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From: "ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture Program" <[log in to unmask]>

Subject: Weekly Harvest February 16, 2022

Date: February 16, 2022 at 1:36:52 PM EST

To: "Michigan State University " <[log in to unmask]>

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NEW EPISODE: VOICES FROM THE FIELD Episode 239. Good Things Come in Small Packages: A Look at Small-Frame Cattle   In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT's Tracy Mumma and Margo Hale discuss small cattle, ranging from miniature breeds to small-statured individuals of larger breeds. They explain the benefits of small-frame cattle and point out some of the challenges they've experienced in raising, processing, and marketing less-common breeds. LISTEN HERE READ THE ATTRA BLOG Looking for On-farm Diversification? Consider Pastured Pigs   In his blog post, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Mike Lewis explains how his family introduced pastured pigs to their farm operation in eastern Kentucky. He discusses benefits of raising pigs on pasture, pasture considerations, and some options for augmenting pasture forage. NCAT NEWS Register Now for NCAT’s Virtual Soil Health Innovations Conference   The National Center for Appropriate Technology has opened registration for its Soil Health Innovations Conference: Soil for Water, March 15-16, 2022. The two-day conference will convene online, and the highly interactive format will connect agricultural producers and educators in a critical conversation about soil health. It will be an in-depth exploration of agriculture’s sustainable future: on-farm practices, soil biology, carbon markets, and public policy. This year’s conference will focus on farm and ranch strategies to catch and hold more water in the soil. Don’t miss this chance to examine current practices as well as the concepts, techniques, and practical applications that may be available in the future. Register to attend the conference, exhibit, or sponsor the event at SOILINNOVATIONS.NCAT.ORG. WE STILL NEED YOUR FEEDBACK NCAT would like your feedback on the resources and impacts of the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program. In this online survey that should take about 10 minutes, we are looking for your feedback on how you use ATTRA resources, how satisfied you are with those resources, and the impacts and benefits that you have seen from using these resources. The results will be used to identify the strengths and opportunities for improvement in the ATTRA program and to provide evidence of the ongoing need for ATTRA resources and services. We are offering respondents a chance to win one of five great prizes (including free registration to the 2022 Soil Health Innovations Conference) as a way to say thank you for providing feedback. ATTRA EVENTS Wholesale Markets for Small Farmers  In this free, online workshop February 19, 2022, Felicia Bell and Rockiell Woods from NCAT and Dr. Bill Evans from Up In Farms will provide small farmers with the information they need when considering scaling up from direct marketing to wholesale marketing. The same event is offered live in Shannon, Mississippi, on February 26, 2022. ‘Soil for Water’ Film Premiere February 17, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. MST/1 p.m. EST. Last chance to register for this free, informative film screening and panel discussion that introduces NCAT's national Soil for Water program. Don't Miss These Other ATTRA Events Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association Annual Conference, February 17, 2022 (Justin Duncan is speaking.) Benefits of Perennial Forages, Shrubs, and Trees for Livestock, February 23, 2022 EcoFarm Conference, March 9, 2022 (Several NCAT staff members are speaking.) Soil Health Innovations Conference: Soil for Water, March 15-16, 2022 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Dairy Packaging Innovation Grant The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center has funds available to support modernized packaging initiatives that prioritize sustainability, scalability, and marketability. Processors and producer associations in the Northeast are eligible. Pre-applications are due by March 17, 2022. Minnesota Value-Added Grant Program The program offers grants from $1,000 to $150,000 to help Minnesota processors add value to Minnesota agricultural products by investing in the purchase of equipment, production capacity, market diversification, and market access for value-added products.  Applications must be received by March 24, 2022. Washington Local Meat Processing Capacity Grants  A new  grant program supports small meat processing operations with grants up to $150,000 for small projects, and funding between $150,000 and $750,000 for large projects. The deadline to apply for a small project grant is February 28, 2022, and a large project grant is March 7, 2022. NEW ATTRA VIDEO Risk Management: Heirs’ Property with Attorney Andrea Barnes In this hour-long video in NCAT's Mitigating Risk on the Farm series, hear from Attorney Andrea Barnes, lead attorney for the heirs’ property campaign for the Mississippi Center for Justice in Jackson, Mississippi. The Mississippi Center for Justice is a nonprofit public interest law firm. Barnes discusses the basics of heirs’ property, what it means, and how to avoid family farm loss.   DON'T MISS IT Organic Growers School Spring Conference & Market March 18-20, 2022 Asheville, North Carolina Organic Growers School is partnering with Mother Earth News to produce its 29th Spring Conference, with track workshops and half-day workshops, in-depth pre-conference workshops, speakers, and vendors.   Forest Farming In Focus  Biweekly, February 24 through April 14, 2022 Online Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition is offering this webinar series that covers, ramps, fungi, ginseng, and other non-timber forest products. IN THE NEWS Efforts Increasing to Protect U.S. Poultry from Avian Influenza  USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in several states in the Atlantic Flyway, as well as in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana. APHIS advises that anyone involved with poultry should review their biosecurity plan and enhance their biosecurity practices. In addition, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state/federal officials.  Related ATTRA publication: Biosecurity Basics Tipsheet for Pastured Poultry Report Assesses Competitive Status of Organic Markets USDA Economic Research Service released Organic Feed Grains and Livestock: Factors That Influence Outcomes in Thinly Traded Markets, a report that assesses  competition in the organic dairy, beef, and feed markets. Despite an increase in organic production and market information, growers continue to face challenges related to thin markets.  Related ATTRA publication: Organic Pulses Production, Economics, and Marketing University of Maine Releases Tarping Guide  A new University of Maine Cooperative Extension publication,Tarping in the Northeast: A Guide for Small Farms, provides the most up-to-date information on an emerging practice of tarping—applying reusable tarps to the soil surface between crops and then removing them prior to planting—for weed and soil management.   Related ATTRA publication: Soil Solarization and Biosolarization SARE Publishes Weed Management Guide SARE's new, free book, Manage Weeds on Your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies, examines the biology and behavior of common weeds and provides an integrated set of non-chemical control strategies that exploits their weaknesses.  Related ATTRA resources: Weed Management Producers with Crop Insurance to Receive Premium Benefit for Cover Crops Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from USDA if they planted cover crops during the 2022 crop year, says USDA Risk Management Agency. To receive the benefit from this year's Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP), producers must report cover crop acreage by March 15, 2022.  Penn State Research Links Tillage Practices with Human Health A study by Penn State University is one of the first to link soil disturbance with negative human health effects. Researchers found that soil tillage may reduce the availability in crops of ergothioneine (ERGO), an amino acid produced by certain types of soil-borne fungi and bacteria that is known as a "longevity vitamin."  Related ATTRA publication: Reducing Tillage Intensity in Organic Production Systems THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY has been helping people build resilient communities through local and sustainable solutions that reduce poverty, strengthen self-reliance, and protect natural resources since 1976. Headquartered in Butte, Montana, NCAT has offices and staff in 10 states.    NCAT.ORG | ATTRA.NCAT.ORG [log in to unmask]" width="32" height="32" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; border: 0px;" class=""> [log in to unmask]" width="32" height="32" alt="Twitter" title="Twitter" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; border: 0px;" class=""> [log in to unmask]" width="32" height="32" alt="Instagram" title="Instagram" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; border: 0px;" class=""> [log in to unmask]" width="32" height="32" alt="YouTube" title="YouTube" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; border: 0px;" class=""> [log in to unmask]" width="32" height="32" alt="LinkedIn" title="LinkedIn" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; border: 0px;" class=""> SUPPORT OUR WORK 02.16.2022

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