Guest Post:

Summary: Farmer insurance plans help cultivators to get effective coverage against mishaps and save their invested money. Farming is always subject to unexpected mishaps like crop damage, damage of farming accessories, loss of animals on farm and accidents faced by farmers while being of work. So farmers should certainly take a farm insurance policy.

Farmer insurance is an important shield for farmers. By taking one they don’t secure their farms but they also secure their life and hard work. All of us know that farming is a complex operation. Hard efforts are needed on farmer’s part to own, manage and run a farm. Getting a farm secured under an insurance cover helps in case of crop damage due to bad climate and attacks of pests and rodents. Calamity arises in an unexpected way and peasants get in great trouble. Thankfully farm insurance is a formidable protective shield for them. It doesn’t matter whether a crop cultivator got a farm in heritage or started one at his own expense. Expenses involved in running it are many. Loss of yielded crop due to untimely rain or frost is sure to get a farmer in doom. Read more »

From the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

In June, the USDA’s Office of Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards (GIPSA) issued a proposed rule that promises to finally rein in some of the worst anti-competitive abuses of meat packers and impose a measure of contract fairness for poultry producers.  Lauded by NSAC and many major farm organizations the rules have the potential to begin to restore fair competition and contracts in livestock and poultry markets.

Hundreds of livestock producers and poultry growers have already sent in comments to the USDA in support of these rules.

A comment submitted by six neighboring beef producing families from Iowa said, “We hope that the proposed changes will help bring back competition in the cattle business and reduce the stranglehold of the meat packers. Vertical integration is killing independent producers financially… By entering into contracts with some cattle producers — or by actually owning cattle — they can process the cattle they control if and when cattle prices rise past survival mode for us producers. The result is that both consumers and independent cattlemen lose big-time.” Read more »

by Dr. Darryl Warncke, Michigan State University

Lime not only neutralizes soil acidity, it also is a valuable source of calcium and magnesium, which are essential for producing good-quality vegetables. Calcitic limes primarily provide calcium, and dolomitic limes provide both calcium and magnesium. Agricultural lime contains a range of particle sizes. The small particles react quickly in the soil to neutralize acid conditions. The larger particles react slowly to continue neutralization of soil acidity and maintain the soil pH in a favorable range over a number of years, usually three to five.

When lime is needed, it is suggested to apply it six months prior to planting the next crop. This allows time for the lime to react and raise the soil pH to a more favorable level. Fall application after crops are harvested allows for this to occur. However, if soils are sampled in the spring and a need for lime is determined, application and incorporation prior to planting will still provide good benefit. When lime is needed, the most important thing to do is get the lime applied. Read more »

The 2010 North Central Region – Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) Youth & Youth Educator Call for Grant Proposals is now available.

These grants are a part of the Farmer Rancher Grant Program. Their purpose is to provide opportunities for youth in the North Central Region to learn more about Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is good for the environment, profitable, and socially responsible. A total of approximately $34,000 is available for this program.

There are two options: 1) YOUTH GRANTS. These grants are for on-farm research, demonstration, or education projects by youth ages 8-18. Research and demonstration projects are for hands-on efforts to explore Sustainable Agriculture issues and practices. Education projects can involve teaching others about Sustainable Agriculture or attending a Sustainable Agriculture conference, workshop, or camp. $400 maximum. 2) YOUTH EDUCATOR GRANTS. These are grants for educators to provide programming on sustainable agriculture for youth. $2,000 maximum. Interested applicants can find the call for proposals online as well as useful information for completing a proposal at http://www.sare.org/NCRSARE/cfp.htm. Read more »

Sen. Harkin meets with Iowa Cattleman's Association Members in 2007 to discuss upcoming Farm Bill

You don’t have to travel to Washington DC to meet with your Congressman, Senator or their staff. Five times a year your legislators return to their home state on recess. And this summer the House and Senate are in recess from August 9th through September 10th.   During this time your legislators will be back in their home districts to meet with constituents, attend public events and fundraisers and try to convince the people they represent that their priorities, agendas and actions in Washington are in the interest of voters at home. Town hall meetings, coffee hours, tours, and other public events present an excellent opportunity great to ask questions and inform policy makers and their staff of your concerns. Read more »

National Farmers Union Press Release: Contact: 202-554-1600

(Also see the USDA Press Release on this event)

WASHINGTON (Aug. 27, 2010) – Amid much anticipation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) held a joint workshop focused on competition in the livestock industry in Fort Collins, Colo., today. The workshop had 1300 individuals registered, including Farmers Union members and staff from at least 12 states.

“A lot of attention has been drawn to this workshop based on the recent disputes on the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed rule,” said National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson. “NFU is pleased to have two members on the speaker panel representing U.S. family farmers and ranchers, who are in favor of the proposed rule. It is vital to have speakers from groups that represent the family farmer, not just the packer-producer organizations.”

Chris Peterson, Iowa Farmers Union president, and Armando Valdez, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union member, both livestock producers, spoke at the workshop. Peterson and Valdez each highlighted the need for reform in the livestock industry, with an emphasis on the increasing consolidation and vertical integration in the livestock and poultry marketplace, resulting in a tougher environment for independent producers. Read more »

Vegetable Growers News Article, September 2010 – by Matt Milkovich, Managing Editor

For the rest of the summer, U.S. asparagus growers can apply for technical training and cash benefits under a USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) program. In April, the National Asparagus Council submitted a petition to FAS requesting help from the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers Program (TAA), which “provides technical training and cash benefits to eligible U.S. producers and fishermen of raw agricultural commodities whose crops or catch have been adversely affected by imports of like or directly competitive commodities,” according to FAS.

After reviewing the petition, FAS determined that “increased imports of asparagus during January-December 2009 contributed to a greater than 15 percent decline in the quantity of production in 2009, compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years.” Read more »

Chicago Public Schools looking for 2.3 million dollars worth of produce from within a 250 mile radius of the City

Request for Information from Midwest Farmers, Processors, and Distributors: For the 2010-2011 School Year, Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality (CTH) is seeking fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables from Midwest farmers and processors to feed Chicago Public School students. To assist with the procurement process, this Request for Information is asking farmers, processors, and distributors to respond to specific needs of CTH. Please submit responses to CTH strategic partner FamilyFarmed.org by September 10, 2010. Purchases will begin in October of 2010.

For this school year, it is the goal of CTH to purchase $2,300,000 of Midwest fresh and frozen produce. CTH will pay market prices for produce (FOB Chicago). Read more »

Location: 9 Central St., Suite 402, Lowell MA (on the corner of Central and Merrimack Streets, across from the Dunkin Donuts)
Cost: FREE

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project’s next Explore Farming! course is set to take place on September 9th from 4-6pm at our Lowell office. If you haven’t registered yet, don’t worry, you still have time – just click here for the registration form.

During the class we will discuss some of the challenges and rewards of farm ownership, as opposed to other means of satisfying your interest in farming. A primary goal of the course is to encourage you to think realistically about the financial feasibility of starting and growing your own farm businesses. Most of the participants have worked on farms for at least one season, and know that they love farming, but are interested in learning how to start their own farm businesses. Whether you decide to pursue starting your own farm business, or would rather continue farming in another way, we have lots of resources to help you move forward in your farming career. Read more »

The Multnomah County Health Department’s Community Wellness and Prevention Program is recruiting a highly qualified, creative person for a Food Policy Specialist position.

Basic Job Description

The position is a part of Multnomah County Health Department’s Community Wellness and Prevention Program’s CDC-funded Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) Grant Initiative. The Communities Putting Prevention to Work Initiative develops and implements policy, environment, and systems-based change strategies to slow and reduce rates of obesity and overweight in school and community settings. This position will focus on policy, environment, and systems-based strategies to promote healthy eating and access to healthy, affordable, culturally-relevant food in a variety of community settings such as worksites and convenience stores. The position is responsible for coordinating with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including subcontracted agencies. Functional tasks include: staffing issue-specific work groups and policy teams; collaborating with grocery retailers and business partners; providing technical assistance and training; collecting and maintaining data; conducting research, assessment, and analysis; developing policy recommendations; and serving as a liaison to community partners and the Portland/Multnomah Food Policy Council. The position will help coordinate the program’s Healthy Retailers Initiative, including the development and implementation of strategies to increase the availability of healthy food and beverages in underserved neighborhoods. The person will also help with worksite food-related policies, such as helping to develop and advance institutional purchasing policies that limit the availability of unhealthy food and beverages at county worksites. Read more »

Excerpt: “WHEN LAST WE checked on U.S. agricultural policy, the Obama administration was paying Brazil $147.3 million to settle its international trade lawsuit over U.S. cotton subsidies, thus freeing Washington to continue lavishing taxpayer money on wealthy farmers in Arkansas, home state of politically embattled Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln. We thought this might represent policy sausage-making at its least attractive.

No such luck. As The Post’s Alec MacGillis reported, Ms. Lincoln, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, is now demanding $1.5 billion in “disaster aid” for already-subsidized farmers in Arkansas and other states, mostly in the South.”

To read the full article click HERE.

The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences is a research journal which is ‘open access’, meaning that it’s content is provided for free. To read the articles, FREE REGISTRATION is required. And you must REGISTER in order to access the linked articles below which are compiled from the Journal:

Housing and feeding managemental practices for goats followed in South Gujarat

Impact of breed improvement programme on goat production under farmers’ flocks

Comparison of sexual behaviour of buck and ram under mixed flock system

Morpho-metric characteristics of Surti goats and socio-economic status of Surti goat keepers

Nutritional evaluation of Pleurotus florida harvested spent wheat–rice straw based diets in goats

Comparative studies on kidding and lambing behavioural activities under mixed flock system

Evaluation of growth, feed conservation efficiency and carcass traits of Jamunapari goats under intensive feeding system

Micro-minerals status in goats of different age in semi-arid region of India

Several other articles on goat farming in India are also available free without website registration:

Increasing the productivity of indigenous goat production systems through participatory research in ethno-veterinary medicine: a case study from India

Constraints Facing Goat-Keepers in Semi-Arid India

Reproductive performance of goats in Eastern and North-eastern India

And don’t forget to visit our Goat Farming Page which includes a newly updated resource section on Goat Farming in India