NCAT News Archive for 2007

NCAT Specialists Speak at Missouri Livestock Symposium

Montana Workshop to Address Oilseed Crops and Biodiesel Production

NCAT Organizes Workshops for the Ecological Farming Conference

Food and Nutrition Focus of New Northeast Project

New Project to Improve Insurance for Farmers

NCAT Specialists Complete New Parasite Control Publications

We Still Need Your Help!

New Projects for Family Farmers Who Are Struggling with Energy Costs

Oilseeds Workshop Set for Northwest Montana

Grow Montana Coalition Receives National Award

NCAT Participates in Wal-Mart Sustainability Meeting

Sharing Montana's Bounty: A Celebration of the Farmers' Market EBT Project

Sustainable American Cotton Project

South Dakota Climate Challenge Conference Planned

NCAT Represented at Northeast Organic Farming Association Conference

Biodiesel Production Demystified

SustainabilityFEST to Offer Education and Entertainment

Farm Energy Community Meeting Planned

Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development and NCAT Receive Iowa West Foundation Grant

Three Farmers Markets Selected for the Electronic Card Food Stamp Project

New Spanish-Language Series from NCAT's ATTRA Project

SustainabilityFEST Set for August 18

NCAT's Fayetteville Office Welcomes Summer Intern

NCAT Opens Gulf States Office

"Fueling the Farm" Workshop Announced

NCAT Announces Search Tool for Farm Energy Resources

NCAT's ATTRA Project Turns 20!

Grow Montana Celebrates Legislative Successes

Farmers' Market Food Stamp EBT Pilot Program Launched

NCAT Study Reveals Energy-Saving Opportunities for Farms

NCAT Awards Biodiesel/Oilseed Innovation Grants to Montana Farmers

NCAT Takes Part in Southwest Marketing Network Conference

Mien Strawberry Growers Learn about Organic Production and Record Keeping

Biofuels Ignite Blaze of NCAT Workshops

NCAT Represented at New Mexico Organic Farming Conference

NCAT Represented at Southwest Indian Agricultural Association Conference

NCAT Announces Valuable New Tool for Farmers

NCAT Collaborates on Local Foods Projects in Southwest Iowa

NCAT, AERO and MSU Offer Energy Saving on the Farm Workshops

Disaster Recovery Work Leads NCAT to Greater Regional Presence

Great Falls to Host Oilseeds and Biodiesel Workshop February 15th

New Year Brings New NCAT Office

View Earlier NCAT News

NCAT Specialists Speak at Missouri Livestock Symposium

(12/17/07) Recently, NCAT Specialists Linda Coffey and Margo Hale spoke at the Missouri Livestock Symposium. Both Coffey and Hale were invited to speak in the Meat Goat section of the Symposium. Coffey gave a presentation on how to get started with meat goats, and Hale spoke on various marketing opportunities for meat goats. They also gave a joint talk on whole-farm planning. The whole-farm planning presentation featured the Small Ruminant Sustainability Checksheet, a publication of ATTRA – the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, operated by NCAT.

The first Missouri Livestock Symposium was held in 2000, and it has grown immensely since, with this year’s attendance nearing 1200 (despite icy weather). The Symposium offers various tracks, including beef cattle, equine, sheep, meat goat, and forage sections. The Symposium features nationally known speakers. This year speakers included Dr. Temple Grandin, animal handling expert, Dr. Garry Lacefield, co-author of Southern Forages, and Max Armstrong, co-host of RFD TV’s “This Week in Agribusiness.” The Symposium also offered a Trade Show, with more than 80 exhibitors from several states. The Symposium was capped off on Saturday night with a concert by the Bellamy Brothers.

The Symposium committee works year-long to raise money, find sponsorships, and plan the program. Due to over 100 supporters and financial contributors, the Symposium is free for attendees and includes two free meals. The Symposium was covered by various media outlets, including local and regional television and radio stations, and RFD TV. Coffey and Hale were both featured in interviews during the conference, spreading the information from their presentations to thousands of viewers and listeners.

For more information on the Missouri Livestock Symposium visit www.missourilivestock.com or contact Linda Coffey (lindac@ncat.org) or Margo Hale (margoh@ncat.org).

Montana Workshop to Address Oilseed Crops and Biodiesel Production

(12/10/07) Biodiesel production and oilseed crops are receiving increasing attention in Montana. In response, NCAT and other groups are working to provide information resources for Montana farmers that are interested in learning more about how to produce and use biodiesel and how to raise oilseed crops.

Farmers, educators, governmental agency personnel, and business owners who are interested in learning more about these topics can do so at an upcoming oilseeds and biodiesel workshop held in Billings on January 9-10th, 2008.

The cost for the workshop is $35 for participants who pre-register and $45 for registration the day of the conference. Pre-registration is encouraged. The deadline to pre-register is January 4th. For more information on, or to register for, this event, contact NCAT at 1-800-275-6228 or e-mail tammyh@ncat.org . Registration forms and further information are also available at www.ncat.org/special/oilseeds.php

The workshop is part of NCAT's Oilseeds for Fuel, Feed and the Future Project. The workshop will take place January 9 – 10th starting at 8:00 am at the MSU-Billings College of Technology Campus in the Main Building Room B-57. On-site registration will begin at 7:30 a.m.

People who attend this workshop will learn more about:

Oilseed crops that can be used for a range of products (such as lubricants, culinary oils or biodiesel);
Economics and schematics of commercial and community-scale biodiesel production;
On-farm production and/or personal use of biodiesel and its co-products;
Farmer experiences raising and crushing oilseeds and making biodiesel;
Permitting and taxation issues for biodiesel production;
Business models for biodiesel production, as presented by biodiesel entrepreneurs from throughout Montana;
Resources for building a bio-products or bio-energy business.

Speakers include Dr. Jon Van Gerpen of the National Biodiesel Education Program at the University of Idaho, and Paul Miller, the founder of Sustainable Systems, LLC in Missoula, who will speak about the challenges and opportunities for building a biodiesel business. Miles City Community College will be demonstrating their portable biodiesel processor and oilseed crusher. Montana scientists, farmers and business owners experienced in oilseed and biodiesel production and processing will be on hand to answer questions. "This workshop is the last in a series of four and promises to be the best," said Al Kurki, NCAT's Project Coordinator.

The workshops' sponsors include NCAT, Miles City Community College, Mission Mountain Cooperative Development Center, Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Farmers Union, Montana Grain Growers Association, MSU Extension Service, MSU-Billings College of Technology, MSU-Northern Bio-Energy Innovation & Testing Center, Montana’s Agro-Energy Plan/USDOL ETA, Northern Ag Network, AERO, Beartooth RC&D, USDA National Biodiesel Education Program and the University of Idaho, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Stranie Ventures, Environmental Protection Agency-Region 8, USDA Risk Management Agency, Yellowstone County Extension, Northern Plains Resource Council, Peaks and Prairies, Snowy Mountain Development Corporation and Central Montana RC&D.

NCAT Organizes Workshops for the Ecological Farming Conference

(12/3/07) Every winter for the past 27 years, the Ecological Farming Conference has been a meeting place for California's organic farmers. The event is a great way for new and experienced producers to exchange ideas about improving their agricultural practices. This year's conference will feature several workshops organized by NCAT staff, including a full day of Spanish-language sessions. The conference gives scholarships to Hispanic farmers and farmworkers who would like to learn about organic production.

Since the conference is held on the shores of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, it is appropriate that one of this year's Spanish-language workshops will offer advice on keeping irrigation water out of natural waterways. This session will be presented by water resource engineer Monica Barricarte and biologist Adriana Morales, both from the Cachuma Resource Conservation District in Santa Barbara County. The two women will suggest techniques to reduce water use and protect water quality. They will also talk about the careful use of fertilizers and compost in organic production.

Another workshop will include a panel on how to satisfy workers and create profitable farms. Speakers from the California Institute for Rural Studies will discuss their recent survey about workplace conditions. They will relate the experiences of farmers who create situations that are good for workers and good for the farm, too. Satisfied workers are more likely to stick with their employers year after year. And seasoned workers are a tremendous boon to a farm because they understand important aspects of the property's ecosystem. As an added incentive, farmers may be able to get higher prices through the "fair food" market.

A third Spanish-language session will address ways that farmers can profit from direct marketing techniques. When producers sell direct to consumers, the money goes right into the producer's pocket. This workshop will share ideas for selling to farmers' markets, roadside stands, and restaurants. Speakers will also discuss dealing with schools, hospitals, colleges, and cafeterias.

NCAT's ATTRA project has a new Spanish-language publication that provides tips on selling to local institutions. Designed like an easy-to-read graphic novel, Nuevos Mercados para Su Cosecha also lists groups across the country that help Hispanic producers arrange local sales. People who attend the direct marketing workshop will receive a copy of this new publication.

In addition to the Spanish-language series, NCAT technical specialist Karen Van Epen has organized workshops on traditional Native American land management and on new developments in farm-to-institution sales. To learn more about these sessions, contact her at karenv@ncat.org.

The Ecological Farming Conference takes place January 23–26, 2008, at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California. It is sponsored by the Ecological Farming Association, which presents many events to increase and enhance organic farming. For more information, including a conference agenda, go to www.eco-farm.org.

Food and Nutrition Focus of New Northeast Project

(11/29/07) A new project that involves NCAT's Northeast Office in Shavertown, Pennsylvania, will help residents of that area learn more about growing and preparing their own nutritious food.

In this project, NCAT will be collaborating with The Lands at Hillside Farms, the Commission on Economic Opportunity, and Maternal Family Health Services of Wilkes-Barre to educate low-income families in Northeast Pennsylvania on local food security issues. The project is intended to help families rely less on government-assisted food programs by teaching community groups and low-income families how to purchase, grow, and prepare sustainable and healthy meals.

Each of the partners has a specific role to play in the project. The Lands at Hillside Farm will provide hands-on training in gardening. Maternal Family Health Services will teach families about nutrition and buying choices. The Commission on Economic Opportunity will provide cooking classes and facilities. NCAT will provide one-on-one technical assistance in small-scale food production and home energy conservation In addition, NCAT will be developing a publication on food security, targeted to low-income families. The publication will cover such topics as buying habits, nutrition, home gardening, food preservation, and energy conservation. NCAT will also receive the rights to the project, and plans to look into implementing similar efforts in other locations throughout the country.

Funding for the project was awarded to project leader The Lands at Hillside Farms by the Blue Ribbon Foundation.

New Project to Improve Insurance for Farmers

(11/12/07) NCAT is pleased to announce that it has received a new $360,000 grant from the Risk Management Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. The grant will fund a three-year project to develop a risk management insurance tool to help farmers and ranchers nationwide to take advantage of a special whole-farm insurance product called Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite).

NCAT and Montana Tech of the University of Montana will work together to develop a user-friendly software tool to simplify access to this relatively new kind of insurance that protects the revenue of the farm or ranch rather than the specific commodities produced. The software tool will be built on the model of the popular software product for tax filing such as "Turbo-Tax."

"One exciting aspect of this project is that we are partnering with the Computer Science and Professional and Technical Communications (PTC) Departments of Montana Tech to assist in the project development," said Jeff Schahczenski, the NCAT project leader. Montana Tech's unique educational programs in Software Engineering, along with the PTC department’s emphasis on software usability testing, provide a perfect match for the project.

"One of the difficulties that prevents more farmers from using AGR-Lite is that it is more complicated than standard crop insurance products and many of the farmers and ranchers who could use the farm insurance product are often those with smaller and highly diversified farms who can not easily get all the records together to purchase the coverage," Schahczenski said. He continued, "This new whole-farm revenue insurance will especially serve the needs of beginning, socially-disadvantaged, specialty, organic and direct market farmers and ranchers. These are the famers and ranchers NCAT has served for over 30 years."

Further information on the project can be obtained by calling Jeff at 406-494-4572.

NCAT Specialists Complete New Parasite Control Publications

(11/1/07) NCAT Specialists Linda Coffey and Margo Hale are members of the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (SCSRPC). The SCSRPC works to research and develop new methods for sustainable parasite control in sheep and goats and to educate the small ruminant industry on those recommendations. The Consortium is made up of researchers and educators from USDA, 1862 and 1890-land grant universities, and Extension, primarily from the Southeast. Grant collaborations between NCAT and the SCSRPC have Coffey and Hale developing producer-friendly publications for the Consortium.

Internal parasite control is one of the biggest challenges sheep and goat producers face. Parasites are becoming increasingly resistant to available dewormers, leaving many producers with few options to manage parasites in their sheep and goats. Members of the SCSRPC have been researching parasite control techniques for many years, working to find solutions to the small ruminant industry’s biggest problem. Two promising techniques are the use of copper oxide wire particles and sericea lespedeza.

Coffey was the lead author on Tools for Managing Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants: Sericea Lespedeza and Hale was the lead author on Tools for Managing Internal Parasites in Small Ruminants: Copper Wire Particles. These publications give an overview of research trials and results, taking the Consortium’s research and putting it in a producer-friendly format. The publications also offer basic information on other sustainable parasite control methods as well as additional resources. Coffey and Hale will soon be working on two more publications for the series, addressing animal selection and pasture management as parasite control tools.

The new publications will soon be available online and in print through NCAT's ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service and the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control.

We Need Your Help!

(10/16/07) The ATTRA project, NCAT’s sustainable agriculture information service, is in a serious funding crunch. The project normally is funded by a federal grant from the US Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately, this year Congress has been delayed in passing its budget bills. This includes the Agriculture Appropriations bill which has provided funds for the ATTRA project. There is no funding in sight for this NCAT project until Congress completes its budget work.

The ATTRA project hosts the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website and its national toll free phone line provides thousands of farmers and agricultural organizations with information gathered and provided by seasoned sustainable agriculture project staff. Staff answer the phone and respond to questions directly, guide callers to relevant ATTRA publications, or provide written answers after thorough research. This service also provides more than 250 publications on sustainable agriculture topics which may be downloaded on the website. 670,000 publications were downloaded last year and 40,000 were mailed to our clients. In past years, our staff have also traveled across the country giving sustainable agriculture presentations and workshops to farmers, ranchers and farm groups.

We are unable to continue the program without additional funding. In the short term, we will only be answering the phones for four hours during the day – from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Central Time. Our specialists will not be able to answer any client questions which require research. We will not be able to write or update ATTRA publications. Our staff will not be speaking at any workshops or conferences. The ATTRA website will receive minimal updating. There will be no additions or updates made to any of our online databases. Our ATTRA newsletter has been suspended. NCAT will continue to e-mail its online newsletter, Weekly Harvest, to electronic subscribers.

If you would like to send in a donation via traditional mail, please address it to:
NCAT
c/o Marcia Brown
P.O. Box 3838
Butte, MT 59702

Many of our clients have asked: "How can we help?" In the past, we have not solicited donations from our users. However, in order to prevent laying off our experienced hardworking staff and significantly curtailing our services, we are asking our users for financial assistance. Please note the "contribute to NCAT" button on our home page. This button will lead you to a secure donation site where you can contribute to NCAT strictly for helping fund the ATTRA project. Please select "Help the ATTRA project" under donation type.

Your help and support during this difficult time is most appreciated. Your donations are tax deductible and we will send you a receipt—YOU can help us bridge this gap!

New Projects for Family Farmers Who Are Struggling with Energy Costs

(10/12/07) High energy costs are putting American agricultural producers at risk. Oil prices are near all-time highs, and between 2003 and 2005, overall fuel and fertilizer bills for U.S. agricultural producers rose by 47 percent.

Two new NCAT projects are underway for small, family-owned farms hit hard by rising energy costs. Funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency, the projects will focus on Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, and North and South Carolina.

A high percentage of farms in these states are dairies and small, family-owned operations that face special energy risks. To help them meet these challenges, NCAT will collaborate with Tuskegee University, Piedmont Biofuels, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, and The Lands at Hillside Farms. NCAT and its partners will conduct workshops and demonstrate energy-saving measures and energy alternatives. NCAT will also build the capacity of these partner organizations to conduct energy-related training for agricultural producers.

Small and family-owned farms often operate on slim profit margins and have meager cash reserves, limiting their ability to absorb energy-related cost increases. Dairies, more than almost any other agricultural operation, rely on electrical energy for milking, cooling and storing milk, heating water, and lighting.

As farmers look for innovative ways to reduce their fuel, fertilizer, and electric costs, they are wondering how they can take advantage of alternative energy sources. In some cases, farms may be able to generate their own energy, using wind turbines, solar panels, or anaerobic digesters. Diesel prices have now escalated to a point where biofuels are looking economically feasible, and a few farmers are experimenting with on-farm biodiesel and ethanol production.

Workshops, Demonstrations, and Tours
Because energy management is inevitably local and site-specific, face-to-face workshops and one-on-one technical assistance are at the heart of these projects.

NCAT engineers will visit Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama) and The Lands at Hillside Farms (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) to assess potential energy-saving improvements in existing farm operations at these locations. Incorporating lessons learned from these energy studies, NCAT staff will help conduct workshops for area farmers at both Tuskegee and Hillside Farms on the topic "Managing Farm Energy Risks."

The NCAT workshops will focus on (1) understanding your energy consumption and costs, (2) reducing your energy consumption and costs and (3) capturing all the energy resources available at your farm, including wind, solar, and biofuels. Workshops will cover energy audits, online energy calculators and other do-it-yourself tools, accessing incentive programs, and wind, solar, and biofuels opportunities.

In addition to these NCAT workshops, Piedmont Biofuels will conduct at least 20 on-farm biodiesel demonstration workshops at farms and agricultural events throughout the eastern U.S. The Center for Environmental Farming Systems will include energy demonstrations and education in tours at Cherry Research Farm and will host a "Fueling the Farm" workshop next summer. All of these events will be free and open to the public. The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association will offer an energy risk management workshop to farmers and agricultural educators.

NCAT and Piedmont staff will upgrade Piedmont's trailer-mounted biodiesel demonstration unit to include a demonstration oilseed crusher and other equipment. These improvements will allow farmers to see and understand the entire sequence from growing oilseed crops, to crushing the seeds, to creating the chemical reaction that turns the oil into biodiesel fuel.

Key project members are NCAT Specialists Mike Morris, Dave Ryan, P.E., Andy Pressman, and the manager of NCAT's Energy Program, Dale Horton. To learn more about these projects, contact Mike Morris, mikem@ncat.org.

Oilseeds Workshop Set for Northwest Montana

(9/28/07) Montana farmers interested in how to produce and use biodiesel or how to raise oilseed crops can learn more about these topics at an upcoming oilseeds and biodiesel workshop.

The Oilseeds for the Future workshop will take place on October 30th starting at 8:00 am at the KwaTakNuk Best Western Motel in Polson, Montana. The second day of the workshop will be held at the Salish Kootenai College in nearby Pablo. On-site registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. The cost for the workshop is $30 per participant for the two-day workshop, $20 to attend one day.

Pre-registration is encouraged. The deadline to pre-register is October 26th. For more information, or to register for this event, contact NCAT at 1-800-275-6228 or e-mail Jody Krzan at jodyk@ncat.org.

People who attend this workshop will learn more about:

Oilseed crops that can be used for a range of products (such as lubricants, culinary oils or biodiesel)
On-farm production and/or personal use of biodiesel and its co-products
Markets and buyers' expectations for oilseed crops
Permitting and taxation issues for biodiesel production
Business models for biodiesel production

Topics that will be covered include the economics of oilseed production, crushing and processing; biodiesel quality issues; small scale and commercial biodiesel production and market trends in oilseeds and co-products. Speakers include Dr. Jon Van Gerpen of the National Biodiesel Education Program at the University of Idaho, along with Montana scientists, farmers and businesses experienced in oilseed and biodiesel production and processing.

The workshops' sponsors include the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), MSU-Extension and Salish Kootenai College, Mission Mountain Market, Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Department of Agriculture, National Biodiesel Education Program, Alternative Energy Resources Organization, Montana Farmers Union, Montana Grain Growers Association and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Grow Montana Coalition Receives National Award

(9/24/07) NCAT is pleased to announce that its Grow Montana project has been selected as the winner of the 2007 Glynwood Good Neighbor Harvest Award by the Glynwood Center in Cold Spring, New York. The award will be given to representatives of Grow Montana at a ceremony in New York City next month.

Grow Montana is a broad-based coalition that promotes Montana-owned food production, processing, and distribution as a sustainable economic development strategy for the state.

“As Montana food and agricultural producers increase their capacity to meet more of the state’s food needs, the value that’s added to our farm and ranch products increasingly stays in the pockets of Montanans. At the same time, healthy, Montana-produced food becomes more available to all our citizens and the miles our food travels is substantially reduced,” according to Nancy Matheson, director of Grow Montana for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in Butte, which administers the program.

By forging a coalition among many diverse groups and people, Grow Montana has helped catalyze significant change in only two and a half years, including:

conducting nationally recognized research on Montana agriculture’s potential to meet more of the state’s food needs;
working with Governor Schweitzer’s administration to host a statewide summit on food and agriculture;
increasing Montana food producers’ access to the state’s wholesale food markets by updating the state’s procurement and meat inspection laws; and
launching the nation’s first Food Corps, a team of full-time AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers creating “farm-to-cafeteria” programs in public educational institutions across the state.

The Harvest Awards were created by Glynwood Center in 2003 to highlight the creative work by individuals and organizations from across the country that do an exceptional job of supporting local and regional agriculture and increase access to fresh, healthy food.

Past winners have included Niman Ranch for its success in nurturing and marketing a national network of family-scale meat producers; the executive director of Farm Aid; the Culinary Institute of America, and large corporate organizations like Kaiser Permanente, for its program to increase access to healthier food for patients, employees and visitors at its health care facilities.

“It is a testament to the growth of the sustainable agriculture movement that Glynwood Center received over 60 nominations from more than 20 states to consider for our fifth annual Harvest Awards,” said Judith LaBelle, president of Glynwood Center .

Glynwood Center, a not-for-profit organization whose mission to support community stewardship is advanced through educational and community-based agricultural initiatives, will honor the winners of its 2007 Harvest Awards with a ceremony at the Beacon Restaurant in New York City on October 22.

Grow Montana is led by NCAT program specialist Nancy Matheson and coordinator Crissie McMullan. In addition to NCAT, steering committee members include AERO, Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center, Montana Farmers Union, Stranie Ventures, LLC, the University of Montana, UM Farm to College Program, Artemis Common Ground, and Dawson County Farm to Table. Allies include many other organizations, agencies and businesses.

For more information about Grow Montana visit www.growmontana.ncat.org; for more information about the Glynwood Center and the Harvest Awards visit www.glynwood.org.

NCAT Participates in Wal-Mart Sustainability Meeting

(9/17/07) The University of Arkansas’ Applied Sustainability Center (ASC) is working with Wal-Mart Stores on a Carbon Innovation Project. The goal of the project is to reduce the amount of carbon in Wal-Mart’s products and supply chain, including packaging and transport. ASC and Wal-Mart recently hosted a day-long meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas to discuss ways to reduce the carbon footprint of Wal-Mart and its products. Meeting participants included suppliers, other retailers, NGOs, Academics, industry experts, and government representatives. NCAT was invited to participate in the meeting. NCAT Specialists Alice Beetz, Anne Fanatico, and Margo Hale attended the meeting and took part in the discussion.

Fanatico and Hale participated in breakout sessions where groups discussed challenges and possible solutions/recommendations for various topics related to reducing carbon in the supply chain. Session topics included measuring emissions related to commodities (which included milk and other agricultural products); achieving energy efficiency; calculating embodied carbon in packaging; and raising consumer awareness and changing consumer behavior.

Hale and Beetz also participated in a case study exercise. Nancy Hirshberg, VP of Natural Resources for Stonyfield Farm presented an analysis of Stonyfield’s energy usage. Groups then discussed ways to reduce energy and become more sustainable in dairy/yogurt production. Hirshberg then shared what Stonyfield has done and is doing to reduce energy use, help the environment, and become more sustainable. Other case study groups looked at ways to become more sustainable in pet food and DVD production.

Wal-Mart’s goal is to have suppliers report their carbon usage through the Carbon Disclosure Project and then work to reduce the amount of energy they use. Wal-Mart is also developing a scorecard for suppliers to use to determine their carbon footprint. The common sentiment at the meeting was that this makes sense. Businesses will save money and help the environment by becoming more energy efficient.

For more information, see the Wal-Mart Sustainability 360 website and the Applied Sustainability Center’s page. NCAT looks forward to working with the U of A’s Applied Sustainability Center on their upcoming Food and Agriculture Project.

Sharing Montana's Bounty: A Celebration of the Farmers' Market EBT Project

(9/11/07) On Saturday, September 8, four farmers' markets within Montana celebrated a new way of sharing the bounty. The Helena, Missoula and Gallatin Valley farmers' markets were celebrating the hard work of becoming authorized to accept food stamp Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards.

The kick-off celebrations included raffles of local crafts and foods, door prizes, cooking demonstrations, music and numerous kids’ activities. “The event seemed quite successful” commented Bonnie Buckingham, one of the event organizers from Missoula. “The EBT booth was significantly busier than previous weeks.” And why wouldn’t they be: there were activities for the whole family, including face painting, food bingo, and apple bobbing for the kids. For the adults there were live music and a raffle of local foods and a 3-speed “cruiser” bike in Bozeman.

Gallatin Valley Farmers' Market raffled a cruiser bicycle to
celebrate the launch of its EBT card program.

While the transition from food stamps to EBT cards has somewhat reduced the stigma associated with using food stamps, it has made it more difficult for farmers' markets and other smaller retailers to accept the EBT cards. Farmers' markets are often in locations, such as city streets and parks, which have no phone lines or Point of Service device to swipe the EBT cards. The four pilot farmers' markets within Montana have worked hard to become authorized to accept food stamps, set up their swipe machines and publicize this opportunity to food stamp EBT recipients within their communities.

The Missoula markets have been using the swipe machines since July, but this past weekend marked the initial usage of the swipe machines in the Bozeman and Helena markets. Kristi Wetsch, the Gallatin Valley Farmers Market manager, was thrilled with the EBT usage on Saturday. At the Helena Market, the customers were very enthusiastic about being able to use their EBT card as well as debit and credit cards.

The EBT token purchase table at the
Gallatin Valley Farmers' Market.

The Farmers' Market electronic swipe project has been funded by The Montana State Department of Health and Human Services. The National Center for Appropriate Technology, in partnership with the Alternative Energy Resources Organization, is administering this pilot program.

For more information about the kick-off celebrations or the Farmers Market EBT Project contact: Tammy Hinman, Project Manager, at 406-494-8683 or tammyh@ncat.org

Sustainable American Cotton Project

(9/4/07) NCAT is helping cotton farmers in the South learn new techniques to decrease pesticide use. Recently NCAT agriculture specialist Rex Dufour brought researchers and a cotton farmer from Georgia and Arizona to California to see how some producers are managing agricultural pests.

The tour was part of NCAT’s Sustainable American Cotton Project, funded by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. The project expands on the work of the Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP), managed by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. SCP has helped California cotton farmers reduce pesticide applications using ecological pest management.

Left to right, California cotton farmers Gary and Mari Martin explain their habitat planting and cotton production to Dr. Glynn Tillman, USDA ARS; Luis Gallegos, CAFF cotton field scout; Marcia Gibbs, Sustainable Cotton Project director; John Morgan, Georgia cotton grower; and Eric Norton, Arizona extension agent.

Farmers usually place great importance on the success of their peers when considering new growing strategies. So tours such as this can have widespread effects. The group visited some California operations where farmers are experimenting with habitat plantings in or near their cotton fields.

The habitat plantings may be rows of vegetables or field crops. The idea is to provide a place for beneficial insects to thrive, so they can prey on and help control insect pests in cotton fields. The plantings supply a constant source of nectar, food, and shelter for the beneficial insects.

Habitat planting of a row of corn, a row of sorghum, and a row of mustard provides food and shelter for beneficial insects. Planted along the edge of the field, these rows also protect the cotton crop from roadside dust that exacerbates mites, a major pest of cotton.

Depending on what’s planted, the habitat can do double duty as a trap crop for pests as well. Sorghum plantings in Georgia are attractive to stinkbugs migrating from peanut fields to cotton fields. Some California cotton farmers plant alfalfa as a trap crop for lygus bugs, an important cotton pest. The lygus prefers alfalfa over cotton. Rather than mowing all the alfalfa at once, the farmers alternately mow half of the alfalfa habitat, so that there is always fresh young alfalfa to retain the lygus populations.

Trap crop of several rows of alfalfa planted in a cotton field to attract pests away from the crop. The rows are mowed in alternate sections for a constant supply of fresh young leaves, which are very attractive to lygus bugs. This management technique also assures that there is continuous habitat for beneficial insects that prey on pests.

NCAT’s role in this project is to facilitate the exchange of these cotton pest management ideas between California, Georgia, and Arizona. Researcher Glynn Tillman, of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, works with Georgia farmers. Arizona extension agent Eric Norton is working with Arizona farmers on this project.

For more information, please contact Rex Dufour, 406-533-6650, rexd@ncat.org. Or see www.sustainablecotton.org, the website of the Community Alliance with Family Farmers' Sustainable Cotton Project.

South Dakota Climate Challenge Conference Planned

(8/27/07) NCAT is one of the sponsors for the South Dakota Climate Challenge Conference, Strategies for the Future, set for September 28-30 in Sioux Falls. The conference will implement a progressive, proactive approach to address the growing global climate challenge, and specifically its effects on South Dakotans from all walks of life.

The conference organizers and co-sponsors anticipate that the conference will be a useful forum for expanding information on the problems posed to South Dakota's economy and culture by climate change, and anticipate the conference will be a useful forum for developing practical approaches for both addressing the threats and for exploiting the opportunities within South Dakota posed by climate change.

This conference is being organized by the South Dakota Wildlife Federation with assistance from the National Wildlife Federation. It will follow the format of the successful Montana Climate Challenge conference held last September, which NCAT also co-sponsored and helped organize. Under the guidance of experts from agriculture, industry, tribes, economics, recreation and conservation, conference participants will use information exchange and interactive breakout sessions to produce a working strategy for South Dakota. The recommendations derived during the conference will be useful tools for South Dakota politicians and decision makers who will have to draft policies to address climate change issues.

The Saturday morning and afternoon conference sessions will present information concerning the challenges South Dakotans will face from climate change. Late Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning, conference participants will work on developing a "South Dakota Climate Challenge Document" via facilitated break-out sessions in specific topic areas (Agriculture, Energy, Fish/Wildlife, Recreation/Tourism/Lifestyles and Tribal Initiatives). Late Sunday morning the break-out sessions will report and the document will be finalized.

Pre-registration for the conference at the rate of $15 may be conducted online until September 19. Late registration of $20 will be available at the door on September 28. Details on the conference, as well as carpooling opportunities, are posted at the conference website.

NCAT Represented at Northeast Organic Farming Association Conference

(8/20/07) NCAT Specialist Andy Pressman recently attended the 33rd Annual Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Summer Conference held in Amherst, Massachusetts. The conference hosted over 200 workshops, presentations, demonstrations, and activities for the more than 1,200 attendees.

Pressman was representing NCAT through its USDA RMA grant, "Managing Farm Energy Risks". NCAT has been collaborating with the New England Small Farm Institute (NESFI) on this project. Pressman monitored the project booth, which provided information on federal and state tax incentives for implementing alternative energy, information on how to use energy calculators, and additional information about the project. The project display asked the question, "When it comes to energy what does "sustainability" require of our farms?" This served as way to get producers and consumers discussing farm energy. Farm energy information, CDs, and publications from NCAT's ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service project were also distributed from the booth.

Pressman also served as the moderator of a "community meeting" to discuss farm energy. This meeting featured brief presentations by Vern Grubinger (Vermont Extension and Northeast Director of Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education), Matt Harbor (Professor of Agronomy at Alfred State College), Judy Gillan (Director of NESFI), and Pressman, followed by a group discussion. The group had a good discussion, with lots of opinions voiced, but no one answer was formed. The consensus was that the answer to sustainability of farm energy lies between policy and local food systems.

For more information on farm energy refer to ATTRA's Farm Energy Web page.

Biodiesel Production Demystified

(8/15/07) One of this year's buzz words is biodiesel. As pressure mounts to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, many farmers have planted oilseed crops to be used for biodiesel, a domestic petroleum replacement. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of this renewable fuel?

NCAT now provides an illustrated, easy-to-understand online guide for farmers and others who would like to learn more. "Biodiesel Production for On-Farm Use: A Curriculum for Agricultural Producers" was developed for NCAT by Piedmont Biofuels of North Carolina. This virtual quick course can be found online at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/biodiesel_on_farm.pdf.

Biodiesel is a permanently thinned vegetable oil that can be used as a fuel in diesel engines. It can be made from many different oil seeds, waste oils, and animal fats. Relatively safe, with a flashpoint of 300°, biodiesel can be blended in any proportion with petroleum diesel fuel. Nontoxic and biodegradable, it reduces the harmful emissions of fuels.

A wide range of feedstocks can be used to manufacture biodiesel, including sunflower seeds, peanuts, canola, camelina, safflower, soybeans, corn, and cottonseed. NCAT's online presentation gives information about the various feedstocks and the crushing and pressing process. The guide includes case studies of some farms and other commercial operations—such as the NC Zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina—that make and use biodiesel to power their vehicles and equipment.

NCAT's ATTRA project website offers an extensive line-up of information about farm energy topics at http://attra.ncat.org/energy.php. The biodiesel section, http://attra.ncat.org/farm_energy/biodiesel.html, links to dozens of active projects and groups working on various aspects of this versatile, clean-burning fuel. The ATTRA Farm Energy website also provides a unique online search tool that makes it easy to find energy-related equipment, funding, and technical assistance in all over the country: http://attra.ncat.org/farm_energy/farm_energy_main.php.

The new biodiesel curriculum was prepared by Piedmont Biofuels for the National Center for Appropriate Technology, with funding and cooperation from the USDA Risk Management Agency.

The online biodiesel guide is in PDF format. For a Powerpoint version suitable for presentation to groups, please contact NCAT Agriculture Specialist Andy Pressman, andyp@ncat.org, 570-696-6786.

SustainabilityFEST to Offer Education and Entertainment

(8/9/07) NCAT will offer an exciting mix of entertainment and educational opportunities to its regional Montana community at the 2007 SustainabilityFEST on August 18. NCAT welcomes the public to attend the free event, and has arranged a lineup of workshops, presentations, exhibits and entertainment designed for the entire family.

SustainabilityFEST will take place at the NCAT headquarters building at 3040 Continental Drive in Butte, Montana, from 10 am to 6 pm. Visitors will be able to view a variety of exhibits and demonstrations during the day, as well as purchase food and products from on-site vendors. Presentations on sustainability on the farm and in the community are scheduled throughout the day. Topics include energy crops, local foods, energy self-reliance, and low-water landscaping. A complete schedule of speakers and demonstrations, as well as a list of vendors and exhibitors, is available online at www.sustainablemontana.org. Performers will also be on hand to provide musical entertainment for the SustainabilityFEST audience.

Kids will be able to participate in numerous activities over the course of the day, including four different arts and crafts projects utilizing recycled materials. Clark Fork Watershed Education Program Science Projects will also be offered, with three different workshop topics for kids each presented multiple times. Face painting, solar beading, and a jumping castle will be available for kids all day long. A full printable schedule of activities for kids is available online at www.sustainablemontana.org/kids.html.

In conjunction with the SustainabilityFEST, NCAT will co-sponsor a Second Annual Electronic Equipment Recycling event for the Butte community on August 15. The public will be able to bring numerous types of unwanted or outdated electronic equipment to the Butte Civic Center and pay a nominal fee to have the equipment safely recycled. A list of the types of equipment that will be accepted, and the fees charged for each type, is posted online at www.sustainablemontana.org/recycling.html.

Farm Energy Community Meeting Planned

(7/31/07) Rising energy costs and changing energy markets are presenting both challenges and opportunities to farmers worldwide. An NCAT project on Managing Farm Energy Risk s is helping farmers—particularly those in the Northeastern United States—find the information and resources they need to pursue viable and sustainable farming given a changing energy situation.

As part of the Managing Farm Energy Risks project, funded by USDA Risk Management Agency, NCAT and the New England Small Farm Institute will host a Community Meeting from 3 pm to 5 pm on August 11. The meeting will take place during the annual summer conference of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, to be held August 10-12 in Amherst, Massachusetts. The Community Meeting is titled “Sustainable Agriculture: What’s Energy Got To Do With It?”, and will include a panel discussion. Vern Grubinger, Director of the Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture in the Northeast, will serve as one of the panelists. The meeting is open to NOFA conference participants and the audience is welcome to ask the panel questions related to the topic.

NCAT will also be hosting a project booth at the conference, offering publications, CD ROMs and information on on-farm energy production, renewable energy, and energy conservation. There will also be a hands-on opportunity to learn about using farm-energy calculators for tillage, irrigation, fertilizers, and animal housing.

More information on the NOFA Summer Conference is available online. For details on NCAT’s Community Meeting, contact Andy Pressman, andyp@ncat.org.

Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development and NCAT Receive Iowa West Foundation Grant

( 7/24/07) The Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development (www.wallacefdn.org ) and NCAT recently received a $20,000 grant from the Iowa West Foundation (www.iowawestfoundation.org ). The grant will be used for strategic planning for growing a regional food system. Specifically, the funds will be used to support a local food system coordinator in Southwest Iowa. The Wallace Foundation will subcontract NCAT Specialist Holly Born to coordinate the strategic planning and related food system efforts underway in the Southwest Iowa Food and Farm Initiative. The grant will also support work on the development of the Food Atlas for Pottawattomie County, as well as investigating opportunities for a local foods distribution and light processing facility.

Since the opening of NCAT's Iowa office last year, Born has been working on local food issues in Southwestern Iowa. For example, NCAT has been collaborating with the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market in Sioux City to investigate opportunities for local foods distribution in Western Iowa. Born has also been working with a local foods group, the Cultivators (www.wallacefdn.org/CommunityFoodSystems.htm). This grant will provide the opportunity for Born to serve as the dedicated coordinator of the local foods work the Cultivators are doing. The hope is the local foods work will serve as an economic driver in Southwest Iowa.

NCAT’s work with local food systems directly serves its mission to help people by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources. For more information on these projects contact NCAT Specialist Holly Born at hollyb at ncat dot org.

Three Farmers Markets Selected for the Electronic Card Food Stamp Project

(7/16/07) People with Food Stamps will soon be buying fresh local foods at farmers markets in Helena, Missoula and Bozeman. This is happening thanks to a three year pilot project called the Montana Electronic Benefits Transfers (EBT) Food Stamp program. It will allow Food Stamp recipients to use their EBT cards at the Gallatin Valley Farmers Market, the Helena Farmers Market and both Missoula Farmers Markets.

If successful, the EBT program likely will be extended to other farmers markets across the state, providing Food Stamp recipients broader access to fresh healthy foods, while expanding markets for Montana producers and processors.

The Montana Department of Health and Human Services is funding the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in partnership with the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) to implement this program in Montana.

The three markets were selected because of their demonstrated longevity, their ability to administer this new program and to involve broad-based community support teams in promoting it. Personal contacts with EBT recipients and a focused education and outreach program are key parts of the project. The markets will work closely with local Food Banks and Food Stamp offices, senior centers, market vendors, consumers and other community members. The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition will also be involved with the Missoula Farmers markets.

The Gallatin Valley Farmers Market was established in 1971 and features about 200 vendors, drawing more than 5,000 people to the Saturday market at the Haynes Pavilion in the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in Bozeman.

The Helena Farmers¹ Market, in its 34th year of continuous operation, is held each Saturday along the 500 block of Fuller Ave in downtown Helena. Nearly 2,000 people attend the Market during the peak season, purchasing local foods and other items from some three dozen vendors.

In Missoula, consumers can visit two farmers markets. The original Missoula Farmers Market is held Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings at the Depot on North Higgins, and has been in operation since 1972 with upwards of150 vendors. The new Clark Fork River Market, now in its third year, is held under the Higgins St. Bridge on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, and features 30 vendors of mostly local foods. Together these two markets attract thousands of customers weekly.

Many vendors at these markets already accept Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutritional coupons, as well as Senior Coupons. They have found that these coupons boost their sales, while providing participants good, healthy, low cost food.

Projects like this have been successful in other states, including Oregon, California, and Hawaii.

New Spanish-Language Series from NCAT's ATTRA Project

(7/12/07) According to the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture, the numbers of Latino farmers increased sharply in every state during the last decade. These farmers often want to learn about sustainable and organic agriculture practices, but find very little Spanish-language information on these topics.

One rich source of knowledge for these farmers is the Spanish version of NCAT's ATTRA web page, www.attra.ncat.org/espanol. In July NCAT is expanding their offerings with the release of several new publications. Most of these are available in HTML and PDF format. They can be downloaded free of charge. Farmers can also request a free printed copy.

The first of the new publications is Suelos: El Manejo Sostenible, a translation of ATTRA's Sustainable Soil Management with some informative new graphics. This practical guide to soil building and conservation puts strong emphasis on protecting the living organisms within the soil. Drawings by James Nardi, research scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, depict some of the amazing diversity of soil life forms.

Another new ATTRA publication is Fresas: Producción Orgánica (Strawberries: Organic Production.) Following the advice in this bulletin, farmers will learn how to supply the booming local market for berries. Authors Martin Guerena and Holly Born explain how to produce and market the lucrative early and late berry crops. They discuss various planting systems, and ways to manage diseases, insect pests, and weeds while reducing the use of toxic chemicals.

Poultry Production
Eggs and poultry meat are reliable sellers for many small farmers. Now consumer demand is growing rapidly for organic meat and eggs. Producers will welcome two new publications about sustainable poultry production by NCAT Specialist Anne Fanatico. These are available in separate English and Spanish editions.

Alternative Poultry Production Systems and Outdoor Access (Sistemas Avícolas Alternativos con Acceso a Pastura) describes and compares the various free-range systems for raising poultry. Poultry House Management for Alternative Production (El Manejo de Gallineros para la Producción Alternativa) discusses the many kinds of poultry housing and how to use them to best advantage.

Pictorial Narratives
Also in the works are two exciting new pictorial narratives illustrated by artist Robert Armstrong. Nuevos Mercados para Su Cosecha (New Markets for Your Crops) encourages farmers to consider marketing their produce to local institutions such as hospitals, college food services, business cafeterias, schools, and jails. The publication includes a list of nonprofit groups across the country who help Hispanic farmers with such ventures. Produced in collaboration with the Community Food Security Coalition, this guide will be published in English and perhaps other languages as well.

The other new pictorial narrative launches a series. Las Crónicas Orgánicas No. 1 (The Organic Chronicles, Number 1) is a brief and lively introduction to organic production. In it a farmer is given a bug's eye view of life within the soil. He learns about the rapidly growing organic market and begins to understand the importance of promoting beneficial organisms both above and below ground. ATTRA staff is planning to add issues on soil conservation, pest management, and specific production topics.

The translation and production of many of these new publications were partially funded by the USDA's CSREES/OASDFR program (Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service/ Outreach to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers). A team led by NCAT Agriculture Specialist Martin Guerena translated the ATTRA publications. For more information, contact NCAT Agriculture Specialist Rex Dufour, rexd@ncat.org, 406-533-6650.

ATTRA'S SPANISH PUBLICATIONS

Crop Production and Marketing
• COMING SOON! Suelos: El Manejo Sostenible
• NEW! Fresas: Producción Orgánica
• COMING SOON! Nuevos MercadoS para Su Cosecha
• Producción Orgánica de Lechugas de Especialidad y Verduras Para Ensalada

Poultry
• NEW! Sistemas Avícolas Alternativos con Acceso a Pastura
• NEW! El Manejo de Gallineros para la Producción Alternativa

Organic Certification
• COMING SOON! Las Crónicas Orgánicas No. 1
• La Certificación para Granjas Orgánicas y el Programa Orgánico Nacional
• Cómo Prepararse para la Inspección Orgánica
• El Proceso de Certificación Orgánica

Pest Management
• Los Escarabajos del Pepino: Manejo Integrado de Plagas-MIP Orgánico y Bioracional
• Guía de Campo Sobre el Manejo Integrado de Plagas Orgánico (Web or CD only)
1. Los Insectos Benéficos, Plagas y Hábitat para los Benéficos
2. El Manejo de Enfermedades de Planta
3. El Manejo de Malezas
4. El Manejo de Plagas de Vertebrados

SustainabilityFEST Set for August 18

(6/26/07) NCAT will hold its second annual SustainabilityFEST on August 18, 2007, from 10 am until 6 pm, on the grounds of its Butte headquarters building. NCAT's SustainabilityFEST features presentations, exhibits, products, and activities that highlight sustainability for homes, farms, and communities across the region. The event is free and open to the public, and it offers activities for the entire family.

NCAT's 2006 SustainabiltyFEST drew hundreds of visitors, who viewed demonstrations of biodiesel preparation and glass recycling, and attended presentations on topics such as composting, organic gardening, renewable energy, and affordable green building. Kids constructed solar ovens, made recycled glass art projects, and built and raced solar cars. The event also featured a wide variety of live entertainment, and food and product vendors. The 2007 event promises more fun and educational events.

Two speaker tracks have been announced for this year: Sustainability on the Farm, and Sustainability in Your Home and Community. A schedule with speakers, presentation titles, and times is available at the SustainabilityFEST website, at www.sustainablemontana.org. Additional information on vendors and exhibits, kids' activities and the entertainment schedule will be posted as it becomes available.

An application for vendors and exhibitors is also available online for download [PDF / 370KB]. Exhibitors registering before July 15th receive 50 percent off of the exhibitor fee.

NCAT invites members of the Butte community and the wider region to attend this fun and exciting event.

NCAT's Fayetteville Office Welcomes Summer Intern

(6/19/07) NCAT has a long tradition of hiring interns, providing students with valuable work experience. NCAT actively seeks interns each summer, and has a long-standing relationship with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, an 1890 Land Grant College, that helps match students with internship opportunities. A special NCAT program has aided some minority interns with housing and living expenses, in order to make it possible for them to work at an NCAT office. This summer NCAT is hosting an intern in the Fayetteville, Arkansas, office.

Margaret Smith

Margaret Smith is in Fayetteville working on sustainable agriculture projects. She will primarily be working with NCAT Specialists on the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service project. Throughout the summer Smith will learn the basic tasks of NCAT Specialists including technical casework, staffing telephone help lines, developing and producing publications, and other administrative tasks. She will also participate in several farm tours. Smith is a Senior majoring in Agricultural Economics at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. She has worked for Tyson Foods for the past 11 years. She has also had an internship with Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and completed a special year-long program with Arkansas NRCS.

NCAT has hosted many undergraduate and graduate interns during past years. Many have extended their original internships, and several have even become NCAT employees. All have gained valuable experience on diverse projects in a workplace environment.

NCAT Opens Gulf States Office

(6/13/07) NCAT has opened a new regional office in Hammond, Louisiana. The Gulf States office is located on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University. It joins a network of NCAT regional offices in Montana, Arkansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and California.

NCAT has been especially active in the Gulf States region during the past year and a half, aiding in a variety of hurricane recovery and relief efforts. In the summer of 2006, NCAT and project partners received funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for a multi-year project focusing on training fruit and vegetable producers, supporting farmers markets, and building capacity in partners and the agricultural communities in southern Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. This project based in the new Gulf States office, under the guidance of office director Nana Mejia, helps to rebuild the local food systems in the region.

The training component of the project is the Growing Farmers–Small Farm Initiative. It involves helping farmers to diversify their crops, extend their seasons, become vendors at local farmers markets, and diversify their marketing plans in order to manage some of the risks involved in farming. A three-part workshop was held during summer 2006 to provide this training in cooperation with project partners. NCAT played a key role in organizing and instructing the workshop. Topics covered included: farmers market rules and regulations, direct marketing, food safety, becoming a vendor at farmers markets, value-added food products, farmers market nutrition programs, and production of small fruits, vegetables, herbs and tree fruits.

The workshop was well received, and one NCAT presenter noted that participants seemed eager to get started raising market crops and generating farm income using methods and strategies learned during the session.

Another round of workshops took place in winter 2007 using the same curriculum in the Jackson, Mississippi, area. Funded by a grant from USDA, these workshops support producers in central Mississippi and the new Mississippi Farmers Market. Additional workshops are scheduled to take place in the winter of 2007-2008, in Alabama and Louisiana.

A corresponding workshop and follow up training for farmers market managers were held in Mississippi in July 2006 and March 2007, respectively, in cooperation with marketumbrella.org and the Crescent City Farmers Market. NCAT's Gulf States office is helping to coordinate the next round of market manager workshops, which will take place in 2008, in Alabama and Louisiana. In addition to the workshops, NCAT and a number of local partners are planning a farm and market tour near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on June 27.

NCAT's Gulf States office is also involved in a number of other regional food system activities. In many of these efforts, NCAT is working with other regional W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant recipients.

"Fueling the Farm" Workshop Announced

(6/06/07) With oil prices near all-time highs, farms are seeing price increases for shipping, storage, and processing, along with higher costs for nitrogen fertilizer - made from natural gas - and propane.

As farms are looking for innovative ways to cope with high and fluctuating energy costs and reduce their fuel, fertilizer, and electric bills, they are also wondering if they may be able to generate some of their own power, using wind turbines, solar panels, anaerobic digesters, or biodiesel.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) are pleased to announce "Fueling the Farm: Managing Energy Risks, Reducing Energy Costs, and Exploring Alternative Energy Sources" This day-long workshop will take place July 12 at CEFS, a 2,000-acre research, extension, and education facility near Goldsboro, North Carolina.

Besides offering an overview of current and future energy use in agriculture, the workshop will show producers how to evaluate their energy saving options and how to finance and build renewable energy projects. Participants will tour energy-saving projects on site, and breakout sessions will cover several forms of renewable energy, as well as state and federal grant and loan opportunities. Hands-on demonstrations will be emphasized. Participants will have the opportunity to help build a small-scale biodiesel reactor, from parts that can be purchased for around $300.

Simon Rich will give the keynote address. Mr. Rich is an Eastern North Carolina farmer, an instructor in the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University, and former Chairman and CEO of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas - a corporation that has held a global position in all areas of energy and agriculture, including production, processing and marketing.

Funding for this workshop is provided by the USDA Risk Management Agency, through a cooperative partnership with NCAT titled "Managing Farm Energy Risks."

Registration is required. To learn more about the workshop or to register, visit the CEFS website, www.cefs.ncsu.edu.

NCAT Announces Search Tool for Farm Energy Resources

(6/04/07) Over the past year, the nation has seen an explosion of interest in biofuels and other energy opportunities for agriculture. In response, the National Center for Appropriate Technology has created a handy search tool for farmers and ranchers. Agricultural producers who are interested in funding and building renewable energy projects, reducing energy costs, and becoming more energy self-sufficient will find resources at: www.attra.ncat.org/farmenergysearchtool/.

NCAT created this search tool with the practical needs of producers in mind. Partnering with about a dozen leading renewable energy trade organizations and agencies, NCAT has gathered up-to-date listings in all major energy-related topic areas.

Producers can quickly locate technical and financial resources in their own state, using clickable maps and a few simple drop-down menus. The search tool includes information about anaerobic digesters, biodiesel, ethanol, wind, solar, conserving fuel and electricity, and financial assistance. A search of these categories across the country or in a particular state shows installers, developers, designers, consultants, and companies that offer equipment and technical assistance.

Farmers and ranchers will be especially interested in where to find supplies and technical assistance for implementing money-saving renewable energy projects on their land.

Thinking about putting photovoltaic panels on your New England barn roof? NCAT's search tool will lead you to many resources, including the Maine Solar House, www.solarhouse.com/index2.htm. There you can see performance data, including exactly how many kilowatt hours of electricity were generated monthly last year by the house's 16 four-foot by six-foot panels.

Curious about methane digester options for your Minnesota dairy? Using NCAT's search tool, you'll find IEC, Inc. in Minneapolis, www.ieccovers.com. The company has been manufacturing gas collection covers for ponds and tanks since 1993.

Trying to calculate tax incentives and exemptions for a wind energy project in Texas? NCAT's search tool will point you to www.infinitepower.org/incentives.htm, which provides information about many different state and national assistance programs.

Energy-related businesses, agencies, and nonprofit organizations serving agriculture are encouraged to submit their own listings, using the simple form available at the site.

There is no cost to use the search tool or to list a business or resource. Funding is provided by the USDA Risk Management Agency, through a project called "Building Farm Energy Self-Sufficiency."

This is the latest energy-related tool available from NCAT's ATTRA-the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. To explore an extensive collection of tools, publications, and links, visit www.attra.ncat.org and click on "Farm Energy."

For more information, contact Holly Hill, 406-494-8652 or hollyh at ncat.org.

NCAT's ATTRA Project Turns 20!

(6/01/07) June 1, 2007 marks the 20th anniversary of NCAT's ATTRA project. In 1987 Congress first approved the project's funding through the USDA. ATTRA-the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service-serves farmers, ranchers, and others who are interested in reducing farm chemical use; conserving soil, water and energy; or diversifying their agriculture enterprises and markets.

ATTRA is the only U.S. program to provide one-on-one technical assistance in sustainable agriculture and marketing to all 50 states. In the last year alone, NCAT's ATTRA staff wrote 20 new publications and responded to over 37,000 requests for information. During that time, the project website www.attra.ncat.org had more than 2.5 million unique visitors. NCAT is recognized as a leader in sustainable agriculture, with requests for staff to present information at dozens of conferences each year.

During the past 20 years, ATTRA has adjusted and expanded its services to meet the demands of the users. Five years ago a Spanish-language component was added, making it easier for diverse farmers to get the information they need. Over the last year, NCAT has leveraged ATTRA's expertise to help Gulf Coast farmers rebuild farms and farmers' markets devastated by 2005 hurricanes.

ATTRA agriculture specialists answer a toll-free telephone line-800-346-9140-12 hours daily. They respond to farmers' and ranchers' questions by doing research or by sending out some of the more than 300 publications written by staff on subjects ranging from marketing to greenhouses, livestock, irrigation, and organic farming. All the publications can be downloaded online for free.

The website offers other services as well. The farm energy page, for example, provides resources about renewable energy and energy efficiency. Farmers and ranchers can learn about biofuels, solar energy, wind turbines, anaerobic digesters, and many ways to conserve energy. A new search tool makes it easy to find energy-related equipment, funding, and technical assistance in each state.

Another search tool on ATTRA's website provides information about hundreds of less toxic, "biorational" pesticides and pest management techniques. Called the Ecological Pest Management Database, it lists products that are licensed to treat specific pests. It also provides detailed information about all of the products and their active ingredients. Still another popular database on the website lists farm internships and apprenticeships across the nation.

Despite a reduction in 2007 funding for ATTRA, NCAT staff remain dedicated to serving the sustainable agriculture community: farmers, ranchers, educators, organizations, and individuals all over the country who are interested in employing sustainable agriculture practices in their operations.

Grow Montana Celebrates Legislative Successes

(5/29/07) Grow Montana, a broad-based coalition seeking to promote Montana-owned food production, processing, and distribution, is celebrating some significant success with its 2007 legislative agenda. Grow Montana is an NCAT project led by Program Specialist Nancy Matheson. Three bills it initiated for the just-concluded session of Montana's legislature passed and were signed into law.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer signs the "Montana Food to Institutions" bill as Grow Montana supporters look on.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer signed the "Montana Food to Institutions" bill into law in a special ceremony held at the University of Montana in Missoula on May 18. The University of Montana--another Grow Montana steering committee member--currently leads the state in purchasing food from Montanans for its cafeteria, food court, and catering. Since 2003, UM has returned nearly $1.5 million to Montana farmers, ranchers and processors. The Montana Food to Institutions measure will make it easier for the state's colleges, public schools, hospitals and prisons to buy and serve food produced in Montana. This new legislation furnishes an optional exemption in the Montana Procurement Act, which should help to improve the institutional market for Montana agricultural products, offering new opportunities to farmers, ranchers and food processors.

Another piece of legislation supported by Grow Montana creates an interim study committee to research and propose solutions for value-added food processing in Montana. It is aimed toward revitalizing Montana's food processing industry, and has been funded by the legislature. The third Grow Montana bill is a state resolution that urges Congress to act to remove the federal ban on interstate commerce of state-inspected meat.

All three pieces of legislation enjoyed broad bi-partisan support. Although four pieces of appropriations legislation on Grow Montana's agenda did not pass the legislature, the three bills that did pass represent successes for the coalition that will help in its long-term goal of building a Montana-based food system.

Farmers' Market Food Stamp EBT Pilot Program Launched

(5/14/07) NCAT has been awarded Department of Health and Human Services funding through the State of Montana for a three-year project to test the use of electronic benefits transfer cards (EBTs) in at least three farmers' markets in Montana. NCAT's project team is being led by agriculture specialist Tammy Hinman, who will be the project leader and oversee all aspects of the project implementation. The project will enable food stamp benefit recipients to purchase products from individual farmers' market vendors without each vendor being separately authorized by the USDA Food and Nutrition Services. The most common model for this involves a market-maintained office with an EBT machine, where EBT clients can obtain market scrip to use in purchases from individual vendors, who then reclaim the scrip for cash from the market office.

NCAT will partner with the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) on this project. AERO will assist NCAT with its interactions with the pilot project market masters, growers, and vendors to help ensure participation, evaluation and other project outcomes work smoothly for the farmer and farmers' markets. NCAT will consult with the EBT-Farmers' Market Work Group-a group established in the fall of 2006 that includes members from the Montana Department of Agriculture, the DPHHS Montana Food Stamp unit, USDA-Food Nutrition Service, local food banks, and other organizations-on the overall project plan design. In addition, Bonnie Buckingham of the Missoula Food Bank Network will assist with EBT machine training.

To help develop local support for the pilot projects, NCAT will organize three "Community Work Teams," one within the service territory of each of the three EBT pilot farmers' markets. The Community Work Team members will include the farmers' market masters, market vendors (including growers), local food banks, local food nutrition education program personnel, local HRDC members, and other community stakeholders. Each Community Work Team will play a critical role in developing collaborations, support and planning to help ensure the long-term success of EBT use at their farmers' markets. The Community Work Teams will also work to improve community awareness of the relationship between local foods and food security.

Three markets for the pilot program will be chosen based on responses to an RFP issued by NCAT. Participating markets will be selected by June 15, 2007, and the EBT programs put in place by September.

NCAT Study Reveals Energy-Saving Opportunities for Farms

(5/7/07) NCAT staff recently completed an eye-opening energy audit for Cherry Research Farm, home of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The farm managers are interested in saving energy to cut expenses. They also want to demonstrate energy-saving measures and renewable energy alternatives for the region's farmers, who are coping with rising prices for electricity, propane, natural gas, diesel, and other fuels.

After examining Cherry Farm's operations and utility bills, NCAT Energy Engineer Dave Ryan and NCAT Farm Energy Team leader Mike Morris produced a report showing the best ways to reduce the farm's energy use. They outlined the costs of making the changes and how quickly the farm might recoup those expenses. When the farm manager read the report, he immediately implemented six of the suggested measures.

If NCAT's suggestions were put into practice, Cherry Farm would save over $6,000 per year at current energy prices-a 22 percent reduction in electricity and propane usage and costs.

Energy Conservation Opportunities
The NCAT report looked at 21 energy conservation opportunities in detail and did a simple evaluation of several others. These included heat recovery, lighting and insulation improvements, innovative greenhouse heating methods, solar water-heating, and burning waste oil for heat. Recommendations also included such simple measures as changing the settings on thermostats and adding timers to light switches.

Cherry Farm runs a dairy and several other enterprises that face special energy-related risks. Dairies are particularly reliant on large amounts of electricity and propane to cool milk, heat wash water, and move fluids.

The NCAT study found that the dairy was using 43 percent of the farm's electricity and 51 percent of its propane. The report showed that energy consumption at the dairy could be greatly reduced by using cold tap or groundwater to partially cool warm milk, and by using the heat of the milk to warm up the wash water.

Other major energy-consuming facilities at the farm include a grain storage and drying system, farm shops, greenhouses, offices, and a wide variety of farm machinery and vehicles. The largest energy expenses are for transportation fuel (59 percent of energy costs) and electricity (33 percent), with smaller expenses for propane and natural gas.

The study included a survey of renewable energy demonstrations that could be done at the farm. Geothermal heating and cooling, wind energy, and micro-hydro power were not recommended for the site, but all of the following were suggested for further investigation: anaerobic digestion, biodiesel (including oilseed crops and oilseed crushing), solar crop drying, various uses of solar electricity, and solar water heating. The farm is already pursuing an innovative plan for reducing its transportation fuel costs by building a biodiesel manufacturing plant.

North Carolina Workshop Planned
To learn more about how to implement these energy-saving ideas, local farmers can attend a "Fueling the Farm" workshop that will be held at CEFS on July 12, 2007. The workshop will be sponsored by the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA), CEFS, NCAT, Piedmont Biofuels, and other partners.

The 2,200 acre Cherry Research Farm is one of the largest of North Carolina's 18 agricultural research stations. The farm was originally a State Farm and a source of food and therapeutic labor for adjacent Cherry Hospital, a mental hospital. Other nearby state-owned facilities include three prisons and a hospital.

Funding for this study came from RMA, through a cooperative partnership agreement with NCAT, as part of a project called "Managing Farm Energy Risk."

For more information, contact Mike Morris, mikem@ncat.org, 406-533-6652.

NCAT Awards Biodiesel/Oilseed Innovation Grants to Montana Farmers

(5/7/07) Seven farmers from almost every region of Montana have been awarded grants to
test and develop oilseeds as rotational crops and sources of feed, food and fuel. The projects funded by these Innovation Grants are very diverse, ranging from on-farm testing of camelina, sunflower, canola and juncea production to engine performance testing of B20 biodiesel and straight vegetable oil to canola and camelina feeding trials.

Grants were awarded for:

For convenience, the Press Release is also available in PDF format.
[PDF/56.0KB]

Integrated camelina crop production, feeding camelina pressings to beef cattle, and on-farm oilseed crushing and biodiesel production tests. (Ken DeBoer, Ryegate)
Adding biodiesel processing capacity for use in a stationary irrigation pump engine that has been retrofitted to burn straight vegetable oil. (Zach Wirth, Wolf Creek)
Building local oilseed crushing capacity so farmers can test feeding camelina pressings to dairy cattle. (Chris Fritz, Flathead Biodiesel, Polson)
Testing nitrogen side band applications in canola production, and feeding canola pressings to beef cattle in both ranch and feedlot settings. (Kent Wasson, Whitewater)
Conducting comparative performance tests of straight vegetable oil and B20 in Kubota tractors. (Josh Slotnick, Missoula)
Testing sunflower and camelina production, and performance testing straight vegetable oil and biodiesel in large farm equipment. (Chuck Merja, Sun River)
Testing juncea (a member of the mustard family) production on dryland and irrigated farms in northeastern Montana. This project involves six farms. (Marc Cartwright, Miles City)

The Innovations Grants are part of the Oilseeds for Fuel Feed and the Future Project, a collaborative effort that aims to reduce risk and create new opportunities for Montana farmers who want to participate in, and benefit from, an emerging bio-based economy. The project combines educational opportunities with on-farm research and demonstration efforts to advance knowledge and action.

The Project partners include the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Montana Farmers Union, Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana Department of Agriculture, Alternative Energy Resources Organization, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Department of Environmental Quality's Air, Energy and Pollution Prevention Bureau.

The purpose of the grants program is to increase knowledge in three areas:

Oilseed crops that can be used for a range of products (such as lubricants, culinary oils or biodiesel)
On-farm production and/or personal use of biodiesel and its co-products, such as oilseed pressings for livestock feed.
Oilseed markets and buyers' expectations for oilseed crops

Funding for this project comes from the NRCS Conservation Innovations Grant program, Stranie Ventures and the Bullitt Foundation, along with other cash and in-kind support from the project partners.

NCAT is a non- profit organization with headquarters in Butte, Montana. For more information about the Innovation grants, the Oilseeds for the Future Project or NCAT, contact Al Kurki at 406-449-0104 or alk@ncat.org

NCAT Takes Part in Southwest Marketing Network Conference

(4/30/07) Recently NCAT Program Manager Teresa Maurer and NCAT Program Specialist Tammy Hinman attended the Southwest Marketing Network Conference. The conference was attended by nearly 200 participants. The attendees were a diverse group made up of farmers, Extension & NRCS agents, tribal representatives and service providers, farmers' market managers, non-profit organizations, and others. There was an ATTRA booth on display that featured many of ATTRA's production and marketing publications.

The three-day conference included farm tours, intensive sessions, and a wide variety of sessions on various aspects of marketing. The sessions were organized in five different tracks covering Alternative and Organic Marketing; Food Security; Resources, Skill Building and Business; Southwest Food and Agriculture Policy; and Increasing Local Production and Marketing. Also, Anthony Flaccavento, founding member and Executive Director of Appalachian Sustainable Development, gave an inspiring keynote address about using farmer networks to increase profitability, farm stewardship, and markets.

Hinman helped to organize the farm tours, which included visits to three different farms with a variety of marketing venues, including Community Supported Agriculture, farmers' markets, direct marketing, farm-to-school, and agritourism. Maurer and Hinman also helped to moderate several of the conference events, including sessions on wholesale marketing, developing print materials for marketing, farm to college and college farms, and others.

The Southwest Marketing Network (www.swmarketingnetwork.org) began as an NCAT project with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Food and Society Initiative. The goal of the Southwest Marketing Network is to ensure that new, existing, and prospective Southwest producers-especially small-scale, alternative, and minority producers-have the connections with others, technical and financial assistance, marketing information, business and marketing skills, and peer examples to improve their marketing success, viability, and bottom lines.

Mien Strawberry Growers Learn about Organic Production and Record Keeping

(4/18/07) Strawberry farms have taken root on the outskirts of many towns in California's Central Valley. Located along busy rural roads, these farms operate small fruit stands adjacent to their fields. They are attracting customers eager for fresh-picked local produce. The farmers—very often families of immigrants from Southeast Asia—have a short, lucrative season before the summer heat cuts off berry production.

Recently NCAT hosted a workshop where strawberry growers had the opportunity to learn about organic farming methods. The class also addressed business planning, record keeping, and how to find land and qualify for loans.

Strawberry growers from the Sacramento region attended the workshop, which was presented in Lao and Thai as well as English. Most of the farmers were members of Mien families who escaped from the mountains of Laos after the Vietnam War.

Farmer Robert Ramming describes his organic production techniques, rotations, unbedded rows, and the use of white plastic screens for wind protection.

Held at the NCAT office in Davis, California, the daylong course was presented in conjunction with California Farmlink, a group dedicated to linking aspiring and retiring farmers. Farmlink also assists farmers with financing and land access.

The day began with NCAT Technical Specialist Rex Dufour describing the benefits of organic farming. He explained the environmental advantages, the market premium, and the process of organic certification.

NCAT Technical Specialist Martin Guerena outlined organic strawberry production practices, from soil fertility to management of pests and diseases. Familiar with many of the problems of growing a saleable crop, the growers were interested to hear about alternative management methods. Guerena also explored the possibilities of growing additional crops to sell at the fruit stands.

Pacific Star uses mustards as a trap crop for stinkbugs that attack young vegetable plants. After the females lay their eggs, the farmer chops and discs the mustard, destroying egg masses and nymphs and reducing future populations of stinkbugs on his farm.

Dufour and Guerena led a discussion of business planning and record keeping, including a hands-on exercise in the use of farm cash-flow budgets. Then they were joined by Steve Schwartz and Kendra Johnson of California Farmlink, who spoke about special loan programs and individual development accounts. The two also told the growers about land access opportunities in the region. They explained how to create good lease agreements and other important details of land transactions.

In the afternoon the group took a field trip to nearby Pacific Star Farm, where farmer Robert Ramming grows organic strawberries and other crops. Ramming explained his growing practices—including the use of nonwoven fabric as a floating row cover to protect crops from insects and frost—to the workshop participants.

Workshop participants examine the floating row cover used to protect against pests and keep early season crops a bit warmer at night.

The event was presented with the support of the USDA’s Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service (CSREES) in the program of Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR). For more information about the workshop, please contact Rex Dufour, rexd@ncat.org, 530-792-7338.

Photos by Kendra Johnson, California Farmlink

Biofuels Ignite Blaze of NCAT Workshops

(3/26/07) Skyrocketing prices at the gas pump and concerns about energy independence are sparking tremendous national interest in petroleum alternatives. Recently NCAT staff have been working on an array of workshops to educate the public about biofuels. These events are being presented in collaboration with many organizations across the country.

Managing Farm Energy Risks
In North Carolina and Virginia more than 600 people, including 200 farmers, attended a series of workshops sponsored by NCAT and Piedmont Biofuels. The workshops were part of a new project to help farmers and ranchers explore energy alternatives and cope with fluctuating energy costs.

To produce the project's workshops and publications, NCAT will work closely with the New England Small Farm Institute, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, and Piedmont Biofuels. This project is funded through a cooperative partnership agreement with the USDA Risk Management Agency.

California Farm Conference
For the California Farm Conference March 4-6 in Monterey, NCAT Program Specialist Mike Morris organized an all-day course on Biofuel Opportunities for California Farmers. The workshop brought together an impressive group of authorities on all aspects of biofuels in the state. Speakers included Allen Dusault (Sustainable Conservation), Phil Foster (Pinnacle Farms), Steve Kaffka (UC Davis), Ken Kimes (New Natives), Kumar Plocher (Yokayo Biofuels), and Steve Shaffer (California Department of Food and Agriculture).

Morris also organized a second workshop for the conference on Energy Alternatives for Farmers. This workshop discussed solar and wind energy in detail, touching on geothermal and micro-hydro power generation.

California Farm Conference sponsors include USDA's Risk Management and Farm Credit agencies, Rural Development Program, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. This conference is organized with the collaboration of numerous organizations including NCAT, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, UC Small Farm Center, UC Cooperative Extension Service, and several farmers' market associations.

Oilseeds for the Future
In Livingston, Montana, the first workshop of the Oilseeds for the Future project in January drew an astounding 105 people, half of whom were farmers or ranchers. A February 15 workshop in Great Falls attracted 160 people.

These workshops are being held to educate Montanans about growing oilseeds and starting successful biodiesel or bio-product businesses. NCAT coordinates the project and funders include the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Stranie Ventures, the Bullitt Foundation, and the Montana Department of Agriculture.

To learn more about these projects, contact NCAT Program Specialist Mike Morris, mikem at ncat dot org, 406-533-6652.

NCAT Represented at New Mexico Organic Farming Conference

(3/13/07) Recently NCAT Specialists Lance Gegner and Jeff Schahczenski attended the New Mexico Organic Farming Conference. The conference was attended by approximately 500 producers, both certified organic and those considering organic certification. These producers were primarily from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. There was an ATTRA booth where Gegner and Schahczenski visited with attendees and handed out ATTRA publications.

NCAT Specialist Lance Gegner gave a workshop on organic hog production. There are currently no organic hogs in New Mexico. Gegner discussed the possibilities of organic hog production in the Southwest. He also covered the basics of organic certification and organic production for hogs. His workshop was attended by 30 participants who were interested in the prospect of organic hog production. Gegner's workshop may initiate the start of organic hog production in New Mexico!

NCAT Specialist Jeff Schahczenski gave a presentation on the 2007 Farm Bill platform for Organics. His presentation was arranged by the Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (WSAWG). Schahczenski made the point that the Secretary of Agriculture actually had 2 pages in his recently released 2007 farm bill plan dedicated to organics (out of about 125 pages)! This is a good indicator that they are listening to the organic community.

The conference covered a wide range of topics on organic production and marketing for both crops and livestock. Gegner and Schahczenski enjoyed being a part of this conference and were encouraged by the developing organic agriculture in the Southwest. For more information about the New Mexico Organic Conference or organic agriculture in the Southwest, visit the New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission at: http://nmocc.state.nm.us/

NCAT Represented at Southwest Indian Agricultural Association Conference

(2/28/07) NCAT Specialist, Linda Coffey, recently spoke at the Southwest Indian Agricultural Association's 19th Annual Conference. Coffey spoke on organic certification for crops and livestock to approximately 200 attendees. She covered topics such as why producers should be interested in organics as well as the process for organic certification. She was also able to introduce ATTRA to the attendees, as the majority of them were unfamiliar with the ATTRA project. Coffey noted that this group of farmers and ranchers seems to be an underserved audience.

Producers in attendance represented more than 10 different tribes. The producers were quite diverse, representing cattle, sheep, goat, citrus, grain, cotton, vegetable, and forage operations. Attendees also included NRCS agents, Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency representatives, and Cooperative Extension agents. Other topics covered at the conference included conservation, rangeland monitoring, ranch tourism, cooperative marketing, and specialty crops.

Coffey enjoyed meeting the producers and learning about the problems they face. She said, "It was good to see a different culture and environment and to learn about their problems and issues. I gained understanding of how people adapt to their geography, climate and culture. I am impressed that people survive in such a harsh environment." Coffey said some of the agricultural problems the Indian producers face include receiving a fair price for their products, finding markets, keeping youth interested in agriculture, and water rights.

NCAT Specialist Martin Guerena has also worked with several Indian groups in Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. He has attended several SWIAA conferences as well as the Indian Livestock Days. NCAT has also worked with the Southwest Marketing Network (www.swmarketingnetwork.org) to help Native Americans with marketing their products. NCAT looks forward to continuing and building relationships with the Indian community.

NCAT Announces Valuable New Tool for Farmers

(2/19/07) Speaking last week at the Ecological Farming Conference in Pacific Grove, California, NCAT agriculture specialist Rex Dufour introduced an important new way for farmers to locate least-toxic pest management products and methods. The Ecological Pest Management Database is a new user-friendly, searchable tool on the ATTRA website.

This online resource is a breakthrough for people who want to manage pest problems without using toxic pesticides. They can search for ways to manage a specific pest or for information about pesticide trade names or active ingredients. The database will be welcomed by farmers, ranchers, pest control advisers, extension agents, and homeowners who are dealing with insect and vertebrate pests, weeds, and plant diseases. Organic farmers will be pleased to see that the directory indicates which pesticides have been reviewed by the Organic Materials Review Institute.

A work in progress, this new tool will also include information about pest prevention methods. Sustainable pest management doesn't come in a box, but the "boxed" materials in this database will integrate well with ecological approaches to pest management. For right now, the database focuses on "bio-rational" pesticides - formulations with little or no long-lasting environmental impact. These include microbial and plant-derived preparations and compounds that degrade into nontoxic components. The database also lists other ways to deter pest problems, such as particle film barriers and the use of pheromones to disrupt insect mating.

Dufour is the manager of NCAT's California office. At the Eco-Farm Conference he organized a workshop on the pest management benefits of biodiversity. He notes that ecological pest management is a function of "many little hammers, but no silver bullet." Organic farmers have long believed that their fields have fewer pests when the soil is well managed and many different crops and flowers are grown in close proximity. This diversity provides many checks and balances to pest populations and makes for a more stable and resilient farm ecology. Now researchers and farmers are confirming the effectiveness of this technique.

At the workshop Virgilio Yepez, manager of Dutra Farms in Watsonville, California, told how he increased biodiversity on his organic fields of blueberries and cane berries. In the field margins he grew plants such as native perennials and cover crops that offer food and shelter for beneficial insects. Yepez also grows berries using conventional methods. Providing habitat for beneficial organisms - combined with crop rotation - has dramatically reduced pest problems in both the conventional and organic fields.

Rachael Long, pest management farm adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Yolo County, spoke about the benefits of attracting bats to the farm. She showed how to construct housing for bats on the sides of barns, positioning the boxes away from predators who might prey on the bats as they fly out in the evening. Bats forage at night, as do many of the insects that plague farms. Long noted that individual bats can consume half their body weight in insects per night.

For more information, contact Rex Dufour, rexd at ncat dot org. NCAT's Ecological Pest Management Database is currently featured on the home page of the ATTRA project website:
www.attra.ncat.org

It also can be found at:
www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/biorationals/biorationals_main_srch.php

NCAT Collaborates on Local Foods Projects in Southwest Iowa

(1/30/07) NCAT Specialist Holly Born has been working in southwest Iowa to develop and promote local food systems. NCAT and the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market in Sioux City, Iowa were just awarded a $30,000 grant through the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture (www.leopold.iastate.edu) to work on a local food system. NCAT Specialists and Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market will be working to develop a local foods model that will work in Western Iowa. Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market is a combination farmers market, restaurant, grocery store, distribution and processing center that is dedicated to sustainable, locally produced food. The grant will provide funding to perform a preliminary feasibility assessment of a light processing and distribution center for local produce and meats in southwest Iowa. They will evaluate the feasibility of using some of the Floyd Boulevard Market's facilities or acquiring their own facilities in southwest Iowa.

Born has also been working with "The Cultivators", a group in southwest Iowa (Cass, Adair, Adams, Audubon, Montgomery, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties) to foster a local food system. This group was just awarded $20,000 from the Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG) (www.valuechains.org) coordinated by the Leopold Center. The Cultivators group will be working with producers who are willing to grow products other than commodity crops. The Cultivators will be at the foundation of a local food system in southwest Iowa. The funding from RFSWG will help the Cultivators to develop a strategic plan for their organization, host meetings to gather public input, and offer training opportunities for producers. NCAT Specialists will be involved in working with the Cultivators to facilitate meetings and trainings for producers.

Collaboration with these groups helps to support NCAT's mission of helping people by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources. For more information on these projects, contact NCAT Specialist Holly Born at hollyb at ncat dot org.

NCAT, AERO and MSU Offer Energy Saving on the Farm Workshops

(1/24/07) Are you looking for new ways to reduce your on-farm energy use?
Can you use practical tools and solutions that won't jeopardize your overall production and could enhance your income?

With rising petroleum costs on farms; farmers and agriculture service providers are looking for new ideas and practical on-farm solutions to help reduce energy use without jeopardizing overall production. To address this issue, a Montana collaboration of partners is holding two workshops in early February. The workshops are free.

Who Should Attend: Ag service providers, farmers, ranchers and others who are interested in helping to reduce on farm energy costs.

Workshop Leaders: Drs. Dave Buschena and Perry Miller (MSU), farmer Thad Willis from Big Sandy, Jim Barngrover (AERO) and Al Kurki (NCAT) will lead participants through workshop sessions that are designed to help participants assess their current farm energy use and explore options to lower that use.

Pre-registration is required; the deadline for doing so is February 7. We have room to accommodate 40 participants at each workshop. To pre-register or to learn more about these workshops, contact Jim Barngrover at AERO (Montana¹s Alternative Energy Resources Organization), phone 406-443-7272 or e-mail jbarngrover at aeromt dot org

Thursday, February 8th at MSU-Northern in Havre from 1:00 - 5:00 PM. and Friday, February 9th at MSU College of Technology in Great Falls 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Dr Dave Buschena, MSU Agricultural Economist will lead the workshops and be assisted by Dr Perry Miller, Professor of Cropping Systems at MSU.

Resources: Workshop Participants will leave the workshop with a packet of hard copy materials and a CD with all the workshop information included.

Disaster Recovery Work Leads NCAT to Greater Regional Presence

(1/16/07) When devastating hurricanes struck the Gulf Coast in the fall of 2005, NCAT quickly rallied its resources to provide assistance to people in the hurricane-affected region. Initially the organization's response included development of web-based resources on hurricane recovery assistance for farmers and sustainable development information for homeowners and communities hit by disaster. Later NCAT literally got its feet on the ground in the region, when Program Specialist and Technical Supervisor Nana Mejia was subcontracted by Heifer Project International to work as a small farm disaster specialist.

Washington Parish Beef Cattle Growers, Inc., Franklinton, Louisiana
Photo courtesy Heifer Project International

Mejia's work with Heifer Project International from February until August 2006 involved compiling an extensive disaster information packet with numerous resources, and a presentation for Heifer project partners. As a Small Farm Disaster Specialist, Mejia met with local agriculture groups to provide them with resources and offer individualized aid in accessing hurricane recovery assistance.

Mejia's presence in the Gulf Coast region--and involvement with the community there--has helped her to identify some of the pressing needs in the region, and to pursue new opportunities for NCAT to become more involved in long-term recovery efforts.

Great Falls to Host Oilseeds and Biodiesel Workshop February 15th

(1/16/07) Montana farmers interested in learning more about how to produce and use biodiesel or how to raise oilseed crops can learn more about these and many other topics at an upcoming Oilseeds and Biodiesel Workshop.

The Oilseeds and Biodiesel workshop, will take place on Thursday, February 15th at 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hampton Inn, 2301 14th Street SW, Great Falls, MT. On-site registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. The cost for the workshop is $15 per participant.

Pre-registration is encouraged. The deadline to pre-register is February 12th. For more information on this event, contact NCAT at 800/275-6228 or e-mail jodyk at ncat dot org.

People who attend this workshop will learn more about:

Oilseed crops that can be used for a range of products (such as lubricants, culinary oils or biodiesel)
On-farm production and/or personal use of biodiesel and its co-products
Markets and buyers' expectations for oilseed crops

Topics that will be covered include oilseed production, crushing and processing; biodiesel quality issues; small scale and commercial biodiesel production and market trends in oilseeds and co-products. Speakers include Dr. Jon Van Gerpen of the National Biodiesel Education Program at the University of Idaho along with Montana scientists, farmers and businesses experienced in oilseed production and processing.

Workshop attendees will receive a free packet of resource and educational materials to take home after the event. The acclaimed book Building a Successful Biodiesel Business will be available for sale at the workshop. A portable biodiesel processor will be on display as well.

The workshops' sponsors include the Montana Farmers Union, Montana Grain Growers Association, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Northern Ag Network, Montana Department of Agriculture, National Biodiesel Education Program, Alternative Energy Resources Organization, MSU-Extension, Department of Environmental Quality and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

New Year Brings New NCAT Office

(1/09/07) The National Center for Appropriate Technology is opening a Northeast regional office just outside of Wilkes-Barre in Shavertown, Pennsylvania. NCAT, a national nonprofit organization, is known for its outstanding work in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy.

To meet the needs of clients throughout the country, NCAT is establishing new field offices in strategic locations. The organization already operates offices in Butte, Montana; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Davis, California; and Lewis, Iowa. A sixth office is slated to open soon in the New Orleans area.

Located at "The Lands at Hillside Farms," the Northeast office will be staffed by livestock specialist Lee Rinehart and agronomist Andy Pressman. They are particularly interested in promoting sustainable agriculture, local foods, and renewable sources of farm energy.

The new location will help NCAT provide outreach and technical assistance to individuals and groups in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. The move will also make it easier to partner with organizations that share mission-related interests-providing low-income people the opportunity to live healthier, more sustainable lives.

The Lands at Hillside Farms is a nonprofit organization that maintains an historic farm. The group's mission is to preserve local land and history while promoting practical lifestyle choices that are healthy and conservation-minded. The nonprofit will provide NCAT with office space and infrastructure, and will have access to NCAT resources, including joint programming and outreach projects.

In business since 1885, Hillside Farms was once a center of agricultural excellence and the home of award-winning Clydesdale & Belgian draft horses, Dorset sheep, Berkshire hogs, and dairy herds of registered Holstein-Friesian & Milking Shorthorn cattle. The farm managers are using sustainable agriculture methods to restore the farm's fields and pastures.

Plans call for family-oriented educational programs and sustainable agricultural activities. Visitors will be able to tour the farm's historic greenhouses, heritage gardens, and livestock barns. Living history demonstrations will show what farm life was like in the late 19th century. See www.thelandsathillsidefarms.com to learn more.

For more information about NCAT's new office, contact:
Lee Rinehart, Northeast Regional Office Director
National Center for Appropriate Technology
48 Church Rd., Shavertown, PA 18708
lee at ncat dot org

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THE NCAT MISSION Helping People by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources.

THE NCAT MISSION
Helping People by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities, and protect natural resources.