Small Farm Highlights - September 2012

[Rick Gibson]

Here is the newest national Small Farms 
Newsletter. There are entries describing grant 
opportunities that you may find of interest.

Rick

FARM PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS – September 2012

<mailto:brein at nifa.usda.gov>Bradley K Rein, 
Division Director – Agricultural Systems, 
Institute of Food Production and Sustainability, 
National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

<mailto:debodaghe at nifa.usda.gov>Denis Ebodaghe, 
NIFA National Program Leader, <tel:202-401-4385>202-401-4385

NIFA SMALL FARM PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS is 
electronically published monthly. Special alert 
issues will be available as events for Small Farms

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture 
(NIFA) works with land-grant university partners 
and other stakeholders to advance knowledge for 
agriculture, the environment, human health and 
well-being, and communities through national 
program leadership and federal assistance. Among 
the agency’s goals is to support increased 
economic opportunities and quality of life in rural areas.

This is the one hundred and twenty-second issue 
of an electronic resource tool for state Small 
Farm program coordinators and others to share 
small farm relevant information with our 
stakeholders at the Land-Grant University System 
and other public and private sector organizations.



KEY DEPARTMENT NEWS

September 4, 2012 - 
<http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs054/1103777415326/archive/1110845340494.html>USDA 
Releases Organic Resource Guide
USDA has released USDA Organic Resource Guide 
2012: Your Guide to Organic and Organic-Related 
USDA Programs. The 45-page publication is 
available for download as a PDF. This guide 
provides an overview of USDA programs and 
services available to the public that either 
directly or indirectly support organic 
agriculture. The publication is part of USDA's 
Organic Literacy Initiative materials.

September 21, 2012 - 
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdamediafb?contentid=2012/09/0305.xml&printable=true&contentidonly=true>USDA 
Farmers Market Promotion Program Grants Awarded 
to Promote New Economic Opportunity for Farmers 
and Ranchers through Local and Regional Projects 
USDA has announced over $9 million in Farmers 
Market Promotion Program grants to organizations 
across 39 states, the District of Columbia, and 
Puerto Rico, for initiatives that bolster the 
connection between agricultural producers and 
their consumers while improving access to healthy 
food and strengthening local economies. The full 
list of awards granted for fiscal year 2012 is 
available at 
<http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP>www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP.

September 26, 2012 - 
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/09/0312.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent>Agriculture 
Secretary Vilsack Announces Support to Improve 
Health and Safety for Rural Americans “More than 
$5 million in funding will support 127 projects 
through USDA Rural Development’s Community 
Facilities Program.”  Projects are intended to 
create jobs and improve the quality of life in rural communities.

October 1, 2012 – 
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/10/0314.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent>Statement 
of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on 
Expiration of Authority for 2008 Farm Bill Programs

  October 2, 2012 – 
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/10/0316.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent>Secretary 
Vilsack Announces that America's Farm Co-ops Set 
Records in 2011 “Farmer, rancher and fishery 
cooperatives posted record sales and income in 
2011, surpassing the previous record sales year 
of 2008 by $10 billion while besting the old income record by $500 million.”

October 2, 2012 – 
<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/10/0317.xml&contentidonly=true>USDA 
Grants Support Marketing Innovation for American 
Farmers and Ranchers  “USDA will award matching 
grants for 22 projects under the Federal-State 
Marketing Improvement Program to help create 
economic opportunities for American farmers and ranchers.”

COMMUNICATION

<http://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/6.18-FINAL-Food-System-Funding-Guide2.pdf>Guide 
to Federal Funding for Local and Regional Food 
Systems, from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

<http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/agopp/mac2.htm>Extended 
Drought can put Fish Ponds at Risk, University of 
Missouri – “Resources threatened by this year's 
drought include ponds that depend on surface 
runoff for water.  Fish are at risk from high 
water temperatures, oxygen depletion, increased 
disease potential and other problems as water 
levels drop in ponds through lack of runoff and evaporation.”

<http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/for-immediate-release-nsac-releases-applicant-resource-guide-for-value-added-producer-grants/>Resource 
Guide for Value-Added Producer Grant Applicants – 
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 
has released Farmers' Guide to Value-Added 
Producer Grant Funding. “The Guide, available for 
free download online, includes clear information 
on new program rules and contains a step-by-step 
description of the application and ranking 
processes, with helpful hints to improve a 
producer's chances of obtaining funding from the highly competitive program.”

<http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2012/september/organic.html>Little 
Evidence of Health Benefits from Organic Foods, Stanford Study Finds

<http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/inspiration-award>Farmers 
Market Inspiration Award Winning Essays – Growing 
for Market, in collaboration with the Farmers 
Market Coalition and American Farmland Trust, 
announced the winners of the Farmers Market 
Inspiration Award contest. Of 72 entrants, all of 
whom are farmers/producers at farmers markets, 
Cory Mosser from Mansfield, Georgia was declared 
the winner.  Moser’s essay and others can be read online.

<http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/urbanfringe/pdfs/urbanfringe-v07n01.pdf>Yield 
Expectations for Mixed-Stand, Small-Scale 
Agriculture – Yield expectations are a crucial 
aspect of farm planning. Rutgers Extension has 
compiled reasonable yield expectations for a 
variety of crops in small-scale agriculture 
systems to assist beginning farmers and others in 
planning farms and agricultural projects.

<http://ansci.cornell.edu/dm/factsheets.html>Dairy 
Management Program Fact Sheets – From Cornell’s 
Dairy Management Program: a series of factsheets 
and worksheet covering topics including “Sampling 
Feeds for Molds,” “Dairy Herd Forage Inventory 
Worksheet,” and “Molds and Mycotoxins,” among others.

<http://www.berkshirepioneerrcd.org/mfep/technical-resources.php>Massachusetts 
Farm Energy Best Management Practices Guides – 
The Massachusetts Farm Energy Program has 
released five online guide books to provide 
farmers with practical information regarding 
energy-conscious and cost-effective upgrades. The 
manuals cover four farming sectors: dairy, 
greenhouses, maple sugaring, and orchards and 
vegetable farms and the fifth manual addresses renewable energy systems.

<http://www.flaginc.org/topics/pubs/labor.php#mile>New 
Publication Addresses Labor Laws for Family Farms 
– A new guide entitled “Farmers' Guide to Farm 
Employees: Federal and Minnesota Labor and 
Employment Law for Small-Scale Family Farms” has 
been made available online by the Farmers' Legal 
Action Group. The guide is intended for 
family-run specialty crop operations that gross 
less than $500,000 per year and rely extensively on family labor.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Rural Development

<http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_VAPG.html>Value-Added 
Producer Grants (VAPG), deadline October 15, 
2012. The objective of the VAPG program is to 
help agricultural producers enter into 
value-added activities related to the processing 
and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products.

NIFA

<http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=202733>Higher 
Education Challenge Grants Program, deadline Feb 08, 2013.

SARE

<http://www.nesare.org/Grants/Get-a-Grant/Sustainable-Community-Grant>Northeast 
SARE Sustainable Community Grants, deadline is 
November 15, 2012. Projects must address specific 
key issues such as farm finance, marketing, land 
use, enterprise development, or value-added product development.

<http://www.nesare.org/Grants/Get-a-Grant/Farmer-Grant>Northeast 
SARE Farmer Grants, deadline November 27, 2012.

<http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Our-Grant-Programs/Farmer-Rancher-Grant-Program>North 
Central SARE Farmer Rancher Grants, deadline in late November

<http://www.southernsare.org/Grants/Apply-for-a-Grant>Southern 
SARE Producer Grant, On-Farm Research Grant, and 
<http://www.southernsare.org/Grants/Apply-for-a-Grant>Sustainable 
Community Innovation Grant, deadline November 15, 2012

<http://www.westernsare.org/Grants/Types-of-Grants>Western 
SARE Farmer and Rancher Grants, deadline December 
5, 2012. Individual farmers or ranchers may apply 
for up to $15,000, and a group of producers for 
up to $25,000. Producers typically use their 
grants to conduct on-site experiments that can 
improve their operations and the environment and 
be shared with other producers.

NRCS

<http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/financial/eqip/?&cid=nrcs143_008205>Adaptation 
to Drought Grants, deadline October 15, 2012

Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) 
offers a significant opportunity for organic and 
transitioning organic growers to receive 
financial assistance in implementing conservation 
practices consistent with organic production 
practices.  Mid October is the earliest possible 
deadline a state may set, so contact your 
<http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/financial/eqip/?&cid=nrcs143_008223>local 
or state NRCS office soon to find out the deadline.

Other

<http://www.practicalfarmers.org/programs/youth-and-next-generation/sip.html>Practical 
Farmers of Iowa (PFI) Savings Incentive Program, 
deadline October 12, 2012. -The Savings Incentive 
Program (SIP) will entice beginning farmers to 
save $100 a month for two years; after two years, 
SIP will match their savings. The farmer can then 
use this savings to purchase a farm asset.

UPCOMING EVENTS

<http://www.farmcrawl.com/>Farm Crawl – Knoxville 
and Lacona, IA. Eight independent family farm 
operations are jointly hosting free open houses. 
Tour the farms, visit the animals, meet the 
farmers, sample the goodies, purchase locally 
grown and produced products, and have lots of fun. October 7.

<http://missouribeginningfarming.blogspot.com/2012/09/2012-missouri-blueberry-fall-conference.html>Missouri 
Blueberry Fall Conference – Springfield, 
MO.  Contact <tel:417-881-8909>417-881-8909 or 
<mailto:ByersPL at missouri.edu>ByersPL at missouri.edu October 19-20

<http://www.foodday.org/>Food Day – 
Nationwide.  Food Day is a nationwide celebration 
and a movement for healthy, affordable, and 
sustainable food. Hundreds of Food Day events are 
being held across the country, and a searchable 
listing is available online. October 24.

<http://mostatebeekeepers.org/meeting/>Missouri 
State Beekeepers Association Fall Meeting – Kansas City, MO. October 26-27

<http://www.nefood.org/page/annual-conference>It 
Takes a Region – Saratoga Springs, NY. Sponsored 
by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working 
Group, this is the conference for everyone 
working for food system change. The conference 
will address food system worker equity, food 
production and diet, and climate, energy, and 
agriculture. Participants will tackle the 
Northeast region's pressing regional and federal 
policy priorities and explore scale, geography, 
and partnerships. October 28-30.

<http://bit.ly/OH74MA>An Introduction to the 
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) – 
IN SPANISH (En español) October 31, 2:00-3:00pm

<http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/education/green-school-sustainable-vegetable-production-track>UMass 
Sustainable Vegetable Production Course – This 
60-hour course is a comprehensive certificate 
short course taught by UMass Extension 
Specialists and University of Massachusetts 
faculty, designed for beginning farmers wishing 
to gain an understanding of horticultural 
fundamentals and strategies and their relation to 
environmental quality. October 31-December 12

<http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/calendar-of-events.html>National 
Small Farm Trade Show & Conference – Columbia, 
MO. The largest annual small farm show in the 
United States features 150 vendors, 20 seminars, 
seven three-hour short courses, and 28 talks in 
the Farmers' Forum, as well as demonstrations, 
exhibits, association meetings, and more. November 1-3.

<http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/agopp/mac3.htm>Webinar: 
Starting a CSA – Given by the University of 
Missouri. On November 5th, visit 
<http://univmissouri.adobeconnect.com/debikelly>univmissouri.adobeconnect.com/debikelly 
to join the webinar. November 5, 7-8:30pm

NATIONAL SMALL FARM CONFERENCE – FOLLOW UP

The 6th National Small Farm Conference was held 
September 18th – 20th, 2012, in Memphis, 
Tennessee.  This year’s theme, “Partnering for 
Success of Small Farmers and Ranchers,” brought 
together 725 participants representing small 
farmers, land-grant universities, community-based 
organizations, agricultural foundations, and 
other public and private sector organizations.

Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the National 
Institute of Food and Agriculture 
(<http://www.nifa.usda.gov/>NIFA), gave the 
keynote address on creating and sustaining small 
farms, discussing the role of the small farm in 
addressing global challenges and in creating a 
new economy, as “every farm contributes to the 
strength of an American agriculture sector that 
today is thriving.”  Dr. Ramaswamy emphasized 
USDA’s commitment to building up local and 
regional food systems through efforts such as the 
Community Food Projects program, Value-Added 
Producer Grants, and the Regional Food Hubs Guide, among others.

Note to all oral presenters: Please submit your 
write-up (4-page or less) to be included in the 
conference proceedings if you have not already 
done so. Send to Dr. Dawn Mellion Patin at 
<mailto:dawn_mellion at suagcenter.com>dawn_mellion at suagcenter.com 
on or before October 19, 2012. For past samples 
of write ups, refer to: 
<http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/ag_systems/in_focus/smallfarms_if_conferences_past.html>http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/ag_systems/in_focus/smallfarms_if_conferences_past.html

**Note Re: 7th National Small Farm Conference**

We will soon be soliciting for any academia or 
organization capable and in place to host the 7th 
National Small Farm Conference to submit requests.

FEEDBACK

NIFA Small Farm Program Highlights is a dialogue 
resource tool for state Small Farm program 
coordinators and other partners who work with small farmers and ranchers.

If you have questions, information to share, 
comments, or wish to subscribe, send an e-mail to 
<mailto:afwilson at nifa.usda.gov>afwilson at nifa.usda.gov

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prohibits discrimination in all its programs and 
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contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 
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<tel:%28800%29%20795-3272>(800) 795-3272 (voice) 
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(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary 
product, or firm in text or figures does not 
constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture and does not imply approval to the 
exclusion of other suitable products or firms.

-- 
Richard Gibson
Extension Agent, Agriculture
University of Arizona
Pinal County Cooperative Extension Office
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

820 E Cottonwood Ln, #C
Casa Grande, AZ 85122
Tel: (520) 836-5221 ext. 227
Fax: (520) 836-1750

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