that the 2008 Farm Bill has passed the House and Senate, many organizations are considering the details of the legislation and what it will mean for farmers, rural communities, and the country. The Environmental Law & Policy Center has posted their evaluation of the clean energy provisions of the Farm Bill. The Sustainable Agriculture Coalition considered which elements of their Farm Bill Policy Platform were included in the final legislation. In addition, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy posted their analyses of farm bill impacts on the country and the world. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture has posted administration response to the legislation.
Farm Aid Invites Submissions of Farmer Heroes
Farm Aid is inviting people to upload a photograph and enter a description of approximately 150 words about their Farmer Hero. People who submit a Farmer Hero will be entered in a drawing to win a grand prize of a trip to the 2008 Farm Aid concert, or other prizes. The sweepstakes will run until September 2, 2008. The Farmer Hero entries may be viewed at the Farm Aid website.
Organic Seed Growers Proceedings Online
The proceedings of the Organic Seed Growers Conference held in February 2008 by the Organic Seed Alliance are now available online as a PDF file. In addition, individual presentations from the conference are also online as PDF files. Presentations available online include "Isolation and Contamination Issues in Organic Seed Production," by Dr. James R. Myers, "Organic Potato Seed Production," by Jim Gerritsen, and "Sustainable Seed Systems," by Dr. Carol Miles.
Related ATTRA Publication: Seed Production and Variety Development for Organic Systems
MOSES Accepting Nominations for Organic Farmer of the Year
The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) is seeking
nominations for the "2009 Organic Farmer of the Year" award. This noteworthy award is presented to organic farmers who have demonstrated innovations in organic farming and livestock management; excellence in enhancing and managing farm resources like soil, water, wildlife, and biodiversity; and who serve to educate and inspire farmers, consumers and others in their communities. Those who wish to nominate a farmer for the award must complete and return the Nomination form by September 15, 2008. The award includes a $500 cash gift, admission to the 2009 Organic Farming Conference including all food and lodging, and a $100 gift certificate redeemable at the conference book sales booth.
Farmworkers Learn English and Sustainable Agriculture
Nord Vineyards is working with the California Employment Training Panel to provide their farmworkers classes in English and sustainable agriculture twice a week, reports the Napa Valley Register. In each session of the 45-hour course, vineyard workers receive two hours of English lessons and two hours of instruction on the sustainable agriculture methods used by Nord Vineyards. Topics covered include beneficial insects, erosion control measures, plant physiology and tractor fuel efficiency. Nord Vineyards believes the training will help with worker retention and improve employee decision-making.
> More Breaking News
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Funding Opportunities
Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act Partnership Grants
EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is soliciting proposals to advance partnerships that focus on pesticide risk management issues with a special focus on integrated pest management (IPM) approaches. Awards are intended to support a diverse set of project types, including, but not necessarily limited to, demonstrations, transfer of innovative IPM technologies, outreach, and education. The total amount of funding available for award is expected to be approximately $1,000,000.
Proposals are due June 19, 2008.
Colorado Ag Products Utilization & Marketing Program
The Ag Products Utilization & Marketing Program was created by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to assist Colorado agricultural and food companies in the research and development of new uses and markets for agricultural and food products that are grown, raised or processed in Colorado. The program will offer up to $20,000 per project on a 1:1 cost share basis to assist with feasibility studies, market research, and promotions. Applications may be submitted at any time; however, application approval will be considered on a schedule subject to regular meeting dates.
Packard Foundation Agriculture Subprogram
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, a private foundation, seeks to support work that broadly strengthens the role of agriculture in our society by improving the environment, improving nutrition and health, addressing hunger, and strengthening farming communities. They accept grant proposals only for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes, primarily from tax-exempt, charitable organizations. For your project to be considered for possible funding in 2008, you must submit a letter of inquiry.
Proposals are due August 15, 2008.
> More Funding Opportunities
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Coming Events
Raising Heritage Turkeys on Pasture
July 21-22, 2008
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Center for Environmental Farming Systems presents this 2-day clinic that will teach outdoor production of heritage turkeys from brooding through processing and marketing. Nutrition & feeds, diseases & predators, management & more will be covered. Frank Reese, Jr., the primary instructor, has 45 years of experience raising heritage turkeys, and is now leading the nation in re-establishing a market for these hardy and flavorful historic birds.
Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference
July 26-30, 2008
Tucson, Arizona
This conference offers plenary sessions, oral and poster presentations and symposia, tours, workshops, and special events. Presentations will report the results of research and evaluation projects, and/or lessons learned from professional experience working with conservation and environmental management technologies, programs and policies. Tours offered include watershed research, grassland protection, and water harvesting.
Conservation in Action Tour
July 17, 2008
Central Indiana
In a day-long tour of outstanding farming operations in Central Indiana, Conservation Technology Information Center members, partners and others interested in conservation will meet five successful farmers who have mastered innovative conservation practices in their profitable operations, talk with them one-on-one, and learn from their experience.
> More Events
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 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.
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