All About Seeds-From Germination to Re-Generation

The University of Nebraska SARE Program is offering a webinar scheduled for April 22nd at 10:00 a.m.  The webinar is titled, "All About Seeds-From Germination to Re-Generation."  Rebecca Bloom and Elizabeth Goodman will partner together to present this webinar.  Rebecca is from Omaha, Nebraska and is an experienced organic producer that grows organic vegetables across the river near Crescent, IA.  Rebecca has experience with CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), selling to fine restaurants in the Metro area, farmers markets and food coops.  Elizabeth Goodman, also from Omaha is working with Rebecca on her operation.

They will discuss issues of seed germination, seed savings and succession planting and how they are using these principals in their operation.  To access this webinar go to: https://connect.unl.edu/r27r7nuna10/ 

For any questions, call (402) 274-4755 or email Gary Lesoing, Nebraska SARE Coordinator.

Sign-Up Begins April 15 for Livestock, Honeybee, Fruit Grower for Farmer and Rancher Disaster Assistance Programs

USDA announced that farmers and ranchers can sign-up for disaster assistance programs, reestablished and strengthened by the 2014 Farm Bill, beginning Tuesday, April 15, 2014

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) will provide payments to eligible producers for livestock deaths and grazing losses that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, and including calendar years 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Enrollment also begins on April 15 for producers with losses covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP).

• LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Eligible livestock includes beef cattle, dairy cattle, bison, poultry, sheep, swine, horses, and other livestock as determined by the Secretary.
• LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire on publicly managed land. An eligible livestock producer must own, cash lease, or be a contract grower of eligible livestock during the 60 calendar days before the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire in a county that is rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as D2, D3, or D4.
• ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
• TAP provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters.

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees have worked exceptionally hard over the past two months to ensure eligible farmers and ranchers would be able to enroll to receive disaster relief on April 15.

To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to collect records documenting these losses in preparation for the enrollment in these disaster assistance programs. Information on the types of records necessary can be provided by local FSA county offices. Producers also are encouraged to contact their county office ahead of time to schedule an appointment.

For more information, producers may review the 2014 Farm Bill Fact Sheet, ELAP and TAP fact sheets online, or visit any local FSA office or USDA Service Center.

 

NOTE:  I emailed for additional information pertaining to honeybees and got this response:

 

Eligible honeybee losses include colony losses, hive losses and feed losses due to an eligible adverse weather or loss condition. This includes CCD for colony losses and other weather events may be eligible.  To be an eligible colony loss, the loss must be in excess of the normal mortality rate of 17.5% and could not have been prevented through reasonable available measures. Applicants will have to provide proof of “best management practices” which would include mite control. Also, eligible producers must be using the bees and/or honey for commercial use.

 

 

 

NCR-SARE Announces 2014 Farmer Rancher

Congratulations to the following Missouri farmers who received a SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant! 

The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is pleased to announce the projects recommended for funding for the Farmer Rancher competitive grant programs. More than 50 grant projects were selected to receive a total of more than $.5 million through these two NCR-SARE grant programs, which offer competitive grants for farmers, ranchers, youth educators, organizations, and others who are exploring sustainable agriculture in America’s Midwest.

For the 2014 Farmer Rancher Grant Program, NCR-SARE awarded more than $486,000 to more than 40 projects ranging from $1,370 to $22,500. The Farmer Rancher Grant Program is a competitive grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. They are listed here by state/location.

•           Serena Cochrane of Stuart Farm, LLC in Gerald, Missouri was selected to receive $7,336 for the project, “Pasture Weed Control with Juglone (Black Walnut) Spray."

•           Wesley Hunter of Providence Farm in Seymour, Missouri was selected to receive $5,933 for the project, “A Comparison and Evaluation of Heritage and Broad-Breasted Turkeys on Pasture.”

•           Scott Kelly of SCARS Ag, LLC in Kearney, Missouri was selected to receive $7,470 for the project, “Integrated Wildlife Management for Sustainable Agriculture.”

•           Mary Licklider of Heartfelt LLC in Columbia, Missouri was selected to receive $22,335 for the project, “Data Management for Marketing Alpaca Products.”

•           Molly Rockamann of EarthDance in Ferguson, Missouri was selected to receive $7,500 for the project, “Growing a Pear Orchard at an Organic Farm School to Increase Supply and Demand for Organic Tree Fruit in St. Louis, MO.”

•           Tom Ruggieri of Fair Share Farm LLC in Kearney, Missouri was selected to receive $7,480 for the project, “Cover Crop-based Reduced Tillage for Fall Production of Cabbage, Cauliflower and Broccoli Using a Roller-Crimper and No-Till Planting Aid.”

•           Brian Willsey of Rockin' W Alpaca Ranch in Owensville, Missouri was selected to receive $7,481 for the project, “Fodder System for Wool Producing small Ruminants.”

Read descriptions of these projects along with the others from the North Central Region online.

NCR-SARE administers these grant programs in the North Central region, and each has specific priorities, audiences, and timelines. The focus for the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are made based on how well the applicant articulates the nature of the research and education components of their sustainable agriculture grant proposals.

NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. A collection of farm and non-farm citizens, the AC includes a diverse mix of agricultural stakeholders in the region. Council members hail from regional farms and ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.

 

Ag Opportunities

 The April 2014 "Ag Opportunities" newsletter is now online.  Share with others who may have an interest.

• Debi Kelly Takes New Position
• Tomato Test 2013: Yield and Weight of Fruit
• USDA Enhances Farm Storage Facility Loan Program
• Farmers' Guide to the Farm Service Agency Microloan Program
• Monthly Beginning Farmer Webinars
• Growing Grower Workshops (Kansas City Area)
• Beekeeping Workshops
• Farmers Market of the Ozarks and CRAFT Educational Courses
• Soil Health Webinar Series
• Grants and Financial Assistance
• In Print/On-Line/In The News
• On The Calendar

Past Issues

Spotted Wing Drosophila Management and Post-harvest Fruit Handling Workshop

 

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension is offering a workshop on April 25^th on the Spotted-Winged Drosophila, an invasive insect that caused lots of damage for producers last year.  The location of the workshop will be at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm, 3804 Bald Hill Road in Jefferson City.

This FREE hands-on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) workshop will primarily address Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), a new insect pest that invaded Missouri in 2013. SWD is primarily a pest of berry crops (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, elderberries, etc.) and some stone fruits (cherry, nectarine and peach).

 

Post-harvest fruit handling practices with a focus on elderberry will also be covered.  Free SWD monitoring traps and bait will be provided for each participant.

 

Agenda

8:30 - 9:00 am – Registration

9:00 - 9:15 am – Introductions / overview

9:15 - 9:35 am – SWD identification (hands-on)

9:35 - 10:00 am – SWD monitoring (hands on)

10:00 - 10:50 am – SWD management

10:50 - 11:00 am – break

11:00 am - 12: 00 pm – Elderberry post-harvest handling

12:00 pm – Adjourns

 

Due to the nature of the hands-on nature of this workshop, registration will be limited to the first 40 people that register. To register, please contact Jacob Wilson via e-mail at wilsonj@lincolnu.edu or phone at (573) 681-5591.
 

Ground is Dry Under Surface

The past few years have not been good for Missouri's soil, and a lack of rainfall is to blame.

Randy Miles, associate professor of soil science at the University of Missouri, said a continuous pattern of dry weather during the past 2½ to three years caused conditions that might make for another hard season for summer crops.

"We don't have a fully recharged soil profile," Miles said. "The surface soil is moist, but the subsoil is, well, pretty dry."

The current conditions are in part fallout from a rough 2012.

Mark Fuchs, hydrologist with the National Weather Service, said besides some rain in April 2012, that year was almost completely dry, and the summer was extra hot.

"That quickly dried out the top soil and translated into moisture shortages over time below that as well," Fuchs said. "The only thing that saved us that year was a relatively cool August."

Fuchs said other climatologists refer to what happened that year as a "flash drought."

The next year was a little better for some parts of the state, such as south-central and southwest Missouri, which received significant rainfall and, in some parts, major flash flooding during the summer. Still, there were some parts of the state that Fuchs said "never fully recovered" from 2012, primarily the area north of the Missouri River.

There hasn't been a lot of moisture since last summer, either, Fuchs said. The fall was fairly dry, and the winter was below average in precipitation.

"Winter is the time of year we hope to get a significant recharge, with some more in the spring," he said, adding that although it was a cold winter, it was still considered a dry one. "So far, though, spring has not kicked in. March rainfall totals have been low through most of the state. If we don't get significant, or hopefully above-average, rainfall in April and May, we could be setting ourselves up for a drought-ridden summer."

April and May are indicator months of what kind of year to expect, Fuchs said.

Miles has seen the lack of precipitation at the Sanborn Field weather station, a research area Miles directs under the MU College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources.

"Good, timely rains" above what Missouri normally gets would help to make up the deficit, but Miles said that it takes more than an overnight shower to move the moisture down to the subsoil.

Without more rain, there is the possibility of decreased yields for farmers.

Also, he said many local ponds, springs and even the Missouri River will be — and already are — lower than usual.

(By Ashely Jost.  This article was published in the Friday, March 28, 2014 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "Soil needs a water recharge; Ground is dry under surface.")

Webinar Will Focus on Urban Farming Viability

Local food was once considered to be in the purview of consumers and small-scale producers. Recently, policymakers, including those residing in cities, began embracing local food systems as a solution to a myriad of urban problems, including lack of green space and a dearth of healthy food availability. As part of this shift in policy, cities and other jurisdictions have embraced production in the urban environment.

But at the local and state levels, such policies are often based on a vision of how food might be grown in a city, and do not consider the feasibility or viability of such ventures. Nor do the policies consider how much of a contribution urban farms might make to urban food supplies.  

The question of how much food urban farms can supply is critical, given the small amount of land devoted to farming in urban areas. A further complicating factor is that many urban farms have claimed nonprofit status and often act as more as educational facilities rather than as commercial farms.  

A free April 29 webinar, “Urban Farms: Commercial Farms or Socially Minded Operations?” will provides an analysis of the differences between nonprofit and commercial urban farms, and it is based on research conducted by researchers at NYU, Penn State, and NCAT-ATTRA. Funding for this study was provided by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The webinar will begin at Noon CDT. To register, go online.

The webinar presenters will be Carolyn Dimitri, Associate Professor of Food Studies at NYU Steinhardt; and Andy Pressman, National Center for Appropriate Technology Sustainable Agriculture Specialist.

The webinar will be recorded and archived on the ATTRA website.

About the Presenters

Carolyn Dimitri is an applied economist who studies food systems and food policy. She is recognized as the leading expert in the procurement and marketing of organic food, and has published extensively on the distribution, processing, retailing, and consumption of organic food. Carolyn’s research spans the wide range of work on different aspects of the food system. She is currently studying urban agriculture in 15 cities around the country; food access in the urban setting; and the political economies of the national organic regulation. Carolyn has received grants from USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, National Research Initiative, and Risk Management Agency, and Northeast Center for Risk Management Education. For more than a decade, she worked as a research economist at the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She is currently an Associate Editor of the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, and is a member of the scientific board of the Organic Center. She earned a PhD in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Andy Pressman is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with NCAT and its ATTRA Program. Andy works with farmers and educators in the fields of organic crop production, season extension, local food systems, urban agriculture, and farm energy. Andy has a MS degree in Sustainable Systems/Agroecology from Slippery Rock University and has a background in intensive farming systems.  Prior to joining NCAT in 2007, he spent several years managing small diversified farms located in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions.  Andy and his family currently operate Foggy Hill Farm, a small diversified family farm located in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.