What Happening in Michigan Organics?
Events
1. Free seminar, "Re-Inventing the Family Farm
2. Blandford Nature Center invites you to Homestead Holiday
3. Great Lakes Expo Farm Market Bus Tour
4. Feasibility of Land Irrigation Meeting
Job Opportunities
5. Organic Farm Manager
News
6. Farm Bill Implementation Action Alert
7. Rotational Grazing of Hogs and Plum Curculio (PC) Control
Events
1. Free seminar, "Re-Inventing the Family Farm"
It's on Tuesday, November 11, 2008, by Mr. Robert Waldrop, the director of a very interesting local food marketing network, called the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. Basically, he's developed a vibrant website that serves as a convenient marketing networker for hundreds of local farmers and hundreds of customers in Greater Oklahoma City (www.oklahomafood.coop (http://www.oklahomafood.coop/ )). The website makes it convenient for customers who are too busy to go to the Farmer's Market. It's quite remarkable! This business has grown at a phenomenal pace over the past few years and has re-invigorated the local food industry in Greater Oklahoma City. It would great if you could join us for this seminar, as we learn about the possibility of successfully applying Mr. Waldrop's business model to Mid Michigan.
The seminar will be presented at 2 locations on the same day, Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:30 AM at the Houghton-Jones Community Center (1708 Johnston Street in Saginaw) 7:00 PM at Saginaw Valley State University, Curtiss Hall Second Floor, Room Seminar D)
Pre-registration is encouraged by calling me or Ms. Monique Owens of the Saginaw Valley Center for Business & Economic Development at (989) 964-2164 (email [log in to unmask] )
2. Blandford Nature Center invites you to Homestead Holidays
December 13, 2008 from 4:00-8:00pm. Blandford Nature Center 1715 Hillburn Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504.
Although it is still Fall, the holidays are right around the corner. There is no better way to rind in the new season than joining Blandford as we light up for the holidays. We invite you to enjoy a peaceful winter's night on our horse drawn sleigh, hot chocolate in hand, riding down our snowy trails. If you prefer to stay indoors, many of our buildings will be open, filled with crafts such as a Yule log, demonstrations, and our own birds of prey.
Admission is $4 for adults (ages 18 and over), $2 for children (ages 4-17), and free for children under 3. Sleigh rides cost $1 per person, with children 3 and under free. If you have any questions, please call our front desk at 616-735-6240 or email [log in to unmask]. Check out our website www.blandfordnaturecenter.org.
3. Great Lakes Expo Farm Bus Tour
Register now for the Great Lakes Expo Farm Market Bus Tour. A tour of five farm markets in the greater Grand Rapids region.
WHEN: Monday, Dec. 8 — The day before the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO
WHERE: Greater Grand Rapids – Anderson & Girls Farm Market, Hart Christmas Tree Farm, Klackle Orchard, Koetsier's Greenhouse and Robinette's
WHAT: Join Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News, the Michigan Farm Marketing & Agri-Tourism Association and Michigan State University Extension as we visit five phenomenal farm markets for a day-long educational experience.
WHY: See how other agri-tourism locations have strategized to maximize year-round sales, while networking with other farm marketers and learning new marketing tips. While on the bus, en route between host farm market locations, we also will have interactive sessions and discussions tailored to farm marketers and issues they face.
COST: $149 — Includes transportation to all farm markets, lunch and snacks during the tour. The unlimited networking opportunities and information gathering, however, are priceless!
RESERVATIONS: Don't miss the bus! Seating is limited — Reserve your spot today
Online: https://www.glexpo.com/register/
Fax to: 810-234-4126
Mail to: Great Lakes Expo c/o "Just Your Type" Conference Registration Service, 1302 Blanchard
Flint, MI 48503
4. Feasibility of Land Irrigation Meeting
Water Use Legislation
Lyndon Kelly, Irrigation-Water Management Educator
Michigan's new water withdrawal legislation and how it will affect large quantity users of water will be one of the topics of discussion at a series of workshops being sponsored by Michigan State University. Whether you are an irrigator, water supply representative, government official, or an interested citizen, you are invited to attend this workshop on Michigan's
New Water Withdrawal Regulations. The meeting will focus on why Michigan is regulating water withdrawals, what constitutes an "adverse resource impact" to a local stream; local groundwater and surface water resources, and an overview and hands-on demonstration of the new on-line Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool. The workshops are offered in 3 locations:
Southwest Michigan: November 14, St. Joseph County Intermediate School District. Address: 62445 Shimmel Road, Centreville, MI 49032. Local Contact: Lyndon Kelley 269-467-5511
http://www.hydra.iwr.msu.edu/registrations/wwat/SWMI.htm
West-Central Michigan: December 4, Montcalm Community College Panhandle Area Center. Address: 5856 Federal Road, Howard City, MI 49329. Local Contact: Jim Breinling 231-757-4789
http://www.hydra.iwr.msu.edu/registrations/wwat/WCMI.htm
Southeast Michigan: December 8, Macomb Intermediate School District Educational Service Center. Address: 44001 Garfield Road, Clinton Twp., MI 48038 Local Contact: Terry Gibb 586-469-6430
http://www.hydra.iwr.msu.edu/registrations/wwat/SEMI.htm
You can register for any of the meetings by mail or on the web. If you are mailing in your registration, please register online , print and mail the online form with payment. Walk-ins are welcome however lunch cannot be guaranteed without notification five days prior to the deadline date. To register, go to:
http://www.hydra.iwr.msu.edu/registrations/wwat/index.asp#Registration_Form or contact Stephanie Smith at 517-353-3826, [log in to unmask] . For more information pertaining to the workshop contact: Dr. David Lusch ([log in to unmask]) Cost: $35 per person (includes handouts, lunch and beverage breaks)
Job Opportunities
5. Organic Farm Manager
Compensation for this position will be up to $100k, depending on the experience level of the Manager. I need to find someone to convert the farm into a Organic Farm, to run the Organic farm and handle the business side as well. The person I am looking for must be sharp and business oriented. My client is looking to make a profit, so the Manager role is very important. The candidate I am looking for must have 4-5 years of experience managing an Organic Farm (livestock and veggies). They will need to make business decisions, as well. My client wants someone who is aware of the costs, pricing, return on the investment, etc.
For this position, my client is willing to assist with relocation to NJ. There is a house on the farm the new hire can live in. The manager will be responsible to pay their own utilities and other expenses.
Anyone interested should e-mail their current, professional resume to me as a single document attachment in professional resume to me as a single document attachment in Microsoft Word format for my review in advance of a phone conversation.
John Chandler, Director
Traci Aitchison, Recruiter
Chandler Search
OFF: 602-482-001
FAX: 602-482-033
[log in to unmask]
News
6. Farm Bill Implementation Action Alert
Comment by November 14 on the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
Many of you pushed for and helped win the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) as part of the 2008 Farm Bill. Thank you for working to make the BFRDP, a competitive grants program aimed at providing support to collaborative networks or partnerships with a focus on community-based organizations that provide beginning farmer and rancher training and assistance, a reality.
We are now at the point where the Cooperative States Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is developing guidelines for how the program will operate. The new farm bill dedicates $18 million to the BFRDP in 2009 and CSREES anticipates releasing a Request for Applications (RFA) in mid-January. The agency has been taking input from organizations and individuals over the past month and right now they are accepting comments on how the program should be implemented.
We hope you can submit comments. If we want the program to be implemented in a way that supports good beginning farmer efforts and works for community-based family farm and sustainable agriculture group's action is needed.
Below are eight talking points the Land Stewardship Project has identified. These talking points are not comprehensive but some of we've heard from groups and others while discussing the BFRDP. Also below are five questions posed at the CSREES listening session in late October as well as where and how to send in comments.
Implementation Priorities for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program
1. Prioritize proposals led by or that include community based organizations. The statutory language makes it very clear that grants led by or that include non-governmental and community based organizations is a top priority. Community based organizations that work with beginning farmers or have familiarity in farm issues are often the best equipped to help new farmers overcome barriers in a particular region. With BFRDP's emphasis on partnerships and collaborations, it is important to recognize partnerships often function best when led by a community-based organization who then engages and reaches out to partners such as: banks, coops, land grant universities, Extension, state and local colleges, state departments of agriculture, and other entities to build a successful program. It should be a priority that a sizable number of community-based organization's are the led grantees, particular those who have a history of working with farm families and on farm issues.
2. Prioritize those proposals with applicants who have "expertise in new agricultural producer training and outreach." Importance should be given to those grant applicants and proposals that have a multi-year track record of providing training, assistance, and education to beginning farmers. Importance should be placed on proposals that show a history of successful beginning farmer outreach and training as well as new efforts that propose to incorporate or draw from the expertise of educators, farmers, or existing programs in the development of new farmer training initiatives.
3. A priority should be placed on those proposals which have greater levels of direct interaction with new and existing farmers. One important evaluation criteria should be the degree and frequency articulated in proposals of the applicant's direct face-to-face work and interaction with actual constituencies served. For instance, proposals that included a greater interaction and outreach with beginning farmer and rancher though activities such as meetings, field days, workshops, one-on-one assistance, and other activities should receive priority. In addition, efforts that encourage hands-on farmer-to-farmer interaction is often recognized as a successful way to support new farmers.
4. Prioritize proposals that demonstrate and quantify beginning farmer outreach and training. Identifying those proposals that have in the past or plan to demonstrate and quantify factors such as: the number activities carried out, participants or graduates of a program, number of years a program has been offered, or other accomplishments is an important consideration in awarding grants.
5. Prioritize multi-year grants. Multi-year grants allow groups to do extended planning and to focus more on producing results and accomplishing objectives.
6. Priority should be given to those proposal which exhibit lower levels of overhead costs. Overhead expenditures for BFRDP grants are not allowed to exceed 22%. In addition CSREES should place a greater emphasis on those proposals which have a low percent of overhead expenditures.
7.Provide adequate time for applicants to submit proposals. Once a Request For Applications is announced CSREES should provide at a minimum 60-days for applicants to submit proposals.
8. The review panel for the BFRDP should have a good representation from family farm and sustainable agriculture representatives. Many competitive grant programs include review panels made up of different stakeholders that provide input on applications and the awarding of grants. We encourage CSREES to appoint a review panel that includes a broad cross-section of agriculture. A review panel should include but not be limited to:
non-profit community-based organizations serving beginning farmers;
beginning, existing, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers;
representative familiar with organic farming, farming for local and regional agriculture markets, and producers growing for new and expanding niche markets; and
representatives engaged in sustainable agriculture work that are familiar with trade, conservation, rural development, energy or credit issues.
representatives engaged and familiar with serving immigrant and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Questions CSREES posed at the October 27, BFRDP public meeting to solicit stakeholder input.
1. Should there be a limit on the number proposals each institution or organization can submit?
2. What constitutes a region? Is the existing SARE model sufficient?
3. What are some of the constraints in the legislation that you (those submitting proposals) may have?
4. How can CSREES optimize BFRDP with other existing federal programs?
5. What are the biggest struggles facing beginning farmers and/or beginning farmer educators?
6. Regarding the review panel, what is an appropriate size of a panel and what qualities should a good review panel member have?
BFRDP comments are due November 14 and can be submitted by:
· E-mailing: [log in to unmask]. Include CSREES-2008-0003 in the subject line;
· Faxing: 202-401-1782;
· Mailing: BFRDP; Competitive Programs (CP) Unit, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 2240, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2240; or,
Using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments must include the agency name and reference to "CSREES-2008-0003."
7. Rotational Grazing of Hogs and Plum Curculio (PC) Control: David Epstein, Jim Koan and Randy Foreman.
Plum curculio beetles typically migrate into orchards in the spring around the time of bloom. The female eats a small hole in the fruit, deposits an egg, and then makes a crescent-shaped slit just below the egg-laying site. The hatching larva burrows into the fruit. The burrowing larva causes the apple to drop from trees in June and July. The larva exit the falling fruit and enter into the soil, where they later emerge as adults and renter the tree canopy.
The continuing research solution are rotationally grazed hogs during the June drop period. The hogs consume the dropped apples before the PC larvae exit the fruit. By scouting the orchard for egg-laying scars, predictions can be made on when to introduce the hogs. The hogs then consume the dropped apples before the PC larvae exit. Only newly dropped apples can be counted.
For more information on this subject go to: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/pdf/IPMfallrpt07-epstein.pdf
Videos may be on there way in the near future.
If you would like to access a searchable archive of the all the previous Mich-Organic listserv postings copy this URL and paste in your browser address field http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html
