Weekly Harvest Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - October 26, 2011
Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project website. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online.
News & Resources
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Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-Up Results Tallied
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National Organic Standards Board Invites Public Comments
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Leopold Center Publishes New Grower’s Manual
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APHIS Announces Nonregulated Status for GE Cotton, Soybean
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Massachusetts Launches Gleaning Network
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Organic No-Till Testing Underway in North Dakota
Funding Opportunities
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NCR-SARE Youth and Youth Educator Grant
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Healthy and Humane Farm Funds
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1772 Foundation Funding for Northeast Land Trusts
Coming Events
- Sustainable Agriculture Pest Management Conference
- Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion Conference
- Sustainable Agriculture Conference
News & Resources
Conservation Stewardship Program Sign-Up Results Tallied
USDA committed more than $191 million a year to enroll 12.75 million new
acres in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in fiscal year
2011, says the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. NSAC has compiled list of leading states in the program, providing contract, acreage, and payment data.
Related ATTRA Publication: Federal Conservation Resources for Sustainable Farming and Ranching
National Organic Standards Board Invites Public Comments
Proposed recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)
are open for public comment in advance of its fall meeting in Savannah,
beginning November 29. The full agenda of topics and currently proposed recommendations is available at www.ams.usda.gov/nosbsavannah. Written comments on the proposed recommendations can be submitted until November 13, 2011.
Leopold Center Publishes New Grower’s Manual
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and GROWN Locally have
developed a "Grower's Manual" to help local food cooperatives improve their handling practices and meet food safety standards. The Grower's Manual describes requirements for personnel procedures,
general handling, cleaning, sanitizing, packaging, labeling and
transporting, and offers information for planning a mock recall.
APHIS Announces Nonregulated Status for GE Cotton, Soybean
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing its determination of
nonregulated status for Bayer CropScience LP TwinLink™ cotton, which has been genetically engineered to
be tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate and resistant to several insect
pests. In addition, APHIS is announcing its determination of nonregulated status for a Monsanto soybean, which has been genetically engineered for insect resistance.
Massachusetts Launches Gleaning Network
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is launching the Massachusetts Gleaning Network. The network will include farms, volunteers, service agencies, food banks
and other organizations, helping them to partner with others in
gleaning projects in counties across Massachusetts. MDAR will serve as a
clearinghouse for the network.
Organic No-Till Testing Underway in North Dakota
Kidder County Soil Conservation District is in year one of multiyear
study on how organic grain producers can reduce tillage, reports Agweek. The district hopes the study will help the 47 organic farmers in
the county increase organic matter in their soil, in order to improve
infiltration rates and nutrient holding capacity.
Related ATTRA Publication: Weed Management in Organic Small Grains
>> More Breaking News
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Funding Opportunities
NCR-SARE Youth and Youth Educator Grants
The 2011 North Central Region SARE Youth & Youth Educator Grant Call for Proposals has been issued. Youth Grants of up to $400 are for on-farm research, demonstration, or education projects by youth ages 8-18. Youth Educator Grants of up to $2,000 are for educators to provide programming on sustainable agriculture for youth.
Proposals are due by January 12, 2012.
Healthy and Humane Farm Funds
Food Animal Concerns Trust's (FACT) Healthy & Humane Farm Funds Project will provide small grants to qualifying humane farmers who need assistance in improving the welfare of their farm animals. FACT is committed to funding at least five farms each year, with the
anticipated grant size of ranging from $500 to $1,500 per farm.
Applications are due by April 1, 2012.
1772 Foundation Funding for Northeast Land Trusts
The 1772 Foundation has announced that funding will be made available
for land trusts that meet the following criteria: Have a primary interest
in farmland protection; Protect farmland within a 100-mile radius of
Boston or New York City; Have adopted the Land Trust Alliance's
Standards and Practices.
Letters of inquiry will be accepted until February 10, 2012.
>> More Funding Opportunities
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Coming Events
Sustainable Agriculture Pest Management Conference
December 2-3, 2011
San Luis Obispo, California
The conference agenda includes topics related to California's approach to integrated pest management, including tools for organic production practices, biologically integrated pest control, pesticide resistance management, beneficial soil organisms, and updates on important regulatory issues.
Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion Conference
November 29 or December 1, 2011
Stevens Point, Wisconsin or Holland, Michigan
This conference will outline the basic principles behind anaerobic
digestion and highlight the key issues facing small scale adoption and
options for the small scale farmer.
Sustainable Agriculture Conference
November 19, 2011
Emporia, Kansas
Kansas Rural Center announces its 2011 Sustainable Agriculture
Conference, titled "Options, Opportunities and Optimism: Cultivating Our Food and Farm Future." Speakers, workshops and panels will explore and share ideas and
information for building a local and regional food and farm system.
>> More Events
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