Entries by ncat-admin

Takeaways from the Real Organic Symposium

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In 2014, my colleagues and I held an evening reception at our office in San Antonio for the members of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). We wanted to show our appreciation to these volunteers and organic champions who do the often-thankless job of interpreting and defending the USDA organic standards.
By Mike Morris, Director of NCAT’s Southwest Regional Office

Episode 187. Perspectives on Agroforestry with Rowan Reid. Part 1

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, the first of two, NCAT Southwest Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Colin Mitchell speaks with guest Rowan Reid from Australia to discuss agroforestry — farming with trees. Rowan was a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne for 20 years and is managing director of the Australian Agroforestry Foundation. […]

Meet The Subsurfer

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Designed and patented by Dr. Dan Pote, the Subsurfer inserts dry poultry litter a few inches into the soil profile without disturbing the soil. It’s kind of like a combination of a no-till seed drill and a manure spreader. It was originally designed to be used in pasture and forage production systems, but Dr. Ashworth has been leading a three-year research project to assess its use in organic specialty crop production. This research, funded by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, is trying to determine best practices for using the Subsurfer in organic sweet corn and edamame production.
By Nina Prater, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

Episode 185. Microbial Inoculants: Fact and Fiction

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, Mike Morris, NCAT’s Southwest Regional Director, talks with Dr. Barbara Bellows about her new ATTRA publication, Microbial Inoculants. Also known as biofertilizers or biostimulants, microbial inoculants contain beneficial microorganisms and are intended to stimulate plant growth, reduce pest and disease problems, and protect plants from various stress […]

A Senator’s View of a Post-COVID Food World

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While in Washington, DC, last spring, just as the rising tide of COVID-19 began, I had the pleasure of visiting with Senator John Boozman of Arkansas during a chance encounter outside the Capitol. A warm and friendly man by temperament, his dedication to sustainable agriculture and local food systems quickly animated our curbside conversation.
By Steve Thompson, NCAT Executive Director

Episode 184. An Interview with Senator Boozman

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, Margo Hale, NCAT’s Southeast Regional Director, visits with U.S. Senator John Boozman of Arkansas. Margo has known the senator since she was a child and has worked with Sen. Boozman’s office on agriculture issues since he entered Congress. With Senator Boozman’s new role as Ranking Member of […]

Looking for Federal Assistance? We’ve Got a One-Stop Shop for You!

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By Cathy Svejkovsky, NCAT Publications Director I’ve been on staff for decades at the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), which has, over the years, managed a wealth of projects related to sustainable agriculture, sustainable energy, and sustainable communities. Throughout that time, one of the most common questions we consistently receive from our clients is […]

Episode 183. Demystifying Soil Health Indicators and Tests

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In this episode of Voices from the Field, Mike Morris, NCAT’s Southwest Regional Director, talks with Dr. Barbara Bellows about her new ATTRA publication, Soil Health Indicators and Tests. Recent years have seen an explosion of new soil health tests, measuring a wide variety of indicators that depend on the activity of soil microorganisms. Dr. […]

Getting Started in Livestock: Lessons Learned

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By Linda Coffey, NCAT Livestock Specialist Thinking back to 1986 and our first farm is a fun thing to do. From then until now, we’ve raised a lot of livestock and have done several types of enterprises—feeder to finish, dairy, eggs, breeding stock, birth to finish. NCAT Southeast Regional Director and Livestock Specialist Margo Hale […]