Farmers Can Pay Back New Hoop House Loan by Distributing Food

Is it really possible to have fresh salad greens all year round? Can you really get Michigan grown tomatoes in June or July? The answer is yes! Many Michigan farmers are meeting the growing demand for locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables by using season extension techniques such as hoop houses to help them lengthen their growing season.

A hoop house is a passive solar greenhouse that extends the production season for warm- and cool-season crops and permits winter harvesting of cold-tolerant vegetables. Hoop houses can also help a farmer increase their revenue. A recent study by Michigan State University found that, on average, an inexperienced hoop house grower selling at a farmers market can earn $1.60 per square foot per year. [1]

The Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA), in partnership with the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University (MSU) and the MSU Student Organic Farm, is facilitating a program designed to help more farmers extend their growing season and strengthen the farmers markets where they sell their produce. The program is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and will make hoop house loans available to farmers selling at farmers markets that participate in food assistance programs. The program plans to distribute $500,000 over a three year period to farmers seeking to install hoop houses, including approximately $175,000 in 2011.

Through this loan program, farmers will “pay off” their zero-interest loan by distributing fresh produce equal to the value of their loan principal to individuals using food assistance benefits at farmers markets. For example, if a loan amount of $5,000 is requested, a seasonal vendor who participates in a market for six months each year will need to distribute food valued at $41.67 each week to food assistance clients in order to pay back the loan principal within the five year loan period.

Farmers must meet certain requirements to qualify and must be a seasonal vendor at one of the four farmers markets participating in 2011: the Downtown Saginaw Farmers’ Market, the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers’ Market, the Lapeer Farmers’ Market, and the Northwest Detroit Farmers’ Market.

In order to be considered for this loan program, farmers must complete an application and submit it with supporting documents by Friday, August 19, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Applications will be reviewed and announcements will be made by September 15, 2011. Read more »

Included here are links to a great farm story from Gene Logsdon, A farmer resource on conservation and food safety from Wild Farm Alliance that may be useful, and a farming article on the science of biodynamics from e-organic. Hope you find them as interesting as I do. Just click on the titles to access the full publications.

Barnyard Irony (by Gene Logsdon)

EXCERPT: The farm is no place for the weak of heart but being weak of mind helps sometimes. No truly rational being (if there is such a thing) would submit willingly to kneeling in manure in the midnight cold with one arm up to the elbow in blood and mucous, trying to pull a lamb from a womb.  All those poets who like to sing about the joyous wonders of birthing ought to try barnyard midwifery awhile. How many times I have looked up in the dark and wondered why there couldn’t be a better way. If nature or science or intelligent design is so smart, why can’t we just order calves and lambs from Sears?

Download New Brochure: Farming With Food Safety and Conservation in Mind (From Wild Farm Alliance)

EXCERPT: The co-management of food safety and conservation is covered in this brochure, by providing a helpful, science-based overview, outlining the low prevalence of food borne pathogens in wildlife, addressing conservation practices that can improve food safety, and offering a conservation-minded risk assessment strategy.

The Science Behind Biodynamics (by Dr. Lynne Carpenter-Boggs)

EXCERPT: Biodynamics is an esoteric approach to agriculture created by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Steiner was also the father of the philosophy “anthroposophy,” anthroposophic art, anthroposophic medicine, Waldorf schools, Camphill communities, Eurythmy dance, and several other movements in science and culture. In 1924 a group of farmers concerned with declining soil and food quality approached Steiner for a solution. Steiner, neither a farmer nor a scientist, drew on traditional European farming mythology and new impulses from anthroposophy to build BD. Biodynamics was envisioned to not only produce ample food and fiber, but also to heal and nourish the people who depend on these products by healing the soil, plants, animals, and earth.

Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN) will host Will Allen and the Growing Power staff for a power-packed weekend of events August 12-14, 2011.  D-Town Farm is one of Growing Power’s eight Regional Outreach Training Centers in the U.S., and provides periodic lectures, workshops and hands-on training experiences in urban agriculture and food security. Please join us for one, two or all three of the events below.  You can save as much as $20 by registering for all three events!

Lecture – Friday, August 12, 2011 from 7pm-9pm at Evans Solutions (formerly the Akwaaba Community Center)
8045 Second, corner of Seward, Detroit, MI 48202
Recession Buster Special Pricing! $15 general admission, $10 Seniors (60+) and Students with ID. Group rates available.

Workshop: Large Scale Composting – Saturday, August 13, 2011 9am-6pm at D-Town Farm (inside Rouge Park)
14027 W. Outer Drive, between Plymouth and W. Chicago, Detroit, MI 48219
Recession Buster Special Price! $45 (includes light breakfast and full lunch)

Workshop: Solar Energy Installation – Sunday, August 14, 2011 9am-6pm at D-Town Farm (inside Rouge Park)
14027 W. Outer Drive, Between Plymouth and W. Chicago, Detroit, MI 48219
Recession Buster Special Price! $45 (includes light breakfast and full lunch)

You can register for all three events for only $85.

Scholarships are available. Please call 313 345-FOOD for more information.

www.detroitblackfoodsecurity.org

NEWS RELEASE – Contact: Joanna Green, Groundswell Director, 607-277-0180, info@groundswellcenter.org

A Groundswell of opportunities for beginning farmers! Park Foundation awards $15,000 grant to the Groundswell Farm Enterprise Incubator

 ITHACA, NY – The Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming is extremely pleased to announce that the Park Foundation has generously pledged $15,000 to help launch Groundswell’s Farm Enterprise Incubator. The Incubator, located at EcoVillage at Ithaca, will help provide new farmers with the land and the support they need to start their own farm enterprises.

“There is a completely new generation of beginning farmers in our region who would like to provide our families, children, and the community with healthy, sustainably-grown food. However, these new farmers face a lot of challenges in accessing the land, resources, and learning experiences that are necessary to launch productive enterprises,” says Devon Van Noble, Groundswell Incubator Development Coordinator. “We would like to thank the Park Foundation for recognizing the importance of practical opportunities for beginning farmers to learn not only how to sustainably farm, but how to manage and grow a sustainable business.”

A “Farm Incubator” is a land-based training program that provides beginning farmers with a low-risk, high-support avenue to try out a new agricultural venture. The Groundswell Farm Enterprise Incubator will offer affordable land, water, fencing, tractor services, and business development support to beginning farmers in our area. This year, the Park Foundation’s funding will help jump-start development of the on-site and organizational infrastructure of the Incubator. Read more »

These are fantastic articles from Choices Magazine, and are highly recommended. To view the full articles click on the titles. – TR

U.S. FARM BILL RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS FOR BEGINNING FARMERS (by Suresh Sureshwaran and Stephanie Ritchie)

EXCERPT: Beginning farmer education for adult and young audiences in the United States is nothing new. These programs can be generally traced back to the advent of the 1862 and the 1890 Morrill Land Grant Acts. More comprehensive legislation to address the needs of beginning farmers and ranchers first began with special considerations made in the Agricultural Credit Improvement Act of 1992. However, for various reasons there has been renewed interest and rapid growth in these programs in recent years. These reasons include the rising average age of U.S. farmers (2007 Census of Agriculture); the 8% projected decrease in the number of farmers and ranchers between 2008 and 2018 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009); and the growing recognition that the current social and education infrastructure does not sufficiently address the needs of beginning farmers and ranchers (Ruhf, 2001). Moreover, there is recognition of new populations considering enterprises in farming and ranching that require a repositioning of classroom and outreach education models. Also, several new state, federal and local partnerships with community-based organizations served as a catalyst to facilitate the development of new programs and services.

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS (by Mary Clare Ahearn)

EXCERPT: There are many preconceived notions of beginning farmers. The main reason for the diversity of views is because they are a very diverse population—in many ways more diverse than the established farmer population. So, one’s characterization of beginning farmers depends on where the blind man has touched the elephant. There is also diversity in views because data are not frequently and widely available to characterize the population. Moreover, there may be complex relationships at work, not easily verified, about the importance of the beginning farmer population to larger issues, such as national food security. It is worth considering what can be quantified.

ALSO SEE: Theme Overview: Innovations to Support Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (by Dawn Thilmany McFadden and Suresh Sureshwaran); A Representative Farm Approach to Outreach with Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (by Peter Zimmel and Lori Wilcox); and Approaching Beginning Farmers as a New Stakeholder for Extension (by Lee Meyer, Jennifer Hunter, Ani Katchova, Sarah Lovett, Dawn Thilmany, Martha Sullins, and Adrian Card)

New Financing Measure Could boost farm production in food deserts

By Bob Heuer & Patty Cantrell

First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign against childhood obesity moved forward Wednesday with her announcement that grocery chains have agreed to open or expand 1,500 stores in urban and rural “food deserts” nationwide.  She did not say who would be growing all the anticipated fruits and vegetables.

Many believe local farmers and businesses could help supply these retail outlets, and grow new jobs in the process, provided more business development support.  America’s largest farm finance network, the Farm Credit System (FCS), is considering a proposed regulatory rule that could help deploy such expertise.

In 1916, Congress established the FCS to ensure that farmers and ranchers have reliable access to financing.  In 2010, FCS institutions owned $231.3 billion in total assets and generated a $3.49 billion profit.

Within tight-knit agricultural circles, the FCS is an indispensable industry asset.  But its federal regulator, the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), says the 84 borrower-owned and locally controlled lending associations aren’t doing enough to meet their federal mandate to deliver financing and “related services” to young, beginning and small farmers.

Monday ends the 60-day public comment period for the FCA’s proposed “diversity and inclusion” rule.  If approved by the FCA board, every FCS institution would be required to create plans to diversify their workforce and market services to all potential “creditworthy and eligible borrowers.”  The proposal states that the FCS must “commit to embracing diversity and inclusion in lending, employment and governance” or “risk losing…relevance in the marketplace.” Read more »

I thought readers would be interested in the following articles on: Hoophouses in Summer, The First AMS Spanish Webinar, and How Demands on Land Could Create Regulatory Burdens. Simply click the titles to see the full articles.

Hoop Houses During the Summer: How To Use Them With Triple Digit Temperature (by Vinnie Bevivino – Seed and Cycle)

EXCERPT: Hoop houses are used by small and urban farmers to grow year round and get more food off of a small piece of land.  They’re commonly thought of as a way to make a space warmer and therefore allow the farmer to harvest throughout the winter.  However, hoop houses can make it difficult or impossible to grow in the summer unless you can cool them down.  Its very important to design your hoop house so it is both air-tight to prevent winter drafts yet able to be opened to allow for summer growing.  This article discusses the two common ways of attaching plastic to your hoop house, and ways to use hoop houses in year-round operations that doesn’t slow down when the temperatures reach in the triple digits.

AMS Completes First Spanish Webinar (by Karla Whalen – AMS PACA Branch Chief and Christopher Purdy – AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs)

EXCERPT: The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently held its first Spanish-language webinar: An Introduction to PACA – In Spanish. Pat Romero, Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) Western Regional director, introduced participants to the PACA Branch and discussed how it protects the produce industry. Every day, PACA receives inquiries from produce companies requesting assistance to handle problems such as interpreting inspection certificates, settling contract disputes, and addressing bankruptcy problems.  The branch promotes fair trading practices in the fruit and vegetable industry by establishing and enforcing a code of fair business practices and by helping companies resolve their disputes.

Greater Demands on Land Could Create Regulatory Burden (by Chris Clayton DTN Progressive Farmer)

EXCERPT: Environmental groups and the EPA argue enough isn’t being done to reduce soil erosion, phosphorus in local lakes and nitrogen connected to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. But traditional federal help for soil erosion, nutrient management or water retention is being carved out of USDA’s budget and flowing downstream as easily as the banks on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers are washing out this year. It’s a recipe for more potential regulation if the next farm bill doesn’t develop conservation incentives that rely less on federal programs moving ahead.

Community Market Cooperative Now Hiring in Keene, New Hampshire

Are you an experienced retail manager who is passionate about healthy food, sustainable living and building community? Are you ready to take on a new and exciting challenge?   Monadnock Community Market Cooperative, Inc. (MCM Co-op), a start-up food co-op, is seeking a dynamic leader to be its first General Manager, and develop a knowledgeable and dedicated staff while working with a talented, energetic volunteer Board elected by our member-owners.

Monadnock Community Market Cooperative, Inc. (MCM Co-op) is a full-service grocery store scheduled to open a 12,000 SF facility in downtown Keene in July 2012.  The MCM Co-op currently has over 700 member-owners from around the Monadnock Region.  The General Manager reports to the Board of Directors, and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Co-op operations, including budgeting, planning, cash management and financing, staff structure and training, facility and systems management, vendor/supplier arrangements, marketing, membership expansion and involvement and community engagement. Read more »

The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) is seeking fall intern(s) to assist on food and agriculture issues in our Washington, DC office.  Founded in 1986, NFFC represents family farm, fishing and rural groups whose members face the challenge of the deepening economic recession in rural communities. 

The combination of our 26 member groups’ grassroots strength and NFFC’s experience at the national level enables us to play a unique role in working to secure a sustainable, economically just, healthy and secure food and farm system. Additional power comes from collaboration with a network of domestic and international organizations sharing similar ideals.

Interns will have an opportunity to assist with various aspects of NFFC’s work, including monitoring pending federal legislation, attending hearings, and supporting NFFC’s work around implementation of programs from the 2008 Farm Bill as well as issues related to the 2012 Farm Bill. Potential areas of focus include: strategic reserves, corporate concentration, farm subsidies, trade and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Interns will have opportunities to attend meetings, events, and hearings on Capitol Hill and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other government agencies. Read more »

Sign Up Now for Farm Conservation Programs from NRCS (USDA)

A reader with extensive experience working for NRCS has pointed out that an application can be filed anytime but selection periods are not all year and limited to when funds are made available. It is always best to go into an NRCS office well ahead of these selection periods to update the farm’s conservation plan. a resource concern needs to be identified to qualify for cost sharing assistance through EQIP. CRP is administered by the Farm Service Agency.

Many farmers don’t realize that most of the USDA conservation programs are open for sign-up at any time, continuously, not just for a few weeks each year.  Most of the programs offered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are open year-round for applications, according to Pat Leavenworth, NRCS State Conservationist for Wisconsin.

“For example, you can make an appointment and sign-up for costsharing through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) at any time throughout the year,” says Leavenworth.  Those applications are held until an annual ranking date is announced, then all applications that NRCS has received to date will be ranked for funding that year.

Frequently, the ranking dates are in the winter, and farmers rush to sign up when the ranking date is announced.  However, this is Wisconsin and the snow cover makes it difficult for the NRCS staff to get a good look at the land and add all needed practices.  Funding may not be available in the spring to add anything that was missed, but that can be avoided by signing up earlier.

In 2011, Wisconsin farmers contracted for over $17 million in conservation projects through EQIP.  An additional $750,000 was received in July that will be used to address some of the unfunded applications in backlog for EQIP and tribal conservation.   The Conservation Stewardship Program will pay over $10 million this year to the 1500 participating CSP farmers.

Call now for an appointment to talk about conservation options for your farm.  More information on NRCS programs is available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/PROGRAMS/

For more information contact the NRCS office at the USDA Service Center serving your county through http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/organization/regions.html Read more »

26^th Annual CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference in North Carolina – Nov. 11-13, 2011 | Durham, NC

Register now for this food and farm event at: http://carolinafarmstewards.org/sac11_register.shtml The Early Bird rate flies away Aug. 20, 2011.

NEW THIS YEAR: Not yet a CFSA member?  Add a membership to your registration and you can take advantage of low member-only early bird rates NOW!
This year’s conference in Durham, NC is HUGE!  You won’t want to miss the cutting-edge, skill-building workshops by world renowned sustainable farming and local food experts, including:

Joan Dye Gussow – Conference Keynote at the Local Foods Feast - Joan is the world-famous author of the bestselling “This Organic Life.” She’s a legend in the local, organic movement; Richard Wiswall – farmer and author of The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook; Ellen Polishuk – compost and farm operations expert; Ross Conrad – author of ‘Natural Beekeeping’; Greg Judy – the authority on mob grazing; Will Hooker – permaculture specialist; Brian Snyder – farm policy expert; C. Lee Calhoun – author of ‘Old Southern Apples’; AND – Mushroom genius, Tradd Cotter, Organic Valley’s vet, Guy Jodarski; Expert farmer, Ken Dawson; Jim Riddle, expert in organic certification; and James Beard winner, Andrea Reusing! 

PLUS – NETWORKING, FARM TOURS, AMAZING LOCAL FOOD and SO MUCH MORE!

REGISTER NOW!  http://carolinafarmstewards.org/sac11_register.shtml

For more details on the CFSA Conference, including a full schedule and farm tour and workshop descriptions, visit: http://carolinafarmstewards.org/sac11.shtml

For information about the beginning farmer and rancher scholarships, visit: http://carolinafarmstewards.org/sac11_support.shtml

For information about work exchange, please visit: http://carolinafarmstewards.org/sac11_support.shtml#workexchange

Organic Growing Techniques Workshop at Bissel Gardens in Wakefield, Bronx, NY

NEW YORK: Praxis Housing Initiatives in cooperation with Bissel Gardens and the New York Botanical Garden are pleased to offer a free horticulture workshop. It will cover pest prevention and control, proper watering techniques, mulching, and fertilizing with compost.

Praxis Housing is cosponsoring this workshop to further the urban agriculture movement in the Bronx. Praxis, which plans on building on incorporating a community garden into its next housing project, has long been a proponent of sustainable development and healthy living.

The workshop will take place at Bissel Gardens on Saturday, July 30, 2011 from 10am-12pm. Bissel Gardens is located at the intersection of Barnes and Bruner Avenue. Please take the 2,5 train to Nereid Avenue.

Please contact 347.427.2547 for more information. Read more »

NORTHEAST ORGANIC RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM COORDINATOR JOB 

Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY)

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) is the oldest and largest organization in New York devoted to organic and sustainable farming and gardening, and counts over 800 farms among its 1400 members of farmers, gardeners, and eaters.

We are seeking a Coordinator to organize the NOFA-NY Organic Farming Research Symposium in conjunction with the NOFA-NY winter conference in Saratoga Springs, NY in January 2012.  Symposium Coordinator will review conference research proposals, communicate with researchers across the Northeast and nationally about their organic farm research, put together a comprehensive program, and manage symposium registration and on-site logistics (January 19-20, 2012).

The position requires a self-starter who has experience in or familiarity of organic agricultural research, experience in event planning, good customer service skills, and an interest in helping grow the local organic farming movement.  This position is a contract position from now until August, 2012.  Time required is occasional through the summer, but greatly increases in the fall and winter.  The position will report to the executive director and will work closely with the education & outreach coordinator and will be required to attend occasional meetings throughout the summer and fall, either in the NOFA-NY office in Rochester, NY or by phone. Click the READ MORE TAB for more information about the job and how to apply Read more »

Growing Power, Inc. is seeking a full-time accounting assistant to assist the Associate Director/Finance Manager

Growing Power, Inc. is a nonprofit organization, located in the City of Milwaukee that supports the development and sustainability of community-based food systems, i.e., farmers markets, community gardens, school-based gardening, and agricultural projects.  It offers hands-on training and technical assistance in sustainable agricultural techniques that can be implemented in urban or rural settings. as follows:

Responsibilities:

·         Accounts Payable – coding, entering and completing all tasks related

·         Accounts Receivable – invoice weekly for our clients +

·         Assist with all duties related to the accounting department

·         Assist with Human Resources

·         Assume other administrative tasks as assigned Read more »

United Fresh News Release, July 19, 2011; Contact: Patrick Delaney, pdelaney@unitedfresh.org, 202-303-3400 ext. 417

Bonuses a Major Part of Produce Executive Compensation Says United Foundation Survey

New Report Measures Compensation in Thirty Job Functions and Multiple Produce Industry Segments Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bonuses account, on average, for 30 percent of C-suite executive (CEO, COO, CFO) compensation, according to a new survey of produce industry compensation and benefits released today by the United Fresh Foundation, through its Center for Leadership Excellence.

The confidential survey of 119 produce industry companies measures employee compensation and benefit data for a wide range of full-time positions including sales and marketing, production and operations, quality control and assurance, administration, finance and accounting, and executives. The survey was open to U.S.-based produce industry employers including grower-shippers, brokers, wholesaler-distributors, importers, exporters and fresh-cut processors. Read more »