What’s new in Michigan Organic Ag? July 18 – July 29 By Vicki Morrone and Kate Leitch Production News and Information 1. New Ag Network Newsletter 2. Vegetable CAT Alert, MSU 3. Field Crop CAT Alert, MSU 4. Fruit CAT Alert, MSU 5. Horizon Organic(R) honors organic dairy farmer partners, including Brian & Agnes Koenigsknecht from Michigan! 6. FY2009 SBIR Phase I Request for Applications Notice of Position Openings 7. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services- superintendent position opening Events 8. Upcoming Project FRESH meetings 9. Bioenergy Bus Tour 10. Annual Friends and Family Farms Field Day- at Barbara Norman’s blueberry farm in Covert, MI ******** PRODUCTION NEWS AND INFORMATION ******** 1. New Ag Network Newsletter Vol. 4, No. July 23, 2008 http://www.new-ag.msu.edu/ In this issue: Crop rotation and covers fit the bill Western bean cutworm alert Minnesota Organic Apple Field Day – August 2 Nominate MOSES 2009 farmer of the year New publication helps understand weed seedbank dynamics MSU Soil building workshop online registration now available New publication on organic growing of ornamentals Reports from organic growers Crop rotation and covers fit the bill Michelle Wander Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois I have no doubt that New Ag Network readers appreciate the benefits of crop rotation to soil and water. So why is our landscape dominated by the corn monoculture and or corn-soybean bi-culture? Many will argue that money and time are the main reasons for this but do the numbers support this. Looking at the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) database for Illinois and Iowa, I see per bushel prices for both corn and soybean have doubled since 2001. The total value of the corn crop has actually tripled because yield-per-acre also rose by about 15% during this time period. The total value of the soybean crop has not climbed as much because productivity has changed little and acreage has been lost to corn. The total number of acres (about 0.5 billion) devoted to these two crops has actually not changed much. Even though annual corn and soybean rotations could be diversified without losing an annual cash crop by adding cover crops, few farmers include winter annuals in their rotations. Singer and Nusser (2007) surveyed farmers in the Corn Belt and found only 18 percent of them had ever used cover crops and that in 2005, those who did planted them on just 6 percent of their farmland. Fear of yield loss and the extra time constraints were cited as reasons not to use covers. Research is doing much to reduce and clarify the risks associated with cover crop management in corn and soybean systems (e.g., Miguez and Bollero, 2005. This, and improvements in planters are making cover cropping a real option for mainstream agriculture. Over half the farmers Singer and Nusser surveyed indicated they would cover crop if cost-sharing was available. They identified a mean minimum payment price needed to promote adoption of $56.81/ha or $23/ac. If one multiplies that value by the acres planted to corn and soybean in Illinois and Iowa last year, they’d find it would have cost us a billion dollars to protect the soil. Hind sight is probably going to tell me and other tax payers this is worth the cost. The cost of flood damage in Iowa had topped $1.5 billion last month when the White House asked Congress for nearly 2 billion dollars in emergency disaster aid to address the historic floods. This was well before water levels peaked. A financial argument for cover cropping can be strengthened if we accept National Weather Service findings that flood damage estimates typically underestimate costs by an average of 40 percent (Pielke et al. 2002). Planting cover crops would not have stopped the rains but countless studies indicate their presence would have reduced flooding, leaching and erosion and with this, done much to keep needed nutrients and organic matter where they belonged (eg: Jiang et al. 2008; Kladivko et al. 2004; Gowda et al. 2008). The influence that current agricultural practices had on flooding made national news (Achenbach, 2008). Changes in drainage and hydrology were cited in addition to cropping patterns. By removing perennials or actively growing plants from the landscape, we have reduced evapotranspiration and increased spring runoff to streams (Zhang and Schilling, 2006). The argument that crop diversification is needed to help cope with climate change has been met with counter arguments offering up continuous GM corn grown with no-tillage practices as a superior alternative. The data on organic matter has yet to come in; certainly no one disputes that reduced tillage can reduce erosion. In that scenario, bare or plant-free soil would remain a spring problem. It is good we had at least some perennials in place this spring thanks to the CRP program. Growing plants help cope with water onslaughts by removing and slowing water movement. CRP lands can also supply emergency feed to livestock. Release of CRP lands for feed has been approved in the 48 flood-damaged counties in Illinois but, rather than pay them more for this emergency relief, the Farm Service Agency will reduce payments by 25 percent for acreage opened for grazing. Apparently appreciation for the conservation value of perennials has not gone up as a result of recent floods. As usual, our minds are on our stomachs. Rising food and energy prices have caused many to look for solutions. Large scale agriculture seems to be considering more monoculture corn while small scale producers are diversifying markets and crops. If we can resist over simplifying the challenge of land management to one that pits diverse, tillage and management-intensive farming against simple, input and technology- intensive farming we are likely to make more progress. As currently practiced, common organic and conventional rotations have different strengths and weaknesses. It is difficult to compare the two approaches because organic systems use crop rotation and cultural practices to do much more than protect the soil. Cropping pattern and cultural techniques must also supply and retain nutrients, control weeds, disease, and reduce insect pressure in organic systems. Imagine the subsidy organic farming systems will provide to mainstream agriculture if we figure this out. In my experience, maintaining adequate weed control in medium- to fine- textured soils is a bigger challenge for organic growers than building soil quality. We are always thinking about improving the rotation on our farm where husband Jon Cherniss grows organic vegetables. Soil tests indicate our rotation is maintaining or building organic matter. I am emphasizing rotation here because we don’t have animals and use very little compost or manure. We were both impressed by how well our soil stood up to the rains this year as we watched the neighbor’s soil and residue pile up on the road. We do have tile drainage and offset our environmental guilt with the knowledge that improved tile and carefully managed surface drainage have spared spring crops during three of the past four years. Our spring crops were planted into fallow ground that followed fall crops. Getting covers incorporated in time for summer crops was a challenge, but we were lucky with the rains and confess a bit aggressive with the spader. By adding all the organic matter with tillage, soils resist or quickly recover from any damage. While we are pleased that spading covers in during spring to prepare beds doesn’t seem to be compromising soil quality, we are concerned that it is exposing us to certain kinds of weed pressure. Legume covers like hairy vetch or field peas are mowed before incorporation with a spader. We can use in-row cultivation for some crops but not others and can follow the spring crop with a summer fallow or smothering summer cover. The presence of a crop or a cover crop prevents us from tilling as much one would want to control thistle. Time constraints and rain prevent us from tilling frequently enough to control things like purslane so we need to find a way to mulch. This is why rollers are once again piquing Jon’s interest. So, even though we are trying to achieve more with rotation than our conventional neighbors, we share an interest in incorporating reduced tillage into our system. Getting from the mulched phase of a rotation to a clean seed bed ready for spring greens will be another challenge. So what about a cost share program for organic growers? The Agricultural Management Assistance Program, authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act in 2002 has allocated funds to reimburse producers for organic certification costs. The new Farm Bill includes $22 million with five years of guaranteed funding to cover up to 75 percent of the cost of certification with maximum annual cost-share eligibility of $750 per farm. This cost share defrays certification expenses – not organic production costs. It currently costs growers over $70 an acre to plant hairy vetch. This is what it would cost to apply nitrogen fertilizer at 150 lbs per acre. So, the diverse rotation turns out to be a deal for the downstream public while organic farmers are substituting effort, land area, and time for purchased inputs. We devote 50% of our land area to soil building crops instead of cash cropping it each year. Even with this, we are probably too small to make it worthwhile to fill out and apply for a $23 per acre cost share for covers if it were available. Now paying us back for the price of certified cover crop seed might fit the bill. References Achenbach, J. Iowa Flooding Could Be and Act of Man, Experts Say. June 19, 2008. Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/story/2008/06/19/ST2008061901432 .html; and http://blogs.dmregister.com/?author=1894 accessed July 19, 2008. Gowda P.H., Mulla D.J., Jaynes D.B. 2008. Simulated long-term nitrogen losses for a midwestern agricultural watershed in the United States AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT 95 616-624. Jiang X.B., Huang C.H., Ruan F.S. Impacts of land cover changes on runoff and sediment in the Cedar Creek Watershed, St. Joseph River, Indiana, United States 2008. JOURNAL OF MOUNTAIN SCIENCE 5:113-121. Kladivko EJ, Frankenberger JR, Jaynes DB, Meek DW, Jenkinson BJ, Fausey NR 2004. Nitrate leaching to subsurface drains as affected by drain spacing and changes in crop production system JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 33:1803-1813. Miguez F.E., Bollero G.A. 2006. Winter cover crops in Illinois: Evaluation of ecophysiological characteristics of corn CROP SCIENCE Volume: 46:1536-1545.National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS); http://www.nass.usda.gov/index.asp Pielke, R.A. Jr. Downton MW., Barnard Miller J.Z. 2002. Flood Damage in the United States, 1926–2000; A Reanalysis of National Weather Service Estimates; NOAA. http://www.flooddamagedata.org/use_interpretation.html; accessed July 2008). Singer J.W., Nusser, S.M. 2007 Are cover crops being used in the US corn belt? JOURNAL OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION 62: 353-358. Zhang YK, Schilling KE 2006. Increasing streamflow and baseflow in Mississippi River since the 1940 s: Effect of land use change JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY 324:412-422. New publication helps understand weed seedbank dynamics Although there is an old saying that "one year's seeding makes seven years' weeding," farmers don't always pay much attention to the importance of managing weed seedbanks. The weed seedbank is the reserve of viable weed seeds on and in the soil. The study of seedbanks is a relatively new but promising area of weed science, and a new publication from Montana State University Extension describes the dynamics of seedbanks in a way that can help agricultural producers deal with them. The seedbank consists of both weed seeds recently shed and older seeds that have persisted in the soil for several years. "Not only do these seeds represent a history of past successes and failures in weed management decisions," says Fabian Menalled, Montana State University Extension cropland weeds specialist, "they have the potential to create future weed problems." Menalled, who authored the publication, adds that understanding the dynamics of the weed seedbank can help producers predict the degree to which crop-weed competition will affect crop yield and quality and is a vital step in the development of integrated weed management. The publication "Weed Seedbank Dynamics and Integrated Management of Agricultural Weeds" MT200808AG, is available for free download at http://www.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/MT200808AG.pd f. It describes what happens with weed seeds after they are shed from the parent plant, discusses the importance of minimizing weed seedbank inputs and provides simple strategies to manage weed seedbanks in agricultural settings. This publication is also available from Montana State University Extension Publications, P.O. Box 172040, Bozeman, MT 59717-2040. For more information on managing agricultural weeds visit the Montana State University cropland weed management website at http://www.ipm.montana.edu/CropWeeds. ******** 2. Vegetable CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 13, July 23 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08veg/v07-23-08.htm#1 In this issue: Western bean cutworm: a new corn “worm” Aster leafhoppers and aster yellows Watch for tarnished plant bug Recent foggy, humid weather favors downy mildew Potato disease update Starane Ultra labeled for onions in Michigan Informational meeting on new water use legislation Agricultural field sanitation requirements in Michigan Regional reports Weather Western bean cutworm: a new corn “worm” Beth Bishop Entomology Numbers of European corn borer moths captured during July 15 - 22 are still very low, but should increase soon as the second flight begins. Also, very few corn earworm moths were captured last week. Although the risk from these pests to sweet corn, peppers, snap beans and tomatoes is low, another “worm” pest has appeared. Western bean cutworm has been a pest in the western Corn Belt and, in recent years, has been expanding its range eastward. For the past several years Dr. Christina DiFonzo, MSU field crops entomologist, has been coordinating the Michigan component of a pheromone trapping network that tracks its spread. The first western bean cutworm captured in Michigan was caught in Cass County in 2006. In 2007, moths were caught as far east as Eaton County and so far in 2008, low numbers of moths have been caught in many different counties as far east as Ingham County. For detailed information on western bean cutworm identification and biology, consult the Field Crops CAT Alert. To summarize, there is one flight, or generation, each year, which usually begins in early to mid-July and continues until mid-August. Females are attracted to corn in the whorl to pretassel stage. Eggs are laid in clusters on the upper surface of leaves. Eggs are white when first laid, but turn purple before hatching. European corn borer egg masses are white at first, but flat, resembling fish scales, unlike the rounded eggs in a western bean cutworm egg mass. Upon hatching, larvae feed on the tassel in the whorl and after the tassel emerges move down to the silk. They feed on the silk for a while and then enter the ear. Unlike corn earworm, the larvae are not cannibalistic, and there can be many western bean cutworm larvae in a single ear. Sweet corn growers in areas where western bean cutworm are flying should be scouting their fields for egg masses. Check the upper leaves of 20 plants in five different locations in the field. Be sure to check different varieties and corn at different growth stages. Chris DiFonzo has recommended a threshold for field corn of five percent of plants with egg masses. However, the tolerance for worms in sweet corn is considerably lower. Growers with silking corn should already be on a preventative program for European corn borer and corn earworm. However, remember that western bean cutworm prefers corn at the pretassel stage. If western bean cutworm egg masses are found in sweet corn at the whorl or pretassel stage, an insecticide should be applied at tassel emergence. Western bean cutworm larvae are difficult to control when in the silk and impossible to control once in the ear, so insecticides must be timed to tassel emergence. A number of insecticides are registered on sweet corn for control of western bean cutworm, including pyrethroids (Asana, Capture, Baythroid, Mustang Max, Proaxis, Pounce), organophosphates (Lorsban, Penncap-M), Sevin, etc. Western bean cutworm is not controlled by most varieties of Bt sweet corn. It is also a pest of dry beans, but that crop is less preferred. I have not heard of any reports of western bean cutworms on snap beans, although that is always a possibility later when the population increases and corn becomes less attractive. ******** 3. Field Crop CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 14, July 24, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc07-24-08.htm#1 In this issue: Western bean cutworm alert Armyworm also in northwest Michigan Looking for a few “good killers” Corn and soybean fungicide: To spray or not to spray – that is the question Agricultural field sanitation requirements in Michigan Regional reports Weather Looking for a few “good killers” Diane Brown-Rytlewski Plant Pathology Can you help us with our search for soybean killers? We need to collect isolates of the fungus that causes Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) from grower fields for a research study funded by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee. The first part of the project is to collect plants with symptoms of SDS from grower fields. We’d like to sample at least 10 grower fields with symptoms of SDS. After the plants are collected we will be culturing symptomatic plant tissue to recover the pathogen. Isolates of the pathogen will be tested to determine their level of pathogenicity. We need to find isolates that are “good killers” for the second part of the study. Next year, we will be inoculating a field with the SDS pathogen and planting soybean varieties that have been bred for resistance to SDS to see how well they perform in Michigan. Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome symptoms usually appear in late July - August. Leaves develop yellow spots that merge to form yellow patches between veins. As the disease progresses, the leaf tissue between the veins turns brown, and the leaves stay green. Leaves may fall off, leaving the leaf petiole still attached. SDS usually occurs in patches where there is compacted or poorly drained soil, and may be associated with soybean cyst nematode. A fact sheet about SDS with color photos of symptoms can be found at http://www.ipm.msu.edu/fieldcrops.htm/pdf/7-24SDS.pdf If you know of a field with symptoms of SDS, please contact your county Extension educator, phone me at 517-432-0480, or email me at [log in to unmask] ******** 4. Fruit CAT Alert, MSU Vol. 23, No. 4, July 22, 2008 http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08fruit/f07-22-08.htm#1 In this issue: Tree fruit news Predicted peak 2008 apple harvest dates Small fruit news Blueberry gall midge injury more common this year Managing mid-late season grape berry moth What to do when you start seeing disease in the vineyard Grape IPM workshop July 24 in Scottdale, Berrien County NW Wine Grape IPM “First Friday” meeting and Harvest BBQ on August 1 Other news TNRC Field Day SWRMREC High Tunnel Day Agricultural field sanitation requirements in Michigan Regional reports Weather news ******** 5. Horizon Organic(R) honors organic dairy farmer partners, including Brian & Agnes Koenigsknecht from Michigan! http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/horizon BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Organic(R), the first certified organic dairy to distribute products nationally in the United States, today announced the winners of the 2007 Exceptional Quality Awards program, which recognizes the top ten percent of Horizon Organic farmer partners in each state whose milk is the highest quality within Horizon Organic's network. In order to be considered for the award, producers must ship organic milk to the brand for one full calendar year, and the average test results for each shipment must be among the best in their respective states. "Horizon Organic is dedicated to producing the highest quality of organic milk on the market, and our Quality Awards program is a great way to recognize and honor our farmer partners that exceed our high standards," said Jule Taylor, vice president of dairy operations. "The Producer Milk Quality Program reflects our mission of providing consumers with great-tasting, high-quality products nationwide." This year's national winner for the best quality milk in Horizon Organic's total producer supply is awarded to Jos and Deanna Poland of Poland Farms in Madras, Ore. The Polands built a new farm when they switched to organic dairying and were certified organic three years ago. Jos and Deanna milk 220 Holsteins on their farm and they credit their success in organic dairy quality to keen attention to detail. Upon receiving the National Quality Award, the couple was presented with a plaque in their farm's name and a cash award. "After we switched from conventional farming to organic, I feel that the quality of milk is higher," said Jos Poland of Poland Farms. "With organic, the cows are much healthier and their immune systems are stronger." The second and third place National Award winners also hail from Oregon. The second place honors went to Perrin Farms in Woodburn, Ore. and the third place award was bestowed upon Staehely's Valley Veue Dairy in Oregon City, who were the winners of the 2006 National Award. The complete list of 2008 Exceptional Quality Award recipients include: OREGON -- Jack Perrin -- Staehely's Valley Veue Dairy CALIFORNIA -- Mario & Victor Avelar MAINE -- Wayne & Patti Bragg -- John & Marcia Donald MINNESOTA -- Paul & Amy Primus MICHIGAN -- Brian & Agnes Koenigsknecht NEW HAMPSHIRE -- James & Ellen Putnam NEW YORK -- Brett & Audrey Stevenson -- Jeffrey Sheen -- Jerry Schwartz -- Martin Syvertson & Vickie McClain -- Jonas Gingerich -- Charles & Julia Deichmann -- Brenda & Scott McAuslan -- George & Linda Wright -- Douglas Morse -- Eugene Dana -- Chris Schwartz -- Ron Franklin PENNSYLVANIA -- Henry & Emma Zook -- Samuel Kaufmann -- Jacob K. Stoltzfus -- Elmer F. Esh -- Stephen & Charlotte Lyon VERMONT -- Michael & Marilyn Gardner -- Dorothy & George Muzzy -- Howacres, Inc. -- Gene & Pamela Manning VIRGINIA -- Sidney Beery WISCONSIN -- James Greenberg LOWEST SOMATIC CELL WINNERS: -- Gilman Littlefield (ME): 57,567 -- Ralph Caldwell (ME): 74,058 -- John Donald (ME): 82,439 ABOUT HORIZON ORGANIC Horizon Organic, founded in 1991, was the first certified organic dairy to distribute products nationally in the United States. The company remains true to its vision for a more organic planet, purchasing milk from 450 certified organic dairy farms and providing certified organic dairy products to natural foods retailers and supermarkets across the country. Horizon Organic's products are produced without the use of antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides or cloning. That's the organic promise from our farmers to consumers. For more information on the growing world of organic, visit http://www.horizonorganic.com. ******** 6. FY2009 SBIR Phase I Request for Applications The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program offers grants to qualified small businesses (including small and medium-sized farms) in support of high quality, innovative research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefit if successfully commercialized. The USDA SBIR program has awarded more than 2000 grants since its inception in 1983, allowing hundreds of small businesses to explore their technological potential and profit from the commercialization of their innovative ideas. The FY09 SBIR Request for Applications (RFA) was released on June 27, 2008 a closing date of September 4th, 2008. Please check the Web site <http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/sbir.html> for more information. All FY2009 proposals must be submitted electronically through <http://www.grants.gov.> Grants.gov and all attachments must be submitted as a Portable Document Format (PDF). Note that the registration process for submitting applications electronically can take as much as two weeks to complete, and registration must be finished prior to submitting an application. To complete the registration process, go to www.grants.gov <http://www.grants.gov/> and click on the "get registered link" under the applicants menu. Three of the topic areas - Small And Mid-Sized Farms, Marketing and Trade, and Rural Development - are particularly relevant to small farms and ranching enterprises and other small businesses focused on development of new or application of existing technologies to address a problem or an opportunity in rural communities. More applications in these topics are encouraged. For additional information about these programs, please contact Dr. S. Sureshwaran, National Program Leader, at [log in to unmask] Thank you. Suresh S. Sureshwaran, Ph.D. National Program Leader, SBIR Program USDA / CSREES/ CP Mail Stop 2243 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20250 Telephone: (202) 720 7536 Fax: (202) 401 6070 Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> SBIR Web Site: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir.html <http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir.html> NRI Web Site: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/nri/nri.html <http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/nri/nri.html> Mission of CSREES is to advance knowledge of agriculture, the environment, human health and well being, and communities. ******** NOTICE OF POSITION OPENINGS ******** 7. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services- superintendent position open The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is currently advertising the superintendent position at the Cherry Research Farm which also houses the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS). CEFS (<http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/>www.cefs.ncsu.edu) is a partnership among NC State University, NC A&T State University, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and many non-profit organizations. The 2000 acre facility is recognized for its: • 80 hectare (200 acre) long-term interdisciplinary farming systems experiment that allows researchers the capacity to examine the impact of agriculture and natural areas on soil quality, water quality, carbon sequestration, pest dynamics, plant growth, development, and yield, economics, energy and nutrient flows, long-term ecological impacts and shifts, and more. • Innovative animal production research and demonstration facilities (beef, dairy, swine) that focus on projects that enhance the efficiency and economic viability of animal production while developing systems that reduce energy use, improve water quality, improve animal health, efficiently utilize animal waste management, and improve quality of life for producers. In addition to the animal production units, integrated animal/crop production studies are included within the 200 acre experiment mentioned above. • Organic production facility, unique in the United States for its focus on research and education efforts on organic agriculture. An early leader in developing information for organic production systems, this dynamic unit is a focal point for farmer and student education, innovative research, and extension training. • A Small Farm research and outreach unit that covers approximately 30 acres with a wide range of soil types, equipment, buildings and educational focal points. The function of the Small Farm Unit is to provide stakeholders a place where a systems approach demonstrates a whole farm model in which is embedded research relevant to successful sustainable small farm operation. Research topics are nested into the whole farm unit design. • An eight -week residential summer internship program in sustainable agriculture that draws students from all over the country and world for in-depth study of all aspects of sustainable agriculture. The program includes lectures, field trips, special projects, and hands on experience in production, research, and extension. • Farmer and extension agent training on pertinent sustainable agriculture topics. These have included (but are not limited to) pasture management, rotational grazing strategies, organic agriculture (offered to Extension agents as a graduate level course), disease management, organic grain production, composting, etc. CEFS also hosts annual field days and other educational workshops. • Community-based food systems work developing alternative direct marketing strategies to targeted consumer groups that also educate and promote the consumers role in facilitating a more sustainable agriculture. The position description (Research Operations Manager) and job application guidelines can be found at: <http://osp.its.state.nc.us/positiondetail.asp?vacancykey=3765-1190-0033-200 &printit=no>http://osp.its.state.nc.us/positiondetail.asp?vacancykey=3765-11 90-0033-200&printit=no Application deadline: August 1, 2008. Contact information about the position is found at the above website. For further information about CEFS contact: Nancy Creamer, CEFS Director, 919-515-9447 or [log in to unmask] Nancy G. Creamer, Director Center for Environmental Farming Systems North Carolina State University Box 7609 Raleigh, NC 27695 919-515-9447 919-515-2505 (fax) [log in to unmask] www.cefs.ncsu.edu ******** EVENTS ******** 8. Upcoming Project FRESH meetings Project FRESH (Farm Resources Expanding and Supporting Health) has grown over the decades into a program which helps local economies by providing income to farmers, and giving access to amazing produce to our mothers, children, and seniors. We are holding five regional meetings to facilitate dialog on how everybody involved in Project FRESH can increase the redemption rates and visibility of the program. The Meetings are as follows: • Marquette: Tuesday, July 29th, Marquette Commons, 203 S. Front St. 10am-2pm. • Harrisville: Wednesday, July 30th. 12pm-4pm. Alcona County EMS Building, 2600 East M-72. • Kalamazoo: Friday, August 1st. 12pm-4pm, Kalamazoo Parks and Recreation Building, 251 Mills St. • Big Rapids: Friday, August 8th. 10am-2pm, at the MSU Extension Office, 14485 Northland Drive. We hope to increase the visibility and redemption of the program by bringing together all those involved to begin a constructive dialog directed by two questions: how do we raise our redemption rates further, and how do we increase the visibility of the program. Two simple questions which have proven extremely difficult to address by any one person is exactly why we need you to voice your concerns, your philosophies, and your history to what methods have worked, are feasible, or what needs to happen in order to keep this program successful. Hopefully, you might meet those who are in the position to assist you in the ways that you cannot assist yourself. We are all interconnected in this program, and we need to start discussing it beginning now, and establishing contacts to continue throughout the year. Attached are five invitations for five regional meetings. Attend as many as you want: just RSVP! For more information either contact me or Teresa Johnson ([log in to unmask]), or visit http://www.farmersmarkets.msu.edu/ under “What’s Happening’ on the left hand side for agendas of each individual meeting. If you are not familiar with project FRESH here is a little overview of the program: Project FRESH (Farm Resources Expanding and Supporting Health) is a program that makes fresh produce available to low-income, nutritionally-at-risk consumers and also supports Michigan farmers. It expands the awareness and use of farmers markets in addition to increasing sales at the markets. The Michigan Department of Community Health WIC Division, Michigan State University Extension and the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service jointly administer the program. Project FRESH receives federal funds, local funds, private grants and WIC program income from vendor fines. Thank you very much, and I hope to see you there. Micah Manikas 416 Agriculture Hall East Lansing, MI (517) 432-3387 [log in to unmask] ******** 9. Bioenergy Bus Tour Find the flyer at: http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/Portals/organic/Bioenergy%20Bus%20Tour%20 2008.doc Registration is now open for the Bioenergy Bus Tour. The dates are Aug. 25-28, 2008. The flyer has details about the trip, the cost and a registration form. This trip will be an excellent opportunity for you to network with others working in the bioenergy arena as well as learn about other aspects of energy production that you might not be familiar with. The registration deadline is August 1, 2008. If you have any questions please contact me. To register, please fill out and mail the form along with a check to Leah Worthington. Leah’s contact information is in the flyer. Have a great day! Dennis Pennington Bioenergy Educator KBS Land & Water Program Michigan State University Extension 3700 East Gull Lake Drive Hickory Corners, MI 49060 Phone: 269-671-2412 ext. 221 or 1-800-521-2619 Fax: 269-671-4485 ******** 10. Annual Friends and Family Farms Field Day Flyer can be found here: http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/Portals/organic/BlueberryFieldDay2008.pdf Mark your calendars for the annual 2008 Friends and Family Farms Field Day on August 6, 2008 at Barbara Norman’s blueberry farm in Covert, Michigan. This is a great opportunity to meet Michigan farmers and resource professionals, learn about farm loans, marketing and conservation opportunities (and more!) and fill up a bucket of fresh, local blueberries to take home! When? Wednesday, August 6, 2008 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Where? Barbara Norman’s Blueberry Farm 75127 28th Avenue, Covert, Michigan 49043 Please see the flyer for more information, or contact Barbara Norman at 269-764-1776 (home), 269-208-4588 (cell) or [log in to unmask] Please post widely and help spread the word! ******** 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