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Center for Regional Food systems
Organic Listserv
January 28, 2020
Information to help you grow
What’s on offer?
MSU Student Organic Farmer Training Program has open enrollment
Upcoming Educational Programs
New research on green leafy vegetable in indoor production
systems
Microloan opportunities for your farm business
Seeking your 2c input on these surveys-dry beans and water
quality
Questions or ideas: Send to Vicki Morrone [log in to unmask]
Seeking training and guidance to become an organic farmer?
MSU Organic Farmer Training Program
The MSU Organic Farmer Training Program (OFTP) teaches aspiring farmers in a 50/50 mix of field and classroom activities every Monday from 9am to 5pm at the MSU Student Organic Farm. In
the field, everyone participates in hands-on activities, farm walks and equipment demonstrations. In the classroom, we focus on small group activities, full group discussions, guest speakers and participant presentations. You will also visit over 20 Michigan
farms! Outside of class, video lectures, readings and practical assignments, like writing a Farm Business Plan will connect learning themes from the class to YOUR farm goals. The OFTP is a vibrant, diverse and positive learning community where students learn
from each other and share their unique skills, experience and goals
PROGRAM DETAILS:
~March 16th-November 9th (NO CLASS May 25 & September 7
~Mondays 9am-5pm @ the MSU Student Organic Farm in East Lansing
~$3,900 plus required books (scholarships of $500 to $2,000 available
~2020 Organic Farmer Training Program Application is HERE and
the Scholarship Application is HERE. You
can find out more about the 2019 OFTP by visiting our updated website.
~Contact [log in to unmask] with
questions
Upcoming Educational Programs
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Horticultural Days 2020 – MSU
February 5&6th
Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor, MI
Two full days of education information for specialty crop growers and consultants. There was a hemp session that was also added.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/new-hemp-session-added-to-southwest-michigan-horticultural-days
Here are details on the full program:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/swmrec/uploads/2020%20SW%20Horticultural%20Days%20program%201-14-2020.pdf
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Join us on February 8, 2020 for this dynamic conference!!!
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Van Buren Conservation District’s Farming for the Future
March 10th- 8:30- 3 PM
Van Buren Conference Center in Lawrence MI
4 RUP credits available. Phase 1 MAEAP. Exciting program welcoming Gabe Brown, Author from Dirt to Soil!
https://vanburencd.org/event/farming-for-the-future-2020/
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Register for the 2020 Indiana Organic Grain Farmer Meeting Today! |
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2020 Indiana Organic Grain Farmer Meeting
Feb 12 |
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Register
today for Indiana’s only conference geared toward organic grain producers! Whether you have several harvests under your belt or are just considering organic grain production, Purdue Extension’s 2020 Indiana Organic Grain Farmer Meeting connects you to peers,
best practices, industry professionals, more than a dozen experts and more.
· Certification
and transition process
· National
Organic Program regulation
· Organic
and transitional crop budgets and markets
· Basics
of organic grain production
· Transition
strategies
· Diverse cropping systems
· Managing parallel production
· Organic no-till research
update and farmer panel
· Growing high-yield
organic corn
Interested in being an exhibitor? Visit
the event page atpurdue.ag/organicgrain2020 to
register and for details about how to support this event as an exhibitor. Only a few exhibitor spaces are still available. |
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Savannah Institutes is offering apprenticeships and recruiting mentor farmers!
Agroforestry, the practice of managing trees together with other crops and animal production, is an important key to mitigating climate change while providing environmental and socioeconomic benefits. In order to change the agricultural
system here in the Midwest through agroforestry, we need to train a new generation of agroforestry farmers. Are you ready to be part of this transformation?
Savanna Institute is recruiting apprentices and mentor farmers. More information and applications can be found here: http://www.savannainstitute.org/apprenticeship.html
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New Research that will support leafy green production
This is Very relevant upcoming research at MSU for Hightunnel and Greenhouse growers
A multi-university team of horticulturists, engineers, and agricultural economists led by Michigan State University (MSU) has received a four-year, $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) to study indoor production of leafy greens.
Leafy greens include commonly consumed vegetables such as lettuce and kale. Production challenges outdoors have led to interest in growing these specialty crops hydroponically in controlled environments,
however there is little information on whether this is economically viable. Read the full MSU
news article.
The 2018 Farm Bill gives participating farmers the choice between the Agricultural Risk Coverage program (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program.
The MSU Farm Business Management team has developed a spreadsheet to help producers make the decision between ARC and PLC by crop and farm. The decision tool has built in information from each county
and helps farmers make decisions for each individual farm for corn, wheat, and soybeans. The ARC/PLC calculator can be found at https://www.canr.msu.edu/farm_management/
MSU Extension is offering interested farmers appointments at the MSU Extension Office, 1142 S Van Dyke, Bad Axe to run the ARC/PLC calculator for their individual FSA farm numbers. Interested participants
must bring in their FSA CCC-861 form that contains base acres and PLC yields, and their farm's yields for corn, soybeans, and wheat for 2013 - 2019.
Appointments may be made on Fridays in January and February -- Jan. 31, Feb. 7, 14, and 21. Appointments will take approximately 45 minutes.
Seeking loans for your ag business?
Lake Trust Credit Union is offering low interest loans not requiring business credit. The loans
range from $500 - $50,000 and use personal credit, rather than business credit history for financing considerations. Approval can be as quick as 1-2 days. The credit union also offers trainings on credit scores and credit repair. For more info visit, https://pages.laketrust.org/microbusinessloans.
Note their interest rates varies, depending on your credit rating from ~ 4-12%.
We are not endorsing this business, just sharing resources.
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Crosshatch is offering an opportunity to apply for Microloans for Michigan farmers seeking to build their food production system. Apply with them and see if you qualify. From
coolers to packing sheds, all of it is critical to meet your customers demand, so check it out.
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Seeking Your Input
This is the time of year when educators are seeking to realign their work plan to better meet needs of farmers like you. Can you help
us please?
What are your concerns about water use and safety in your work and in Michigan?
I am conducting an informal survey of water resource concerns in agriculture. I would really appreciate it if you would take a moment to complete this survey, it will take less than
5 minutes. The information collected will help instruct a regional project on water quality and future work MSU Extension does around water quality and usage in our Great Lakes State. Farming perspectives are key to guide us in the right direction so please
take 5 minutes out of your day and complete this easy survey. Just click on the link below, no need to register or sign in, just click your responses.
https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7OpydLb6LzoE4Op
Thank you,
Sarah Fronczak, M.Sc.
Michigan State University Extension
Environmental Management Educator
20 Care Drive, Suite B
Hillsdale, MI 49242
O:517-439-9301x315
C:517-212-1043
Dry Bean Production Survey-Please share your thoughts
Do you grow edible dry beans? Help to guide upcoming research and variety development for organic and specialty dry bean production by completing this short survey
(Est. time to complete: 7 minutes).
The purpose of this survey is to seek input from dry bean growers producing for organic, specialty and/or direct markets. Topics include current growing practices, agronomic challenges and needs for variety improvement. To our knowledge, this type of needs
assessment has not previously been completed.
The survey is being conducted by researchers in the Plant Breeding and Genetics Section at Cornell University, but the results will be shared with growers, public bean breeders and Extension specialists across the United States as well as Canada.
Follow this link to the Survey:
Dry
Bean Grower Survey
Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eo1vTxWB5Tq3eh7
Many thanks for taking the time!
Sincerely,
Kristen Loria
M.S. Student + Research Assistant
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Cornell University
Vicki Morrone
Organic Farming Specialist
Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University
480 Wilson Rd
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-282-3557 (cell)
sorrone11 (skype)
