![Sare Conference logo](images/header_new.jpg) |
New
American Farm Conference |
Advancing the Frontier of Sustainable Agriculture
March 25-27, 2008 | Kansas City, MO
(Thanks for helping make our conference a success! SARE does
not expect to schedule another national conference in the
near future.) |
Tuesday, March
25th
Pre-Conference Sessions (optional)
7:30 - 11:30 am: Growing the Organic Research Portfolio: A Look
at the Integrated Organic Program (Pre-registration
and additional fee required.) Join USDA-CSREES and the
Organic Farming Research Foundation to share and discuss the projects,
impacts and future of the organic research portfolio, with a special
focus on projects funded during the first five years of the IOP
program. (Includes Monday night reception starting at 5:30 pm.)
For more information on this session see the attached agenda
or contact Dawn Thilmany at (970) 491-7220 or thilmany@lamar.colostate.edu.
9:00 - 11:00 am: Briefing on the UN Commission
on Sustainable Development’s (CSD) Upcoming Session on Sustainable
Agriculture (open to all)
Dr. John Matusak with the U.S. State Department’s Office
of Environmental Policy will talk about the Commission’s
two-year deliberations on international sustainable agriculture
and how the topic will be addressed in the upcoming UN session
on sustainable agriculture on May 5-16, 2008. Matusak will discuss
how stakeholder organizations can get involved in planning and
participating in the UN session, and the Commission’s plans
to showcase US-based programs.
10:00 - 11:00 am: Niche-Meat
Processing (open to all): This National Meat Processing
Assistance Network Planning session addresses the nationwide problem
of a "processing gap" for niche meats. Help build a
national network of experts to support meat processors and those
who depend on them. For more information on this session, please
contact Arion Thiboumery at (515) 294-2882 or arion@iastate.edu.
11:00 - 12:00 am: The New Farm Bill: Sustainable
Agriculture Outcomes and Opportunities: As Congress adopts
the new Farm Bill, what's in it for sustainable agriculture? Find
out about the major changes for sustainable and organic research,
new markets, local food, beginning farmers and ranchers, conservation,
renewable energy, and more. Passage of a bill of course is but
one step in the policy process - then comes regulations and implementation,
not to mention agricultural spending decisions in the annual budget
and appropriations process. Learn more about the upcoming implementation
and funding process and opportunities for organizational and citizen
involvement.
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Session I - 2:00
- 3:15 pm
Energy Efficiency and Conservation on the Farm
As energy prices rise, fuel-related costs claim an ever-bigger
portion of farm budgets. Learn how farm energy experts, producers
and NGOs can work together to manage and improve energy efficiency
– the quickest, cheapest and cleanest way to lower costs
and non-renewable energy use.
• Marcy Coburn, Ecological Farming Association,
California (PowerPoint
11.9 MB)
• Craig Metz, EnSave, Vermont (PowerPoint
20.5 MB)
The
Next Generation of Leadership
Never before has the American public cared more about how and
where its food is produced. But how can we advance sustainable
practices to the whole of America agriculture? Advocacy leaders
share how to build effective leadership and develop innovative
strategies for change.
• Margaret Krome, Michael Fields Agricultural
Institute, Wisconsin
• Anim Steel, The Food Project, Massachusetts
Getting
Cooperative
New, diverse product marketing cooperatives are proving to be
profitable venues for farmers with a bounty to sell. Hear the
successes and cautionary tales about how best to band together
for better marketing of sustainably produced products.
• Ben Burkett, Farmer/Federation of Southern
Cooperatives, Mississippi (PowerPoint
6.6 MB)
• Russ Kremer, Farmer/Missouri Farmers Union (PowerPoint
12.7 MB)
Organic
101: Soil Management
Feed the soil, not the plants. Although elementary, implementing
this first tenet of organic ag takes creative strategies and training.
Learn soil-building field techniques and training tactics from
trainers, farmers and biologists.
• Mary Barbercheck, Penn State University
• Craig Cogger, Washington State University Puyallup Research
and Extension Center (PowerPoint
16 MB)
• Bob Muth, Muth Family Farm, New Jersey
Cultural
Weed Management Practices
What’s the latest in non-chemical weed management strategies?
This session talks about cropping systems, tillage practices and
other, new “eco-weed” and IPM techniques that control
nuisance plants naturally.
• Chuck Mohler, Cornell University, New
York (PowerPoint
.3 MB)
• Mark Schonbeck, Virginia Association for Biological
Farming (Handout
94k)
Agritourism:
Bringing Tourists to the Farm
From dude ranching to bed and breakfasts, agritourism is one of
the fastest growing tourism sectors and has helped revitalize
rural communities all over the U.S. and Europe. It’s also
an opportunity to educate a public increasingly interested in
how and where their food is produced. Learn the do’s and
don’ts from one expert who helped put her county on the
tourist map, and from researchers about how best to position rural
communities for tourism.
• Christine Curry, Citizens to Promote Pike,
Georgia
• Dawn Thilmany, Colorado State University (PowerPoint
3.9 MB)
• Barrett Vaughan, Tuskegee University, Alabama
Prescribed/Riparian-Friendly
Grazing (Range)
How do you get the most out of cattle grazing? Don’t just
turn cattle loose, but manage them using practices that help protect
waterways or control noxious weeds. Learn from ranchers and on-the-ground
collaborative research by the California Cattle Association, U.S.
Forest Service, California Farm Bureau and others.
• John Hayes Jr., University of Arizona
• Jay Davison, Nevada Cooperative Extension
• Kenneth Tate, University of California (PowerPoint
13.2MB)
Trees
and Farms: Agroforestry
Forests provide many benefits for agriculture: windbreaks, wildlife,
extra income from forest products, stream protection and more.
Learn about different agroforestry techniques and how an experienced
shitake mushroom/medicinal herb producer is farming profitably
in forests and integrating trees into farmscapes.
• Fred Hays, Divergent Natural Interest,
West Virginia (PowerPoint
41.7 MB)
• Joshua Idassi, 1890 Agroforestry Consortium, Tennessee
State University (PowerPoint
1 MB)
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Special Session-
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Briefing on the UN Commission on Sustainable Development’s
(CSD) Upcoming Session on Sustainable Agriculture (open to all)
Dr. John Matusak with the U.S. State Department’s Office
of Environmental Policy will talk about the Commission’s
two-year deliberations on international sustainable agriculture
and how the topic will be addressed in the upcoming UN session
on sustainable agriculture on May 5-16, 2008. Matusak will discuss
how stakeholder organizations can get involved in planning and
participating in the UN session, and the Commission’s plans
to showcase US-based programs.
Back to top
Session
II - 3:30 - 4:45 pm
Innovative Greenhouse Design: Extend Your Season!
Learn how to combine renewable energy and innovative greenhouse
design and siting to grow new, lucrative crops and extend your
growing season. Two hands-on experts share their experiences and
strategies.
• Steve Moore, North Carolina State University
(PowerPoint
5.9 MB)
• Steven Schwen, Earthen Path Organic Farm, Minnesota
(PowerPoint
35.3 MB)
Communicating
to the Wider World
Sometimes we just talk to ourselves. How do we talk to others
in agriculture about sustainable practices and innovations? Compelling
and creative communication is a top priority if we are to advance
sustainability to all corners of the country. Cutting-edge researchers
are uncovering new ways to reach out.
• Deborah Rubin and Terry Hardt, Cultural
Practice, Maryland (PowerPoint
.1 MB)
• Gerry Snyder, Kansas State University
Taking
your CSA to the Next Generation
What are the best ways to get started with CSAs and make them
work? CSA pioneer Elizabeth Henderson, author of Sharing the Harvest,
will share her bounty of knowledge, experience and advice.
• Elizabeth Henderson, Peaceworks Organic
Farm, New York (PowerPoint
34 MB)
Tapping
Organic Markets – Local to Global
By some estimates, retail sales of organic foods are expected
to exceed more than $32 billion by 2009. As this market explodes,
what are local options for farmers? Navigating the world of organic
sales isn’t always easy for farmers and ranchers. Learn
the latest market analysis, and how to think globally while marketing
locally.
• Doug Constance, Sam Houston State University,
Texas (PowerPoint
.7 MB)
• Jim Dyer, Southwest Marketing Network, Colorado (PowerPoint
.2 MB)
Beekeeping:
Controlling Pests Sustainably
We’ve heard about the decline of honey bees. Mites and other
hive pests might be contributing to the problem. New research
and on-the-ground strategies are controlling pests using natural,
sustainable methods.
• Melanie Kirby, Zia Queenbee Co., New Mexico
(PowerPoint
12.9 MB)
• Marla Spivak, University of Minnesota (PowerPoint
19.8 MB)
Civic
Agriculture: Prosperous Communities Through Quality Agriculture
How do we grow communities with our natural, local assets? These
experts talk about rural development that begins with community-based
organizations, local entrepreneurship and farm and ranch businesses
that build communities.
• Lionel (Bo) Beaulieu, Southern Rural Development
Center, Mississippi (PowerPoint
3.9 MB)
• Linda Riggins, Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative
for Economic and Social Justice, Georgia (PowerPoint
79 MB)
Management
Intensive Grazing (Dairy)
Cows have legs. MIG lets them use them – in a way that protects
the land and water and cuts feeding costs. Controlled grazing
is catching on, putting the fun back in dairy farming and bringing
back the next generation of dairy farmers.
• Caroline Brock, University of Wisconsin
(PowerPoint
2.2 MB)
• Steve Washburn, North Carolina State University (PowerPoint
85 MB)
Systems
Research in Action
In Texas, researchers used systems thinking to find ways to boost
productivity, reduce fuel costs and protect declining water supplies
in the arid panhandle. In California, researchers have compared
the complex ecological and economic consequences of conventional
and non-conventional farming systems.
• Vivien Gore Allen, Texas Tech University
(PowerPoint
5.2 MB)
• Steve Temple, University of California
Special Session- 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Kansas Singer Songwriter Ann Zimmerman
Ann Zimmerman sings the prairie into universal language—with
piano, guitar, that wonderful voice and her award-winning songwriting.
In solo shows across the country, she celebrates life on the windy
plains, in all its joy, sorrow, grandeur and silliness. Her sparkling
performances brim with energy and humor. She brings an irresistible
stage presence and turns the audience into her backup choir. She
has released three independent recordings of her music.
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Wednesday, March 26th
Session III - 8:00 - 9:15 am
Success with Renewable Energy
Solar power distills orchard waste fruit into clean-burning, high-octane
fuel to power farm equipment. Recycled solar panels heat a new
greenhouse, extending a short growing season and cutting fossil
fuel bills. Two innovative farmers share their experiences with
affordable renewable energy systems.
• Don Bustos, Santa Cruz Farms, New Mexico
(PowerPoint
45 MB)
• Dan West, West Orchards, Missouri (PowerPoint
6 MB)
Panel:
Reaching Minority Farmers
Minorities comprise some of the fastest growing groups of farmers
in America. How can we learn from each other, build bridges and
share experiences and knowledge? This panel explores the increasingly
diverse world of farming, highlighting the experiences of Native
American, Latino and new immigrant farmers and ranchers.
• Staci Emm, University of Nevada Cooperative
Extension
• Jennifer Hashley, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project,
Massachusetts
• Juan Marinez, Michigan State University Cooperative
Extension
• Mickie Swisher, University of Florida
Meat
Marketing
A local Kansas expert shares how to beef up your beef business
with her work developing and trademarking an all natural-branded
meat product line called “Good Natured Family Farms”
(It’s featured on the Local Chefs tour!). A researcher shares
how to tap niche meat markets.
• Diana Endicott, Rainbow Organic
Farms Company, Kansas (PowerPoint
41 MB)
• Dawn Thilmany, Colorado State University (PowerPoint
.3 MB)
Assistance
and Education: Where are we in Organic?
As more farmers and ranchers think about going organic, training
the trainers and educators is a top priority. Find out what agriculture
educators and technical assistance providers are doing to educate
themselves and farmers about sustainable practices and innovations.
• Rex Dufour, National Center for Appropriate
Technology, California
• Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont, NE SARE
• Rose Koenig, Rosie’s Organic Farm/University of
Florida
Apples
and Winegrapes: Integrated Farming Practices
Two experts share state-of-the-art strategies and latest research
in biological controls for managing wine grape and apple pests.
Hear about the “positive point system” that a group
of California wine growers has adopted to measure continuous improvement.
• Dan Cooley, University of Massachusetts
(PowerPoint 1.9 MB)
• Kris O’Conner, Central Coast Vineyard Team, California
(PowerPoint
10.7 MB)
Helping
Entrepreneurs: Tools and Techniques
Many farmers are thinking about starting a farm- or ranch-based
venture, but need more entrepreneurial skills. Come hear about
a range of tools that ag educators can use to help would-be entrepreneurs
develop successful agriculture-based businesses.
• John Allen, Utah State University
• Marilyn Schlake, University of Nebraska (PowerPoint
.9 MB)
Cover
Crops and Conservation Tillage
Cover cropping and reduced tillage are core tenets of sustainable
farming. Learn from one of No-Till Farmer magazine’s “No-Till”
Innovator award winners – plus latest research about creative
strategies for these important sustainable ag techniques.
• Seth Dabney, USDA-ARS, Mississippi
(PowerPoint
36.2 MB)
• Steve Groff, Cedar Meadow Farm, Pennsylvania (PowerPoint
46.4 MB)
Grow
Your State Program
Learn how two states have built support for exemplary research
and extension programs, and make your voice heard in this strategizing
session. Help SARE steer a course in building vibrant state research,
education and extension programs across the country.
• Nancy Creamer and Paul Mueller, North
Carolina State University (PowerPoint
53.3 MB)
• Chris Feise, Washington State University
eOrganic Workshop
eXtension is a new national, web-based, information source
for Land Grant University (LGU) faculty and Extension agents to
consolidate research findings and outreach materials. Within the
framework of eXtension, eOrganic is being developed
as the new organic agriculture Extension Service website to provide
accurate and up-to-date information for organic farmers, conventional
farmers, researchers, and agricultural professionals. Join members
of the eOrganic team for a sneak peek and tour of the eOrganic
workspace.
Back to top
Session IV - 10:45 - 12:00
Brew Your Own Biofuel
Curious about how to make your own fuel to cut costs and save
energy? Farmer and researcher pioneers talk about best blends,
production strategies, financial considerations and do’s
and don’ts of producing biofuel for on- and off-farm use.
• Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont,
NE SARE
• Matt Steiman, Wilson College/Dickinson College, Pennsylvania
(PowerPoint
22 MB)
• John Williamson, State Line Farm/Vermont Biofuels Association
(PowerPoint
39 MB)
Farmer-to-Farmer Networking and Mentoring
So often we labor alone in our fields. How do we connect with
other farmers to share knowledge and experiences? How can we keep
our local networks vibrant? Two local leaders share how to get
networks started and keep them going by getting the word out.
• Jerry Jost, Kansas Rural Center (PowerPoint
39 MB)
• Barbara Norman, Farmer/Michigan Food and Farming Systems
Farms
to Schools (and Other Institutions)
A farm-to-school expert describes how to get off on the right
foot when marketing to schools, while a staff member of the New
North Florida Cooperative talks about how the cooperative marketed
to a larger institution, the Department of Defense’s Food
Service Program.
• Glyen Holmes, Farmer/New North Florida
Cooperative
• Jennifer Wilkins, Cornell University, New York (PowerPoint
2.3 MB)
No-Till
and Organic
No longer are no-till and organic at odds. New research efforts
are developing no-till organic vegetable and field crops systems
that are saving farmers tons of soil and reducing weed control
costs.
• Ron Morse, Virginia Tech (PowerPoint
28.5 MB)
• Jeff Moyer, The Rodale Institute, Pennsylvania
Fight
Crop Disease: Soil Amendments and Biofumigation
Effectively control disease through soil amendments and new biofumigation
techniques using natural materials such as mustard and other brassicas.
Hear the latest research and firsthand experience.
• Dale Gies, Gies Farms, Washington (PowerPoint
55 MB)
• Frank Louws, North Carolina State University
Food,
Culture and Communities
Many American cultures are losing their traditions of healthy
foods. Hear about an initiative that connects good food with urban
communities and high-risk youth, and another that bring nutritious,
traditional foods, like “kneel-down bread”, back to
Navajo communities.
• Teresa Showa, Ganado Family Farm, Arizona
(PowerPoint 21.9
MB)
• Bryant Terry, Eco-chef, author, food justice activist,
California
Farming
for Pollinators
With honey bees threatened, researchers are looking for long-term
solutions. Hear the latest research and learn how to encourage
a diverse array of pollinators by planting native species, reducing
pesticide use, arranging crops and borders, and other “farmscaping”
techniques.
• Rufus Isaacs, Michigan State University
(PowerPoint
4.6 MB)
• Annette Meredith, University of Maryland (PowerPoint
7.4 MB)
Looking
at the Puzzle, Not the Pieces: How to Set Up a Systems Project
Research that looks at agriculture and natural ecosystems together
is key to long-term improvements in agriculture. But systems research
can be complex, requiring many different skills and tools. Two
experts share best strategies and lay out a roadmap for effective,
doable projects.
• Laurie Drinkwater, Cornell University
• Jeff Steiner, USDA–ARS, Washington DC
eOrganic Workshop
eXtension is a new national, web-based, information source
for Land Grant University (LGU) faculty and Extension agents to
consolidate research findings and outreach materials. Within the
framework of eXtension, eOrganic is being developed
as the new organic agriculture Extension Service website to provide
accurate and up-to-date information for organic farmers, conventional
farmers, researchers, and agricultural professionals. Join members
of the eOrganic team for a sneak peek and tour of the eOrganic
workspace.
Back to top
Session V - 2:00 - 3:15 pm
Roadmap to a Clean Energy Future
From wind farms to solar to simply reducing on farm fuel costs
and energy use, America’s farmers and ranchers are key players
in the nation’s energy future. Share your opinions during
this strategizing session, and help shape SARE’s role in
developing and promoting a sustainable energy future.
• Jim Kleinschmit, Institute for Trade and
Agriculture Policy, Minnesota (PowerPoint
1.74 MB)
• Tom Richard, Penn State University, Pennsylvania (PowerPoint
2.6 MB)
Reaching Out to the “Mainstream”
It’s easy to preach to the choir. But what are effective
ways for adopters of sustainable practices and innovations to
share knowledge and experience with a wider circle? As more farmers
become interested in sustainable agriculture, working with those
unfamiliar with sustainable practices becomes an opportunity.
• Dale Gies, Gies Farms, Washington
• Mike Hogan, Ohio State University Extension
• Andy McGuire, Washington State University
Adding
Value to What You Grow
Sheep into wool. Wheat into flour. Poop into “peat pots”!
Interested in turning crops or livestock into a profitable product
for sale? Farmers and ranchers across the country are transforming
what they grow and raise into marketable items. But it’s
not as easy as it looks. Learn from three who have first-hand
experience with success and bumps in the road.
• Dan and Jeanne Carver, Imperial Stock
Ranch, Oregon (PowerPoint
7.9 MB)
• Matt Freund, Freund's Farm, Connecticut
• Karl Kupers, Shepherd’s Grain Cooperative, Washington
Help
Strategize: Chart SARE’s Role in Organic
Where do we go from here? Share your opinions during this strategizing
session, and help SARE steer its most effective course in a growing
portfolio of grant-making programs advancing organic agriculture.
• Tom Bewick, USDA-CSREES Integrated Organic
Program, Washington DC (PowerPoint
.1 MB)
• Jonathon Landeck, Organic Farming Research Foundation,
California (PowerPoint
55.4 MB)
“Farmscaping” to Manage Insects
Thought of looking at your farm from an insect’s point of
view? Find out how to control insect pests by arranging fields,
forests and borders into an insect-managing “farmscape”
that helps grow healthier, more productive crops.
• Gwendolyn Ellen, Oregon State University
• Doug Landis, Michigan State University (PowerPoint
6.6 MB)
Scale
It Up: Growing Marketing Enterprises
How can we scale up local and regional markets so they better
serve more (and larger scale) farmers and ranchers? Learn from
those who’ve developed sustainable value chain models and
experienced scaling up in action.
• Fred Kirschenmann, Leopold Center, Iowa
• Michael Rozyne, Red Tomato, Massachusetts
Keeping
a Farm a Farm
One of the best ways to protect farmland is ensuring it stays
a farm. That means bringing in new farmers, and helping pass farmland
on to future generations. Three experts share their experience
in training and helping new and old farmers and ranchers keep
the farm in the family.
• Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of
Illinois Extension (PowerPoint
2.3 MB)
• Julia Freedgood, American Farmland Trust, Washington
DC (PowerPoint
.2 MB)
• Steve Schwartz, California Farmlink
Goats
and Sheep: Keeping Ahead of the Parasites
Hear about sustainable small ruminant sustainable production techniques,
such as the FAMACHA, which “scores” eyelid color for
anemia and parasite control and is an important indicator of herd
health. One producer shares her experience with selecting sheep
for parasite resistance.
• Kathy Bielek, Misty Oaks Farm, Ohio (PowerPoint
2 MB)
• Tom Terrill, Fort Valley State University, Georgia (PowerPoint
17.3 MB)
eOrganic Workshop
eXtension is a new national, web-based, information source
for Land Grant University (LGU) faculty and Extension agents to
consolidate research findings and outreach materials. Within the
framework of eXtension, eOrganic is being developed
as the new organic agriculture Extension Service website to provide
accurate and up-to-date information for organic farmers, conventional
farmers, researchers, and agricultural professionals. Join members
of the eOrganic team for a sneak peek and tour of the eOrganic
workspace.
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