Category Archives: Partner Organization

Urban Farmer Survey

  By Farm Aid | March 14, 2013 - 3:29 pm |
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Do you farm in an urban or peri-urban area? If so, New York University, Penn State University, and the National Center for Appropriate Technology welcome your participation in a nationwide survey.

Researchers will use survey results to examine urban and peri-urban farming in the United States, specifically pinpointing:

  1. Technical and informational needs that can be met through outreach programs;
  2. Production, management, and marketing risks for urban farms and the development of programs to address those risks;
  3. And community and policymakers’ awareness of the benefits of urban farming.

Results will be used to create a national outreach and technical assistance program for urban farmers.

There are two surveys—one for urban farmers nationwide and another for Philadelphia farmers specifically (with additional questions related to the Penn State Extension).

Surveys should take about 20 minutes to complete.

For a paper version of the survey, or if you have any questions, contact Lydia Oberholtzer from Penn State University at 301-891-0470 or lso3@psu.edu

Participants will be entered into a drawing to win one of ten $75 gift cards

New Guides for Organic Operations

  By Farm Aid | February 23, 2013 - 10:17 am | , ,
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To describe the relevant organic requirements, provide best practices, and further explain the certification process for certified organic farmers, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has partnered with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to provide the following detailed guides:

These guides provide helpful information for both beginning farmers and current organic operations looking to adopt new management approaches. Digital downloads of all guides are free, and print versions are $3.00.

Heritage Pastured Poultry Workshop for Montana Growers

  By Farm Aid | February 21, 2013 - 9:38 am | ,
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As consumer interest in pastured poultry continues to grow around the country, an upcoming workshop presented by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center (MMFEC) and the Salish Kootenai College will take a closer look at the opportunities and challenges for heritage pastured poultry operations, with a focus on Montana.  The workshop, “Heritage Pastured Poultry Production: Opportunities and Challenges,” is being funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Jim Adkins, founder of the International Center for Poultry, will address the market potential for heritage poultry in Montana. Jeff Schahczenski, an Economics Specialist with NCAT, will review resources for pastured poultry production and examine the market and economic potential for pastured poultry products. Jan Tusick of MMFEC will review the Montana Poultry Growers Cooperative Poultry Processing Manual and HACCP systems for on-farm poultry processing.

The day will end with a tour of the Rough Diamond Farm, a pastured poultry operation outside of Great Falls that is developing a breeding-stock program for Ranger chickens.

  • Title: Heritage Pastured Poultry Production: Opportunities and Challenges
  • Location: Holiday Inn Express, 1625 Market Place Drive in Great Falls.
  • Date: March 14, 2013
  • Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Cost:  $15, which includes lunch
  • For more information: email Jeff Schahczenski at jeffs@ncat.org.
  • Registration link: http://bit.ly/ZdyelN

Farming Strategies in Today’s Changing Climate

  By Farm Aid | February 1, 2013 - 10:00 am | , ,
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On February 8th at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) in Pittsboro, NC, the Abundance Foundation will host a one-day conference on “Farming Strategies in Today’s Changing Climate.” Farmers, agricultural scientists, technical assistance providers, and farm advocates are encouraged to register for the conference, where presentations, workshops, and discussion will address adaptation and mitigation practices in the wake of climate-related challenges facing agriculture and local foodsheds.

The conference is presented in collaboration with CCCC, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Chatham County Cooperative Extension, NC Strawberry Association, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, RAFI-USA, and Piedmont Biofuels.

 

Join Us for Farm Advocate Workshops at PASA’s Farming for the Future Conference

  By Farm Aid | January 31, 2013 - 10:00 am | , ,
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A project of Farm Aid, RAFI-USA and several cooperating partners, the Farm Advocate Link is a newly established national network of farm advocates whose goal is to honor and support established advocates, welcome new and aspiring advocates, and provide ongoing training, professional development and a shared sense of purpose to farm advocates across the country.

The Farm Advocate Link will offer two workshops: Farm Advocacy 101 and Dealing with Disasters, at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) Farming for the Future conference on February 8th & 9th. The workshops, open to everyone, will be led by Joel Morton of Farm Aid, Scott Marlow of RAFI-USA, and Lynn Hayes of the Farmers Legal Action Group (FLAG).

For descriptions of each workshop and more information about the Farm Advocate Link, visit www.farmaid.org/advocates. For more about the PASA conference, visit conference.pasafarming.org.

Upcoming Webinar on Organic Farm Conservation

  By Farm Aid | January 30, 2013 - 9:30 am | ,
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This week, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT/ATTRA) will present a webinar with Harriet Behar, an organic specialist at the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES). The webinar, “Virtual Tour of Organic Farm Conservation Activity Planning,” will take place on Thursday, January 31st at 1pm EST.

This webinar is the third in a four-part series established for people interested in becoming NRCS-approved Technical Service Providers (TSPs). Behar is an approved TSP and will lead a virtual farm tour, identifying conservation concerns and possible mitigation strategies, as well as areas that affect organic certification. This unique webinar is helpful not only to potential TSPs, but any organic farmer interested in conservation practices on the farm.

To register for the webinar on January 31st, visit: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/576856170

The final webinar will be on Thursday, March 21st, on the topic of how NRCS TSPs can support biodiversity conservation in organic systems. See below for the first two webinars in the series:

Title:  Doing NRCS Conservation Activity Planning for Organic Farmers and Ranchers
Presenter: Katy Green of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)

Title:  Becoming a Technical Service Provider for NRCS: An Introduction
Presenter: Harriet Behar of Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)

Upcoming Webinar on Pastured Poultry Production

  By Farm Aid | January 21, 2013 - 9:00 am | , , , ,
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On February 7th, a webinar on “Pastured Poultry Production and Profitability” is being offered by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), Montana Mission Mountain Food and Cooperative Development Center, and Salish Kootenai College as part of the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) education and community outreach program. NCAT Sustainable Poultry Specialist Terrell “Spence” Spencer will present the basics of pastured poultry production, advantages and pitfalls of the business, and the keys to staying profitable. This free, hour-long webinar kicks off a series of workshops that will be offered in Montana this March.

The webinar is open to everyone. To register, go to https://attra.ncat.org/poultry.

The 2013 New Farmer’s Almanac from The Greenhorns

  By Farm Aid | January 3, 2013 - 12:41 pm | , ,
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The Greenhorns have released The 2013 New Farmer’s Almanac, full of “advice and entertainment for those dealing practically with the unknown.” Written for new and young farmers working to build a more sustainable food system, the almanac includes more than 300 pages of essays by young agrarians, useful illustrations, historical excerpts, lunar information, poems, and more. An ‘audio almanac’ of worksongs, farm lectures, interviews and other content accompanies the hard copy.

Order The 2013 New Farmer’s Almanac using Etsy, Paypal, or by sending a check or money order. The almanac will also be available at farmer conferences, feed stores, and independent bookshops. For information about bulk ordering, email audrey@thegreenhorns.net.

The Greenhorns’ mission is to promote, recruit and support the growing movement of new and sustainable farmers in the country. Learn more at www.thegreenhorns.net.

New Organic Certification Guides from ATTRA

  By Farm Aid | December 21, 2012 - 2:19 pm | , , , ,
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Earlier this year, USDA launched its new Organic Literacy Initiative, an effort to help connect current and prospective organic farmers, ranchers, and processors with the USDA resources available to them.

As part of this initiative, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has partnered with the National Organic Program (NOP) on four new guides with detailed information about organic certification.  They include information about organic requirements and best practices, and also further explain the certification process:

The guides can be downloaded for free or ordered as a paper publication for a small handling fee either at the links above or on the ATTRA website.

Hispanic & Women’s Discrimination Claims Process Now Open

  By Farm Aid | December 18, 2012 - 4:46 pm | , , ,
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The claims process for Hispanic & women farmers and ranchers claiming discriminatory FSA practices is now open. Farmers who faced discriminatory denials of farm loans or service assistance by the USDA between 1981 and 2000 can file their claims through March 25, 2013. This voluntary claims process offers an alternative to litigation and requires no fees or legal representation. At least $1.33 billion will be made available for awards and payments, and an additional $160 million will be available in farm debt relief to eligible farmers and ranchers. To register for a claims package, call 1-888-508-4429 or visit www.farmerclaims.gov.

Farm Aid’s partner, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives released Tips for Completing Claims Form for Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers to assist farmers in the claims process. The guide provides in-depth explanations of each question on the USDA claims form and step-by-step instructions for how to answer and file properly. For direct assistance from the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, contact John Zippert, Director of Programs, at 205.652.9676 (johnzippert@federation.coop) or Mircha King, Lawsuit Legal Coordinator, at 800.503.5678 (mirchaking@federation.coop).

Another Farm Aid partner, the Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) will host a free webinar on January 8, 2013 at 11 AM EST/10 AM Central Time to address questions about eligibility and offer assistance in filing claims. Representatives from the Farmers Legal Action Group and Rural Coalition/Coalicion Rural will be presenting. The public is invited to log-in here, or access the archived webinar through WFAN after the event.