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*Here are some items of interest from ATTRA's weekly update:* *USDA Announces Availability of Compliance Guide for Mobile Slaughter Units * WASHINGTON - As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)." "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced the availability of the compliance guide for mobile slaughter units. This document presents recommendations and is not a regulatory requirement. FSIS will post this compliance guide on its Significant Guidance Documents Web page *http://www.fsis.usda.gov/** Significant_Guidance/index.asp* . "USDA is excited to offer this help to small producers and encourages establishments who own or manage mobile slaughter units to use this guidance document to help meet food safety regulatory requirements," said Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Jerold R. Mande. "Food must be safe, regardless of where it is produced, and FSIS has worked with mobile unit operators to develop inspection procedures tailored to their needs. * http://www.extension.org/pages/USDA_Announces_Availability_of_Compliance_Guide_for_Mobile_Slaughter_Units * *Glynwood Harvest Awards Seek Nominees* Do you know visionary farmers who not only raise amazing food but have also developed innovations in growing, marketing, and collaborating with their community in new and exciting ways? Are there inventive individuals, organizations or businesses in your community developing cutting-edge models to connect people with sustainable, regionally-produced food? Please help us recognize outstanding accomplishments from around the country by nominating someone whose work you admire for a Glynwood Harvest Award. The Harvest Awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses across the United States demonstrating innovation and leadership in support of regional 2010. *http://www.glynwood.org/Programs/HarvestAwards/NominateSome.html* * * * America's Favorite Farmers' Markets" Contest Underway* American Farmland Trust is sponsoring "America's Favorite Farmers' Markets" contest. The purpose of the America's Favorite Farmers' Markets(tm) contest is to spread the No Farms No Food(r) message and to raise national awareness about local farmers' markets, the role they play in supporting local farms and food, and the importance of local farms and farmland to our communities. It is a free national contest that will let your customers show support for your market, help you earn free media coverage, and bring in new shoppers who want to support farmers' markets in your community and beyond. We will be promoting farmers' markets on the national level while we continue to work toward our goal of protecting productive farmland and spreading the No Farms No Food(r) message. * http://www.farmland.org/actioncenter/no-farms-no-food/farmers-market-managers.asp * * * * USDA Evaluating Small Meat and Poultry Processing Needs* The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a preliminary study revealing existing gaps in the regional food systems regarding the availability of slaughter facilities to small meat and poultry producers. The study by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is a first attempt to identify areas in the U.S. where small livestock and poultry producers are concentrated but may not have access to a nearby slaughter facility. The data creates a county-by-county view of the continental United States, indicating the concentration of small farms raising cattle, hogs and pigs, and chicken, and also noting the location of nearby state slaughter facilities and small and very small federal slaughter establishments. The presentation "Slaughter Availability to Small Livestock and Poultry Producers - Maps" may be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/KYF_maps-050410_FOR_RELEASE.pdf. * http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/br_news.php/2010/05/27/usda-evaluating-small-meat-and-poultry-processing-needs * *Survey: Foodies Willing to Pay More for Organic* More than 83 percent of foodies say they'll pay more for at least some organic or all natural foods, according to a recent survey from Healthbuzz, a new go-to resource for nutrition and wellness information and inspiration launched by Foodbuzz, an online food community. Knowing where food comes from and what goes into the foods we eat was an important trend in the survey results. For example, 69 percent offoodies surveyed "always" read the nutrition panels of foods that they purchase. In addition, the majority of foodies surveyed (83 percent) believe locally grown food to be generally healthier. The importance of a food's source is also significant when foodies dine out. An overwhelming 96 percent of foodies like knowing where a restaurant's food comes from, which is underscored by the increasing number of restaurants including this type of information on their menus. Twelve bloggers, including registered dieticians and nutritionists, will serve as Healthbuzz Featured Editors, providing expert advice on subjects such as diet and nutrition, healthy recipes, specialty diets and fitness, all connected to a central theme. For example, this month, Featured Editor Nancy Oliveira, a Boston-based registered dietician and publisher of the blog Fit Mama Eats, provides content on children's health. * http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/br_news.php/2010/05/26/survey-foodies-willing-to-pay-more-for-organic * * * * Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grants* The USDA's energy audits and renewable energy development assistance program is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the nation's critical energy needs. The 2008 Farm Bill mandates that the recipient of a grant that conducts an energy audit for an agricultural producer or a rural small business require the agricultural producer or rural small business to pay at least 25 percent of the cost of the energy audit, which shall be retained by the eligible entity for the cost of the audit. Proposals are due July 26, 2010. * http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=hnhFMDbQQ2fSRk206zv2wWyXdGvH12dWpcxrJJGrrM712JBvLqVv!-527379068?oppId=54851&mode=VIEW<http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=hnhFMDbQQ2fSRk206zv2wWyXdGvH12dWpcxrJJGrrM712JBvLqVv%21-527379068?oppId=54851&mode=VIEW> * 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