USDA Assistance for Local Farmers

Posted on January 19, 2011 by in Farming Practices, Farming Resources, Local Food, Marketing, Publications, Small Farms, Sustainability // 0 Comments

USDA Programs Are Available to Assist Local Farm Owners (From the USDA Blog; Posted by Darin Leach, USDA Rural Development Iowa Public Information Officer)

EXCERPT: Recent estimates indicate only nine percent of family farm income comes from farming and fewer than half of our nation’s farmers and ranchers list farming as their primary occupation.

In Grinnell, Iowa, Andy and Melissa Dunham support themselves and their two children entirely on the 10-acres of USDA-certified organic vegetables, flowers and herbs they raise on their family–heritage farm. Their business brochure lists 39 different vegetables and herbs, and Andy believes they are the largest grower of kale, carrots and beets in the state. They are also among the more progressive, and more vocal, members of the state’s exploding local foods network.