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Weekly Harvest Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - June 13, 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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Share The Harvest: Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues who might be interested in the latest sustainable agriculture news, funding opportunities, and events.
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News & Resources
* NCAT Announces Farm Energy Search Tool
* Pesticides Disrupt Nitrogen Fixing
* Study Calls for Expanding Farm Income Opportunities
* New Risk Management Service Available
* Southern SARE Administrative Council Nomination Deadline Extended
* Demonstration Highlights Urban Rooftop Farm Potential
Funding Opportunities
* Western SARE Farmer & Rancher Grant
* Conservation Innovation Grants—Rhode Island
* Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Grants Program
Coming Events
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Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture Education
* Smart Energy Management in Agriculture
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Making Use of Beneficial Insects for Crop Pest Management and Pollination
News & Resources
NCAT Announces Farm Energy Search Tool
The National Center for Appropriate Technology has created a search tool for farms and ranches interested in funding and building renewable energy projects, reducing energy costs, and becoming more energy self-sufficient. The Farm Energy Search Tool is the latest energy-related tool available from NCAT's ATTRA National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. ATTRA has additional resources on their Farm Energy page.
Pesticides Disrupt Nitrogen Fixing
Many farmers applying pesticides to boost crop yields may instead be contributing to growth problems, scientists report in a new study. According to years of research both in the test tube and, now, with real plants, a team of scientists reports that artificial chemicals in pesticides—through application or exposure to crops through runoff—disrupt natural nitrogen-fixing communications between crops and soil bacteria. The disruption results in lower yields or significantly delayed growth. "Agrichemicals are blocking the host plant's phytochemical recruitment signal," said the study's lead author, Jennifer E. Fox, a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Oregon. "In essence, the agrichemicals are cutting the lines of communication between the host plant and symbiotic bacteria. This is the mechanism by which these chemicals reduce symbiosis and nitrogen fixation."
Study Calls for Expanding Farm Income Opportunities
Former Senators Bob Dole and Tom Daschle released a comprehensive new report May 30, calling for major changes in current agricultural policy to help American farmers take advantage of new market opportunities while reforming existing subsidy programs to better serve both taxpayers and farmers. In the new report, Competing and Succeeding in the 21st Century: New Markets for American Agriculture, Dole and Daschle note that the face of global and American agriculture is changing, and while farmers face unprecedented challenges, they are also are in position, if the right public policies are put into place, to take advantage of key emerging markets. The report is a product of the 21st Century Agriculture Policy Project, co-chaired by Senators Daschle and Dole, and it makes numerous policy recommendations. The entire report is available for download.
New Risk Management Service Available
A new joint venture between Growmark, Inc. and the Illinois Farm Bureau has created a new risk management service for Illinois farmers. AgriVisor, LLC integrates grain and livestock marketing analysis and contract execution functions from both organizations. The Prairie Farmer reports the new enterprise will offer grain market information subscriptions, new grain risk management programs and assistance in executing farmer options and futures trades.
Southern SARE Administrative Council Nomination Deadline Extended
The Administrative Council of the Southern Region SARE Program is seeking nominations for two producers, one NGO representative and one agribusiness representative. The new Council members will serve a three-year term starting December, 2007. To be considered, Dr. Jeff Jordan must receive your written nomination by July 1, 2007. Jeff Jordan, University of Georgia Campus at Griffin, 1109 Experiment Street, 203 Stuckey Building, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, 770-412-4787, jjordan@uga.edu.
Demonstration Highlights Urban Rooftop Farm Potential
New York City has 14,000 acres of unshaded rooftops, and a nonprofit group there says they could be growing food for 20 million people, according to a Reuters news story on Planet Ark. The group New York Sun Works has constructed a demonstration barge where it is growing vegetables hydroponically. The group envisions entrepreneurs growing food for the city on rooftops of public and commercial buildings, helping to reduce the amount of food the city must import.
> More Breaking News
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Funding Opportunities
Western SARE Farmer & Rancher Grant
Farmer/Rancher Grants (FRG) are conducted by agricultural producers, with support and guidance from a technical advisor. Individual farmers may apply for up to $15,000 and a group of three or more farmers may apply for up to $30,000. Producers use their grants to conduct on-site experiments that can be shared with other producers. Projects may also focus on marketing and organic production.
Proposals are due December 7, 2007.
Conservation Innovation Grants—Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced a second round of requests for proposals for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG), for 2007. Grants of up to $75,000 are available to fund creative ideas and practices that will conserve soil, water and energy resources or improve air quality, grazing land and forest health in Rhode Island.
Proposals are due July 6, 2007.
Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Grants Program
CSREES requests applications for the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP)—Special Experiential Learning Grants (SEL) for fiscal year (FY) 2007 to meet national and international needs for training food and agricultural scientists and professionals. The purpose of the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program is to provide scholarships to support recruiting, retaining, mentoring, and training high quality multicultural scholars, resulting in either baccalaureate degrees within the food and agricultural sciences disciplines or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. CSREES anticipates making approximately $990,000 available in support of the MSP/SEL program in FY 2007. Educational institutions are eligible to apply.
Proposals are due June 29, 2007.
> More Funding Opportunities
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Coming Events
Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture Education
July 11-14, 2007
Ithaca, New York
The 2nd National Conference on Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture Education will be an exciting opportunity to facilitate a cross-disciplinary dialogue on learning and teaching in sustainable agriculture at colleges and universities in the U.S. It will draw a diverse gathering of faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, administrators, extension educators, farmers and food system practitioners who are active or interested in sustainable agriculture education at institutions of post-secondary learning.
Smart Energy Management in Agriculture
July 18, 2007
Livingston, California
Farmers, dairies, ranchers, and wineries tired of high energy costs can learn to save money through energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. Get updates on the latest incentives and financing options, meet with energy consultants and go on a farm tour. Space is limited. To reserve call the Ecological Farming Association at (831) 763-2111.
Making Use of Beneficial Insects for Crop Pest Management and Pollination
July 9, 2007
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Center for Environmental Farming Systems hosts this full-day workshop that will include information on beneficial insects used for pest management as well as beneficial insects involved in pollination. The pest management portion of the workshop will begin by providing a background on biological control and how it relates to IPM. We will also take an objective look at how and where biological control can be used and improved. Field demonstrations and hands on activities will provide participants with a practical background in beneficial insect habitats, and straight-forward strategies for increasing the value of beneficial insects released on farms.
> 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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