Women in Ag Survey

The American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Program has launched “Women in Ag,” an online survey that aims to gauge the goals, aspirations, achievements and needs of women in American agriculture in a number of different areas.

All women who are farmers, ranchers, farm/ranch employees, employed in agricultural businesses, pursuing ag-related higher education or supportive of agriculture in other ways are invited to participate in the survey.  Respondents must reside in the United States. Farm Bureau membership is not required to participate.

“This comprehensive survey is the first of its kind to ask women in-depth questions about how they are connected to agriculture and what leadership skills they think are most important today, as well as the top business challenges they’re facing,” said Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. “All women involved in agriculture – not just Farm Bureau members – are invited to participate in the survey,” Gilbert emphasized.

Data collected from respondents will be used to gauge trends related to the achievements of women in agriculture, including leadership positions, business successes and election to public office.

The AFB Women’s Leadership Committee is sponsoring the survey and is working with other farm and agriculture organizations to encourage participation. Participants will be eligible for an opportunity to win one of five $100 gift cards after the survey closes. Preliminary findings from the survey will be released in February 2015 at AFBF’s FUSION Conference in Nashville, Tennessee; the full report will be released in late spring.

(By American Farm Bureau Federation)

One Step Guide to Federal Programs

Federal programs can be a helping hand for people who want to develop innovative, sustainable, enterprises in agriculture and the forestry.

A newly updated publication, Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities: A Guide to Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry,Entrepreneurship, Conservation, Food Systems, and Community Development, is a one-stop guide to find the details about those programs and how to apply for them.

The programs detailed in the publication cover a variety of areas:

·        *  Natural Resources Conservation and Management

·         *  Sustainable Ranching and Farming Practices

·         *  Value Added and Marketing Innovations

·         *  Nutrition and Consumer Food Access

·         *  Economic Development for Farms, Small Businesses, and Communities

·         * Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation

The publication provides a description along with eligibility and application requirements for each of nearly 70 individual programs. They range from grants and loans to technical assistance and informational resources.

The programs can help farmers, entrepreneurs, community developers, private landowners, conservationists, as well as private and public organizations whether they are for-profit or nonprofit.

“I use these wonderful guides with start-up nonprofits all over the country,” said "Lorna Donaldson, a Tennessee farmer and national sustainable agriculture enterprise consultant. “The guides are especially valuable because most groups I work with aren't familiar with federal programs. It's great having something that's so concise and also helps people understand how to go and look for additional resources."

The publication is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was produced in cooperation with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). USDA agencies and programs that provided major support for the publication include Sustainable

Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE), U.S. Forest Service; and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches, and Communities: A Guide to Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Entrepreneurship, Conservation, Food Systems, and Community Development, is available as free download on the NCAT’s ATTRA program website at www.attra.ncat.org. Paper copies also can be purchased from the website for a small handling fee.

Is a DUNS and SAM number Needed for Federal Agency Cost-Share Programs?

If you are a farm business or legal partnership, and you are interested in enrolling in USDA farm programs, you will need to register for a DUNS number and on the SAM.gov website to receive any government contract. This includes Farm Bill conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program or Conservation Stewardship Program.

Obtaining a DUNS Number and registering in SAM is absolutely FREE. There is  no cost associated with registering on SAM or obtaining a DUNS number.   Beware of businesses that offer to provide this service as they may charge fees for what is a free process.

Recently, farmers around the state of Wisconsin have been approached and in some cases paid significant fees for assistance in registering their farm business in SAM.

“There are private businesses that pay to have their businesses listed first on Internet searches, and they may appear to be representing the Federal government,” according to Joe Smetak of the Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI). These organizations appear in the list before the actual www.sam.gov website. “While it is ultimately your choice to pay a third party to register for you, please note that the federal government does not charge for registering on this system.”

The federal government requires a DUNS and SAM for all applicants using a federal Taxpayer Identification Number. SAM (System for Award Management) is the official U.S. Government system for registration for grants and contract recipients.  

However, if you apply as an individual and use your Social Security number instead of a Tax ID number, you do not need a DUNS or SAM registration.

Please keep in mind these helpful hints when registering with SAM:

• Does the website end in ‘.gov’?  Official government websites will end in ‘.gov’ or ‘.mil’ rather than ‘.com’.
•  Generally speaking, there is no fee to do business with the federal government (there are a few exceptions to this rule). If you are unsure if someone is actually representing a government agency or function, contact your county federal agency.
• OBTAINING A DUNS NUMBER AND REGISTERING ON SAM IS FREE!!!

Local Foods, High Tunnels and Food Safety Resources

Hopefully these resources will be helpful for you. Building Local and Regional Food Systems Topic Room The local food movement is more than a trend among many consumers - it is becoming a way of life, one that presents farmers with new business opportunities. But the know-how and infrastructure to get food to local markets is not always readily available. Now, you can use SARE's new topic room, "Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems," to find the materials you need to join the movement. Resources compiled in the topic room are grouped into the following categories: Business Issues, Marketing and Markets, Distribution and Aggregation, Food Safety, Food Processing, Strong Communities, and Training Resources for Practitioners.

High Tunnel Construction Guide Available Online

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation has published High Tunnel Hoop House Construction Guide. According to author Steve Upson, the publication is the product of 17 years of experience in hoop house (high tunnel) design, construction, and utilization. The guide introduces the novice grower/ hoop house builder to the various tools and techniques used in constructing a wide range of commercial and homemade hoop house models. Upson comments that careful study of this publication prior to purchasing a hoop house kit or materials to custom-build a structure will save the builder time and money as well as reduce the level of frustration encountered during the construction process. The 102-page publication is online in PDF and can be found here.

Farm Commons Releases Food Safety and Farm Event Legal Guides  Farm Commons has just released the Farmers' Guide to Reducing the Legal Risks of a Food Safety Incident. The detailed legal explanations explore the background behind the law while action points help farmers move forward with reducing their legal risk exposure. In addition, Farm Commons' newly updated guide, Hosting Safer, More Legally Secure On-Farm Events, is now available online. While learning about how things can go wrong, farmers and advocates will also find action points to help reduce legal risk exposure while having a great time. 

Winter Production Workshop—Monday & Tuesday, November 10 and 11, 2014

Thanks to a Local Food Marketing Grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Webb City Farmers Market is hosting a Winter Production/Season Extension Conference November 10 and 11.

Topics include: Maximizing High Tunnel Production, Managing and Record Keeping for Maximum Production, Winter Production for Southwest Missouri, Heating Alternatives, Root Crops/Cellaring/Cold Storage and a Food Safety Update. 

In addition there will be a session for farmers new to winter production on Equipment and a session on Rehabbing and Maintaining Equipment for Winter Production and Long-term Soil Management for experienced winter producers. A tour of Center Creek Farm is also planned.

The event will take place at the Continental Banquet Center, 2802 N Range Line Road, Joplin, MO 64801. Registration is $50 for the first farm registrant and $40 for each additional registrant from the same farm. Registration includes a copy of The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses by Eliot Coleman (limit—one per farm registered). The conference will be limited to 100 participants and includes lunch both days.

Presenters include:

• Alison and Paul Wiedier of Au Naturel Farm in Smiths Grove, Kentucky, year-round market growers and authors of Walking to Spring

• Patrice Gros, market grower and educator, owner of Foundation Farm in Northwest Arkansas.

• Lewis Jett, horticulturist, West Virginia University Extension, formerly of University of Missouri where he pioneered tomato production in high tunnels.

For additional information, contact Eileen Nichols at 417 483-8139.

Food Safety Modernization Act

I wanted to make you aware that the comment period on the revised Food Safety Modernization Act is now open until December 15.  I have not reviewed the rules, but if you are interested in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s review and understanding of them, check out their website at http://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/.  It will give you the background of the rules and let you see if you will be affected or not.  I highly recommend that those of you engaged in direct marketing, or marketing of local foods to wholesale outlets, look through this website and dive into these rules more.

Oregon State University’s Center for Small Farms also has information, including how they commented on the first round of rules that were proposed in late 2013: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/node/175900.  The Organic Trade Association has comments here: http://www.organicnewsroom.com/2014/09/ota_encouraged_by_fda_revision.html.

From the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: “Everyone has a role in ensuring safe food from field to fork. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is the first major overhaul of our nation’s food safety practices since 1938, and it includes new regulations for produce farms and for facilities that process food for people to eat. It represents some big changes to our food system – and it is extremely important for the Food and Drug Administration to get these regulations right.”  http://sustainableagriculture.net/fsma/

(by Mary Hendrickson, PhD Rural Sociology)

RMA (Risk Management Agency) on Premium Subsidies for New Whole Farm Revenue Protection Insurance

On October 3, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced that premium subsidy levels established for the new Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) crop insurance policy will be in line with the premium subsidies available to producers selecting whole-farm units under the Revenue Protection plans of insurance.  If a farmer has two or more crops and meets the minimum diversification requirement they will receive the higher premium subsidy.

This is an important step to level the playing field for diversified farmers.  Until now, farmers purchasing the previous AGR and AGR-Lite policies have had the lower basic subsidy rate available, regardless of the number of commodities insured.  Now, with today’s announcement, those purchasing WFRP (the successor to AGR and AGR-Lite) and meeting the diversification requirements for two commodities, will be eligible for the higher whole-farm subsidy levels available on Revenue Protection products.

On coverage options between 50 and 75 percent, the new subsidy rate will be 80 percent.  Like with other individual crop policies, the subsidy level declines at the very highest coverage levels.

NSAC championed Whole Farm in the Farm Bill and has worked hard to help see this product through to completion.  NSAC commends RMA on this announcement and looks forward to the full roll out of WFRP in mid-November.  We concur with RMA Administrator Brandon Willis who, in making the announcement, said: “Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance will expand options for specialty crop, organic and diversified crop producers, allowing them to insure all the crops at once instead of one commodity at a time. That gives them the option of promoting crop diversity and helps support the production of a wider variety of healthy foods.”

WFRP Policy Basics

Unlike traditional crop insurance, WFRP allows producers to insure the value of all of their crops, including mixed grain/livestock operations and diversified fruit and vegetable farms, rather than insuring crop-by-crop.  This makes the policy an especially attractive option for diversified farms with resource-conserving crop rotations, integrated grain and livestock systems, specialty crop growers, and organic producers.

In many cases individual crop policies do not exist for the crops these farmers grow and even if one does it is often not be available in the state or county where the farmer is located.

WFRP is intended to improve upon the existing adjusted gross revenue (AGR) protection policies known as AGR and AGR-Lite.  These two products have been lightly used since AGR was first introduced in 1999.

WFRP will have an increased liability limit ($8.5 million, compared to AGR’s $6.5 million and AGR-Lite’s $1 million), will offer higher levels of coverage (up to 85 percent), and will include a premium discount for increased crop diversification.

It is also expected to cover incidental costs that are necessary to make a product ready for market, such as washing, trimming, and packaging.

The 2014 Farm Bill authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop WFRP in time for the 2015 crop year.  The policy was approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors in May and the full details of the policy are expected to be released in Mid-November.