FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 29, 2010

Contacts:  Jennifer Walsh, Media Relations Officer; Luwam Yeibio, Media Relations Assistant; Office of News and Public Information 202-334-2138; e-mail <news@nas.edu>

U.S. Approach to Farming Should Change to Meet New Challenges, Expanding Needs

Read Full Report

WASHINGTON — U.S. farmers are under pressure to produce more, pollute less, fulfill consumer preferences, and make a living — all with increasingly scarce natural resources and the uncertain effects of climate change, says a new report from the National Research Council.  To help U.S. agriculture evolve to meet these demands, the report concludes, national agricultural policies and research programs should look beyond focusing only on low costs and high production and adopt a holistic perspective to farming that encompasses multiple end goals.

“Although farming productivity has increased, nowadays farmers are being asked to do more than produce more food for a growing world population,” said Julia Kornegay, chair of the committee that wrote the report, and professor and head of the department of horticultural science at North Carolina State University, Raleigh.  “Many modern agricultural practices have unintended negative consequences, such as decreased water and air quality, and farmers have to consider these consequences while trying to increase production.  If farmers are going to meet future demands, the U.S. agriculture system has to evolve to become sustainable and think broadly — past the bottom line of producing the most possible.” Read more »

Agriculture Struggles with Lack of Young Farmers (Bakersfield.com)

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/business/economy/x1008891541/Agriculture-struggles-with-lack-of-young-farmers

2010 State of the Industry: Vegetable Growing (Farming Journal)

http://www.farmingmagazine.com/article.php?id=5553

It’s the Policy Stupid: Why Eaters Alone Cant Transform the Food System (Grist)

http://www.grist.org/article/food-why-eaters-alone-cant-transform-the-food-system/

Consumers are buying into organic farms: They believe in the health benefits of organic food but also see the ventures as investments (Chicago Tribune)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0628-organic-farmers-20100628,0,6671982.story

Articles About FDA’s Announcement Regarding Antibiotics in Agriculture:

Antibiotics in Animals Need Limits, F.D.A. Says (New York Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/health/policy/29fda.html

Meat and Antibiotics: Getting Our Animals Off Drugs (Time)

http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2010/06/29/meat-and-antibiotics-getting-our-animals-off-drugs/

Vital fruit and berry collection set for destruction

According to a June 24th article from NewScientist, the largest scientific collection of fruits and berries, located near St. Petersburg, Russia may soon be history. The article states that a housing development would be erected in its place. And according to NewScientist, prominent figures including the Global Crop Diversity Trust Director have issued a call for intervention by scientists to prevent one of the largest intentional losses of agricultural crop diversity in recent history.

To Read the article, click HERE

Heifer International Learning Center at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR is seeking a hard working individual to fill the position of Livestock Coordinator.

Livestock Coordinator at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR. Oversee day to day operations on a diversified, grass based livestock operation; develop a grass finishing beef and sheep program; raise pigs, poultry and other livestock; educate the public about livestock production; assist in conducting workshops for agricultural educators and farmers; participate in grant funded on-farm research in pasture management and internal parasite control in small ruminants. Applicants must have BS in agriculture and at least 2 years livestock experience. Salary range is $36,900 to $39,700. Go to https://www.ultirecruit.com/hei1001/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?__ID=*7920110FCE12D19B for more information.

Director of Development at Red Tomato

The Director of Development (DD) is responsible for: developing and implementing a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy; participating in annual budgeting and strategic planning processes; managing the department; supervising the Development Associate; and maintaining outstanding funder relations.  The work includes grant writing, cultivating individual and major donors, identifying and pursuing new funding sources, preparing evaluation reports for funders, and conducting annual fund appeals. The DD leads and coordinates the staff and board in  development activities. The position is full time and reports to one of RT’s Co-Directors. Please contact Betty MacKenzie at devdirjob@redtomato.org. Position open until filled.

Red Tomato’s mission is connecting farmers and consumers through marketing, trade, and education, and through a passionate belief that a family-farm, locally-based, ecological, fair trade food system is the way to a better tomato.

FRESH is looking for an intern!  Minimum is 12 hours/week and you must be available to come into our Brooklyn office.   Tasks will include researching and connecting with various networks in the sustainable food world, developing outreach and activism initiatives and light administrative tasks.  This is an opportunity to contribute to a growing food movement and a unique distribution model for activist documentaries.  This is a substantive internship and requires a passion for the food movement and a willingness to learn and work hard. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Lisa Madison, lisa@FRESHthemovie.com.  Only applications with cover letters will be considered.  This is an unpaid internship but you’re sure to eat well!

USDA Press Release No. 0346.10

Contact: Michael Jarvis 202-690-3816

ASHEVILLE, N.C., June 26, 2010 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at Farmers Markets: A How-To Handbook. The handbook provides the managers of farmers markets with a step-by-step guide to installing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) machines and accepting SNAP benefits. Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Edward M. Avalos made the national announcement at the Asheville City Market.

“It is important for people throughout the country to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and by promoting SNAP EBT’s at farmers markets, we are accomplishing that goal while providing more economic opportunity for America’s farmers and ranchers,” said Avalos. “This new handbook provides critical information to farmers market managers and spurs economic opportunities for local producers and I encourage more markets to take advantage of using EBT machines.”

The handbook was developed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), in cooperation with the Project for Public Spaces. It provides essential guidance for farmers market managers who are thinking about implementing EBT technology at their market sites to allow them to accept SNAP benefits (previously known as food stamps). Topics addressed in the handbook include how to install an EBT machine and how to make the program work successfully for vendors and customers. The handbook also features a list of resources, a glossary of important terms, and several case studies from farmers markets that have successfully implemented EBT technology. Read more »

4th Annual Farm & Food Leadership Conference, “Taking Back Control of Our Food Supply”.

Jim Hightower will be keynote speaker, and the lunches will be prepared with local, sustainably raised foods.

WHEN: Monday and Tuesday, September 13-14, 2010
WHERE: Mexican-American Cultural Center, 600 River Street, Austin, TX 78701
WHAT: An exciting gathering of activists, farmers & ranchers, consumers, and nonprofits who care about the state of our food and food choices.  Come learn about the latest developments in agriculture and food, and get the tools you need to help make a difference!

For more information, visit http://farmandranchfreedom.org/conference-2010

TOPICS and SPEAKERS: * Keynote, Jim Hightower; * Genetically Modified Foods, Howard Vlieger, FARFA; * Codex: What’s happening with supplements? Scott Tipps, National Health Federation; * Update from D.C., Patty Lovera, Food & Water Watch; * Food Policy Councils, Marla Camp, Edible Austin; * How to Develop an Effective Message, Colin Rowan, Rowan Communications; * National Animal ID System: What Has Changed? Judith McGeary, FARFA; * How to Lobby; * Getting Food From Farm to Table: Distribution Issues; * Land and Water Use Issues; And more!  The full list will be posted on the conference page soon.

REGISTRATION: Go to http://farmandranchfreedom.org/conference-2010 to register online or download a registration form and mail it to P.O. Box 809, Cameron, TX 76520.

SPONSORS : Edible Austin; Edible Dallas-Ft Wort; Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance; Growing Good Things to Eat; Sustainable Food Center; Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association; Wheatsville Co-op

Register now for a new eOrganic Webinar! Space is limited.
Late Blight Management on Organic Farms 2010
July 1, 2010 at 8 PM Eastern Time (7 PM Central, 6 PM Mountain, 5 PM Pacific)
Click here to register: http://www.extension.org/article/28346

Late blight reached epidemic proportions on U.S. farms in 2009. Join eOrganic presenters Dr. Sally Miller of Ohio State University and Dr. Meg McGrath of Cornell University for a free Webinar to hear an update on late blight in 2010. Learn about the late blight disease cycle, how to scout and diagnose the disease, and how to manage late blight on organic farms.

I have recently heard from a number of farmers concerned about late blight infestation of tomato and potato crops, and wanted to share with you a valuable new tool available from USPest.org.

Simply go to http://uspest.org/risk/tom_pot_map to find a map of the US which tracks infestation risk in thousands of local areas (see example below).

It takes a little time to load, so be patient.

Information is regularly updated. And from this map you can zoom in on your particular area to get a more detailed analysis of the latest plant disease forecasts based on models which consider degree days and rainfall, to estimate spore formation.

USPest.org also has lots of other great information on identification, forecasting, and control of a wide variety of agricultural pests.

View of Late Blight Map - Northeast US, 6/24/10

The Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings Program is among the most successful and well known beginning farmer training programs in the country.

Land Stewardship Project’s successful beginning farmer training program, Farm Beginnings, will be held this coming fall in both Winona and St. Joseph, Minnesota.  Classes will begin at the end of October and the registration deadline is September 1, 2010. Early registration is recommend as space is limited.  For more information and to download an application, visit www.farmbeginnings.org

Farm Beginnings is a farmer-led initiative that provides opportunities for beginning and transitioning farmers to learn firsthand about values clarification and goal setting, whole farm planning, enterprise development and low-cost, sustainable farming methods.

Farm Beginnings provides 39 hours of in-class training through classroom sessions followed by a series of on-farm field days.  In addition, participants become part of an established Farmer Network providing access to farms and farmers in the region who are committed to working with beginning farmers.  Please contact Karen Benson at 507.523.3366 or lspse@landstewardshipproject.org with further questions.

To view other Farm Beginnings Programs across the Midwest, visit www.farmbeginnings.org