Cooperative Inspection Programs: Interstate Shipment
of Meat and Poultry Products
Federal Register/Vol. 76, No. 84, Rules and
Regulations, Monday, May 2, 2011
Download/read the PDF file
Download/read the PDF file
Farmers or Criminals?
When a north country farmer was
arrested for allegedly employing illegal aliens, the region's dairy
industry was left to wonder, "Who will be next?"
By Sarah Haase, Watertown Daily
Times (NY), April 24, 2011
Dairy farm owners say the speed and
efficiency of the north country's estimated 300 Hispanic milkers
allow them to stay in business despite rising costs of fuel, feed
and insurance, mandatory regulations by government and an unstable
milk pricing system.
And, farmers say, Hispanics do a job the local population refuses to do, despite the region's 10% unemployment rate.
"The bottom line is that our society does not have to work," said Nancy M. Robbins, who with her husband, Ronald C., owns North Harbor Farm in Sackets Harbor. "People can get money for food, rent, even their heat and electric when they have no job. Where's the incentive to work?"
But the March arrest of a Smithville farmer for allegedly employing illegal aliens is crashing into the delicate juggling act of debt and revenue north country dairy farmers live with. When federal agents removed eight workers from a Butterville Properties farm to deport them to Mexico and other Central American countries, area farmers wondered: "Am I next?"
"If farmers lose their work force, they lose the farm," said Frank A. Gasperini Jr., vice president of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, which works with labor-intensive agriculture operations, including dairy farms. "We don't have legal access to a work force to get the work we need done." Read more...
Bill would allow foreign dairy workers to stay
longer
By Bob Meyer, Brownfield Ag News, April 18, 2011
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Herb Kohl (D-WI),
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Charles
Schumer (D-NY) have introduced the H-2A Improvement
Act [S.852], which will authorize foreign dairy workers, sheep
herders, and goat herders to remain in the U.S. for an initial
period of three years, and gives the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and
Immigration Services the authority to approve a worker for an
additional three-year period. Under present law, farms that
hire seasonal workers to harvest fruits and vegetables can utilize
the H-2A visa program. Dairy farms are not included because milk
production is not considered seasonal work. National Milk Producers
Federation president and CEO, Jerry Kozak, says finding qualified
help on dairy farms is a real challenge and “Expanding the H-2A
program so that dairy farmers can use it is one answer to that
challenge.”
Read more...
By Brenda J. Smith, J.D.
Posted on the Massachusetts Dept of
Agricultural Resources website with an introduction by Agriculture
Commissioner Scott Soares, April 28, 2011
Agriculture employers in Massachusetts who
participate in the H2A Farm Labor Program have noticed a shift in
procedures and enforcement recently. This shift is impacting farms
and agriculture employers in Massachusetts and across the country.
The intent of this article is to help clarify what the shifts are
and the impact to farms and farm labor throughout the state.
Read
more...
The Locavore's Dilemma: Why Pineapples Shouldn't Be Grown
in North Dakota
By Jayson L. Lusk and F. Bailey Norwood, Library of Economics
and Liberty
A major flaw in the case for buying local is that it is at
odds with the principle of comparative advantage. This principle,
which economists have understood for almost 200 years, is one of
the main reasons that the vast majority of economists believe in
free trade. Free trade, whether across city, state, or national
boundaries, causes people to produce the goods or services for
which they have a comparative advantage and, thus, makes virtually
everyone wealthier. Princeton University economist Paul Krugman,
who won the Nobel Prize in economics for his contributions to the
economics of international trade, called comparative advantage
"Ricardo's Difficult Idea" because so many non-economists deny it
and are unwilling to understand it. But if people understood
comparative advantage, much of the impetus for buying local foods
would disappear.
Read more...
Eatocracy at CNN.com, May 3, 2011
America's national image may be one of waving wheat fields and
overflowing platters, but the reality for many communities is much
less plentiful. A new interactive
map built by the United States Department of
Agriculture allows users to locate the food
deserts in their neighborhood and across the country, simply
by typing in an address or zip code.
Read more...
Dairy Dilemma: Lobbying group gets
surprising donations
By Marc Heller, Washington Coorespondent,
Watertown Daily Times (NY), May 2, 2011
As the primary lobbying group for dairy
processors, the International Dairy Foods Association has a top
goal headed into next year's rewrite of farm policy: Persuade
Congress to reject Foundation for the Future, the main proposal put
forth by dairy cooperatives that represent farmers, and stop
setting minimum prices that plants must pay farmers or their
cooperatives for milk.
To do that, the IDFA needs money. And it is getting it from an eye-catching source: top executives for those very same co-ops. Two executives who work for farmer-owned cooperatives have given money this year to the IDFA's political action committee — the processors' chief means of access to lawmakers whom it wants to stop the dairy farmers' proposal from becoming law. Read more...
Another Side of Tilapia, the Perfect
Factory Fish
By Elisabeth Rosenthal, New York
Times, May 2, 2011
Compared with other fish, farmed tilapia
contains relatively small amounts of beneficial omega-3 fatty
acids, the fish oils that are the main reasons doctors recommend
eating fish frequently; salmon has more than 10 times the amount of
tilapia. Also, farmed tilapia contains a less healthful mix of
fatty acids because the fish are fed corn and soy instead of lake
plants and algae, the diet of wild tilapia.
“It may look like fish and taste like fish
but does not have the benefits — it may be detrimental,”
said Dr. Floyd Chilton, a professor of physiology and
pharmacology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center who specializes
in fish lipids.
Read more...
Farmers’ Market Ambassadors: Volunteers in the first line
of defense against hunger
Grants Manager
By DTA Commissioner Julia Kehoe,Commonwealth
Conversations/Health and Human Services blog, April 22,
2011
During the last year, Department of Transitional Assistance
has worked closely with DAR to benefit low-income residents and
local farmers by increasing access to Massachusetts farmers’
markets. Funding from DTA, Wholesome Wave, and the Harvard
Pilgrim Health Foundation helped to subsidize the purchase or
leasing of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) machines by farmers’
markets as well as the creation of incentive programs aimed at
increasing SNAP redemption at farmers’ markets. As a result
of these efforts, the number of Massachusetts farmers’ markets
redeeming SNAP benefits nearly doubled to 58 of the Commonwealth’s
231 markets. This year, DTA continues its collaboration with
DAR by launching a community service program at farmers’ markets.
DTA clients will gain valuable employment experience by
volunteering as Farmers’ Market Ambassadors. Participation in
this program will also count toward meeting the Transitional
Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) work
requirements.
Read more...
7.) Sodexo triples
Meatless Monday reach
FoodSystemInsider.com, April 22, 2011
Meatless Monday options may soon be coming to a corporate,
government or hospital cafeteria near you. Sodexo, a North American
food service provider, announced Monday the extension of its
Meatless Monday initiative. Locations expected to see the meatless
option include Toyota, Northern Trust Bank, and the U.S. Department
of the Interior. The announcement came three months after Sodexo
first added the vegetarian-friendly options to more than 900
hospital cafeterias across the United States. According to
Sodexo, Meatless Monday is part of their ongoing effort to enhance
health and wellness and to promote sustainability in the local
communities where it operates.
Read more...
New Hampshire HB339 adopts state inspected meat program
Bill Title: allowing the state veterinarian to employ a meat
inspection services administrator and making an appropriation
therefore
Read
text of legislation
9.)
The only school of veterinary medicine in New England
loses funding
State budget cuts threaten Tuft's Cummings School of Veterinary
Medicine
By Jennifer Lord Paluzzi, The Daily Grafton (MA), April
15, 2011
Area legislators are working to restore state funding to Tufts
University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, which has seen
drastic cuts in its state stipend over the last few years. Tufts,
the only veterinary school in New England, partnered with the state
since 1978, when the school was created on the grounds of the
former Grafton State Hospital. At that point, the state had not had
a veterinary school since Middlesex University closed its doors in
1947.
Read more...
10.) USDA
identifies opportunities for regional producers
Food Hubs Emerging as Viable Business Model Supporting Regional
Food Systems
USDA press release, April 19, 2011
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today released the
results
of a nationwide analysis of food hubs and provided highlights
of how Michigan can tap into USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your
Food' initiative, which promotes local and regional food systems by
stimulating community economic development and facilitating efforts
to expand access to affordable fresh and local food. Merrigan
released the analysis at the Making Good Food Work conference and
highlighted the economic opportunities of food hubs, an emerging
business model that offers aggregation and distribution services
for small and midsize producers across the country.
Read more...
11.) Yogurt
plants boost New York state’s dairy industry
By Byron Ackerman, Utica Observer-Dispatch
(NY), April 14, 2011
The Chobani yogurt plant in Chenango County requires about 3
million pounds of milk per day, and almost all of it comes from New
York state, said Hamdi Ulukaya, the company president and chief
executive officer.
The company’s impact on the state dairy industry is “huge,” said Bruce Krupke, the executive vice president of the Northeast Dairy Foods Association, which is based in Syracuse.
And it’s not the only one: There also is a Fage yogurt plant in Johnstown in Fulton County, and Alpina Foods recently announced it would open a yogurt manufacturing plant in Batavia in Genesee County, Krupke said.
The state dairy industry has seen growth so far this year compared to last year, and yogurt manufacturing plants have played a significant role in that, he said.
“I would call it a renaissance in dairy farming in New York state,” he said. Read more...
12.)
New USDA leafy greens marketing agreement may favor largest
growers
New USDA leafy green marketing agreement irks organic
group
By Howard Weiss-Tisman, Brattleboro Reformer (VT), May 3,
2011
Organic produce advocates are arguing against a proposed U.S
Department of Agriculture agreement they say favors large
agri-business and could confuse national organic
standards. USDA last week released a proposed leafy green
marketing agreement that the federal agency says will help leafy
green growers meet food safety standards. The agriculture
agency wants to set up a national board with representatives from
eight regions. The board would help develop a voluntary
program for farmers and handlers to prevent food-borne illness
outbreaks like the ones traced to spinach and lettuce supplies over
the past few years.
Dave Rogers, policy advisor for the Northeast Organic Farming Association, said the proposed marketing agreement would likely be weighted toward large growers. He also said if a label is developed, consumers could be led to believe that the produce is safer and healthier, when in fact it might not meet organic standards.
"There is an implication that this is a food safety issue, but we are concerned that large growers and handlers will use this as a marketing tool when in fact the produce might not be any safer," Rogers said. "It will become a major advantage to the larger growers who will probably be the ones who control it." Read more...
13.) Pesticide
exposure in the womb affects child's IQ for life
By Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times, April 21,
2011
Over all, the studies found that women who had higher exposures to
pesticides during pregnancy gave birth to children who eventually
had lower I.Q. scores once they reached school age. In the Berkeley
study, for instance, children with the highest levels of prenatal
pesticide exposure scored 7 points lower on intelligence tests
compared with children with the lowest levels of exposure. In that
study, every 10-fold increase in organophosphate exposure detected
during pregnancy corresponded to a 5.5 point drop in overall I.Q.
scores.
“I think these are shocking findings,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, a professor of pediatrics and director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai. “Babies exposed to the highest levels had the most severe effects. It means these children are going to have problems as they go through life.” Read more...
14.) Soft
drink industry fights mayor's proposed food stamp ban
By Robert Pear, New York Times, April 29, 2011
To Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, it seemed like a sensible way
to attack a major public health problem. To the soft drink
industry, giant food companies, makers of snacks and candy,
supermarkets, and antihunger groups, it seemed like an attack at
the grocery checkout counter. The mayor wants to reduce
obesity and diabetes by banning the use of food
stamps to buy “sugar-sweetened beverages” in New York
City. Food and beverage lobbyists see the mayor’s plan as a
well-intentioned but misguided and paternalistic effort. They say
it would create a logistical bottleneck at checkout counters and
stigmatize poor people using food stamps. Read
more...
15.)
NESAWG announces date for 3rd "It Takes a Region"
conference
"It Takes A Region" Annual
Conference Nov 11-12, 2011 at the Desmond
Hotel and Conference Center in Albany, New York. SAVE
THE DATE! In 2011, NESAWG and partners will draw
on the success of our past two "It Takes a Region"
conferences and build on exciting efforts underway in our
region in distribution logistics, research, messaging, food access
and nutrition, and policy advocacy. We welcome new
participants – especially emerging food system leaders and
community activists – as we bring focus to the Northeast agenda for
the 2012 Farm Bill. Presentations will address pressing issues such
as food system worker equity and growing biomass versus food. And
we’ll continue to explore scale, size, geography, and cross-sector
partnerships. Watch for new features and networking opportunities.
We are currently seeking sponsors for this year's conference,
mainly to fund scholarships which make conference participation
diverse and inclusive. Please contact
us is you are interested in being a conference
sponsor.
Executive Director
Connecticut Farmland Trust
Connecticut
Connecticut Farmland Trust is a statewide agricultural land trust
with full time personnel competent in the following functions:
conservation, administration, development, and communications. The
Executive Director is the senior manager responsible for CFT’s
leadership, operational management, relations with the public and
partner organizations, as well as donor cultivation and
fundraising. CFT seeks candidates with resumes that display a
strong record of success in non-profit management, donor
cultivation, major gifts, and grant experience. The candidate must
possess and present a passion for the conservation of working
lands. Compensation is commensurate with experience and background.
Applications will be accepted electronically until the position is
filled. Qualified candidates may submit a letter of interest,
resume and writing sample to: cftsearch@ctfarmland.org. More
detailed information regarding CFT and this position is available
at http://www.ctfarmland.org/.
Technical Assistance and Incubator Farm
Coordinator
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
Lowell, MA
New Entry is seeking a full-time, year-round Technical Assistance and Incubator Farm Coordinator to conduct New Entry training programs, provide technical assistance (TA) to beginning farmers on multiple aspects of crop production and farm enterprise development, and manage over 25 acres of incubator training farms. This position will be based in our Lowell, MA office with occasional supervisory responsibilities on the Tufts Boston campus. We are seeking a self-starter who can facilitate effective experiential adult learning, manage multiple concurrent projects and responsibilities, and help us prepare the next generation of farmers for success. A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in farm management and delivering technical assistance to farmers in the areas of organic crop production, business planning, and market readiness is required. The deadline for application is Wednesday, May 18, 2011. For additional information and an employment application please visit: www.comteam.org/employment
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
Lowell, MA
New Entry is seeking a full-time, year-round Technical Assistance and Incubator Farm Coordinator to conduct New Entry training programs, provide technical assistance (TA) to beginning farmers on multiple aspects of crop production and farm enterprise development, and manage over 25 acres of incubator training farms. This position will be based in our Lowell, MA office with occasional supervisory responsibilities on the Tufts Boston campus. We are seeking a self-starter who can facilitate effective experiential adult learning, manage multiple concurrent projects and responsibilities, and help us prepare the next generation of farmers for success. A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in farm management and delivering technical assistance to farmers in the areas of organic crop production, business planning, and market readiness is required. The deadline for application is Wednesday, May 18, 2011. For additional information and an employment application please visit: www.comteam.org/employment
Success on Farms Manager
Intervale Center
Burlington, VT
The Intervale Center seeks a Success on Farms Manager to work
full-time delivering high quality farm business planning services
that enhance the viability of Vermont’s food system. This manager
will provide business planning education and technical support
directly to farm businesses and agricultural economic support to
all Intervale Center initiatives. Based in Burlington, the SOF
Manager is required to travel throughout Vermont. The ideal
candidate has a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural management,
business, or related field and advanced training in farm business
management or economics. Minimum 4 years experience in agricultural
development and/or business development and experience working
directly with farmers required. To apply, submit resume, cover
letter, and 2 references to Mandy Davis
at mandy@intervale.org or Intervale Center 180 Intervale
Road Burlington, VT 05401. Application deadline: May 20, 2011.
www.intervale.org
Outreach Market Internship
Waltham Fields Community
Farm
Waltham, MA
Dates & Hours: Tuesdays, July 19th through
October 11th, 3pm - 7:30pm with some flexible hours in June and
October for planning, promotion and preparing a summary report;
this is a part-time position. Compensation: $800, plus some
vegetables from the farm. Waltham Fields Community Farm’s
Outreach Market is a once-a-week, subsidized produce market,
operating on Tuesday afternoons, mid July through mid October. The
Market is targeted to all low-income residents in Waltham, as
well as the clientele of several local, social service
agencies. At the Market, customers can fill a paper grocery
bag with our organically-grown vegetables for just $5 per bag, or
by redeeming a voucher which entitles them to a free bag of
produce. We administer the vouchers through the social
service agencies. With these agency partnerships, we continue
to increase the number of voucher booklets distributed each
year. Qualifications: Applicants should be proficient in
Spanish, be able to lift 50 pounds, have a valid driver’s license
and have enthusiasm for our mission-related work - including local
food production, education and hunger relief/food access.
Experience working with the public is a plus. www.communityfarms.org To
Apply: Send letter of inquiry to Dan Roberts, WFCF Field
Manager via mail or email to 240 Beaver
St.Waltham, MA 02452 or dan@communityfarms.org
Program Coordinator
Baltimore Food Policy Initiative
Baltimore, MD
The Baltimore Food Policy Initiative (BFPI)
establishes Baltimore as a leader in a local and
sustainable food system while increasing access to healthy
affordable food in Baltimore City’s Food Deserts. BFPI
works in collaboration with the Baltimore Office of Sustainability,
Department of Planning and the Health Department. The program
coordinator will support the efforts of BFPI.
QUALIFICATIONS: Successful candidate should have a Master’s
degree in food systems, nutrition, public health, environmental
studies or sustainable agriculture OR a minimum of three
years experience in coordinating community food system projects.
All applications must be submitted electronically. Submit one PDF
that includes a cover letter and resume/CV. Email your application
to Holly.freishtat@baltimorecity.gov and title the subject of
the email as “Program Coordinator Application [your name].” No
phone calls will be accepted. ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT
APPLICATION BY 5PM ON MONDAY MAY 23RD, 2011
Director of Development
CISA
Amherst, MA
The Director of Development will provide strategic
direction and coordination for CISA's fundraising
efforts, excluding grants. Drawing upon professional
expertise in building long-term relationships with all
stakeholders, the Director of Development will
create strategies that increase support from major donors,
community members,businesses and other sources. The Director
plays a key role in identifying, cultivating and soliciting
major gifts. The Director will be a part of the Management
Team and work in close collaboration with the Executive
Director and Board members to achieve CISA's fundraising
goals. Please review the full job description and
application instructions at www.buylocalfood.org. Review
begins 5/16/10, position open until filled.
Farm-to-School Coordinator
Nutrition and Agriculture Educator
Green Mountain Farm-to-School
Vermont
Green Mountain Farm-to-School, a nonprofit organization in
northern Vermont, has two AmeriCorps job openings: The
Farm-to-School Coordinator will work with school staff to
develop, implement and evaluate Farm to School program activities
such as taste tests, farm field trips, nutrition education
and more. The Farm-to-School Coordinators also work at the school
district level to coordinate local food purchasing, provide
professional development, and disseminate best
practices. Start date: August 2011. The Nutrition and
Agriculture Educator will develop, grow, and deliver GMFTS'
educational programs including school gardening, taste tests, farm
field trips and in-class workshops. Start date: August
2011. To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter
to jobs@gmfts.org. Complete job descriptions are
available at http://greenmountainfarmtoschool.org/employment.php
The Food Project
Lincoln, MA
The Food Project is currently seeking a collaborative and
conscientious person with strong communication and
organizational skills to become our Grants Manager. You will
oversee and implement an ambitious schedule of proposal
and report preparation, as well as coordinate the related
activities of the Executive Director, the Director of
Development and the North Shore Regional Director. You will
plan, track and manage the relationship-building, grant
seeking, and stewardship processes for all institutional
grantmakers. You will be responsible for writing compelling,
informative, and effective proposals and reports, and will
oversee and work closely with our Development Associate, whose
principal responsibility is writing grants and reports. We
will review all submissions, identify viable candidates, and
contact those individuals selected to continue in the search
process. The position will be filled when desired candidate is
found. Please send resume and cover letter via email
to: preeve@thefoodproject.org
Compost Assistant
Urban Farm
Baltimore, MD
An urban farm is seeking an assistant for an 8-week, full-time
Summer VISTA Associate position. The position will develop and
manage a medium-scale composting operation on the farm, as well as
other soil and waste management issues. The integrated system will
utilize windrows, front-end loaders, vermiculture, passive
aeration, pallets, and other techniques. Responsibilities include:
procuring composting sources, developing systems of quality control
and soil analysis, and assisting in writing an operational manual
for future farm staff. The compost assistant will also work on the
farm with other farm operations one day per week. Applicants should
be creative, self-motivated and organized, and have excellent
communication and writing skills. Experience in soil and compost is
highly recommended. All positions will occur June-August, and are
compensated with a bi-weekly Americorps stipend as well as an
educational award paid at the end of the term. Applicants must be
18 or over. Please e-mail a resume and cover letter
to tbrown@civicworks.comwith the position title in the e-mail
subject line.
Executive Director
Community Harvest Project
Grafton, MA
Community Harvest Project is a Grafton, MA nonprofit farming
organization, which last year engaged over 5,000 volunteers to grow
and harvest 88,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables for local hunger
relief. We are seeking candidates for the position of
Executive Director. This is an opportunity to lead an established
and growing organization in the field of local agriculture for
hunger relief, and to help it reach the next level. The Executive
Director is the principal staff executive of Community Harvest
Project, Inc. (CHP), reporting to the Board of Directors and
responsible for carrying out the organization’s strategic plan and
the policies and goals approved by its board. A successful
candidate will have strong leadership and outreach skills, be a
good fundraiser, and have excellent communication and computer
skills. Please email your resume and letter of interest by May 13,
2011 to Board President, Ken Crater, at
ken@community-harvest.org.
