What's Up for 3rd week of May
1. Michigan Organic Growers Listserv
2. Governor seeking federal $ for freezing temp for lower MI
3. Growing Retail Sales of Organic Products Create Significant
Opportunities for Midwest Farmers-Report from MOSES 2/06
4. Food Alliance-an alternative type of certification that is not
organic but promotes itself as "good food for a healthy environment."
5. Organic2006 CONSUMER ATTITUDES & BEHAVIOR FIVE YEARS LATER &
INTO THE FUTURE
<http://www.hartman-group.com/products/studyOrganic2006.html> -May 31st
at noon on campus seminar
6. Mi state fair will have farmers market and seeking Michigan
farmers to sell one day or whole time- Aug 23-Sept 4 in Detroit
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Organic Transition federal $ passed
THE ORGANIC FARMING RESEARCH FOUNDATION (OFRF)
Organic Farmer's Action Network
May 24, 2006
________________________________
Victory!
Rep Holt's amendment to increase the Organic Transitions program to $5
Million passed.
Thank you- Your calls made the difference!
Thanks in great part to the many of you who made calls, the amendment
increasing funds for the USDA Organic Transitions research program from
$1.8 million to $5 million passed. The amendment, offered by
Congressman Rush Holt (D-New Jersey), Rep. DeFazio (D-Oregon), Rep. Kind
(D-Wisconsin), and Rep. Leach (R-Iowa), passed by voice vote on the
floor of the House of Representatives Tuesday morning.
Because of the tight budget Congress is working with, this was a tough
ask. It passed because so many members of Congress heard directly from
you all (and other constituents) that this program is extremely
important. You made the difference.
Next, the Senate will do their version of the 2007 Agriculture
Appropriations bill. The best way we can make sure this increase is
part of the final law is for the Senate to include the same $5 Million
in their version of the bill. Then, the Senate and House will
negotiate the differences in their two versions to come up with a final
bill.
Next Steps: Ask your Senator to support the same increase (to $5
Million) that the House of Representatives appropriated to this program.
The Senate is expected to do the first iteration of their bill sometime
after Memorial Day. If you haven't yet called both of your Senators, its
time to do so.
If you don't already know who your senators are, click here
<http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/> to find out.
What you can do: Call your senators. They both need to hear that their
constituents are interested in this issue.
1. Call the US Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask the
operator to connect you to your Senator's office. The switchboard is
open 24/7. If you get a message machine, give your comments that way.
2. When you get connected, introduce yourself and let them know you
are from their State. Tell them if you are a farmer.
3. Explain you are calling in relation to the Agriculture
Appropriations bill for 2007and that you want to see an increase to
research on organic agriculture.
4. Explain that you are calling in relation to the Agriculture
Appropriations bill for 2007. Ask them to support funding for organic
research, including:
- $5 million for the USDA "Organic Transitions" research grants and
- $10 million for USDA Agricultural Research Service "Strategic Regional
Programming for Organic Agricultural Research"
5. Ask if they would call Senator Robert Bennett (Chairman of
the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee) (UT) to ask him to support
increases to these two important organic research programs.
Please send an email to [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
letting us know you called. Simply put "I called" in the subject line
and send. Or, include a note telling us how the call went!
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign
<http://http:/www.ofrf.org/policy/Policy%20alerts/OFAN_alert_form.html>
up for the Organic Farmer's Action Network (OFAN) by visiting our
website. http://www.ofrf.org/ <http://www.ofrf.org/>
<http://http:/www.ofrf.org/policy/Policy%20alerts/OFAN_alert_form.html>
Organic Farmers Action Network (OFAN)
Brise Tencer
<http://http:/www.ofrf.org/policy/Policy%20alerts/OFAN_alert_form.html>
Organic Farming Research Foundation
P.O. Box 440, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831-426-6606, 831-426-6670 fax
http//www.ofrf.org
<http://http:/www.ofrf.org/policy/Policy%20alerts/OFAN_alert_form.html>
[log in to unmask] <http://www.ofrf.org/>
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Michigan Farmers Hurt By Recent Cold Weather
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today requested federal
assistance for Michigan farmers hard hit by recent frost and freezing
temperatures. Citing 28 counties that are expected to experience
significant crop loss, Granholm called upon U.S. Department of
Agriculture Secretary Michael Johanns to declare the counties a disaster
area.
"April's extreme drop in temperature was devastating for our fruit and
vegetable farmers in lower Michigan," said Granholm. "On their behalf,
I am requesting federal disaster assistance to free up available
resources and help reduce the economic impact of this severe weather."
The affected counties included in Granholm's request are:
Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Berrien, Cass, Charlevoix, Eaton,
Emmet, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Leelanau,
Macomb, Manistee, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Otsego, Ottawa, St.
Clair, St. Joseph, VanBuren, Washtenaw, Wayne
Granholm acknowledged the work of the Michigan Department of Agriculture
and its federal partners in assessing crop loss and expediting the
process as much as possible.
In order for federal disaster status to be granted, original crop loss
estimates must be verified from harvest yield data. If losses of 30
percent or more are confirmed and the request is granted, eligible
producers will have access to low-interest federal emergency loans for
up to 100 percent of their weather-related production losses
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Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist
Michigan State University
C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resrouces Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic listserv you can copy and paste the following URL into your browser address bar
http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html
