The Farm Credit
Administration (FCA) the federally chartered agency
that oversees the nationwide network of locally-controlled and
borrower-owned cooperative lending associations that make up
the Farm
Credit System (FCS) is asking the public to comment on a
proposed rule that, if adopted, would direct FCS banks to be more
responsive to the credit needs of small and mid-sized farmers and
ranchers producing for local and regional food markets. TheNational Sustainable
Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is asking for comments on the
proposed rule as it is an important opportunity to help shape
future Farm Credit System services to small and mid-sized farmers
and ranchers producing for the local and regional
market. Read
more and comment...
Blog post from the website of the National Sustainable
Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
On Tuesday, April 26, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) released its proposal for
aNational
Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (NLGMA). If adopted,
the program would be used to govern the production, handling,
and manufacturing of leafy green vegetables, including spinach,
lettuce, and cabbage, for handlers who sign on and for all the
farmers who supply those participating handlers. The Agency
published the proposal in the Federal Register on Friday, April 29,
at which point a 90-day public comment period will commence.
AMS is specifically seeking comments on whether or not to move
forward with the Agreement and, if so, comments on the proposed
structure of governance for the Agreement. Send
your comment on the rule to AMS.
Cheese vendors on NY rules: No whey!
Dairyherd.com, Associated Press, June 29, 2011Dairy farmers who sell hand-crafted cheese at New York farmer's markets say the state is taking the art and the ease out of artisanal cheese. Under a new interpretation of food-processing regulations by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, vendors at open-air stands must sell only pre-wrapped cheese, rather than cutting off a wedge from a wheel of cheddar or gouda. Read more...
New school meal regulations spark cost worries
By Danielle Curtis, Fosters.com (Fosters Daily Democrat),
June 26, 2011"We try to buy local as often as we can," said Chagnon, food service director for the Marshwood School District in South Berwick, Maine. "The worst thing here in the Northeast is that we have winter. It's not like [in the South] where they can go out in the middle of February and pick a tomato; we don't have that luxury."
Despite his efforts to bring healthy foods to his students, however, after the introduction of new school nutrition guidelines by the Department of Agriculture in January, many changes will have to be made to Marshwood's school lunch menu next year. The guidelines call for an increase in the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free and low-fat milk and a reduction in the levels of sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and calories in school meals. The guidelines do not address sugar content.
"If you're going to eat healthier it costs more money and that's just the way it is," Chagnon said. With the new foods "it will cost 58 to 64 cents more per plate, and the government is only going to give us an additional 6 cents reimbursement."
According to an Associated Press article, the bill also would
cut billions from USDA and FDA budgets, budgets that fund domestic
programs such as WIC, which supports young mothers and children,
and the National School Lunch Program, which supplies free and
reduced-cost breakfast and lunch for more than 26 million children
in 95,000 schools across the country. Read
more...
Fracking Study Excludes Wyoming BioFuels and
Energy
By Abrahm Lustgarten, Daily
Yonder (dailyyonder.com), June 26, 2011
The study – which was announced last March, without specifics
on research sites – will investigate alleged water contamination
from drilling in five areas in Texas, Colorado, North Dakota and
Pennsylvania. It also will encompass cradle-to-grave research
projects in Pennsylvania and Louisiana, where the agency will track
drilling's effects on water quality from before the drill bit hits
the ground to after hydraulic fracturing has been
performed. [The study includes sites in Bradford,
Washington, and Susquehanna Counties in Pennsylvania's Marcellus
Shale region.
]
Fracturing is a process used to extract trapped oil and gas
from thousands of feet below ground by injecting a mixture of
water, sand and chemicals under enough force to shatter the rock
and allow the oil and gas to flow out. Advancements in the
technology have made large, deeply buried natural gas deposits in
the Marcellus Shale and elsewhere accessible for the first time.
But the process is exempt from federal regulation and there is
little research showing where the chemicals wind up after they are
pumped underground, or how they can be safely disposed of after the
drilling is finished. Read
more...
Teachers take part in workshop to mix agriculture with
school lessons
By Vanessa Junkin, Carroll County Times (MD), June 29,
2011
Thirteen teachers completed specific tasks in the assembly
line during each of the two shifts of the Assembly Line Antics
session of the 21st Maryland Ag in the Classroom summer workshop,
hosted by the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation in
partnership with the Maryland Geographic Alliance.
Teacher Carly Ferguson, who served as a grain loader and a
supervisor in the exercise, said she wants to express to students
the ideas about where food comes from and where it
goes. Read
more...
Food Commercials Increase Preference for Energy-Dense
Foods, Particularly in Children Who Watch More
Television
A study published in the Official Journal of the American
Academy of Pediatrics, July 2011
After viewing the food commercials, all children selected more
branded and nonbranded fat-rich and carbohydrate-rich items from
food preference checklists compared with after viewing the toy
commercials. The food preferences of children with higher habitual
levels of television viewing were more affected by food commercial
exposure than those of low television viewers.Read
more...
Policy
Statement from the American Academy of
Pediatrics, Council on Communications and Media
Children, Adolescents, Obesity, and the Media
Obesity has become a worldwide public health problem.
Considerable research has shown that the media contribute to the
development of child and adolescent obesity, although the exact
mechanism remains unclear. Screen time may displace more active
pursuits, advertising of junk food and fast food increases
children's requests for those particular foods and products,
snacking increases while watching TV or movies, and late-night
screen time may interfere with getting adequate amounts of sleep,
which is a known risk factor for obesity. Sufficient evidence
exists to warrant a ban on junk-food or fast-food advertising in
children's TV programming. Pediatricians need to ask 2 questions
about media use at every well-child or well-adolescent visit: (1)
How much screen time is being spent per day? and (2) Is there a TV
set or Internet connection in the child's bedroom?
From the press release:
Media, Kids and Obesity: It's Not Just About Couch
Potatoes
"We've created a perfect storm for childhood obesity - media, advertising, and inactivity," said the statement's lead author, Victor Strasburger, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Council on Communications and Media. "American society couldn't do a worse job at the moment of keeping children fit and healthy - too much TV, too many food ads, not enough exercise, and not enough sleep." Read more...
"We've created a perfect storm for childhood obesity - media, advertising, and inactivity," said the statement's lead author, Victor Strasburger, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Council on Communications and Media. "American society couldn't do a worse job at the moment of keeping children fit and healthy - too much TV, too many food ads, not enough exercise, and not enough sleep." Read more...
Initiative helps consumers identify fresh,
Massachusetts-produced, sustainable agricultural products
Press release from Massachusetts Dept of Agricultural Resources, June 15, 2011
Press release from Massachusetts Dept of Agricultural Resources, June 15, 2011
Reflecting a growing national focus on locally produced food,
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR)
Commissioner Scott J. Soares today announced the first farms
certified under the state’s Commonwealth Quality seal program
(CQP), a new state initiative designed to help consumers identify
high-quality products that are responsibly produced, harvested and
processed in Massachusetts.
"This program provides a unique opportunity for our agricultural community to exhibit its commitment to excellence, while offering consumers assurance that they are purchasing high-quality products from local growers,” said Commissioner Soares.
Comprised of a combination of industry best management practices pertaining to soil health, water conservation, insect control, and food safety, these specialized standards serve as a prerequisite for farms certified to sell products using the Commonwealth Quality seal. There are currently 20 farms certified to participate in the program, which has endorsements from the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers’ Association and the Massachusetts Fruit Growers Association. Read more...
Horse welfare declines after closing of U.S. slaughter
plants
By Jan Falstad, Billings Gazette, June 23,
2011
The closure of the last U.S. horse slaughter plants in the
fall of 2007 has failed to reduce the number of horses shipped to
slaughter.
Instead, the federal funding ban had the unintended
consequence of forcing horses to be shipped great distances to be
slaughtered in Canada or Mexico where they are killed and not
necessarily humanely. That’s one key conclusion from a 62-page
report released Wednesday from the Government Accountability
Office, the investigative arm of Congress. Read
more...
High technology, not low taxes, may drive states' economic
growth
Penn State press release, June 23, 2011
High-tech training may trump tax breaks for creating more jobs
and improving a state's economy, according to a team of
economists. "We found that lower state taxes were not
statistically associated with a state's economic performance," said
Stephan Goetz, professor of agricultural economics and regional
economics in College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State. "The
tax climate was not linked to either growth or income
distribution." Goetz, who serves as director of the Northeast
Regional Center for Rural Development, said states that favor low
taxes do not necessarily spend funds efficiently. They may skimp on
funding needed public services such as road maintenance and
education. Those costs often are transferred to businesses directly
or become obstacles for businesses seeking to attract qualified
workers to the state. States with more technology classes in
school, higher domain name registrations and more people online
tended to economically outperform states with a lower emphasis on
technology. "It does indicate that states that have already
moved into the online economy are better able to create jobs,"
Goetz said. Read
more...
High Hopes at Miracle-Gro in Medical Marijuana
Field
By Dana Mattioli, Wall Street Journal, June 14,
2011
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. has long sold weed killer. Now, it's hoping to help people grow killer weed. In an unlikely move for the head of a major company, Scotts Chief Executive Jim Hagedorn said he is exploring targeting medical marijuana as well as other niches to help boost sales at his lawn and garden company. "I want to target the pot market," Mr. Hagedorn said in an interview. "There's no good reason we haven't."
Sales at Scotts rose 5% last year to $2.9 billion. But the
Marysville, Ohio, company relies on sales at three key retailers –
Home Depot Inc., Lowe's Cos. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. —
for nearly two-thirds of its revenue. With consumers still cautious
about spending, the retailers aren't building new stores as quickly
as they used to, making growth for suppliers like Scotts harder to
come by. Against that backdrop, Mr. Hagedorn has pushed his
regional sales presidents to look for smaller pockets of growth,
such as the marijuana market, that together could produce a
noticeable bump in sales. Read
more...
Rural commercial kitchens form local food
network
By Barry Adams, Wisconsin State Journal, June
22, 2011
A series of commercial kitchens designed to process locally grown
food could dot a four-state region of the Midwest under plans being
proposed by economic development leaders. The facilities,
which typically employ workers with developmental disabilities,
would be run independently but work together sharing ideas,
processes and marketing. Rick Terrien, executive director of
the Iowa County Economic Development Corp., said he could see 10
more facilities by next year and eventually 40 more in the upper
Midwest. Terrien has been asked to make a presentation to the
Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. It is looking to invest in
regional economic development projects, like the food processing
centers, he said. Read
more...Fat Substitutes Linked to Weight Gain: Rats On High-Fat
Diet Gained More Weight After Eating Low-Calorie Potato Chips Made
With Fat Substitutes
ScienceDaily.com, June 20, 2011
Synthetic fat substitutes used in low-calorie potato chips and
other foods could backfire and contribute to weight gain and
obesity, according to a study published by the American
Psychological Association. The study, by researchers at Purdue
University, challenges the conventional wisdom that foods made with
fat substitutes help with weight loss. "Our research showed that
fat substitutes can interfere with the body's ability to regulate
food intake, which can lead to inefficient use of calories and
weight gain," said Susan E. Swithers, PhD, the lead researcher and
a Purdue psychology professor. The study was published online in
the APA journal Behavioral Neuroscience. Read
more...
This website, funded by USDA grants, links vacationers with
agritourism farms across the U.S. as it promotes the idea of
"haycations" to the public. The map reveals dozens of farms in the
Northeast offering farm vacations, each profiled for the type of
experience they provide. The blog gives in depth reviews of farms
and farm families. Farm Stay U.S. was founded by
Scottie Jones of Leaping Lamb Farm in Oregon.
Barry Estabrook’s ‘Tomatoland,’ an indictment of modern
agriculture
By Jane Black, Washington Post, June 10,
2011
Over the past 15 years, Florida law enforcement officers have
freed more than 1,000 men and women who were held against their
will and forced to work in the fields. Barry Estabrook, one of the
country’s leading writers on food politics, focused the national
spotlight on the issue in 2009 when he
published a story
in Gourmet magazine (an odd but
brilliant placement) arguing that anyone who ate a winter tomato
inadvertently supported modern slavery. Read
more...
Group wants Conservation Compliance tied to crop
insurance
By Ken Anderson, Brownfield Ag News, June
15, 2011
One of the nation’s oldest conservation organizations — the
Izaak Walton League — wants crop insurance to be subject to
Conservation Compliance rules in the next farm bill. Brad
Redlin is the agricultural program director of the Izaak Walton
League. “The insurance program right now is not subject to
compliance. It’s essentially the single form of payment from
USDA that isn’t subject to compliance,” Redlin says. “We think that
if it’s becoming the dominant way producers are supported as a
safety net, that it should be made compliant with other
conservation requirements that all other programs are subject
to.” Redlin says tying crop insurance to Conservation
Compliance becomes even more important if direct payments are
eliminated. “Those direct payments are one of the primary
compliance mechanisms available to producers — or at least to the
policy that can withhold payments upon compliance violations,” he
says. Read
more...
Izaak Walton League 2011
Conservation Policy Priority explains proposed
legislation.
Maple syrup production recovers
By Bob Meyer, Brownfield Ag News, June 13,
2011
After a horrible season last year, maple syrup production
rebounded this spring. The National Ag Statistics Service says
production in the U.S. this year totaled 2.794 million gallons, up
43 percent from the 1.96 million last year and above the 2.4
million gallons in 2009. There were 3 percent more taps this year,
9.58 million but yield-per-tap improved 38 percent to 0.292 gallons
per tap. The big difference was the weather; the season ran 32 days
this year compared to 23 last year and many say the temperatures
were much more favorable. The sugar content of the sap was better
this year as well; it took 43 gallons of sap to make a gallon of
syrup compared to 46 gallons of sap last year. Read
more...
Executive Director
Northeast Organic Farming Association of
NJ
Hillsborough, NJ
Email resume, cover letter indicating salary requirements,
three references and a writing sample prior to August 1, 2011,
to Pat Huizing, Interim Executive Director
at eddirect@nofanj.org. For more information about
NOFA-NJ visit our website at www.nofanj.org.
Internships
Rainbeau Ridge Farm
Bedford Hills, Westchester County, NY
Positions are available, with possible housing and stipend, that
will incorporate responsibilities in the areas of livestock,
cheesemaking, market gardening and ag education (for children);
Specific job descriptions will be crafted to match candidates
depending upon skills, background and interests. For complete
information please go to www.rainbeauridge.com or
email info@rainbeauridge.com. Phone: (914)234-2197.
Farm-to-School Program Director
Assistant Education Director
Green Mountain Farm-to-School
Northern Vermont
Green Mountain Farm-to-School, a nonprofit organization in northern
Vermont seeks dynamic, mission-driven food systems
professionals with strong communication and organization skills to
support the growth of our organization. The Farm-to-School
Program Director will manage our local food distribution
system, develop, implement and evaluate Farm to School program
activities such as taste tests, farm field trips, nutrition
education, and supervise the day to day operations of the
Farm-to-School Coordinator team. Start date: August 1,
2011. Assistant Education Director will develop, grow,
and deliver GMFTS' educational programs including school gardening,
taste tests, farm field trips and in-class workshops and
support and supervise the day to day operations of the educational
team. Start date: August 1, 2011. Complete job
descriptions are available at http://greenmountainfarmtoschool.org/employment.php. To
apply, Submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample
(non-fiction, 3 pages or less) tojobs@gmfts.org. Position opened
until filled. EOE.
Local Field Organizer
Nick’s Organic Farm
Maryland - Washington, DC metro area
Position duration: 6-12 months. The Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland is proposing to replace a 31-year-old organic farm, operating on public land, allowing a private soccer organization to build non-public fields in Potomac, MD. The community is in an uproar—Nick’s Organic Farm is Montgomery County’s only organic seed farm (one of a few in the entire Chesapeake region). For more information about the campaign, go to:
http://www.change.org/petitions/turn-a-30-year-old-organic-farm-in-maryland-into-a-food-education-hub-not-soccer-fields-2Position duration: 6-12 months. The Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland is proposing to replace a 31-year-old organic farm, operating on public land, allowing a private soccer organization to build non-public fields in Potomac, MD. The community is in an uproar—Nick’s Organic Farm is Montgomery County’s only organic seed farm (one of a few in the entire Chesapeake region). For more information about the campaign, go to:
http://www.savenicksorganicfarm.org
article: http://www.savenicksorganicfarm.org/0524CM.htm
video: http://vimeo.com/24995214 ;
To apply: Send letter of interest, resume, and salary
requirements tofarmemployment@comcast.net
Sociology of Food Systems (Assistant Professor)
Department of Development Sociology
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
The Department of Development Sociology in the College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University is seeking
applicants for a 9-month tenure-track position in Sociology of Food
Systems. This position is part of an interdisciplinary
cluster hire that also includes a position in Sustainable Cropping
and Food Systems in the Department of Crop and Soil
Sciences.Candidates are requested to submit a cover letter stating
why she/he is a good candidate for this tenure track position,
together with a curriculum vitae, a brief research plan, and a
statement of teaching interests and experience. All
application materials, including the cover letter, curriculum
vitae, research plan, statement of teaching interest and selected
reprints should be incorporated into a single PDF file and
submitted electronically to Ms. Cynthia Twardokus
(ct259@cornell.edu). Review of applications will begin after
15 July 2011, continuing until the deadline of October 1, 2011.
Inquiries may be sent to Professor Philip McMichael, Development
Sociology, Search Committee Chair (pdm1@cornell.edu).
Applicants should also provide names and email addresses of
three individuals who may be contacted to provide letters of
recommendation.
