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2017-04/0582/en_head.json.gz/5713

Cherries California shippers look forward to strong demand for cherries By Andy Nelson May 18, 2011 | 11:22 am EDT After a long, cold winter, California cherry grower-shippers are confident retailers and consumers are more excited than usual for the first fresh cherries of the season.Demand should be better in 2010 than in 2009, said Maurice Cameron, president of Hanford, Calif.-based Flavor Tree Fruit Co., which markets fruit packed by Hanford-based Warmerdam Packing LLC.“Demand has been exceptional, especially compared with last year,” Cameron said. “Last year retailers were skittish on the economy. This year they have better ideas of how the cherry category can perform, even in these times.”Helping out California shippers this year is the timing of Memorial Day, Cameron said. It falls on May 31, meaning that California will be shipping in heavy volumes and retailers can promote aggressively.Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday in May, can come as early as May 25. Retailers who have been dealing with lower margins on many fresh produce items are chomping at the bit to start promoting cherries, which they think they can make more money on, said Roger Pepperl, marketing director for Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers Inc.“Retailers have never been hungrier to show some dollar gains,” he said. With new plantings and younger trees producing more, there should be plenty of high-quality California cherries for retailers to promote this year, with supplies expected to peak in late May and early June, Pepperl said.Competition from up north is likely to come earlier than usual this season for California cherry grower-shippers, said Joan Tabak, sales manager for Fridley, Minn.-based Roland Marketing, which markets cherries under the Green Giant label.“Washington looks like it’s coming very early,” she said. Cherries could begin shipping out of the Yakima Valley by about June 1, about 11 days earlier than normal, Tabak said. Roland markets cherries from both California and Washington.California’s deal won’t likely wind down until mid- to late June, Tabak said.“California likes to get through as much as possible before Washington, but this year there will be some overlap,” she said.That said, Tabak isn’t worried about a glut or precipitous dip in markets. These are fresh cherries, after all. “Everybody talks about the economy, but cherries are one of those treats people treat themselves to,” she said. “There’s going to be really good demand.”With the deals overlapping, and good crops expected from both states, prices should be right for aggressive promotions and very brisk movement, Tabak said. Also, cherries, like other fresh fruits set to begin shipping in the coming months, should benefit from consumers’ longing to put the memorable Winter of 2009-10 firmly behind them, Tabak said.“It’s been a long winter,” she said. “People are ready for the summer fruit. It’s one of the sure signs that summer is on its way.”Dave Parker, marketing di-rector for Traver, Calif.-based Scattaglia Growers & Shippers LLC, agrees that the sight of California cherries in produce departments will be a much-needed balm for consumers this year.“People are coming out of winter, they want something besides their usual winter mainstays, and here come cherries,” he said. “It’s a sure sign of spring.”Even without a particularly long, cold winter to give the market an extra boost, Parker said the popularity of cherries, regardless of weather, continues to ensure strong demand — even with a big crop, which is what Scattaglia and other California grower-shippers are expecting in 2010.One of the reasons, Parker said, is that in an age of year-round sourcing, cherries still have the distinction of being a rarity — an item that’s available only for a few months every year. “Demand for cherries continues to grow,” he said. “Consumers love the convenience, flavor and seasonality. It’s one of the last items that really shouts out ‘seasonality.’ And there’s the health message. There are a lot of reasons for cherry sales to continue to go up and up.” Steve Nelsen, managing partner of Kingsburg, Calif.-based Valhalla Sales & Market-ing Co., is more concerned than some of his fellow grower-shippers about 2010 markets. “One thing about cherries is, you have a few rough years, then one good year, then a few more rough years and another good year,” he said. “I’d like to see it maintain a nice level.”Historically, Nelsen said, the California deal has started in the stratosphere — with boxes selling in the triple digits — then fallen off a cliff as supplies quickly ramped up.Usually, the bottom of the cliff isn’t too low, he said. But in years like the present one, the large crop could make the fall a little more precipitous than usual.“When people realize the size of the crop, it could drive it down quicker,” he said.The economy also could have an effect on demand for California cherries this year, Nelsen said. Cherries are in a special category to some extent because they are still one of the few true seasonal items still left in the produce department. Because of that, there will always be a demand for them.But that doesn’t make them recession-proof, he said. There is still a price beyond which consumers are unlikely to go.The fate of another product Valhalla sold recently could be a harbinger for cherries, Nelsen said. Some retailers were selling the company’s 5-pound manda-rin box for $5 or $6. At that price, he said, sales were way off.“It will be interesting to see how the cherry deal goes,” he said. Another thing always on California shippers’ minds, Nelsen said, is the early entrance of Washington into the cherry deal. Out-of-state buyers tend to switch to Washington as soon as its crop begins shipping, he said. And while most California retailers stick with the local shippers, not all do, he said.“One of our local chains, when they see Washington is available, they make the move,” he said. Topics: california cherry growers look forward to strong demand About the Author: , markets editor Andy Nelson joined The Packer as a staff writer in 2001. He became the paper's Handling & Distributing editor in 2005 and markets editor in 2006. Before joining Farm Journal Media, Nelson was a staff writer for The Kansas City Star. View All Posts

农业

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Digital age puts expert in every field Elton Robinson | Nov 17, 2000 Plant pathologist diagnoses diseases hundreds of miles away A county Extension agent in Robertson County, Tenn., needed an answer quickly. Were the leaf spots in a farmer's wheat crop from a fungus or herbicide drift? University of Tennessee Extension plant pathologist Melvin Newman took one look at the leaf and immediately knew it was herbicide drift. The farmer would not need to treat the field with a fungicide. What's interesting about this diagnosis is that Newman never had to leave his office in Jackson, Tenn., over 120 miles away, to determine what caused the problem. The diagnosis was made with the help of digital images sent over the Internet and took about 30 minutes from the time the call was made from the county agent's office. This project is called Distance Digital Diagnostics. Newman estimates that currently between two-thirds and three-fourths of Tennessee counties already have some of the components needed to participate in the fast-growing project. Some offices may have just a digital camera, others a digital camera and a microscope. Between 10 and 15 county offices have an entire mini-diagnostic center - computer with Internet access, digital camera and one to two microscopes. A complete diagnostic center costs around $10,000. The project seems especially suited for Tennessee, over 500 miles in length from Bristol to Memphis, with 95 counties in between, but only one plant pathologist in field crops, Newman. The scientist can't pack up and hit the road to personally check out every request. Newman stresses that each of the state's 95 county Extension offices will always be the first line of diagnostic assistance for farmers and ranchers. "Our county agent is still the number one person in the county for diagnosing problems," he said. But sometimes, a farmer, rancher or gardener brings in a specimen that stumps even the most knowledgeable county agent and a specialist like Newman is needed to take a closer look. That's when distance diagnostics can save time for everyone, according to Newman. The county agent shoots several digital images of the specimen or goes to the field to get additional shots. Back at the office, he accesses the state's diagnostic Website, fills out a form and sends it and up to five digital images to the Website. The Website is monitored by diagnosticians at the state's primary diagnostic laboratory at Ellington Center, in Nashville, run by Tom Stebbins. During the peak growing season, 20 to 30 electronic requests may come in per day with questions on anything from ticks to tobacco. On occasions when the lab can't make a diagnosis, the request will be forwarded to a specialist like Newman. "I may take a look at it and it may be Septoria leaf spot on soybeans," Newman said. "Likewise, there may be something on tobacco that some specialist in Knoxville is more knowledgeable about. We can pop it over there, just like that." Newman notes that some county agents have become quite adept at shooting microscopic digital images of actual spores and fungi attacking a plant. Distance digital diagnostics does require initial training of county agents on how to collect specimens and mount slides. The new technology definitely beats sending specimens by mail, another option when county agents are stumped by a problem. The specimens would usually arrive three to four days later, often in a state of advanced deterioration. Many times, Newman couldn't make a diagnosis under those circumstances and he would have to schedule a road trip to view the site in person. Distance diagnostics doesn't mean Newman will eliminate travel, however. "Eighty percent of the time, we can solve the problem with distance diagnostics. There'll be some situations where I'll have to go out to the field and take a look. That's one thing that we have to be careful of, to hand out a diagnosis without being sure. We won't do that. We'll pack up and go to the site." Newman noted that county agents and even farmers can bypass the Website and e-mail an image directly to Newman. The farmer doesn't necessarily have to have a digital camera, either. Many film processors today can digitize photographic images onto a computer disk. On the other hand, the diagnostic Website is a closed, secure system, noted Newman. "If you have something you want me to diagnose, only the person making the diagnosis will see it. If we want guests to view it, they can. But it's totally confidential." The digital world has other advantages, according to Newman. Today, a large part of his office space at the West Tennessee Experiment Station in Jackson is devoted to filing cabinets full of color slides of crop diseases. Over time, the slides will be replaced by digital images stored in a computer. He can use them for slide shows using his laptop computer, educational publications and for Web libraries and never have to worry about misplacing an original slide. Newman notes the Nashville lab is also building a digital library of images, which would be available to anyone who has access to the Website, including county agents. Source URL: http://www.deltafarmpress.com/digital-age-puts-expert-every-field

农业

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These rice crops can help farmers cut pollution, costs Washington D.C, Aug 1 (ANI): With pollution taking its toll on our lives, a team of researchers has turned to rice crops to find a way to put an end to the world's biggest killer. The U of T Scarborough study identified "superstar" varieties of rice that can reduce fertilizer loss and cut down on environmental pollution in the process. The study, authored by Herbert Kronzucker in collaboration with a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, looked at 19 varieties of rice to see which ones were more efficient at using nitrogen. "We have this bucolic idea of agriculture - animals grazing or vast fields of majestic crops - but the global reality is it's one of the biggest drivers of environmental pollution and climate change," said Kronzucker. Nitrogen, when applied as fertilizer, is taken up inefficiently by most crops. In tropical rice fields, as much as 50 to 70 per cent can be lost. The problem is that nitrogen negatively impacts water quality by contaminating nearby watersheds or leaching into ground water. It's also a significant source of gases such as ammonia and nitrogen oxide, which are not only harmful to aquatic life but also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. While nitrogen is one of three main nutrients required for crops to grow, it also costs the most to produce, adds Kronzucker. "Anything we can do to reduce demand for nitrogen, both environmentally and for farmers in the developing world struggling to pay for it, is a significant contribution." The study for the first time identified a novel class of chemicals produced and released by the roots of rice crops that directly influence the metabolism of soil microbes. They found that key microbial reactions that lead to an inefficiency in nitrogen capture can be significantly reduced in certain varieties of rice plants through the action of those specific chemicals released from root cells. Going forward the hope is for this study to inform rice-growing strategies throughout Asia. One option could be to provide farmers with government incentives like tax credits, to switch to a more nitrogen-friendly variety. Another outcome could be better breeding programs where even better species of crops can be produced. "There's no reason a crop can't result in less pollution while also saving farmers money; the two aren't incompatible," says Kronzucker. "If we can produce more responsible plants that don't waste fertilizer needlessly, everyone wins." The study appears in New Phytologist. (ANI) Tags Rice crops

农业

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Laser experiment hopes to save farm water Jan Kleissl and a handful of his students at the University of California at San Diego think technology using laser beams might lead to a better way to conserve the millions of gallons of water sprayed each year on thirsty crops. Seventy-six years after the invention of the modern sprinkler helped revolutionize farming, lasers may revolutionize it again. He and his team are using a large aperture scintillometer to study how much water crops lose to evaporation and the peak times that water disappears. The hope is to give farmers a more accurate, up-to-date reading of how efficiently their crops are using water than current technology allows. “What’s new about our approach is the monitoring side of it,” Kleissl said by phone from his office. “We’re trying to improve on that.” Some advancements in irrigation have focused on water delivery system — such as sprinklers. But while most farmers are experts at managing their irrigation by sight, recent years’ droughts have called for more sophisticated ways to use — and save — water. Water became an even more valuable commodity in California last year, when a federal judge ordered federal and state agencies to restrict pumping in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to protect the threatened delta smelt, severely cutting the growers’ supply. Further restrictions could result from last month’s decision by state fish and wildlife managers to limit pumping to protect another native fish, the longfin smelt. These shortages are prompting researchers to devise new ways to determine when to irrigate and how much water to use, said Khaled Bali, an irrigation expert for the University of California Cooperative Extension. “There’s not enough water to go around,” he said. San Diego County farmer Bob Polito, who was forced to remove 10 of his 60 acres of citrus and avocado trees from production after last year’s pumping restrictions, said high-tech irrigation aids have so far been too expensive. But he said the increasing scarcity of water may force him to invest in technology to monitor his trees’ water efficiency. “Anything that gives you an accurate accounting on that score would be a help to farmers,” Polito said. Researchers also are testing a device that measures the velocity at which sap creeps up trees. When the sap’s movement slows, growers would know that the trees need less water and reduce the amount that they use. Other tests involve using satellite imagery to measure “evapotranspiration” — the amount of water that seeps into the atmosphere from soil surfaces and plants. During periods of slow evapotranspiration — when plants require less water — farmers can cut down on irrigation. Many farmers already use a formula based on historic evapotranspiration averages gleaned from meteorological data — combined with on-site observations — to devise their irrigation strategies. But Kleissl’s team hopes to give farmers more valuable information by using the scintillometer, which focuses laser beams across a farm field and records fluctuations of the refractive index of air that is caused by such things as changes in temperature and humidity. What the device sees is similar to the waves in the air that people see emanating from the pavement of a highway on a hot day. But the scintillometer sees those waves in much greater detail. The hope is farmers can eventually use the lasers to more accurately measure the amount of irrigated farm water lost to evapotranspiration. His study, which will take at least two years to complete, is unfolding on an experimental farm operated by the University of California. A field about a half-mile long and quarter-mile wide has been planted in alfalfa, a particularly thirsty crop. It is also the crop most commonly found in the Imperial Valley, some 200 miles southeast of Los Angeles, where rainfall averages fewer than 3 inches a year and high temperatures generally exceed 100 degrees for several months of the year. Surveying half of the field is a scintillometer, while the other half is being farmed and irrigated conventionally. If the tests show a substantial water savings, Kleissl would like to see scintillometers placed in agricultural areas around the state. He estimates that 10, which he says could cover a wide range of farm areas across California, could be installed for an initial investment of $500,000 to $700,000, although that wouldn’t include the cost of maintaining and monitoring them. David Zoldoske, who leads the International Center for Water Technology at California State University, said the scintillometer project shows promise, but would be best used in combination with other technologies that generate and analyze data on plants’ water needs. “It’s simply just another way to have good information,” he said. “It’s like your doctor: If he can measure your pulse and some other things, that really helps him manage your health. It’s the same with plants.” Associated Press writer Jacob Adelman contributed to this story.

农业

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14 May 2014 11:28:17 14 May 2014 11:28:17 |Cattle,News,Shows and Events UK Dairy Day offers £16k prize fund for cattle classes Dairy farmers from across the country will be competing for a share of one of the largest pots of prize money at a UK show this September.Generous sponsorship means the inaugural UK Dairy Day on Wednesday 17th September is offering a prize fund of £16,375, with the champion animal of each breed to scoop £500. “We are delighted at the level of interest in this new national event, and at the generosity of our sponsors,” says organiser Simon Gee. “We’ve already booked more than 120 trade stands, which is considerably ahead of original expectations and means we’ve had to expand into additional areas of the exhibition centre.”With such a large pot of money available, Mr Gee expects entries for all the cattle classes to flood in. “Schedules are now available, and entries for coloured breeds close on 15th July,” he adds.Class sponsors include Cogent Breeding, Delaval, Farmers Guardian, Holstein UK, Kuhn Farm Machinery, NWF Agriculture and Provita Eurotech. As well as three classes for each of the coloured breeds, UK Dairy Day will be hosting the National Holstein Show, with 26 regional clubs entering teams. Entries for Holstein classes will be channelled through the regional clubs and close on 5th August.Those lucky enough to win their class will receive £175, with second place prize money of £125, and cash prizes available all the way down to 10th place. In addition, breed champions will receive £500 and reserve champions £250. “The day's finale will be the Holstein team of four, which will be judged by leading Danish breeder Niels Erik Haahr, and offers a £1000 prize for the champion team,” says Mr Gee.He is expecting at least 250 cattle entries, meaning visitors will be able to watch the best of every dairy breed in action. In addition, they will be able to attend a variety of business seminars and speak to a wide range of exhibitors at the International Centre in Telford, Shropshire. “The theme of the event is ‘Helping increase profits’,” said Mr Gee. “At a time when dairy incomes are under immense pressure, this event will cover every aspect of profitable dairy farming, and provide visitors with everything they need to improve their business under one roof.”

农业

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FreshDirect Bows Frozen Entree Line Walmart Readies for 'Next Generation' via Cap Ex Walmart Unveils Sustainable Agriculture Goals Retailer aims to buy more from smaller farmers around the world Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has launched its new global commitment to sustainable agriculture that the retailer says will help small and medium-sized farmers expand their businesses and reduce the environmental impact of farming, while strengthening local economies and increasing access to affordable, high-quality, fresh food. “More than 1 billion people around the world rely on farming and hundreds of millions of them live on less than $2 a day,” said Mike Duke, Walmart president and CEO. “Globally, with a booming population, food production must increase roughly 70 percent to feed 9 billion people in 2050. Through sustainable agriculture, Walmart is uniquely positioned to make a positive difference in food production. Our efforts will help increase farmer incomes, lead to more efficient use of pesticides, fertilizer and water, and provide fresher produce for our customers.” Walmart’s strategy is divided into three broad areas: - Support farmers and their communities: More than a billion people rely on agriculture for subsistence. By the end of 2015 in emerging markets, Walmart will help many small and mid-sized farmers gain access to markets by selling $1 billion in food sourced from 1 million small and medium farmers, and providing training in crop selection and sustainable farming practices. In the United States, Walmart will double its sale of locally sourced produce and increase its purchase of select U.S. crops. - Produce more food with fewer resources and less waste: For the first time, Walmart will ask suppliers about the water, energy, fertilizer and pesticide they use per unit of food produced. Goals include investing more than $1 billion in its global fresh supply chain in the next five years and reducing food waste in emerging-market stores. - Sustainably source key agriculture products: Walmart will require sustainably sourced palm oil for its private brand products globally by the end of 2015, and expand Walmart Brazil’s practice of only sourcing beef that does not contribute to Amazon deforestation. Walmart’s Heritage Agriculture program will help the company double the sale of locally grown food. The program focuses on sourcing produce from states and regions with long histories of agricultural production, such as the I-95 corridor along the East Coast, the Delta region in the South and the Mid-America region of the Midwest. With fiscal 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart operates more than 8,400 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries.

农业

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Industry Ag groups praise legislation clarifying HOS By Colleen Scherer October 28, 2011 | 5:19 pm EDT The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), the Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference (AFTC) of the American Trucking Association, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) voiced their support for legislation that would clarify transportation regulations that are critical to the agricultural sector’s ability to expeditiously distribute farm supplies. Congressmen Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), along with 38 additional congressional co-sponsors, introduced the legislation intended to resolve questions regarding the applicability of the agricultural hours of service exemption. The exemption came into question in 2009 when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued an interpretation of the regulations that resulted in transportation restrictions for certain farm supplies. The legislation introduced this week by Reps. Graves and Luetkemeyer amends aspects of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act, which served as the basis for FMCSA’s 2009 interpretation, to clarify the applicability of exemptions for agricultural products. “When I visit with agricultural retailers across the country, one of the top issues they bring up as a threat to their business is the Hours of Service issue,” said ARA President & CEO Daren Coppock. “We appreciate the efforts of Congressmen Graves and Luetkemeyer on this issue so that agricultural retailers are able to serve the needs of farmers during the busy planting and harvest seasons.” “The agricultural exemption to the HOS rule is a crucial tool for transporters of agricultural products during the busiest times of the year,” said AFTC Chairman, Rick Yost. “We commend the work of Congressmen Luetkemeyer and Graves, and the other co-sponsors, for their work on this very important legislation.” Specifically, the legislation clarifies that the agricultural hours of service exemption is applicable to: Drivers transporting agricultural commodities within a 100 air-mile radius; Drivers transporting farm supplies for agricultural purposes from a wholesale or retail business to a farm or other location where the farm supplies are intended to be used within a 100 air-mile radius from the distribution point; or Drivers transporting farm supplies from a wholesale location to a retail location so long as the transportation is within a 100 air-mile radius. “This legislation will ensure that farmer co-ops can continue to provide their producer-owners and other customers with farm supplies in a timely and efficient manner,” said NCFC President & CEO of Chuck Conner. “We appreciate Representatives Luetkemeyer and Graves, and other members of congress, efforts to permanently resolve this issue.” “TFI commends Congressman Graves and Luetkemeyer, along with the other co-sponsors of this legislation, for taking the steps necessary to ensure that the agricultural community has access to the crop nutrients and farm supplies necessary to produce safe, healthy and abundant crops,” said TFI President Ford B. West. hours of servicearatransportation regulations About the Author: Colleen Scherer

农业

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Hey Locavores, Are You Creating Jobs? By Allison Aubrey Feb 29, 2012 TweetShareGoogle+Email The Know Your Farmer interactive map shows USDA-supported projects and programs related to local and regional food systems for the years 2009-2011. When we think of the farmers we know, we can count a lot of locally-produced food we've reported on, from unusual greens to pawpaws. And when the Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes their Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, what do they count? Jobs. "Every million dollars in sales through local markets supports thirteen jobs," USDA's Kathleen Merrigan said in a conference call with reporters. This compares to three jobs generated from every million dollars in sales by agricultural operations that don't have a local or regional focus. To tout the growth of the local food movement, USDA has launched a slick, new, multimedia website that includes videos, photos and a map showcasing all the USDA-supported projects (think: loans and grants). Many are aimed at helping communities coordinate the sale of locally grown fresh food products from small and mid-scale family farms. Another goal is to support regional food hubs. By positioning the initiative as a "jobs-creator," Merrigan may be hoping to assuage detractors on Capitol Hill who have criticized Know Your Farmer as a program for the foodie elite that promotes organic and niche farming over conventional, larger scale operations. "In the name of promoting local food systems, [USDA] appears to be prioritizing Rural Development grant and loan programs for locavore projects in urban areas, apparently at the expense of rural communities," complained Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and John McCain (R-AZ) in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in 2010, after the program was created. The lawmakers point out that the vast majority of the nation's food supply comes from these conventional, large-scale operations. In an early version of the 2012 Appropriations bill, lawmakers in the House moved to de-fund marketing of the Know Your Farmer initiative. Even though there were similar concerns in the Senate, ultimately the program kept its funding. But USDA was told to give a status update. That's part of what USDA accomplishes with this new, web-based Compass. Even so, local food advocates are concerned the program could be cut out of the farm bill, set to expire this year. The goal of Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, according to USDA, is in part to strengthen the connection between farmers and consumers. That's us! What do you think, do small scale farms deserve financial support, a piece of the federal pie? Is the local food movement in your community changing the way you eat or shop? Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+Email © 2017 KENW

农业

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Qarm blood. He took rest for some moments in the orchard of Utba bin Rabia and Utba’s slave offered a bunch of grapes to the Prophet. On his way to Makkah at... Submitted By: razad Date Submitted: 09/01/2013 8:00 PM Category: Business Words: 4905 Page: 20 Views: 152 Anand Pattern of Cooperatives The dairy sector in the India has shown remarkable development in the past decade and India has now become one of the largest producers of milk and value-added milk products in the world. Operation Flood, which was perhaps, world‘s largest development programme, was based on the rich experience gained from the Amul model, also popularly known as ‗Anand Pattern‘, which is an innovative three-tier organisation structure combines the productive genius of farmers with professional management and modern technology. The facilities at all levels are entirely farmer-owned. The cooperatives are able to build markets, supply inputs and create value-added processing. Prompt and remunerative payment for produce of good quality has ensured the best incentive for the farmer to increase production and quality. 1. The three-tier ‘Anand Pattern’ structure The three-tier ‗Anand Pattern‘ structure consists of a Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS) at village level affiliated to a milk union at district level and they are further federated into a milk federation at state level. The above three-tier structure was formed in order to delegate responsibilities at various levels such that there is no internal competition and economics of scale is achieved. The village cooperative is the primary society under the three-tier structure. it has membership of milk producers of the village and is governed by an elected management committee. The main function of this cooperative society is to collect surplus milk from the milk producers of the village and make payment based on quality and quantity. it also provide support services to the members like veterinary first aid, artificial insemination services, cattle-feed sales, mineral mixture sales, fodder and fodder seed sales, conducting training on animal husbandry and dairying, etc. The district-level milk union is the second tier under the three-tier structure. It has membership of village societies of the district...

农业

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China’s stock reductions could provide new opportunities Jan 06, 2017 2017 Mid-South Farm and Gin Show: Register online Jan 09, 2017 Target spot: A disease of ‘high yield’ cotton Jan 05, 2017 Tinkering with exports: serious implications Jan 02, 2017 Brazil farming advanced by pioneers Elton Robinson Farm Press Editorial Staff | Apr 08, 2005 Brazil is a lot like America's early frontier — a little rough around the edges, superstitious and still touting a pioneer spirit. It's America without the fine-tooth comb of government in its hair. Sometimes, this is a good thing. Sometimes, it's not. The government's laissez faire approach — intentional or otherwise — hasn't hurt soybean farmer Ivo Carlos Arnt Filho. His Hotel Tagy sits at the intersection of two wide cobblestone streets in Tibagi City, a small town in the hills of Parana, a state in southern Brazil. It's a clean and modern tourist stop, with an excellent buffet lunch. The street and sidewalk in front of the hotel are covered in a fine red dust squeezed from between the stones and ground into powder by heavy tractors which regularly run up and down the street. A pet store down the road looks to be a profitable venture — its neat shelves and spongy wooden floors are reminiscent of pre-Wal-Mart rural America. If agricultural input in Tibagi City sell as cheaply as everyday goods in the pet store, Brazilian farmers must be doing well. The store sells a four-pack of AA Eveready batteries for two reals, about 50 cents. Reliability is another matter. The batteries last all of three hours. Across the street from the pet store, three Brazilian ladies decked out in pink, green and purple, sip tea on the front porch of a home painted sky blue and enjoy a Wednesday afternoon in early March. It's just after lunch and getting warmer by the minute. Filho runs agriculture and reforesting ventures on his family's 12,000-hectare homeplace, while a sister manages the family's tourism enterprises. A nearby canyon is a well-known tourist destination, and attracts a steady flow of visitors to the hotel and its small cafe. A brother runs the family's cattle business. Filho doesn't have a lot of time to talk this day, but he is a cordial host and treats a large group of touring agricultural journalists to lunch. He is an independent farmer doing well financially. He produces 4,000 hectares of corn and soybeans in a 2-1 rotation program. “Rotation of crops is important here in Brazil. The pressure of diseases and bugs is greater because of the climate.” One disease is an especially efficient killer. Asian soybean rust entered the region three years ago, and farmers have come to know its fearsome potential for destruction. It can sweep through entire fields of soybeans in a matter of days, taking every bean in sight. “When you see the first lesion, you have seen the tip of the iceberg,” said Roberto Moretzsohn de Castro, with Syngenta, Brazil. “In the north, under excellent conditions, the disease can develop in nine days. In the south (where temperatures are milder), about a month.” Preventive fungicide applications for Asian soybean rust have become a standard practice for Filho, like tourists to his town smoothing on sun block to prevent a burn. “I don't know of any farmer who has not made a preventive spray for Asian soybean rust this year,” he said. Brazil's Agriculture Ministry apparently doesn't have the resources, or perhaps the inclination, to implement a monitoring program that would allow Brazilian soybean farmers like Filho to follow the movement of the disease across the country, and help them schedule their preventive sprays. But local farmer cooperatives, chemical companies, independent research facilities and individual growers have taken up the slack, implementing their own monitoring programs. So far, this season, the combination of fungicides and drought in Parana has kept the disease from causing economic damage. Despite the added cost of a preventive fungicide, soybeans are still a profitable venture for Filho. His breakeven price for soybeans is about $10 per sack — $4.54 per bushel. A sack is a unit of measurement for Brazilian farmers equal to about 60 kilograms or 2.2 bushels. Brazil producers have some advantages in cost of production; the most obvious is access to a cheap labor force. In addition, transgenic crops are currently forbidden in Parana, which means they pay no technology fees, and many soybean producers are able to save seed for replanting. Filho markets directly to the local feed industry through Brazil's Bunge and Cargill facilities, around 60 miles from his farm. Some soybeans are transported to Japan, sold for a 15 percent premium as a non-GMO crop. Oats and corn are sold locally to Pepsico. Brazilian soybean producers have mixed feelings about the impact of U.S. farm subsidies on their profitability. (Their Agricultural Ministry has said that it will ask the World Trade Organization for a probe of U.S. soybean subsidies, although it hasn't said that it will file a case. In 2004, WTO agreed with Brazil's complaint that U.S. cotton subsidies are illegal.) “We don't have time to think about subsidies. We have work to do,” said Dusi Demostenes, secretary director of Coopagricola, a cooperative in Ponta Grossa. When pressed further, some frustration surfaces. “We don't have subsidies or crop insurance against soybean rust either. A Brazilian subsidy is a prayer.” But he has a sense of humor about it, too. “We urge that you either stop your subsidies or teach our government how to do them.” Armin Kliewer, who farms with his son Rubens, is more vocal. The Kliewers farm in Parana and Bahia and 10 years ago expanded their farming operation to the “new frontier” of Mato Grosso. They farm over 8,000 hectares in the three states. In Mato Grosso, soybeans and grain must be transported 2,000 kilometers to the nearest port. The cost of transportation is about $2 per bushel, according to Kliewer. This cost is mostly offset by less money spent on disease and insects in the region. U.S. subsidies, Kliewer said, “are unjust. You Americans are the big guys with all the advantages on your side and you still have subsidies. We are a tiny country economically and we are struggling to compete with you. How long will the American people allow its government to maintain the subsidies for such a small part of your population?” Kliewer believes that subsidies will make U.S. farmers soft. “If you continue to maintain your subsidies, your farmers eventually will not try to improve productivity. There will come a time when you are crippled by your subsidies. “In Mato Grosso, we don't have subsidies and to compete with growers down south who have high yields, we have to research for new varieties and new ways to control disease to produce the yields we need.” Brazil's government does provide some assistance for its small farmers, providing loans and helping with purchasing equipment. The size of farm at which these benefits kick in is unclear, however. For many small farms in southern Brazil, superstitions rule the working class, while landowner-farmers often struggle to get by. In Ponta Grossa County, the farm road to Marco Palmeria Chechia's farm is not much wider than a footpath in places. It winds through and around the hills and past bright aqua- and peach-colored homes. This dirt and gravel road is the only way in or out for grain and oilseed haulers moving the gathered crops off the farm. The underbrush intrudes on both sides, sometimes meeting in the middle, which undoubtedly gives Chechia's farm hands the willies. This is because Curupira, the legendary, mystical wild child of the jungle, with pointed ears and green teeth, lurks in these woods. And he doesn't like farmers much. His most interesting feature are his feet, which point backwards, so an enemy who is tracking him will go the wrong way, and an enemy who is fleeing will run right to him. He is Brazil's defender of nature and ecology — hardly known in megacities like Sau Paulo — and a natural enemy of farmers and hunters. One of Chechia's farmhands has attached a cow's skull painted bright red to a fence post at the farm gate to frighten away Curupira. For Chechia, the artifact has no meaning. But he notes that no farmhands are missing, so it must be working. Chechia, who's father purchased the farmland for his children a generation ago, has no grain storage facilities, so grain and soybeans must be moved quickly from the field to the main highway. His narrow farm road is a bottleneck. He would like to improve and widen the road, but property owners along the road can't be convinced to sell small strips of their property. Apparently, the government doesn't want to get involved. Perhaps Curipuri has gotten to them. Either way, it seems of little consequence to Chechia. He makes do. Last year, the no-till producer had some forewarning that Asian rust was headed his way and set up several research plots for treatment on his own. Syngenta provided materials, as well as a small plot sprayer. He sprayed preventively and curatively and did not spray a check plot. The loss in curative plots was about 3 percent of yield, there was no loss in the preventive plot and losses in the check plot were higher than 70 percent. So far this year, he hasn't seen Asian rust, although a monitoring program indicates that disease spores are about a mile away and closing in. If there are government agriculture research and outreach people in southern Brazil, they are nowhere to be found. In Parana, farmers affiliated with southern Brazil's three large cooperatives pay $4 per hectare to run an impressive research station in Parana called Fundacao ABC. The facility's director, Olavo Correa da Silva, has condensed his philosophy for controlling Asian rust into one cryptic sentence, which not surprisingly said a lot about Brazil's approach to agriculture. During a slide show presentation, he stops to discuss the image of a Brazilian soybean farmer using two horses to pull a fungicide rig through a field. He waits until the murmurs subside before speaking. “This farmer's neighbor has all modern equipment, but did not make a timely application of a fungicide for rust. The farmer with the horses did. Guess which one did not have a yield loss — the one who has horses pulling his rig. In Brazil, we say that knowledge is more important than technology.” Not something you would hear in North America, where technology is necessary to offset the lack of a cheap labor alternative. But in Brazil, the pioneer spirit still lives. North America's problems seem far into the future. e-mail: [email protected]

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Information is key HomePeopleNewsMediaGeraldine WarnerDecember 2012 IssueInformation is key My Apple Cup Runneth Over Lame Duck Information is key Jeff Cleveringa wants to find new ways for growers to interact with each other. Geraldine Warner // Dec 1, 2012 // Media // News // People As incoming president of the Washington State Horticultural Association, Jeff Cleveringa hopes to strengthen the association’s role in keeping growers informed. For over a century, the association has held its annual meeting each December to apprise growers on the latest issues and research. Cleveringa said the meeting still serves an important purpose, particularly for growers who are too busy during the growing season to attend field days and tours. “Dissemination of information will be key, and I’m hoping to make that better and more timely in the Hort Association,” he said. Cleveringa, 43, grew up on a diversified farm in Prosser and earned a bachelor’s degree in plant sciences from Dordt College in Iowa. He worked as a horticulturist for Simplot from 1994 to 1996, then joined Custom Fruit Packers (Starr Ranch Growers) in Quincy, Washington. During that time he served as president of the Columbia Basin Tree Fruit Society. In 2003, he began working with Cave B at George, Washington, as a horticulturist and viticulturist. In 2007, he helped found Picker Technologies, a company aiming to develop automated ­equipment for apple harvesting. This project is ongoing. Last year, he returned to work for Custom Fruit Packers as head of research and development, a job that takes him around the world to evaluate the latest orchard and packing house technology, as well as new orchard systems and apple and cherry varieties. Cleveringa said Dalton Thomas and his sons Jim and Brad, who operate Custom Fruit Packers, want to be early adopters of technology as it becomes available. His role is to keep them informed about technology that could be useful, whether in the orchard or packing house. Not all technology lives up to its billing, he noted. Cleveringa joined the Hort Association board three years ago and was elected second vice president the following year. He is the third in a trio of relatively young presidents. West Mathison, president of Stemilt Growers, Inc., was president two years ago at the age of 34. Outgoing president David ­Douglas of Douglas Fruit Company is 38. Cleveringa said that, as a horticulturist, he hopes to focus on grower issues and would like to see the Hort Association make use of new media, including e-newsletters, to keep the industry updated. “I would love there to be one great source of information through modern media,” he said. “I would like that process to start so we have places for people to interact with each other so growers can see where insect outbreaks are occurring, for example, and what other growers are doing.” Cleveringa has served on the Good Fruit Grower Advisory Board. He is a member of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission Technology Committee and a board member of the International Fruit Tree Association. By Geraldine Warner|2013-11-24T18:39:01+00:00December 1st, 2012|December 2012 Issue, Geraldine Warner, Media, News, People| About the Author: Geraldine Warner Geraldine Warner was the editor of Good Fruit Grower from 1992-2015. During her tenure, she planned and prepared editorial content, wrote for the magazine, and managed the editorial team. Read her stories: Story Index Leave A Comment Cancel reply ADVERTISEMENT

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Carrageenan: Sustainability From Farm to Table (NewsUSA) - Over 200,000 tons of dried, farmed, tropical seaweed are produced every year. The majority of the world's red seaweed is farmed by nearly 60,000 family farmers in Africa, the Philippines and Indonesia. These families apply sustainable farming techniques that help to protect and preserve the habitats where they farm. Seaweed farming is one of the most environmentally friendly types of aquaculture. Tropical carrageenan cultivation utilizes no chemical treatments, such as fertilizers. Seaweed farms help to preserve coral reefs by providing a sheltered habitat for local species of fish and invertebrates, which increases diversity where the seaweed is grown. Further, seaweed farming does not cause major physical landscape or seascape changes and can serve to mediate green house gas emissions and excess nitrogen in the water that causes harmful algae blooms. Carrageenan is extracted from red seaweed with minimal processing. It is included in recipes for shelf-stable beverages, dairy desserts, baked goods and many other foods enjoyed across the world -- foods that taste delicious with less fat and sugar, foods that are vegan, kosher and halal. With 7 billion people in the world to feed, it is essential to have products that can travel distances safely and arrive to needful communities intact and nutritious. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, millions of people around the world suffer from protein malnutrition. When used in protein-enriched beverages, carrageenan aids in the extension and protection of the nutritional value of protein while improving the creaminess that is affected by processing. Carrageenan is used to stabilize liquid nutritional supplements for infants and young children, ensuring safe access to nutrition for children, particularly in regions with unreliable water quality where malnutrition is prevalent. Beyond enhancing nutrition, carrageenan also contributes to the reduction of food waste. More than 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted globally each year. When used in packaged food and beverages, carrageenan enables processes and recipes that extend shelf life, making them more widely available and less prone to waste. Carrageenan is a valuable food additive that helps to ensure the health, safety and reach of the global food supply. The product of seaweed harvested by hand by farmers across the globe provides a sustainable foundation for the creation of a food system that can feed the world. To learn more, visit fmccarrageenan.com. NewsusaInfographic. See full-sized image here. NewsUSA provides professionally written, copyright-free content for editors, bloggers, writers and other media professionals to publish and reuse.Post articles on your website or blog or publish articles in your magazine or newspaper all at zero cost to you.

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Can Wal-Mart Really Make Organic Food Cheap For Everyone? By Daniel Charles Apr 19, 2014 TweetShareGoogle+Email Wal-Mart is promising to drive down the prices of organic food by bringing in a new company, WildOats, to deliver a whole range of additional products. Wal-Mart/Flickr Originally published on April 19, 2014 10:40 am It could be another milestone in organic food's evolution from crunchy to commercial: Wal-Mart, the king of mass retailing, is promising to "drive down organic food prices" with a new line of organic food products. The new products will be at least 25 percent cheaper than organic food that's on Wal-Mart's shelves right now. Yet we've heard this before. Back in 2006, Wal-Mart made a similar announcement, asking some of its big suppliers to deliver organic versions of popular food items like mac-and-cheese. A Wal-Mart executive said at the time that it hoped these organic products would cost only 10 percent more than the conventional alternative. Wal-Mart has, in fact, become a big player in organic food, with some remarkable cost-cutting successes. At the new Wal-Mart just a few blocks from NPR's headquarters, I found some organic grape tomatoes on sale for exactly the same price as conventional ones. Organic "spring mix" salad was just 9 percent more expensive than the conventional package. Outside the fresh produce section, though, organic products were hard to find, and those I did spy were significantly more expensive. Organic diced tomatoes were 44 percent higher. The premium for a half-gallon of organic milk was a whopping 85 percent. Now Wal-Mart is bringing in a new company, WildOats, to deliver a whole range of additional organic products, from pasta sauce to cookies, and do it more cheaply. I asked the CEO of WildOats, Tom Casey, how he plans to do it. His answer, in a nutshell: Bigger can be better. The production and distribution of organic food is still highly fragmented, Casey says. Wal-Mart can change that, delivering organic products in through its "world-class distribution system" and giving manufacturers of, say, pasta sauce a chance to operate on a larger, more efficient scale. Charles Benbrook, a long-time proponent of organic agriculture who's now with the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington State University, thinks that this plan is realistic. Most organic producers have to use other companies' processing facilities, which also handle conventional food, Benbrook wrote in an e-mail. "This requires them to shut down, clean out the lines, segregate both incoming and outgoing product, and this all costs money," writes Benbrook. According to Benbrook, larger production — to supply larger customers — will allow organic food processors to run "100 percent organic all the time" and will cut costs by 20 to 30 percent. This has already happened with packaged salad greens, which is why consumers don't pay very much extra for those organic products. Benbrook does have one warning: Large scale can't be achieved overnight. It takes at least three years for farmers to get their land certified as organic, for instance. "There will be hell to pay if Wal-Mart turns mostly to imports, and they know it." If Wal-Mart sticks with this effort and creates an organic supply chain that's as efficient as the conventional one, the company could help answer an unresolved question about organic food: How much of the organic price tag is because of small-scale production, and how much is inherent in the rules that govern organic production, such as the prohibition on synthetic pesticides, and industrial fertilizer? Benbrook thinks Wal-Mart's experiment will show that organic farmers, if given an honest chance to compete, will out-produce their conventional neighbors, and that organic prices will come down. Others disagree. Todd J. Kluger, vice president of marketing for Lundberg Family Farms, told Rodale News in an interview that Wal-Mart's goal of producing food 25 percent more cheaply is "fantasy. There isn't much you can do to cut the cost of organic ingredients," Kluger said. In the same interview, Mark Kastel, an organic activist who co-founded the Cornucopia Institute, suggested that Wal-Mart's cost-cutting drive could undermine the ethical values of organic farming. "One of the reasons people are willing to pay more is that they think they're supporting a different ethic, a different animal husbandry model, and that family farmers are being fairly compensated," Kastel says. According to Kastel, organic buyers will shy away from the kind of large-scale supply chain that Wal-Mart and WildOats envision. "We want to know where our food comes from, how it's produced, and what the story behind the label is," he told Rodale News. Tom Casey, CEO of WildOats, says that the company has not yet decided whether it will disclose where it is buying its food. (That's pretty typical for supermarket brands.) "We want to be respectful of our suppliers," he told The Salt.Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Transcript WADE GOODWYN, HOST: It's WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Wade Goodwyn. Organic food has taken another step away from its crunchy alternative routes. Walmart, the king of mass-market retail, says it will sell even more organic food, and it promises to bring down the price tag as well. Now the question is will organic producers be able to keep up with demand? Joining me talk about this is NPR's food and agricultural correspondent Dan Charles. Dan, welcome to the show. DAN CHARLES, BYLINE: Nice to be here. GOODWYN: Dan, Walmart says it's going to sell organic food more cheaply. How's it going to do this? CHARLES: Well, you know, Walmart already sells organic food. But this - they're trying to make a statement saying we're going to set up our own house brand. It's delivered by a separate company actually called Wild Oats. And they're saying we're going to organize this, and we're going to deliver organic food more cheaply. And it's a good question. How are they going to do this? I mean, I actually talked to the CEO of Wild Oats. And he said it's all about logistics. He said Walmart is the king of distribution, right. And so if we organize the production and the processing and distribution of organic foods on a large scale, there's efficiencies to be had. This is actually kind of an experiment, a test. You know, how much of the extra costs that you pay when you buy organic food - how much of that is just the fragmented nature of the business? How much of it is the small-scale aspect? And how much of it is inherent in organic production? GOODWYN: Well, there's no question that Walmart is kind of the king of logistics. But if you talk to some of their suppliers, they'll also complain that Walmart is the king of squeezing them and making them produce the product ever more cheaply at their own expense. CHARLES: Right. So you could say this is a threat to some organic producers who are used to higher margins. On the other hand, I mean, the organic production is expanding, and if Walmart wants large quantities, they may have to outbid other producers. There is a limit right now on the amount of organic food for sale. They say they want to expand that, and there's no reason why they couldn't. There's lots of land out there. Right now, organic is actually a very small part of American food production, people say 5 percent or less. So there's no reason why Walmart couldn't expand organic production if they offered a good price. The question is can they do it cheaply? GOODWYN: Part of this has to do with trust. Are people going to stop going to Whole Foods and go over to Walmart 'cause they can get the eggs $2 cheaper? I'm a little skeptical. CHARLES: OK, so this gets to this question of what is organic really because organic has an actual legal definition. You know, it's set out by the National Organic Standards, laid down by the USDA. And it has to do with how organic food is produced - no pesticides, no industrial fertilizer, certain other rules like... GOODWYN: Chickens can walk around. CHARLES: Chickens can walk around, etc. And you can do that on a large scale, and you can do it for Walmart. But organic, also, for the consumer sometimes, is cultural image. People think small-scale, local, nonindustrial, non-Walmart, right? GOODWYN: Correct. CHARLES: So, you know, so you can see the organic label kind of splitting. You can get organic eggs for $3 a dozen. You can get organic eggs for $6 a dozen. And the companies that sell them for $6 a dozen say we are the true organic. We go beyond the strict requirements of these rules. Our milk comes from small, family farms. Our chickens have lots of pasture, not just, you know, a door in the side of the chicken house. And we'll tell you where we get our products. You know, we're more true to organic roots. And maybe they will get a certain segment of the market, and the $3 eggs will get another segment. GOODWYN: NPR's food and agricultural correspondent Dan Charles. Dan, thanks. CHARLES: Enjoyed it, Wade. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 KBIA

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News High speed, high stakes for growers in California rail By Mike Hornick August 20, 2012 | 8:02 pm EDT Photo by California High-Speed Rail Authority An early phase of a state project to link San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego by high-speed rail has come under fire from California Farm Bureau Federation members who say it will take farmland out of production. Bureaus in Madera and Merced counties have joined other groups and local officials in a lawsuit filed in Sacramento against the California High-Speed Rail Authority, challenging an environmental review of the 75-mile Merced to Fresno stretch. The state Senate gave final approval to the multibillion-dollar project — the nation’s first dedicated high-speed rail line — by a 21-16 vote in July. “Madera County is ground zero,” said Anja Raudabaugh, executive director of the Madera County Farm Bureau. “They’re moving forward with property acquisition, but formal offers can’t be made until there’s environmental clearance and lawsuits are resolved. If they don’t start by January, it won’t get done on time without blowing every budget known to man.” “We will not be willing sellers on this alignment,” she said. “Prime farmland in California has tripled in value from $8,000 an acre in 2005 to a minimum of $22,000 now. The rail authority is not responsive to that. Farmers will fight tooth and nail for a fair price, and preferably not sell.” Nearly half her membership of 1,110 growers fear going out of business as a result of the project, Raudabaugh said, and about 70 dairies are at risk. “Because there can’t be crossings, it will close access to several feed yards and packing operations, separate pomegranates from their juicing facilities and almonds from their hulling facilities,” she said. Other issues arise from the route-cutting across parcel lines. “If you separate 30 acres out of 100, often the 30 becomes unfarmable,” Raudabaugh said. “That can be the difference between making a profit or not.” If farmland is lost, proceeds from the state’s Williamson Act — which provides for a lower property tax rate on agricultural land — will also be at stake. “We’ll lose 25% at minimum,” Raudabaugh said. Initial path more urban Opposition to high-speed rail from agriculture is fairly recent. Farm bureaus, for example, had supported the project along transportation corridors like Highway 99, as its bond measure called for. Crops like pomegranates, walnuts, almonds and pistachios are typically planted several miles away. “It’s high-value stuff that our guys planted with no expectation a freeway would encroach on them,” Raudabaugh said. “The High-Speed Rail Authority has seen farmland as the path of least resistance,” California Farm Bureau president Paul Wenger said in a news release. “But farmers and ranchers are resisting.” “They wanted to avoid the cost of elevating the rail in towns, and the 99 route had a lot of wetlands,” said Raudabaugh, who’s established a legal fund for her efforts. “They’d rather challenge the farmers than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Army Corps of Engineers.” Western Growers has taken no formal position on high-speed rail, but the general drift of the Irvine, Calif.-based trade association is clear. “We’re of the opinion that it is an ill-advised project,” said Wendy Fink-Weber, director of communications at Western Growers. “We’re working with the Authority to address serious concerns about how to mitigate the impact on farmland.” Elsewhere, the Kings County Farm Bureau and county officials there have voiced concerns about the farmland effects of the proposed Fresno to Bakersfield route. The Rail Authority’s environmental impact report, business plan and other project information is online. madera county farm bureaucalifornia high-speed rail authoritycalifornia farm bureau federation About the Author: Mike Hornick , Staff Writer Based in California's Salinas Valley, Mike Hornick has been a staff writer for The Packer since 2010. He has more than 20 years of experience in journalism. View All Posts

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http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Texas-own-wine-Valley-Texas-own-wine-Valley-4006629.php Texas' own wine Valley Grape production soars as diseases are overcome; growers now try to overcome perception of Texas. By William Pack Updated 1:52 am, Sunday, November 4, 2012 Photo: Delcia Lopez, For The Express-News Jorge Jaber walks among the grapevines of his Jaber Estate Winery north of Mission. Jaber’s winery offers white and red wines. Jaber is considered the first in the area to grow grapes and convert that fruit himself into wine for commercial consumption. A vine filled with early grapes surprised Jaber in mid-October. Photo: Harry Thomas The Jaber Estate Winery north of Mission is seen through a gazebo on the site that will be used for weddings and other events. Jaber has grown eight acres of Black Spanish grapes for red wine and Blanc Du Bois grapes for white wine over the past three years. less The Jaber Estate Winery north of Mission is seen through a gazebo on the site that will be used for weddings and other events. Jaber has grown eight acres of Black Spanish grapes for red wine and Blanc Du Bois ... more The winery includes three stainless steel vats and wooden barrels. Last year’s grape harvest, the first ready for processing, was converted into about 9,500 bottles of wine this year. “I like the ambiance of the vineyard. I’d like to help that grow in the Valley,” said Jorge Jaber, 80, who moved from Mexico. MISSION — Not satisfied with its reputation for grapefruit, palm trees and winter Texans, the Rio Grande Valley is quietly adding an intoxicating and unexpected facet to its image: winemaking. Through research during the past 15 years at Rio Farms Inc. and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the work of determined growers such as Jorge Jaber, wine grape production is mushrooming in a region where many once thought it impossible. Wine grapes, particularly the popular European varieties such as chardonnay, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, typically need a more moderate climate than the hot, humid environs of the Valley counties along the Texas-Mexico border. They also are partial to areas that cool off in the evening and have timely rains. “A lot of it would resemble Mediterranean weather,” said Cary Gott, a wine consultant with Vineyard & Winery Estates in California's Napa Valley. Even worse news for the Valley is the prevalence of a bacterial blight, Pierce's disease, that is particularly devastating for the best-known wine grape varieties. Another infestation, cotton root rot, also damages grapes and other crops in the area. The consensus has been that the Valley could not grow grapes for commercial wine production until Blanc Du Bois, which was released to growers in 1987, and an older variety, Black Spanish or Lenoir, proved their ability to co-exist with the disease. Those varieties also thrive in hotter climates and produce wines that consumers enjoy. As a result, they have become the drivers of the Valley's emerging vineyard industry. No one is saying Texas' Valley will be the next Napa Valley, but Jaber's winery, Jaber Estate Winery, already is producing wine from grapes grown on site, and more wineries are planned. “I think there's great potential,” said Fritz Westover, a viticulture program specialist with the extension service who expects continued growth in the Valley's newest agricultural sector. The area does have a bit of history with winemaking. Wine grape growing in the area can be traced back to an order of nuns that made wine for Catholic services in the mid-19th century and continued on and off through the 20th century — but never at the volume or with the quality that officials believe are possible now. “We can grow grapes at comparable tonnages to other areas. The question was, can you make good wine from those grapes?” said Andy Scott, research director at Rio Farms, a private research center that has helped many of the area's approximately 15 growers get started. “Winemakers have provided data that validates: You can make excellent wines from grapes grown in the Rio Grande Valley.” The winemaker Helping blaze the region's winemaking trail is Jaber, who at 80 is looking forward to the challenges of vineyards and wineries rather than the safety of retirement. Some Valley farmers grow grapes and make wine for personal consumption and gifts. Others grow grapes and ship them to wineries for production. Jaber is considered the first in the area to grow grapes and convert that fruit himself into wine for commercial consumption. “I like wine, and I like the ambiance of the vineyard. I'd like to help that grow in the Valley,” Jaber said. “This is the beginning.” Jaber, who moved permanently to the United States after retiring from the Mexican oilfields six years ago, estimated that he has spent less than $800,000 on the operation — but how much less was uncertain. “We're not stopping because of costs. We have to keep it going,” he said. “I'm going to do it because I want to do it. I don't care what people think about me.” He said he was told a vineyard was not possible when he bought his 211-acre farm north of Mission in 1986. But after trying his luck at dairy farming, he saw that circumstances had changed and that wine grapes were being produced in the area. He has grown eight acres of Black Spanish grapes for red wine and Blanc Du Bois grapes for white wine over the past three years. Last year's harvest, the first ready for processing, was converted into about 9,500 bottles of wine this year. Most of it is still in storage in a warehouse at Jaber Estate. He believes that the 2012 harvest, which is being processed, could make about 14,000 bottles. He has opted against selling his wine through a distributor and instead is selling it himself at the winery, at 22283 N. Western Ave. near Mission, for $25 a bottle. He just finished a tasting room where customers can sample his wine for $5 a person and is working on other improvements that will allow the winery to host weddings and other special events. The business has faced a variety of problems, including acreage that needed to be replanted after the first plantings were lost to root rot, but Jaber is pleased with the results so far. “I want to do the best I can do with these grapes,” he said. The grapes Key to the success of his and other grape-growing ventures in the Valley will be how well accepted the two primary wine grape varieties are. “It starts in the vineyard,” said Gott, the Napa Valley consultant. “You have nothing if you don't have the grapes.” Black Spanish and Blanc Du Bois, while not resistant to root rot problems, can survive infestations of Pierce's disease, which Westover called the top factor limiting production of broader grape varieties in the Valley. Juan Anciso, the extension service's vegetable and fruit specialist in Weslaco, said Blanc Du Bois was developed from research in Florida seeking varieties that could tolerate that vine-killing disease. It and Black Spanish grapes have the added quality of handling higher growing temperatures and higher water salinity levels, which also is present in the Valley, officials said. The extension service's Westover said that while traditional grape varieties lose acidity in the heat, the Valley's varieties retain their acidity in hot temperatures. “Acidity is important for the refreshing flavor of wines,” he said. Scott, at Rio Farms, said grapes from the Valley also have high sugar content that has helped that crop win awards and admiration. Chisholm Trail Winery in Fredericksburg has bought grapes from the Valley for years, including Blanc Du Bois grapes that were converted into Belle Starr wine. It won the top award for white wines in the state this year in a Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association's Lone Star International Wine Competition, said Paula Williamson, the winery's owner and winemaker. Last year at the same competition, Chisholm Trail won a gold star for Black Spanish wines in Texas for its Lone Wolf wine. That was made with a mix of grapes, 75 percent of which were from the Valley, Williamson said. “I think they have a perfect climate for Blanc Du Bois and Black Spanish,” she said. Joe Donnow, the winemaker and vineyard manager at Dry Comal Creek Vineyards in New Braunfels, plans to buy more Black Spanish grapes from Rio Farms and other Valley growers in coming years after judging the quality of the grapes he acquired from the area this year. “I was very surprised with it,” Donnow said about the composition of the Valley's red grapes. “His chemistry was perfect. I haven't ever seen a perfect chemistry come off a vineyard in Texas.” Texas wines Texas ranks fifth in the U.S. in wine production, with more than 3.2 million gallons in 2011, the state's grape growers association said. The economic effect of the wine and grape industry in 2009 was $1.7 billion, a 26 percent increase in two years, the association reported. That's sizable, but still far short of the $61.5 billion economic effect generated by the wine and grape industry in California three years ago, according to the Wine Institute. Still, the reputation of the Texas wine industry is at best mixed, making it tougher for a new producing region such as the Valley to take off. André Cohen, a French wine master at Larchmont Wine Consultants in New York, said Texas is not on the map for winegrowing regions because it's too hot. “The real wines of the world are grown between the 40th and 50th latitudes,” Cohen said. That stretches from north of San Francisco and north of Washington, D.C., into far southern Canada. Texas is well outside that zone. Brownsville, at the southern tip of the Valley, falls just short of the 26th latitude. “I've tasted some wines from Texas and Arizona, and frankly, it's not very good,” Cohen said. Not everyone agrees. Bobby Gonsalves, manager and wine director for Biga on the Banks, said Texas wines get a bad rap because they're not from California, France or other well-known wine grape regions. But when critics give Texas wines a chance, they often become fans, he said. “I absolutely love them,” Gonsalves said of the wines from two Texas wineries that are available at Biga. “It's been a good decision for our business.” Gary Elliott, past president of the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association and owner of Driftwood Estate Winery outside Austin, said the Texas industry is still small, meaning one bad wine can have an oversized effect on its reputation. It's also young and still in the early stage of correcting the misperception that it can't product good wine, he said. But with more wineries and more quality wine, Elliott believes that it will change its reputation. “A lot of Texas wineries are having great results,” he said. Valley's future Texas' wine industry should get a boost if the emerging wine sector in the Valley establishes its credibility and grows. That, officials said, will take more ribbons for the Valley's wine grapes at competitions and a strong marketing plan for its new agricultural products. “Marketing isn't everything, it's the only thing,” said Bobby Cox, a vineyard consultant who is president of the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association. “The real trick is selling the wine.” So far, Jaber has sold about 230 bottles, 200 of those at his grand opening Sept. 6. Matt Ruszczak, director of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, which helped sponsor Jaber's open house, said he expects “Valley pride” will kick in to buy Jaber's wine. The market includes 1.2 million people in Hidalgo, Willacy, Cameron and Starr counties and 3.5 million people living on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, Ruszczak said. Expanding the market area to include Corpus Christi and Monterrey, Mexico, pushes the total closer to 10 million, and Ruszczak believes that the area's drawing power with the new winery should be broader than that. “The opportunity is tremendous for Mr. Jaber,” he said. “Most of our agricultural products are superior-quality products. There's no reason our wine won't be the same.” [email protected]

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Minister impressed as the seeds of success are sown in Adare Reporter: Donal O’Regan10 May 2014 MINISTER for Agriculture, Simon Coveney took a spin to Adare to see the success story that is Samco. MINISTER for Agriculture, Simon Coveney took a spin to Adare to see the success story that is Samco. Samco are taking the world by storm with their ingenious system which has three machines integrated into one. The Samco machine sows the seed, sprays the ground with a pre-emergence herbicide and covers the embedded seed with a specialised degradable film. This specially designed film is proven to increase temperature which ensures rapid plant growth throughout the season and also protects the young plant from early frost.The company are pushing the export markets to the full. Samuel Shine, MD of Samco, said: “With 90 per cent of our sales now being exported to countries such as France, Holland, Belgium, Russia, Chile and Canada, it is true to say the Samco System has provided a solution to produce a high energy, high yielding home grown animal feed in regions around the world where it was previously very difficult and in some cases simply impossible.”New Zealand is synonymous with agriculture and Minister Coveney was delighted to meet the latest member of the Samco team - David Mitchell, who is their sales rep in New Zealand.The international theme continued as Samco employs a number of Polish staff and it was the 10th anniversary of Poland joining the EU.Minister Coveney said he had been closely following Samco’s progress and looks at the company as being a “leading light” in the agri technology sector. He expressed his enthusiasm for what the company was doing and acknowledged the team’s ingenuity and creativity in keeping Samco at the cutting edge of Irish and international technology. He referred to the Samco System as “having no limits” regarding its growth strategy and wished the team every success in the future.Samco have also diversified into other areas related to the successful growth of maize and taken hard action when it comes to combatting soil compaction which was always a major issue for growing maize in Ireland. They have also produced a radical new method of grass seed preparation with the introduction of the new Samco Ground Breaker. Samco are also investigating the possibility of growing spring field beans, soya, fodder and sugar beet under their new degradable 2.2m wide rolls.Deputy Patrick O’Donovan said to see the New Zealand gentleman taking on the promotion in his country shows the excellent export potential of the West Limerick company.“What they are doing in Adare is world class innovation and they are world leaders in what they are doing. There is fantastic credit due to the Shine family who have taken on this from their own farm and grown it into a company with an international reputation,” said Deputy O’Donovan. Leave your comment

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Ag Minute: World Soil Day Today A treasure trove of life-sustaining food, pharmaceuticals, clothing, and much more lies just beneath us. The source of this treasure: the multitude of tiny organisms, minerals, and water that combine to make up that miraculous resource called simply “soil.”There is nothing simple or humble about soil, however, said Gary Pierzynski, professor and head of the department of agronomy at Kansas State University.“Soil should be treated like royalty by all of us – protected and nourished,” Pierzynski said. “Soil is a finite natural resource and cannot be replaced in our lifetime once it is lost to dust storms, water runoff, or pollution.”The value of soil as a precious resource is being celebrated internationally today as World Soil Day, Pierzynski said.World Soil Day has been held every year since 2002, when the International Union of Soil Sciences made a resolution proposing its creation.The purpose of the worldwide celebration is to draw attention to this vibrant, non-renewable resource that surrounds all of us on land, said Chuck Rice, K-State university distinguished professor of agronomy.“Looking at the soil from a broad perspective, there is not much of it – just a few inches to a few feet in depth over most of the Earth’s land. And once it is lost, we’ll have lost it forever. The soil is literally a thin line between prosperity and peril for all of us,” Rice said.“Soils provide much more than just the essential basis for food production, he said. “Soils play a role in sustaining human health and the environment. Soils are home to billions of living organisms, yet only a small fraction has been studied. These organisms are a source of antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs.”Most people probably associate soil with plant life or construction foundations, Pierzynski said. Those functions provide tremendous value to all Kansans.In terms of plant life and agriculture, perhaps few regions of the country derive such immediate benefits from a healthy and productive soil resource than the Central Plains and Midwest, he said.“People throughout the country and world depend on soils, along with water, to produce food and fiber. But it’s in the states where agriculture drives the economy that we see the biggest economic benefit from these finite resources,” he said. “We have a lot at stake in protecting our soil in Kansas. Every time we have a dust storm or see our soil flowing into surface water, we see our economy as a state take a hit.”Agriculture is the largest economic driver in Kansas, valued at more than $33 billion, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s most recent Farm Facts. The productive nature of soils in Kansas is a major factor in this economic engine.The KDA report also states that in Kansas, there are 52,320,102 acres of land. Farmland accounts for 88.6 percent of all Kansas land. More than 28 million acres in Kansas are devoted to growing crops and nearly 16 million is pastureland for grazing animals.“All of this illustrates the economic importance of the soil to the Kansas economy since soil is the foundation of agriculture. Once our valuable topsoil in Kansas is lost, it takes millions of years to generate more of it,” Pierzynski said.Worldwide, the value of plant life and soil organisms to produce valuable chemical compounds that benefit human and animal life adds even more to the value of soils, Rice said, adding that everyone in Kansas can do their part to help protect the state’s valuable and non-renewable soil resource.“Those directly engaged in managing soil resources as part of their business can use practices that will keep the soil from being lost to erosion or pollution. Those in agriculture can protect or increase organic matter, practice conservation tillage and good grazing practices to help prevent wind and water erosion, use terraces and other conservation measures, and keep the soil covered with plant growth or residue year-round as much as possible,” Rice said. “Those in the construction and mining industries can treat the soil they manage as a treasured resource and make sure it remains viable for future generations.”“Those not directly involved in soil management through their work can help protect the resource by not allowing soils in urban areas to become contaminated by pollutants and by taking steps to keep soil from washing into storm drains,” he added.The non-farm community can also help in World Soil Day efforts by realizing the value of land that is protected by vegetation and conservation measures, and appreciating the efforts of others in keeping the soil protected, Rice said.The good, productive soils in Kansas, such as the Harney silt loam, the state soil of Kansas, evolved over thousands of years under prairie grasslands, and with good stewardship will keep providing economic benefits to the state for thousands of years to come, Pierzynski said.For more information on World Soil Day 2013, see: http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership/gsp-events/detail/en/c/206930/.

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Books Habitats, Ecosystems & Natural Spaces Tropical Forests Tropical Forest Ecology: The Basis for Conservation and Management Series: Tropical ForestryBy: Florencia Montagnini and Carl F Jordan295 pages, 80 illusSpringer-Verlag From the publisher's announcement: Research in tropical forestry is confronted with the task of finding strategies to alleviate pressure on remaining forests, and techniques to enhance forest regeneration and restore abandoned lands, using productive alternatives that can be attractive to local human populations. In addition, sustainable forestry in tropical countries must be supported by adequate policies to promote and maintain specific activities at local and regional scales. Here, a multi-disciplinary approach is presented, to better the understanding of tropical forest ecology, as a necessary step in developing adequate strategies for conservation and management. The authors have long experience in both academic and practical matters related to tropical forest ecology and management. Aus den Rezensionen: "Es handelt sich bei dieser Publikation um einen modernen, inhaltsreichen und sehr gut strukturierten Text ! Das weit reichende Thema auf weniger als 300 Seiten zu behandeln, stellt eine grosse Herausforderung dar. In den meisten Fallen ist es den Autoren gelungen, den Stoff ! sehr informativ zu verarbeiten und attraktiv zu gestalten. ! Die Kombination von okologischen, okonomischen und zum Teil auch politischen Auberlegungen macht das Buch zu einem nutzlichen Referenz !" (FRANZ SCHMITHUSEN, JEAN-PIERRE SORG, in: Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen, 2006, Vol. 157, Issue 6, S. 232) Contents 1 Importance of Tropical Forests.- 2 Characteristics of Tropical Forests.- 3 Classification of Tropical Forests.- 4 Deforestation in the Tropics.- 5 Management of Tropical Forests.- 6 Plantations and Agroforestry Systems.- 7 Approaches for Implementing Sustainable Management Techniques.- 8 Conclusions Write a review Florencia Montagnini Dr. Florencia Montagnini is a Professor in the Practice of Tropical Forestry at Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Her research focuses on variables controlling the sustainability of managed ecosystems (e.g., primary and secondary forests, plantations and agroforestry systems) in the tropics, with special emphasis on Latin America. Born in Argentina, she has a BS in Agronomy from the National University of Rosario, Argentina, a Masters degree in Ecology from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) and a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Georgia, USA. She has studied and worked extensively in the U.S. and throughout Latin America, and operates in collaboration with local institutions such as CATIE (Tropical Agriculture Research and Higher Education Center, Costa Rica). She is currently conducting research in Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina and Brazil, on sustainable systems for restoration of degraded ecosystems. As Director of the Program in Tropical Forestry of the Yale Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry, some of the current projects that Dr. Montagnini is conducting include examining the role of native tree species in plantations and agroforestry ecosystems in reclaiming degraded areas with species of economic value; the identification and quantification of ecological services provided by forests (biodiversity conservation, carbon fixing and storage); reforestation of degraded lands with native species, including mixed-species designs; and tropical plantation silviculture. Her research integrates ecological principles with economic, social, and policy factors in the design of sustainable land use schemes in tropical regions. As a scientist dedicated to education in tropical ecology, restoration, and agroforestry, she teaches several courses including, Tropical Forest Ecology and Management, Agroforestry Systems, Introduction to Soil Science, and Forest Landscape Restoration. She also advises Masters and Doctoral students in the study of tropical forestry and agroforestry systems. Carl F. Jordan Dr. Carl Jordan began his professional career with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (Now Dept. of Energy) studying radioisotope movement in the rain forest of Puerto Rico in the 1960s, when radioactive fallout was a major global concern. In 1969, he moved to Argonne National Laboratory and continued studies of radioactivity, this time from reactor effluent. In 1974, he joined the Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, and for ten years led a major study of the structure and function of rain forests in the Amazon Territory of Venezuela. Together with scientists from the Venezuelan National Laboratory and the Max Planck Institute in Germany, over 100 peer-reviewed papers were published, and a summary volume was put out by UNESCO. In the 1980s, he expanded his tropical horizons with research projects and students in the tropical forests Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Thailand, The Philippines, and China (Yunnan Province). A main focus of his work and those of his students was the impact of forestry and agriculture on tropical forests. Notable studies included the Jari pulp project and the Carajas development project, both in the eastern Amazon region of Brazil, an evaluation of the "Movement of People without Land" (MST) movement in Pernambuco, Brazil, an evaluation of Participatory Action Research in Altimira Brazil, and reforestation by the "Forest Village System" in Northern Thailand. In the mid-nineties, Jordan phased out his tropical work, and began to apply many of the principles learned in the tropics to an organic farm in the Piedmont Region of Georgia, where soils and climate are similar to those in many rain forest regions (red ultisols, 8 months per year of hot, wet climate, 4 months of dormancy). Of particular interest is development of "tropical style" alley cropping (leguminous hedge-rows with economic crops in the "alley" between the hedges). As a tropical ecologist, he finds an intriguing question in his new work in the U.S.: "Why are there so few species in extra-tropical latitudes?" Bestsellers in this subject The Green Heart of Sabah NHBS Price: £24.99 Tropical Rain Forests NHBS Special Offer Price: £27.99 From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba NHBS Price: £31.50 A Geography of Hope: Saving the Last Primary Forests / Geografía de la Esperanza: Salvando los Últimos Bosques Primarios NHBS Price: £36.99 Fighting for the Rain Forest NHBS Price: £9.95 Such prompt and efficient service is rare nowadays. David Christie Southampton Read more customer testimonials

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DLA Ejournal Home | QBARS Home | Table of Contents for this issue | Search JARS and other ejournals President's Report C. I. Sersanous, President Much progress has been made in the past year concerning the status of the American Rhododendron Society. The most important step forward was the formation of Chapters throughout the Rhododendron and Azalea areas of the United States. The original incorporators set forth in the articles of incorporation as its first objective, and I quote, "To promote and develop the growing of rhododendrons throughout the United States and to associate together in membership persons interested in promoting and developing the growing of rhododendrons." (end of quote) Your Board of Directors enthusiastically carried out this provision and your President has carried out their wishes. It has been apparent to your President that we could progress as a National Organization by making it possible for our membership to hold meetings on the local level. Obviously, it was impossible to have meeting places where a large amount of our membership could attend. A set of by-laws was drawn up which carried out the objects of the National Organization for acceptance by the Chapters, and upon approval by the Board of Directors these Chapters were given a Charter. We have now, as of this date, seven local chapters, as follows: New York, New York; Richmond, Virginia; Seattle, Washington; Tacoma, Washington; Oakland, California; Eugene, Oregon; and at the annual meeting of the American Rhododendron Society, Portland, Oregon became a local chapter. We have increased our membership nationally from 462 in January 1951, to 645 as of May 1, 1952. This is a considerable gain and undoubtedly was made possible by the formation of chapters. Further progress can be made through gains in membership. We rave 49 members in arrears for their 1952 dues, not included in the figures given above. It is the hope that this mention will serve as a reminder for we cannot, in all fairness to members having paid their dues, still continue on our mailing list the Quarterly Bulletin to those who have not paid. A complete list of members by chapters will be published in the October Bulletin. There are hundreds of rhododendron growers and enthusiasts who would be pleased to join our Society if invited. Many of them know nothing about our efforts, our aims, or objectives. Therefore, may I make another appeal to our membership to bring in at least one new member. Another objective of our National Society was the establishing of Rhododendron Test Gardens throughout our growing areas. This also has been accomplished. A Nomenclature Committee was appointed and Award Committees were set up. Many new hybrids have been entered for our preliminary award and final test garden certificate. Hardiness ratings will also be given. Unquestionably with our favorable climate on the West Coast, many beautiful hybrids will be developed through our Test Garden efforts. Our financial statement as of April 30, 1952, continues to be good. The quarterly Bulletin has had great acceptance by the membership. Our Secretary, Mrs. Ruth M. Hansen, has worked hard and her duties have been faithfully done. Your Board of Directors has contributed much to our Society in their wisdom, time, expense, and good attendance to all Directors' Meetings. Our Committees for the most part have done exceedingly good work. Space will not permit enumeration. However, I would like to thank each and every one personally for their efforts. May I extend to the membership of all of our newly formed chapters my personal congratulations and best wishes for greater success in the future. URL: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v6n3/v6n3-sersanous.htm Last modified: 08/05/14 16:17:58

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Florida Farmers Look to Tropical Fruit as Newest Source of Biofuel By Phil Keating Print This is part of the America's Future series airing on FOX News through the next several weeks, looking first at the country's energy challenges. LA BELLE, Fla. — Facing decimating blights and rising fuel prices, farmers in Florida are looking to a tropical plant rarely grown in America as their newest cash crop: Jatropha curcas, the hottest biofuel buzzword on the market. “When I touch this plant and feel this plant the first thing that comes to my mind is yield and cash flow,” said Bryan Beer, a Jatropha farmer. • Click here to view video. Beer is banking on a lot of cash flow from his first crop of what some experts see as the latest and greatest source of biofuel. As the Jatropha plant flowers, it produces small green fruit at the end of its stalks that contain oil-bearing seeds. For centuries, poor farmers in the tropics have used the oil from crushed up Jatropha fruit as fuel for lanterns — but now they’re not the only ones looking for a cheap source of fuel. It may turn out to be an ideal crop for Florida, which offers the tropical climate the plant requires. “It grows up to 50 years and it uses far less water and far less fertilizer” than traditional Florida crops, said Jatropha grower Paul Dalton and CEO of My Dream Fuel LLC. Jatropha is drought-resistant and grows well even in sand, so some Florida farmers are uprooting their citrus groves to plant it. Citrus requires a much greater amount of care and water to thrive, and crops have been devastated in recent years by the effects of canker and greening. Researchers say 20 pounds of seeds will produce one gallon of Jatropha oil, and they are hailing Jatropha for yielding four times the fuel per acre as soy and ten times more than corn. “The United States is ahead of the curve when it comes to things like production of oil from soy and corn,” said Roy Beckford, a researcher at the University of Florida — but those biofuel sources aren’t without their problems. Beckford said that a conflict emerges when growers divert their crops toward fuel production, driving up prices across the board. “Jatropha, on the other hand, is a non-food crop that has quite a bit of potential,” he said. “It is not a food vs. fuel [issue],” said Dalton. Some farmers think Jatropha may offer a hope of a quick solution. “It grows to full maturity within five years and you can get a commercial harvest within one to two years,” said Dalton. For now, India and China are “way ahead of the United States in terms of production,” said Beckford, who estimates that less than 100 acres of the plant are currently growing in America. “India has probably more than eight million acres right now,” he said. But as farmers get ready to increase Jatropha production, some critics fear the potential ecological impact. “When you go from the laboratory to the industrial scale, sometimes the problems become very real ones and I don’t think we have all the answers yet,” said Pete Quasius, president of the Audubon Society’s Southwest Florida chapter. But as the cost of oil and gasoline continues to rise, any alternative source of fuel is going to get a lot of attention. “There’s buyers from here to Asia to Africa to South America — everybody wants it,” Beer told FOX News. “It’s just a matter of time before we can produce it.” Click here to see more reports on America's Future. Phil Keating joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in March 2004 and currently serves as FNC's Miami-based correspondent.

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Peanuts versus enough off-target dicamba can cost yield, timing matters Jan 10, 2017 Five South Carolinians inducted into Extension Hall of Fame Jan 10, 2017 Florida takes aggressive action against New World screwworm in state Jan 11, 2017 Auxin herbicide training now mandatory in North Carolina Jan 09, 2017 Grant will help North Carolina protect water resources The North Carolina Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation has received a $100,000 grant from Altria Group Inc. to develop a “Strategic Plan for Protecting Agricultural Water Resources for North Carolina,” agriculture and conservation leaders announced. “The need for planning is simple: We don’t want to come out of a drought both hungry and thirsty,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “A statewide survey of agricultural water use showed that farmers withdraw only about 1 percent of the water used daily in North Carolina, but often the perception of the public and even government is that they use too much. By planning now, we can avoid highly reactionary policy measures brought on by future droughts and population growth.” The plan will identify water resources, future needs and ways to better manage water resources. The project will also guide farmers to improve efficiency, conservation and supply of water resources. In addition, the foundation also plans to offer demonstrations focused on these objectives. The project is targeted for completion by October. The plan’s development will be guided by the Agricultural Water Work Group, a collection of 14 representatives from agriculture, government, academia and conservation. Troxler and North Carolina Farm Bureau President Larry Wooten co-chair the group. “Competition for water resources is expected to increase significantly over the next 20 years,” Wooten said. “We need to protect our water resources and our state's number one industry — it’s that simple. This plan will identify the specific things that we can do to reduce water usage, increase our capacity to store water, and keep agriculture growing well into the future.” Cecil Settle, executive director of the foundation, said: “The statewide extreme drought of 2007-2009 rudely reminded farmers and public officials throughout North Carolina of the uncertainty of reliable water supplies in agriculture as well as in urban communities. It also caused us to realize the necessity of planning for proper use and management of this precious resource going forward.” Paige Magness, senior manager of corporate responsibility strategy for Altria Client Services, said: “The foundation and its partners share Altria’s commitment to promoting the sustainability of the natural resources on which we all depend. We are proud to support this thoughtful approach to water conservation in agricultural communities.” TAGS: Legislative 0 comments Hide comments

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Building Soil from Scratch, Two Brothers Embark on Urban Farming Odyssey – Seedstock Top Building Soil from Scratch, Two Brothers Embark on Urban Farming Odyssey TweetEmailMoreShare on TumblrPrint August 10, 2016 | Jocelyn Kerr Finca Tres Roble / Small Places urban farm in Houston is situated on a 1.25 acre lot on the city’s East Side. The for profit urban farming venture grows organic herbs, fruits and vegetables to be sold to individuals and restaurants directly from the farm and area farmers markets. Photo courtesy of Small Places LLC. The 2008 Farm Bill opened the door for new farmers and ranchers by allocating $75 million annually to launch the USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program. New farmers jumped into the program to start small, limited resource farms and ranches, and Congress increased funding to $100 million annually in the 2014 Farm Bill. The 2014 bill also established a USDA microloan program to lend up to $50,000 to small farmers who may not qualify for traditional commercial loans. Brothers Thomas and Daniel Garcia-Prats know a little something about starting a new farm from scratch. They founded Finca Tres Robles/Small Places, LLC, a small urban farm in east Houston, in 2014. The farm sits on an acre of land surrounded by industrial buildings and low income residential housing. “We started with $10,000 I had saved up,” Thomas said. He graduated with a degree in international studies just as the economy tanked in 2008. Unable to find work in his field, he went to work on farms around the country, even working in Nicaragua, before moving back to Houston with the hope of bringing fresh produce to the inner city of his hometown. “[Farming] was exactly what I was looking for: problem solving every day, beautiful places, meeting lots of interesting people with good ideas,” he said. Upon returning home, Thomas joined up with his brother, Daniel, an engineer, and they found a plot of land they could lease. But it wasn’t an easy journey. Rather than become a nonprofit, the pair decided to incorporate and run the farm as a small business. “I’d been visiting farmers and listening to podcasts about limited resource farming, and one farmer said, ‘don’t let money stop you from doing this.’ Yes, we’ve had to work five times as hard because we haven’t had the capital to do a lot of things. We’ve had to look on craigslist, run around, figure out how we can do things ourselves. It slowed down the process, but we put it together and made it work,” Thomas said. With only the two of them, an apprentice, and a handful of steady volunteers over the first year, the brothers built up the soil from scratch using wood chips, coffee grounds and a secret stash of manure they received for free. The process enabled them to create an organic ecology with the bacterial, microbial and bug life they needed for rich soil. “We’re working on trying to purchase the land we’re on, and we hope to have a full acre in production by fall. At that point, we’ll be in production on the majority of our land. There are still 50 fruit trees to kick in, and we’re still looking for ways to put more crops in, but we’d like to take the model and expand that into other areas of the city,” Daniel said. To stay in business, the farm relies on a combination of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, produce sold at their biweekly market stand and farmer’s markets, community classes and fees from events held on the farm. “We split [the harvest] between CSA and farmer’s markets. The goal was 40 [pounds] for spring—20 for CSA and 20 pounds for market. We did closer to 60,” Daniel said. The duo could’ve chosen to become a nonprofit and apply for grant funding, but they spoke about the many guidelines and restrictions that come along with grant funding. “If we were a nonprofit, we would’ve tried to get grants to purchase soil and things like that, but I like that we had to be creative. It forced us to ask for help. Our network has grown and more people are interested in what we’re doing,” Daniel said. As native Houstonians, it was important for them to bring something back to their community. “There’s a big reason we’re in an urban setting—this is where everything is happening. Economics, arts, sports. It’s really fascinating to me that we somehow don’t think growing food belongs here. I want to make the argument that food should be where people are,” Thomas said. The farm is still in its formative years, but the brothers hope to use small business resources, like those offered through the USDA, to continue to grow the company. Thomas just celebrated his 30th birthday and Daniel is 28, and both say they’re committed to the long-haul of making urban farming as successful as any other small business. “Business has not come natural to me, and that’s why I want to do it. The business world is how our society functions and runs, it was very uncomfortable in a lot of ways, but I think [farming’s] something that deserves investment and it deserves to be part of our communities—I believe that 100 percent. [Farming] makes communities better. And it needs capital and investment just like any other business,” Thomas said. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Previous StoryIndoor Farming Venture Seeks to Seed Communities with Aeroponic Farms, Jobs and Food AccessNext StoryFood Bank Farms: How They’re Feeding the Hungry, Farmers, and Themselves Startup Profile: Greenhouses in the Sky, Oh My... August 26, 2011 | Melinda Clark Indiana Urban Farm Takes Whole Lifestyle Approach to Local Food... November 9, 2015 | AJ Hughes Q&A with Keith Tanner: The Debate Over Affordable Housing and Urban Farming... November 3, 2014 | David Sands Through Local Sourcing and Hydroponic Towers, Urban Farmer Delivers Fresh Produc... March 18, 2013 | Abbie Stutzer Urban AgricultureUrban Farming Get Weekly Email Updates! Future of Food Field Trips Visit our sister sites! Get Weekly Email Updates! Home

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Livestock [1]>Beef [2] Spotlighting weed resistance—Farm & Gin Show Are weeds smarter than us? That question, centering on the ability of weeds to develop resistance to herbicides used in Mid-South crops is among issues to be discussed at this year’s Mid-South Farm and Gin Show. “Weed resistance has the potential for major repercussions for our growers, and could well require major changes in the way they’ve been farming,” says Tim Price, manager of the annual show that will be held Feb. 26-27 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis. “It could have a significant impact on conservation tillage, which farmers have widely adapted not only as a cost-cutting measure but as a means to limit soil erosion and reduce chemical use,” he says. “It could cause us to rethink our entire agronomic process.” Experts from several states will participate in a special session on weed resistance at the show Friday afternoon, Feb. 26, Price notes. “This is just one of many issues confronting agriculture as it looks for solutions that will be workable for farmers while conforming to the layers of regulations they have to contend with.” On hand to address some of the legislative, policy, international trade, food/nutrition, environmental, and regulatory issues will be Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, who will speak Saturday afternoon, Feb. 27. “We feel fortunate to have Sen. Lincoln come to our show and for farmers to have the opportunity to have firsthand interaction with her regarding industry issues.” This will be the 58th Farm and Gin Show, which is sponsored by the Southern Cotton Ginners Association, with Delta Farm Press as co-sponsor. It has become a must-attend agricultural event for producers in the Mid-South states, and increasingly for those in other areas across the South because it comes at a key time — as they’re formulating plans for the new cropping season. More than 400 exhibitors will offer a broad range of products and services in the largest indoor farm show in the South. “In addition to the return of a lot of long-time exhibitors — some of whom have been with us since the very first show — we’ve had a tremendous amount of interest by new exhibitors,” says Price, who is executive vice president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. “Agriculture has been in the forefront of new technology adoption in the past decade or so, and companies are working to expand even more the array of products and services being offered to growers to help increase productivity and profitability. “A lot of the new products we’re seeing also reflect the added challenges farmers are facing with weather adversities, problems of the economy, the continuing cost-price squeeze, etc. “All this is evidence that this industry is adaptable, that research and development is a part of its culture of continually looking ahead.” Some 400 exhibitors have been signed for this year’s show, filling all the exhibit halls in the convention center, Price says. “In one place, farmers will have access to hundreds of products and services, so they can see what’s new in agriculture and talk one-on-one with knowledgeable representatives from all those companies, as well as to have one-on-one discussions with fellow farmers and ginners.” More than 20,000 domestic and international decision-makers are expected to attend the 58th annual show. Admission is free, but registration is required for admittance to the show areas. Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The informational Ag Update seminars to be held Friday and Saturday will include outlook sessions for cotton and grains, along with comments from industry officials. Headliner speakers for the 8:30 a.m. Friday seminar will be Carl Brothers, Riceland Foods, and Joe Nicosia, Allenberg Cotton Co. At the Saturday 8:30 a.m. session, Richard Brock, Brock and Associates, will present his in-depth seminar on grain marketing. The member associations of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association will be holding their annual meeting during the week of the show, with informational sessions and other events, including the annual banquet honoring the Ginner of the Year. For more information about the show, contact the Southern Cotton Ginners Association at (901) 947-3104 or visit their Web site, farmandginshow.com [3]. Source URL: http://www.deltafarmpress.com/management/spotlighting-weed-resistance-farm-gin-show

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Profile: Core Business Beechwood Orchard brings fresh fruit to Philly's farmers' marketsby Will DeanA fifth-generation family operation, Beechwood Orchards in Biglerville, PA specializes in heirloom and unusual varieties of fruits—particularly apples—and sells them at many farmers’ markets in the city and beyond. At their stand, you can get esoteric apples—like Baldwin, September Wonder Fuji, Wolf River and Zestar—as well as more traditional ones, like Red Delicious and Granny Smith. There are so many varieties that it can be hard to know what you want, but you might be surrounded by experts.“If there’s another customer around and someone asks about the Honey Crisps or something, I don’t need to open my mouth,” says David Garretson, who runs the orchard with his wife Tammy and their children and grandchildren. “My customers will tell them all about it.”According to Garretson, Honey Crisps, known for their two-tone (red and gold) colors and mixture of sweet and tart, have been the most popular apple this season; but he has other favorites. “I like them, but there’s a lot of other good types, like Macoun, that I like a lot, too.”Customers might feel more at home with Beechwood because the orchard, which is over 100 years old, is based around family. Garretson’s father rode a tractor until he was 86. When his son and daughter came back to work at the orchard—Shawn returned in 2005 and Melissa in 2008—they decided to expand their business into more markets and diversify what they grew. Beechwood has always grown all kinds of tree fruits—including 20 varieties of plums—but Melissa expanded their offerings into heirloom tomatoes and unusual strains of garlic, onions and asparagus. Melissa’s young daughters Isabelle and Cammy also help out, especially with eating the fresh fruit.The push to diversify their offerings was part of a successful plan to sell more at farmers’ markets. Beechwood has been at Philly farmers’ markets for four years, and they’ve become well-known for their delectable fruit. Beechwood uses integrated pest management instead of pesticides, relying on attracting an array of pest-eating insects and animals to keep their plants healthy and chemical-free.That commitment to sustainability and family has borne exceptional fruit and, Garretson hopes, relationships, too. “I think something of my customers,” he says, “and I hope they think something of me.”Sundays at Headhouse Square, Tuesdays at Passyunk, Wednesday at UPenn and Tuesdays & Saturdays at Rittenhouse Square. beechwoodorchards.com In #008 October 2009 Tags buy local, local produce, profile ← How-To: Make a Classic Robot CostumeActivism: 350.org's International Day of Climate Action →

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What do You Mean... SALVATION? The MODERN ROMANS Modern Dating ARID LANDS Can they be reclaimed in time? Eugene M Waller & Gene H Hogberg Can deserts and near-deserts be reclaimed in time to prevent massive starvation in a world threatened by population explosion? Here is a challenging, on-the-spot report from an international conference on this vital subject. MORE than one third of the earth's land surface is arid or semiarid. These arid lands almost equal the combined areas of the North and South American continents. That is a lot of land! Sand deserts alone — and they are but one type of arid land — cover a total area almost twice the size of the U.S. That, too, is a huge chunk of territory. Some sixty countries — about half of the nations in the world — are affected by aridity. Even in the agriculturally rich continental American states, 32 percent of the land is arid or semiarid. As the food and population time-bomb keeps ticking away, can these arid lands be conquered and made useful to man before it is too late? Getting the Facts To bring our readers the answer to this far-reaching question, PLAIN TRUTH editors attended an international conference on "Arid Lands in a Changing World." It was held on the campus of the University of Arizona here in Tucson. Experts from more than thirty countries around the globe, including the Soviet Union, participated in the conference. They presented some 200 papers dedicated to solving a single, common problem: how to use arid lands to provide food and suitable living conditions for an exploding worldwide population. "The whole plan to utilize extensive parts of the arid lands is presented as a possible contribution to the fight against the world hunger problem," said an Israeli participant. An American delegate added hopefully: "These vast, largely uninhabited and underdeveloped areas likely will prove the pressure valve in absorbing an ever-increasing world population. And their cultivation may solve the critical problem of feeding increased billions of future world citizens." But can the earth's sprawling deserts be cultivated on a large scale? Is it possible for the arid lands to fill the growing food gap? And what about new cities, towns and industries in desert areas? Will today's wastelands be the boom areas of the next quarter century? Behind all the visionary statements and the grandiose plans and schemes, what — in true perspective — are the real problems and promises of the earth's arid lands? Basic Problem — Water The most basic problem of all is simply a lack of water. All other problems in arid regions in some way relate to this major need. Any hope for the future development of arid lands rests on finding an adequate supply of usable water. One possibility which has received considerable attention is the desalting of seawater. Few people realize that the earth has some 20,000 miles of desert coastline. And "it is well demonstrated that the coastal desert areas provide one of the most desirable regions for human habitation, if the basic amenities of life can be supplied" (Arid Lands in Perspective, p. 121). The key to supplying these basic amenities is primarily water. And being on the coast, what better way could there be to try to solve the water problem than by desalting seawater? But to what stage of development has desalination progressed? The noted authority on deserts, Peveril Meigs, says this: "Some authorities have high hopes set on this system, but it is still experimental. In the present stage of experiment in water desalination there are many slips between the hopes and the results." (All quotes from Meigs are from his article in Arid Lands in Perspective, a book published by the University of Arizona and released during the conference) This is not to say that desalination is not already useful in a limited way. It may come as a surprise that for domestic use and manufacturing, the cost of desalting water is already below the price of supplying natural sources of water in many arid and semiarid places. But there is a vast difference between producing suitable water for domestic and industrial use and producing water in the quantity and at the cost necessary for use in agriculture. Estimates show that the water needed to support one worker in arid land agriculture would normally support sixty workers in manufacturing. Meigs points out that several leading authorities admit that desalted water for agriculture is simply "too expensive, now and in the indefinite future." On the basis of his experience, one such authority, Carl Hodges of the University of Arizona, gives the tentative figure that by the year 2000 A.D. the most economical means of desalting water will cost twenty cents per 1,000 gallons. While this cost is but a fraction of what it costs to desalt water today, this price is still way above what the farmer pays for irrigation water. To this cost must be added the expense of transporting the water to the field. On this point N. Wollman of the University of New Mexico said in a speech at the conference: "Desalination and delivery to point of use is likely to be too expensive in the foreseeable future to be justified for agriculture...." These statements ought to make it clear that desalination is not the key to the reclaiming of arid lands for agriculture. Desert cities will probably continue to grow and new cities will spring up — perhaps aided by desalination. But vast new agricultural breadbaskets as a result of desalting seawater? No, this is but a dream. The race to supply food for an exploding worldwide population is a lost cause if the big hope is desalination. A Unique Pilot Project Near the Mexican desert seacoast town of Puerto Pefiasco, some 160 air miles from Tucson, is a unique project which represents an interesting attempt to solve the food problems in arid lands. This experimental project, which is sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted jointly by the Universities of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, is an integrated system that is designed to provide power, water and food on desert coasts. The authors had the opportunity to visit this project during the course of the Arid Lands Conference. This is how the operation works: Waste heat from diesel-engine-driven electric generators is used to desalt seawater. This fresh water is piped to vegetables planted within controlled-environment, greenhouse-like structures of air-inflated plastic. Since the air within the greenhouse is nearly saturated, the water required by the plants is small compared to plants grown outdoors or in a conventional greenhouse. This is important when the water being used is expensive desalted seawater. Finally, exhaust gases from the engines, after being cleaned in seawater scrubbers, are used to enrich the atmosphere within the plastic hemispheres with carbon dioxide. This accelerates the growth of the plants inside. So far some 18 kinds of vegetables have been grown in this manner with varying results. Certain vegetables grow twice as fast and/or give much higher yields than those produced outdoors or under normal greenhouse conditions. Although they have been controlled to this point, disease problems have occurred and are an ever-present threat because of the extremely moist environment. Also some varieties have produced abnormal growth. Believers in the project say that all that is needed to make this system work on a large scale is lots of time and money. It is pointed out that if a mere 5 percent of the earth's desert coasts (some 925 miles) were developed to a depth of twenty miles, using a system which produces food at rates which have already been attained, enough food for feeding one billion people could be grown (Arid Lands in Perspective, page 124). On paper, such developments look promising. Already the first large-scale installation of such a project is being planned in the oil-rich Arabian Gulf sheikdom of Abu Dhabi. It is approximately ten times the size of the Puerto Pefiasco pilot project. But how many arid countries have the kind of money necessary to build such highly sophisticated projects on a scale that will make a significant contribution to their food supply? Very, very few. The average arid country is not an oil-rich Arab sheikdom — and the Rockefeller Foundation can't support the world! Further, how many arid lands have the educated and skilled personnel necessary to successfully operate such a sophisticated project? The answers to these questions very quickly bring us face to face with stark reality! Quality the Missing Ingredient There is yet another glaring weakness in controlled-environment projects such as that just described. The food plants are grown directly in beach sand that is leached with desalted water. This sterile sand is sometimes lacking in the elements necessary for plant growth. It is always lacking in the humus that should produce the microbes that are essential for converting minerals and humus into balanced plant food. Once the plants are growing in the sand, they are control-fed with liquid nutrient solutions made from dry commercial-grade fertilizer. The fertilizer compounds are completely water soluble and are applied through the irrigation system. Plants grown under these artificial conditions look good. But the truth is, the nutrient simply cannot supply the plants — and ultimately the human body — with all that is needed for good health. Yet this factor is being entirely ignored! There is apparently concern only for the yield — the bulk — which can be produced. We were told that no experiments are under way or even being planned which would test the nutritional effects of such chemically grown food plants. Health-giving and life-sustaining food can come only from plants grown in balanced, "living" soil. Such foods do not come from plants grown on sterile sand and nourished with chemical mixtures. Yet, the long-range effects of a diet consisting mainly of such types of incomplete food is not being considered. Irrigation — and Education Another major hope for solving the water problem of arid lands is irrigation. About 368 million acres are presently being irrigated in the world. Though this is a small percentage of the total agricultural land, irrigated land produces a disproportionately large percentage of the world's food supply. Some authorities feel that by 2000 A.D. the amount of irrigated acreage could be doubled. But for this to occur the same old haunting problems must be hurdled. First, there is the matter of money. Like all other schemes to utilize the arid lands, it costs huge sums of money to build dams and to install complex irrigation equipment. But difficult as the money matter may be, it is perhaps the easiest part of the problem to solve. Far more difficult to solve is the knotty problem of finding or training the skilled personnel necessary to successfully operate irrigation projects. This involves the critical factor of education. In many arid lands, the nation is so poor that only a third or a fourth of the young are receiving a primary education, and only a tenth of these go on to secondary school. Further, many of those who do receive an education in these lands are trained in fields utterly unrelated to the manpower needs of their country. "Far too much emphasis is put on higher degrees when the greatest need is for middle-level persons with specialized skills," reported W.H. Walker of the Ford Foundation. "If education does not become a major force in bringing about the necessary changes," he warned, "we have lost the battle for 'freedom from hunger' in the race with population." Another major problem is what W.E. Warne called "the social problem of water." "Engineers may construct irrigation projects," Mr. Warne reported, "but until the people who must use them to water their crops are organized, the works will not be used nor will they be maintained." He cited as an example a project in Afghanistan. Though technically well-conceived, this particular project has not prospered in many years for the reasons just discussed. Engineering developments are far ahead of education and government, Mr. Warne continued, and "unless there is some catching up done soon, the capital being invested in water-project development in underdeveloped arid regions will result in many unused canals by 2000 A.D., and the great expectation of increasing food supplies will be shattered." Political Climate Lacking The hard truth is that most arid lands today simply lack what it takes to make irrigation successful. In fact, as another delegate to the conference pointed out: "Only in Australia and the Western United States is the arid area favored in its growth by a uniform cultural-economic-political environment attuned to the conditions requisite for economic growth. In all other arid areas... severe restraints are imposed by the socio-cultural-political systems... These arid areas start their climb not from zero, but from less than zero...." (Paper by M. M. Kelso) D. W. Thorne, an international technical advisor on irrigation, commented that too much attention is usually given to planning and completing the construction details on irrigation projects. At the same time, he said, far too little is devoted to making the projects operate as effective farming systems. What is the result of this? The usual result is a moderately primitive farming operation superimposed on an expensive water storage and distribution system. The farmers are unable to repay the costs of the system, and the country's plans and investments to provide increased food supplies fall far short of the goals. But even this is not the entire story. Given the capital, the skilled personnel and a workable government, there is still another important factor to be considered. That factor is the long-range ability of desert lands to produce under irrigation systems. The Hazards of Irrigation "Poor drainage in the flat desert plains under extensive irrigation threatens eventual failure of irrigation," warned H.B. Peterson of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration in Washington. He explained that desert irrigation is caught between the twin hazards of water logging and salinity. Artificial drainage using mechanical power can prevent or delay the salt hazard. But pumping ground-water reservoirs to relieve water logging can create a new hazard — over pumping. Over-pumping may eventually exhaust these supplies. Mr. Peterson is concerned about upsetting the sensitive desert environment. "Using modern technology, much can be done by man to permit further utilization of the attractive desert environment," he said, "but great care and forethought are required lest utilization becomes exploitation and the ecological consequences outweigh the benefits." Those consequences could easily be less land producing less food than ever before! In certain parts of the world, irrigation projects have yet other problems. "Desert irrigation schemes in Africa are particularly vulnerable to attack by the desert locusts" said J.L. Cloudsley-Thompson of the University of Khartoum, the Sudan. "Desert irrigation schemes are almost certain to become focal centers for... diseases transmitted by invertebrate vectors... The development of man-made lakes and canals in tropical regions introduces many other problems of medical entomology." Mr. Cloudsley-Thompson concluded: "Although much could be done in the semiarid savanna lands of Africa, it is well to be realistic. It would be more profitable for the world to invest in land that is already productive. Much of the money and technical advice supplied to underdeveloped countries by national and international agencies is misapplied or wasted... Development plans must be accompanied by education." Other Miscellaneous Schemes There are a number of other schemes which are being tried and talked about in the effort to surmount the water problem of arid lands. Now under investigation are several means of collecting surface runoff. If the scant rain which falls on ten acres can be induced to trickle into a storage area, then enough water may be available to produce food on at least a part of one acre. Another professor described his experiments with a process called "trickle irrigation." This method conserves water by applying it close to the plants in drips only as fast as the plant can use it, thus eliminating evaporation losses. Further, because only very small amounts of water are used, the water can be quite saline without causing trouble. Yields in experimental plots have been double or better than yields produced by traditional irrigation methods. In this scheme, however, he fed his plants with water soluble fertilizers similar to the Puerto Periasco experiment. And, as in the other experiments, the nutrition factor is far down on the list of importance. Is It a Lost Cause? Man is trying his best to utilize the arid lands before it is too late. But his whole system of government, education and economics — indeed, his very own nature — militates against him. Man may find short-term solutions, or solutions which have a limited application — but he is farther than ever from making the arid lands truly productive on a global basis. The fact is that "historically, we have been more adept at making deserts than in the successful use of those made by, nature" (Zeller). Yes, with few exceptions, land use has been synonymous with land abuse! And the shocking truth is that, despite his efforts at reclamation, man today is creating deserts far faster than he is reclaiming them. Look at Africa for a moment. "The agricultural outlook for the arid zones of North Africa is rather grim," H.N. LeHouerou of the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance, told the conference. "The pasture lands are rapidly becoming depleted and the desert gains more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) per year on the average." In places, the desert in North Africa is advancing up to 30 miles per year! "According to the best possible hypothesis," LeHouerou continued, "one can only hope to maintain the present standard of living between now and 1980." That standard is a paltry $60 per capita per year for the agricultural population. Other speakers voiced the same pessimism about Africa and stated that further losses of land to the desert must somehow be stopped immediately. But how? And by whom? The Deserts Reclaimed! Any real and permanent solution to the problems of arid lands must include a source of usable water, an educated populace, an equitable government, and a sound economic system — all on a global basis. Good News is that just such a solution is going to be brought about. It is described, believe it or not, in the book that dares to foretell the future — the Bible. Here is the description of how the Bible claims the water problem will be solved: "Even the wilderness and desert will rejoice in those days; the desert will blossom with flowers.... Springs will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground will become a pool, with springs of water in the thirsty land. Where desert jackals lived, there will be reeds and rushes"! (Isaiah 35:1, 6, 7, Living Prophecies translation) Could this water come from deep aquifers such as the "vast reservoir which underlies an extensive area of the Sahara"? Geologists believe these underground reservoirs are of such dimensions that they are virtually inexhaustible. Here is an added description: "In the deserts will be pools of water, and rivers fed by springs shall flow across the dry, parched ground. I [God) will plant trees — cedars, myrtle, olive trees, the cypress, fir and pine — on barren land" (Isaiah 41:18-19). Man cut down the trees and thus began the cycle of destruction which has caused many of today's deserts. But in the world tomorrow that destructive cycle will be stopped — and reversed. It is also interesting to note that in many desert areas there are "deep and well-formed fossil soils, which call for nothing more for revitalization than water and regeneration of microorganisms" (Drouhin). Yes, in the world tomorrow the soils of the desert will be maintained by following sound principles of agriculture. What of the system of government and education necessary for this agricultural program to function? The whole story of future world development is made plain in vivid detail in our attractive free booklet, The Wonderful World Tomorrow - What It Will Be Like. Also read our newest booklet, Famine — Can We Survive. It will be coming off the press very shortly. Reserve your copy today. Back To Top Plain Truth MagazineOctober 1969Vol XXXIV, No.10

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Biography of Mrs. Isabell Duhig (w/o I. M.) Napa County, CA Biographies MRS. ISABELL DUHIG. Recognized as one of the well improved and fertile ranches of Napa county is the Duhig farm, which was for many years operated by the late I. M. Duhig, whose death occurred June 4, 1925, and who was long numbered among the progressive and enterprising citizens of Napa county. The ranch is now being managed by his widow, Mrs. Isabell Duhig, who has manifested sound business judgment and excellent discrimination in her handling of the property. Mr. Duhig was a native son of Napa county and was born April 24, 1862. He attended the public schools and then took a course in engineering in Heald's Business College, after which he turned his attention to farming, to which occupation he devoted himself during his remaining years. His farm comprised one hundred acres of choice land, to the cultivation of which. he gave intelligent direction, and he was considered a man of more than ordinary sagacity and judgment in his business affairs. In addition to the cultivation of the soil, he also devoted some attention to the raising of sheep, keeping a good sized flock. He was a generous minded and accommodating man, unselfish in his relations with his neighbors, and he frequently assisted in jobs of steam engineering, which he had studied in his younger days. He was deeply interested in the public affairs of his community and was president of the Carneros District Telephone Company, was the first director of the Los Amigos Farm Center and rendered fifteen years of efficient service as clerk of the school board. Politically he was a stanch republican and was a Protestant in his religious faith. Mr. Duhig was twice married, first in 1884 to Miss Mary Ralston, whose death occurred in 1889. To this union was born a son, Louis R., who is now engaged in the real estate business in San Francisco. He is a veteran of the World war, having served six months in the Philippine islands, after which he was sent to Siberia, where he served about a year and a half, when he was returned home and received an honorable discharge. In 1893 Mr. Duhig was married to Isabel Harris, and to them were born three children, namely: James H., who lives in Oakland, California, where he is assistant storekeeper for the Western Pacific railroad; Eudora, who is an inspector of engineering for the United States navy and lives in San Francisco; and Stewart, who lives at home. James H. had a fine record during the World war. He served in France and participated in some of the most important engagements in that country and in Belgium, including the Argonne and Marne battles, and remained there until after the signing of the armistice. In his youth he had taken a course in engineering in the Van der Naillen School of Engineering and was therefore detailed for much survey work while with the army. Mrs. Duhig's father, J. R. Harris, was born in Ireland, November 4, 1838, and came to Napa county in 1869. He went into the mountains at Atlas peak where he hewed the timber for a cabin. In that cabin Mrs. Duhig was born, March 14, 1871. Mr. Harris was one of the real pioneers of this locality and contributed much to the early development of this section. He was one of the first men to plant shade trees in Napa county, and he and some of his neighbors sent a man and team all the way up to Oregon to secure fruit trees, as none could be had here. Mrs. Duhig's mother is now living with her, at the age of seventy one years. Mrs. Duhig also has three brothers and a sister living, namely: Joseph R., of Napa, who is the sheriff of Napa county and is the father of two sons; Frederick, who is a farmer near Monticello, Napa county, and is the father of three children; Harry R., who is a farmer and stockman in Napa county; and Mrs. Catherine Schleuse, who lives in Contra Costa county, where her husband is engaged in the insurance business. From: History of Solano County, California BY: Marguerite Hune Napa County, California BY: Harry Lawrence Gunn Napa County, CA

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Livestock>Animal Health Cow Fixer Vs. Herd Health Veterinarian? BEEF Vet Examines Production Medicine “Production medicine is part of every-day veterinary medicine. As the veterinarian, you should always be thinking about the client’s total operation. "Are you a ‘cow fixer’ or a ‘herd health veterinarian’? There is a big difference.” -- W. Mark Hilton Wes Ishmael | May 25, 2013 Production medicine—melding animal health and veterinary care into animal production management—is beyond infancy, but it’s far from losing all its teeth. “The concept of cow-calf production medicine is still relatively young and still evolving,” says Terry Engelken, DVM, a professor of production medicine at Iowa State University, focusing on the cow-calf and feedlot sectors. “It requires paradigm shifts on the part of the producer and the veterinarian. The producer has to come to the realization that their veterinarian has more to offer than just being a ‘cow mechanic’ and the veterinarian has to understand how to collect and analyze economically important factors that impact profitability.” Though Dr. Engelken sees slow, steady growth over time, it seems acceptance and use of production medicine is scattered, more client-dependent than size-dependent. In California, for instance, John Maas, DVM, Extension Veterinarian at the University of California-Davis says it’s a mixed bag. There are progressive practitioners working with progressive cow-calf producers to improve profit potential. There are also producers who view veterinarians as folks who douse emergencies, and veterinarians content to provide only those fire-engine practice kinds of services. “It’s been one of those things you would think common sense and good business suggest we would have evolved to by now,” Dr. Maas says. Figuring out the business model of providing production medicine services continues to stall some. Russ Daly, DVM, Extension Veterinarian at South Dakota State University, believes producers recognize the value of veterinarians and the information they provide. He also knows veterinarians who want to provide production management service to clients. For the most part, though, he says, “In this state, I’m not sure that we’ve found a good way for veterinarians to capture that value, which works for the client as well.” As for W. Mark Hilton, DVM, it’s impossible to think about production management without considering the animal health side of it and vice versa. Dr. Hilton is a clinical professor in food animal production medicine at Purdue University. He also founded and owns Midwest Beef Cattle Consultants, which many regard as a poster child for how to work with clients in partnership rather than a buyer and seller of specific services. Like what you are reading? Subscribe to Cow-Calf Weekly for beef industry updates every Friday in your inbox! “Growing up, our veterinarian helped us. He fixed things, but he’d also show us something else that could help us,” Dr. Hilton says. “Production medicine is part of every-day veterinary medicine. As the veterinarian, you should always be thinking about the client’s total operation.” Dr. Engelken concurs. “I disagree with those who say that production medicine skills are separate from individual animal medicine, surgery, or palpation skills in a cow-calf practice,” Dr. Engelken says. “I think they are very intertwined in that unless you can exhibit a high level of competency in these areas, you probably won’t build enough trust with the producer to provide consulting services. These skills are also absolutely critical to being able to collect the baseline production numbers that you need to be able to provide consultative services to the client.” “Are you a ‘cow fixer’ or a ‘herd health veterinarian’?” Dr. Hilton asks, “There is a big difference.” Herd-Specific Data is the Foundation For one, Dr. Engelken explains, “Record keeping and data analysis must come into play if you are ever going to get this type of service off the ground. You can’t benchmark performance if the appropriate numbers aren’t being recorded, and that first step can be a real challenge. You have to think about what output parameters you want to evaluate and then make sure you are getting those numbers captured. Then, it becomes a question of identifying the magnitude of losses and what areas the client needs help with. Are those losses associated with cattle disease, herd management, or a combination of both?” “Production medicine is more of a mind-set of how you do things, and the most important thing that we can do is find the weak links in the production chain,” Dr. Hilton says. “We want to find the most important factors that are hindering a farm’s success.” In that effort, Dr. Hilton encourages veterinarians to focus on four production goals: decrease production cost; increase the value of production sold; doing both of these with less labor; and maintain or enhance animal welfare. “I’m a fan of individual cow records,” Dr. Hilton says. “Producers are surprised how consistent individual cow production is from year to year.” With records, clients can see that a cow weaning a calf 25 percent lighter than the herd average this year will likely produce one of similar caliber next year, and the year after. Dr. Engelken points out that the records portion of cow-calf enterprises is less standardized and more challenging to ferret out than in other sectors like feedlots, stocker operations, dairy and swine. “Your opportunities to generate production or economic numbers are really driven by specific events that occur during the annual production cycle,” Dr. Engelken explains. “These events include calving, calf processing, going to grass, weaning, pregnancy check, etc. You aren’t typically generating input/output numbers on a daily basis like producers in other animal enterprises. These events may be separated by several months (start of breeding until preg-check) or they may occur over a relatively long period of time (the calving or breeding season), which makes data collection and interpretation more difficult. Secondly, in cow-calf practice, veterinarians are often the ones collecting the data since they will be the ones on the ranch as these production events occur. This data may take the form of reproductive information, calf performance numbers, and animal health performance.” The next step is at least as essential. Once this data is collected, the important thing is that it is economically relevant to the operation and that it is converted into information that the practitioner and client can use to identify problems and make corrective management decisions,” Dr. Engelken says. “I believe that’s when information has economic value to the producer. This value is improved over time as economically important management changes are continually identified, documented, and benchmarked.” Any area of production that drives a substantial amount of production output or input invites examination. For Dr. Engelken, three key areas jump to mind: data based evaluation and the benchmarking of reproductive performance over time; nutritional management to control the cost of supplemental feed; herd health design and maintenance. “Reproductive performance drives the bus on the income side of the equation and has to be closely monitored,” Dr. Engelken says. “However, when you look at the differences in profitability between beef operations, you will find much more variation in input costs than you do in revenue generated. Since the largest component of cash costs deals with supplemental feeding, it is only natural that our profession should be involved in evaluation of the nutritional program and cattle feeding practices.” Likewise, Dr. Hilton says, “Nutritional consulting has provided our clients with the best return on investment. Feed costs are up tremendously over the past five years and our herds that have kept feed cost from rising at the national average are doing much better financially than those that are average or above. I have heard from veterinarians who have saved clients $30,000 in feed cost versus what they would have fed. Even simple ideas like allowing cows only 4-6 hours daily access to hay can save a producer over 30 percent of his hay cost, according to Purdue research.” As for design and maintenance of the herd health program, Dr. Engelken says, “We are constantly bombarded with new ‘miracle cures’ that come from a syringe, in the form of antibiotics, vaccines, or mineral supplements. I think the practitioner plays a key role in helping producers understand what they need, and maybe just as importantly, what they don’t need. This also requires that diagnostic information be collected from both live animals and necropsies so that disease patterns on the farm can be monitored and herd health programs changed as needed. This is still at the heart of veterinary medicine.” “Every herd has strengths and weaknesses, but if health is one weakness, it’s nearly impossible to have any real strengths,” Dr. Hilton says. “Think of all the problems that may occur subsequently if calves get sick at a very young age—increased death loss, lower weaning weights and rates, increased sickness and decreased growth in the feedlot, less replacement heifers for the herd, etc. Health is surely a huge impact on the total herd.” Wrap it all together and Dr. Engelken says, “In our case, we continue to be involved in nutritional management, ration analysis, electronic record keeping, and evaluating reproductive performance. We also spend a fair amount of time evaluating options for our clients and using partial budgets to play ‘what if’ games and look at alternatives. “Providing impartial science-based information is part of our job. Just simply due to the huge impact that reproductive performance has on ranch profitability, I guess it’s inevitable that we continue to look at estrus synch options, bull selection parameters, and the potential uses of gene markers. Having said that, we still do the traditional things such as palpations and disease management.” It’s Hard To Pigeonhole Client Interest As mentioned at the outset, producers of a particular size or in a particular part of the world aren’t necessarily more or less likely to be interested in a production medicine relationship. But there are indicators. Where he sees successful production medicine relationships, Dr. Maas says, “Number one, the ranchers are business people, no matter the size of the herd. They’re 110 percent vested in the cattle business for their income or they have come to ranching from another business. They understand inputs, outputs, shrink, all of the things that affect their bottom line.” When Dr. Engelken was on faculty at Mississippi State University, he worked with folks in the agricultural economics department to survey beef producers in the state. The aim was trying to identify practices, demographics and characteristics that defined various levels of management. “Obviously herd size made an impact. The larger the herd, the more time the producer devoted to herd management. These producers also utilized their veterinarian more often,” Dr. Engelken explains. “However, factors such as client age, education level, the number of extension meetings attended, serving as an officer for a cattlemen’s group and participation in seedstock production affected their level of herd management, as well as how they interacted with their veterinarian. “That is a point that I try to drive into our students: If you want to come into contact with producers who would be willing to use consultation services, then you need to understand the characteristics of those producers. Our graduate veterinarians need to be involved with the local cattlemen’s groups, extension programs, as well as organized veterinary medicine. They need to be able to identify larger operations (especially seedstock) that are being operated by younger individuals who have an animal science or ag economics degree. “Those are the producers who understand the impact that our profession can have on their bottom line. However, there are also smaller operations that want to do things the right way and will actively seek out this type of service, even though their cow herd is not their primary source of income.” Conversely, Dr. Maas believes veterinarians willing to proactively forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones tend to have the most success providing consulting that goes beyond fixing problems. “Clients call to ask questions. That’s the point at which veterinarians need to begin relationships,” Dr. Maas believes. “Maybe someone calls to ask about a particular vaccine. Also tell them how to handle it and how it should be administered. Ask them if they’re BQA certified.” Dr. Maas says. “Then, figure out a way to follow up to see how they got along, at no cost to them. Maybe that leads to a chat about how they develop their heifers or what genetics they use and why,” Dr. Maas says. “Invest your time and energy into follow-up, so they understand that you’re the kind of veterinarian who is interested in their operation, not just someone who’s there when there’s an emergency or when they have a question.” Some will grab the invitation immediately and do their part to establish the relationship. Others never will. “Dedication to relationship is the important thing,” Dr. Maas says. “The bottom line is that there may only be 15-20 percent of clients that will be willing to pay for a complete consultative type of program (nutritional management, record keeping, breeding season evaluation, economic analysis, etc.),” Dr. Engelken says. “But, they have been my best clients because without fail, they have all made me a better veterinarian.” How You Go About It “The key is to establish credibility and gain trust,” Dr. Hilton says. “The client has to trust the veterinarian to do what is right for the client’s business. That trust comes from time spent working together and having some successes along the way. If I can solve a client’s calf scours problem then I have earned some credibility. Once I have credibility I get asked more questions about the beef business. I want to be the ‘go to’ person in their beef business. Half the time they have a question, I won’t know the answer, but that’s not a deal breaker. I know the people who can help answer that question. They are already on my ‘team’ because I have asked them questions before.” Likewise, Dr. Engelken says, “It takes time and trust. We work for a client base that tends to be very conservative and risk averse. They want to feel comfortable that you can treat a sick animal and have it get better, that you can handle a dystocia and end up with a live cow and calf, that you have accurate palpation skills, and understand the importance of reproduction to their bottom line.” A common characteristic Dr. Maas notes in the practitioners involved in these kinds of relationships is their passion for sharing information. “These veterinarians are educators. They love what they’re doing. They love to educate, to teach, and they don’t feel like they have to do everything themselves. They’re happy to share their knowledge and don’t feel like they have secrets to guard,” Dr. Maas says. If you’re looking for a more specific game plan, Dr. Hilton suggests, “Go to the client who asks you the most questions. Tell him or her you want to make a deal. You want to do more production medicine and want their herd to serve as the pilot. You’ll charge less because you’re learning, too.” Then, Dr. Hilton says, “Let’s look at the goals for your herd, identify something I can help you with in the next year, a problem I can solve or help prevent, something that will make your life easier.” For example, maybe the client says winter feed costs have gotten out of control. Even if you don’t feel like you have the nutritional expertise to solve the problem, Dr. Hilton stresses you know folks who can. At the same time, don’t sell yourself short. “Some of our veterinarians have tremendous expertise in nutrition. Others are very savvy on added value marketing programs,” Dr. Daly says. “They might not realize they have enough expertise to provide advice to clients, but they probably do.” Incidentally, Dr. Daly sees genomics as an area where there is currently a void of understanding that veterinarians could help clients bridge. Getting Paid For What You Know None of this works, of course, unless veterinarians are paid enough to make production medicine worth their while. As alluded to earlier, some folks feel uncomfortable charging for information they’ve likely given away in the past. Plus, it can be difficult for producers to assign value to information when it seems to be everywhere for free. "You can get information from your neighbor, from the Internet, from university extensions,” Daly says. “I try to impart to producers that local, farm-specific information is more valuable than information they can get anywhere else.” One step Dr. Daly sees some veterinarians making in such a transition is charging clients by the hour rather than for providing a particular service. That’s how Dr. Hilton has long charged clients. Rather than be tempted to try selling a client another product or service, by charging hourly, Dr. Hilton says you can try to talk them out of buying things to save money and add value. “You do not have to sell something to someone to make a living,” Dr. Hilton says. “You do not have to do a procedure on an animal. Our most valuable asset is our brain. You have to charge for your knowledge.” “We could argue about the definition of consulting as it applies to a cow-calf practice,” Dr. Engelken says. “I guess maybe the simplest definition is getting paid for what you know. That payment could take several forms such as a per head fee, a retainer, an hourly consulting fee, or even enjoying a high degree of client loyalty because you offer a higher level of service than other veterinarians in the area.” Of course, there are few buyers for anything that dampens rather than grows the bottom line. Veterinarians Must Bring Value “In consulting, the goal is to always give the client value for the money they spend. If I charge someone $1,000 for consulting and it saves him $5,000, that is a win-win. If I charge $6,000 for that same result it is win-lose and the client will never spend money with me on consulting again,” Dr. Hilton says. “The way that we marketed our program is that we explained to the owners that, really, this program was free,” Dr. Hilton says. “If, for example, the program was going to cost $8 per cow, per year, to be on the records and consultation part of our program, we would show them how they could make at least $8 more per cow in increased income. Then we would also show them how we would be able to save them at least $8 per cow in reduced expenses. We guaranteed the program would be cost effective to the owners IF they gave us their short and long term goals AND they implemented the changes we suggested.” The program Dr. Hilton is referring to is the Total Beef Herd Health Program (TBHHP). He began it in 1988 when he started Midwest Beef Cattle Consultants. The program cornerstones are herd health, records, fertility, environment, marketing, genetics and nutrition. “We examine the herd from a total herd view and make recommendations based on financial return,” Dr. Hilton explains. “Common concerns of herds I have visited in the past include: inadequate herd fertility, cows that do not fit their environment, lack of hybrid vigor, pasture conditions that are not optimum for production, excessive calf morbidity, etc. Although we see recurring trends in herds, each herd is quite unique in its strengths and weaknesses.” Back to the beginning of the program. “After looking at financial figures, many times the first year on the program produced significantly more than twice the client’s investment. We had herds that increased revenue up to eight times what they paid us for one year of the program, so that was very exciting,” Dr. Hilton says. “If you want to be a hero with your clients, in addition to helping them decrease their cost of production and increase the value of their product, have them do both with less hours of work devoted to the enterprise. Tell me who else has these goals for the producer? The answer is no one.” Dr. Hilton cites other examples of veterinarians bringing added value to clients: Vets host an annual calving clinic to remind clients about when to call for assistance (progress every hour), what supplies they should have on hand, and provide a review of techniques on how to assist in delivery. Clinics help clients precondition calves with a uniform health program, then sort them into uniform load lots so client calves command higher prices. Vets assist cow-calf owners in formulating rations, utilizing corn and soybean coproducts to stretch winter feed resources and save significant money on winter cow feeding. One vet organized some of his very best client herds to sell bred replacement females. After pregnancy check, the secretary at the clinic records all data in a spreadsheet and provides this to producers looking for heifers. The spreadsheet gets updated throughout the fall and winter as heifers are sold and others are added to the for sale list. “Recently, a beef producer had some calves for sale. Last year he received a horrible price, given the quality of the calves. He asked another producer where he sold his calves. That producer told him, ‘My vet lined up a couple of potential buyers for me and I got top dollar.’” The producer who received the lousy price contacted the veterinarian. The veterinarian stopped by to see the calves and called two buyers. The producer received a price he felt his calves merited. “The producer then called the veterinarian about his calf scours problem. Long story, short, the veterinarian proposed a very good solution to the scours problem, started asking about nutrition and will be formulating all of that producer’s rations now,” Dr. Hilton explains. “The same producer also wants to enroll his herd in the veterinarian’s records program. The veterinarian has become the ‘go to’ person for that producer’s beef herd.” Dr. Hilton asks students the most effective way to have success with clients in the future. He tells them it’s having success with clients today. “You have to provide value,” Dr. Hilton says. “It’s got to make money for them. I want to be an asset to the client, not a liability.” Moreover, Dr. Hilton emphasizes clients must drive. “Clients have to tell you what they want. You can’t tell them what to do,” Dr. Hilton says. He learned that lesson the hard way early in his career. “I give them recommendations, the owner makes the decision. If they want to keep a late-calving cow, for instance, that’s their business.” “You really have to pick and choose your opportunities to start production medicine programming,” Dr. Engelken says. “Rarely do you institute this massive consulting type relationship at one time; at least that has not been my experience. It seems like I have been more successful in starting with an obvious weak point such as heifer development or an animal health issue and then working in the rest of the program over a number of years. Some herds are more willing to adopt this type of relationship faster than others, but it takes time to build that trust account with the client.” Though none of this is necessarily quick or easy, Dr. Hilton emphasizes that’s it’s not complicated. “Let people know what you can do. Do it. Follow up. Keep asking clients what their goals are and then help them reach them,” Dr. Hilton says. “Veterinarians need to be more proactive in asking clients what they need from them. Clients need to demand more from their veterinarians than fixing problems.” Combating Sulfur Toxicity In Range Cattle Picture Perfect Summer Grazing Scenes From Readers Condition Score Your Cows To Help Minimize Problems MicroBeef Technologies Will Introduce Computerized Stethoscope For Cattle

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Agribiz: Agriculture exports, imports forecast at record level Horse slaughter plant opens in New Mexico [email protected] Agriculture is the largest industry in the country and the pulse of the economy can generally be gauged by how well the industry is functioning. It looks like it will be a better year for agriculture as the economy strengthens. U.S. fiscal year 2013 (October 2012-September 2013) agricultural exports are forecast at a record $139.5 billion, $3.7 billion above fiscal year 2012 exports and $2.1 billion above the fiscal year 2011 record. U.S. agricultural imports are forecast at a record of $111 billion in fiscal 2013, $7.6 billion above the previous record in fiscal 2012. Stronger global gross domestic product growth and robust demand in China and developing countries in Asia, Latin America and North Africa are expected to boost export demand for U.S. products, offsetting the effects of a stronger U.S. dollar. The 8 percent increase in U.S. agricultural imports forecast for FY13 is driven by a combination of a relatively strong 3.2 percent increase in personal disposable incomes in the year through March, combined with the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. U.S. agricultural import growth is forecast to be broad-based, with relatively large increases forecast in major import categories, including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, and livestock and meat products. Horse slaughter plant opens for business The U.S. Department of Agriculture has given a New Mexico plant the go-ahead to begin slaughtering horses and likely will issue similar permits to plants in Missouri and Iowa, according to Reuters. Slaughtering horses for meat has been a hotly debated issue for more than a year, as the closed cattle processing plant in New Mexico attempted to switch to horses, both houses of Congress moved to prohibit equine slaughter, and Oklahoma overturned a 50-year-old state law banning the practice. “Valley Meat Co. is encouraged that after well over a year of delay that the process has finally reached completion,” the company said in a news release on Friday. “Valley will now begin final preparation to hire 40 to 100 employees over the coming weeks and months so that they may go to work providing a humanely harvested, safe, legally compliant product to the world markets.” Horse meat cannot be sold as food in the United States, but it can be exported to countries such as France, China and Russia, where horse meat is more common. Animal rights groups oppose slaughtering horses, as do some members of Congress. Lawmakers essentially banned the practice of slaughtering horses for meat in 2006, by denying the USDA any money for inspectors, but the prohibition expired in fall 2011. Congress could once again refuse to fund inspectors for horse slaughterhouses as part of USDA appropriations, but that decision could be months away. That left USDA little leeway to deny a permit to Valley Meats, a spokeswoman for the agency said. Those who support loosening state and federal laws on horse slaughter say it’s cruel to ship horses to Mexico and Canada for slaughter and that banning humane slaughter leaves owners with few options if they can no longer afford proper care for a horse. Some 166,000 horses were shipped from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada in 2012 for slaughter, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Opponents, such as the Humane Society of the United States and Front Range Equine Rescue, argue that horses are not intended for human consumption, so they are given medications that food-source livestock would not receive. The USDA said it can test for residues of 130 pesticides and veterinary drugs. Lawmakers could vote on reinstating the ban in coming weeks when the USDA appropriations bills are debated in the House and Senate. But no date has been set to consider the bills and it could be months before work is completed. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which would specifically prohibit slaughtering horses for food, was filed in 2011. The bill is sponsored by U.S. Reps. Dan Burton, R-Ind., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., in the House and by Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in the Senate. USDA conducts tests on domestic and imported products to determine whether meat is beef, sheep, swine, poultry, deer or horse. The agency stepped up its species testing in April after a European scandal in which unsuspecting buyers received horse meat in food they bought from an online retailer. Source: GrowingGeorgia.com Michael Wheeler is county extension coordinator for the UGA Cooperative Extension in Hall County. You can contact him at 770-535-8293, www.hallcounty.org/extension. His column appears biweekly on Thursday’s Business page and at gainesvilletimes.com.

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Creating Gender-Responsive Agricultural Development Programs A maize farmer in Tanzania whose crop yields have increased through the use of better seeds. our goal: to reduce hunger and poverty for millions of farming families in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia by increasing agricultural productivity in a sustainable way. In This Page Nearly 1 billion people worldwide are affected by severe hunger and poverty. Many are farmers who rely on small plots of land (about one to two acres) for their food and income. Our goal is to help these farming families produce more food and increase their income, while preserving the land for future generations. We focus on the crops and livestock that are most important to farming families in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Helping women farmers is one of our top priorities because women do much of the agricultural work and their well-being affects the health, welfare, and education of their children. From the 1960s to 1980s, the “Green Revolution” in Asia and Latin America—a sweeping effort to transform farming methods and improve staple crops such as maize, wheat, and rice—helped to double food production and saved hundreds of millions of lives. Many governments and donors subsequently shifted their attention to other concerns, believing that the problem of inadequate food supply in the developing world had been solved. This was not the case in Sub-Saharan Africa, however, where some Green Revolution approaches were tried but failed. Meanwhile, in the intervening years, population growth, rising incomes, dwindling natural resources, and a changing climate have caused food prices to rise and agricultural productivity has once again become strained. Many of those affected are smallholder farmers. Three-quarters of the world’s poorest people get their food and income by farming small plots of land about the size of a football field. Most of them barely get by—struggling with unproductive soil, plant diseases, pests, and drought. Their livestock are frequently weak or sick. Reliable markets for their products and good information about pricing are hard to come by, and government policies rarely serve their interests well. These factors, in turn, put millions of families at risk for poverty and hunger as well as malnutrition—the world’s most serious health problem and the single biggest contributor to child mortality. At the same time, one consequence of the first Green Revolution—excessive fertilizer use leading to water pollution—underscores the importance of sustainability to safeguard both environmental and human health. Helping farming families increase production in a sustainable way, and sell more crops, is the most effective way to reduce hunger and poverty over the long term. Dairy farmers in Bangladesh are benefiting from programs that help them increase production and improve veterinary care. When farmers grow more food and earn more income, they are better able feed to their families, send their children to school, provide for their family’s health, and invest in their farms. This makes their communities economically stronger and more stable. Helping farmers improve their yields requires a comprehensive approach that includes the use of seeds that are more resistant to disease, drought, and flooding; information from trusted local sources about more productive farming techniques and technologies; greater access to markets; and government policies that serve the interests of farming families. Agricultural development must also address gender disparities. In Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, women are vital contributors to farm work, but because they have less access to improved seeds, better techniques and technologies, and markets, yields on their plots are typically 20 to 40 percent lower than on plots farmed by men. Addressing this gap can help households become more productive and reduce malnutrition within poor families. Agricultural Development is one of the largest initiatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To date, we have committed more than US$2 billion to agricultural development efforts, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Our approach is based on the following principles: Listening to farmers and addressing their specific needs. We talk to farmers about the crops they want to grow and eat, as well as the unique challenges they face. We partner with organizations that understand and are equipped to address these challenges, and we invest in research to identify relevant and affordable solutions that farmers want and will use. Increasing farm productivity. We support a comprehensive approach to helping smallholder farmers prosper that includes access to heartier seeds, more effective tools and farm management practices, locally relevant knowledge, emerging digital technologies, and reliable markets. We also advocate for agricultural policies that support farmers in their efforts to better feed themselves and their communities. Fostering sustainable agricultural practices. In an era of increasingly scarce resources and growing impact of climate change, we encourage farmers to embrace and adopt sustainable practices that help them grow more with less land, water, fertilizer, and other costly inputs while preserving natural resources for future generations. Achieving greater impact with partners. We are committed to communicating our strategy more effectively and sharing what we’ve learned with grantees and other partners, including governments, nongovernmental organizations, traditional and emerging donors, and the private sector. Our resources, while significant, represent only a fraction of what is needed. Collaborating effectively with others maximizes our collective impact in helping farming families. Areas of Focus We invest in the following strategic areas that we believe will help address the challenges and local realities faced by farming families in the developing world. Go To> Access and Market Systems Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy Researchers are seeking ways to combat crop disease such as those infecting the cassava plants on this Tanzania farm. We support research to develop more productive and nutritious varieties of the staple crops grown and consumed by farming families. These include varieties adapted to local conditions that deliver specific benefits farmers seek, such as increased yields, better nutrition, and tolerance to drought, flood, and pests. We fund research to discover ways to better manage soil and water resources and reduce crop loss due to spoilage, weeds, pests, disease, and other threats. Agricultural Policies Timely, relevant, and accurate information is crucial to farmers. Policymakers in developing countries also need good data to inform their decision making. We support data collection, research, and policy analysis to help evaluate the impact of various approaches, get accurate information to farmers, and assess the effects of national and international agricultural policies. Our research also includes measuring the progress of our grants to ensure that they are delivering the anticipated benefits to farming families. Livestock is a key part of farming in developing countries and is crucial to the livelihoods of more than 900 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. We support efforts to improve the health and productivity of livestock—particularly chickens, goats, and cows—by improving animal genetics and veterinary care. To ensure that farmers can benefit from animal health and genetics technologies, we test models for providing farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to increase their on-farm production and connect to stable markets. Our work particularly aims to increase income-generating opportunities for women, who may have little control over productive resources such as land but sometimes own and control livestock, especially poultry and goats. New programs enable farmers to access crop-related information via cell-phone We support efforts to get new and appropriate tools and farming practices into the hands of farmers. This includes improved seeds and access to better soil, water, and livestock solutions. We look for ways to strengthen knowledge exchange through technologies such as mobile phones and radio. We also work with farmers’ organizations to help farmers hone their business management skills, gain greater purchasing power and marketing leverage, and improve their crop and resource management skills. Additional priorities include helping farmers improve their storage and post-harvest activities, meet quality and quantity commitments, link to large-scale and reliable markets, and establish partnerships with buyers, processors, and farmers’ organizations. To achieve the goal of sustainable agricultural productivity, our strategy relies on strong partnerships with donor countries, multilateral institutions, private foundations, and other organizations. While strengthening existing partnerships, we are building new partnerships with countries such as Brazil and China, which have developed their own agricultural sectors through technological and policy innovation and are increasingly important to agricultural growth in the regions where we work. Through our advocacy efforts and investments, we seek innovative solutions to agricultural policy challenges and we work to foster the political will and public support to solve them. Our overall goal is to ensure that donor and developing-country investments and policies support sustainable smallholder farmer productivity. Next: Emergency Response

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Home > Case News > “He’s a necessary evil.” “He’s a necessary evil.” Posted By Bill Marler on You have to love the last quote of this article that covered my speech to the lettuce and spinach growers in Salinas a few weeks ago. Lawyer: Food safety mishaps could cost millions By John Chadwell of The Packer Bill Marler’s message to California grower-shippers was clear: he appreciates the leafy greens industry’s attention to food safety programs, but he is prepared to take millions of dollars out of their businesses if they “poison their customers.” Marler, the Seattle attorney who’s made a name by winning settlements against the food industry in the wake of foodborne illness outbreaks, said he felt like Daniel stepping into the lions’ den as he appeared before nearly 300 growers and packers during an Ag Forum Luncheon on Feb. 28 at the National Steinbeck Center. Marler said he appreciated how people who make their living growing fresh vegetables might feel about listening to someone who has received judgments against other food industries surpassing $300 million. “People who are in this room today are serious about this (food safety),” he said. “But I’m concerned about the people who aren’t in this room who may not be as dedicated to solving the problem.” He gained a national name for himself by obtaining record-breaking settlements against the Jack-in-the-Box chain in 1993 when more than 600 were sickened and three children died from eating undercooked hamburgers. From 1993 to 2003, 95% of his business involved litigation against the meat industry. “By 2004, I was saying there are no more meat E. coli cases,” he said. “Unfortunately, the fresh produce industry has filled in quite well in the sense that most cases I now have are E. coli cases tied to spinach and lettuce.” Marler said he appreciated what the industry was doing in devising a self-regulating marketing agreement. “But the industry as a whole in every corner of the United States and product that comes from overseas has to play by the same rule book,” he said. “Voluntary/mandatory standards in California make no sense when you’re competing with folks in Arizona, Texas and New Jersey.” If the industry fails in its food safety efforts, Marler said he has an advantage over the produce companies. “I don’t have to prove fault,” he said. “I don’t have to prove you’re bad. All I have to prove is that my client got sick from eating your product. It’s a matter of strict liability.” Lorri Koster, co-chairwoman of Mann Packing Co., said she didn’t think Marler was accusing the industry of deliberately doing something wrong. “Obviously, something’s broken,” she said. “Some people asked me what’s he doing here and I told them if it’s not him, somebody else is going to sue you. Some said he’s the bad guy, and I said, ‘Keep your friends closer and your enemies closer.’ He’s a necessary evil.”

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Peanuts versus enough off-target dicamba can cost yield, timing matters Jan 10, 2017 Five South Carolinians inducted into Extension Hall of Fame Jan 10, 2017 Florida takes aggressive action against New World screwworm in state Jan 11, 2017 Auxin herbicide training now mandatory in North Carolina Jan 09, 2017 Southeast growers want safety nets preserved Paul Hollis | Jun 09, 2010 The U.S. House Agriculture Committee recently began the long and arduous process of writing the 2012 farm bill by holding a series of hearings throughout the country, with the congressmen making stops in Alabama and Georgia in mid-May. Fearing the repercussions of a huge federal deficit and its impact on the next farm bill, most producers and commodity group representatives appearing before the Committee stressed the importance of preserving and strengthening the safety nets provided by the current farm legislation. In Morrow, Ga., nine members of Congress heard testimony from 11 witnesses on a variety of farm policy issues. “Georgia’s diverse agricultural producers and the state’s great history of agricultural research and innovation provide important insights that will help the House Agriculture Committee as we prepare to write the next farm bill,” said Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.). “Understanding the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia farmers is important as we consider the future of U.S. agricultural policy.” While peanut producers support the marketing loan program, the current program prices are set too low to be a safety net for producers, testified Armond Morris, farmer and chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission, during the Georgia hearing. Morris was representing the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, comprised of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Georgia Peanut Commission, the Florida Peanut Producers Association and the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association. The Georgia members of Congress in attendance included David Scott, D-Ga.; Jim Marshall, D-Ga.; and Sanford Bishop, D-Ga. Obtaining a “legitimate” safety net is the No. 1 goal for the Georgia Peanut Commission, said Morris, adding, “We do not believe the current $355 per ton marketing loan is sufficient to be a real safety net for producers.” Peanut program prices were reduced in the 2002 farm bill, he said, going from a supply-management program to a marketing loan peanut program, and the 2008 farm bill maintained the same prices as the 2002 farm bill. “Market prices for this year should hold above the marketing loan price, but this is no guarantee and certainly not a guarantee for the future,” said Morris. (For other testimony at the Georgia hearing click here) According to data from the University of Georgia’s National Center for Peanut Competitiveness, peanut variable costs have increased 52 percent per acre since 2002, testified Morris. “U.S. farmers are also competing with other countries like Argentina, China and India where environmental costs, other regulations and labor rates are much less than U.S. input costs,” he said. While recognizing the fiscal and political limitations in drafting a successful farm bill, Morris said he wanted to stress to the Committee members that growers will work with them in developing the best possible legislation “But the pricing structure in the 2008 farm bill is not sufficient and certainly won’t work for peanut producers if these same prices hold through the life of the 2012 farm bill. If budget variables require the Committee to look at alternatives to our current marketing loan program structure, the Federation will work with you to develop the best safety net possible for our producers. I do want to point out that the ACRE program, as included in the 2008 farm bill, is not a viable option for peanut producers.” The loan repayment rate for peanuts has not functioned appropriately since the 2002 farm bill, said Morris, and the committee included language in the 2008 farm bill that has not been adhered to. “When setting the loan repayment rate, USDA has not taken into account the world market prices. Thus, the USDA posted price for peanuts set every Tuesday afternoon is too high.” Also testifying at the Georgia hearing was Ronnie Lee, a cotton, peanut and grain producer from Bronwood, Ga., and a member of the Southern Cotton Growers board of directors. Lee said the 2008 farm bill met most of his organization’s principles and has worked well for the cotton industry. “The centerpiece of the upland cotton program and traditional commodity programs has been without question an effective marketing loan program. It provides a safety net for producers, but does not harm the competitiveness of U.S. commodities. It is a program component that makes sense, that works, and that serves many critical purposes,” he said. Lee acknowledged that the 2012 farm bill debate will take place with several new and increased points of pressure. “Record budget deficits will put intense pressure on funding. The WTO Brazil Case puts cotton’s marketing loan and counter-cyclical programs under special scrutiny even though the cotton program, as revised by the 2008 bill, has never been evaluated by a WTO Panel,” he said. If circumstances arise that make it impossible to maintain a reasonable safety net using existing delivery mechanisms, said Lee, the cotton industry will look at alternatives. “As evidenced by recent sign-ups, the ACRE program has not been a very attractive alternative for cotton farmers in our region or across the Cotton Belt. The support mechanisms within ACRE do not provide an adequate safety net for cotton farmers when compared to the traditional DCP program. If a revenue-based approach is to find support among cotton producers, a more reasonable revenue target would have to be established.” Lee said the USDA over-stepped the intent of Congress in key payment eligibility provisions and issued regulations that are “overly complicated and restrictive.” “Sound farm policy provisions are of little value if commercial-size farming operations are ineligible for benefits. The vast majority of these are true family farm operations that have expanded in size in an attempt to lower per unit cost of production (economy of scale). While we oppose any artificial payment limitations, we advocate administering the current provisions within the intent of Congress and strongly oppose any further restrictions,” he said. At the House Agriculture Committee’s hearing in Troy, Ala., Carl Sanders, who is president of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and a peanut, cotton, corn and cattle producer, agreed with the Georgia testimony that the current marketing loan program does not provide an adequate safety net for peanut producers. In years of high production, said Sanders, USDA’s pricing generates an excessive carryover into the next year that weakens the contract offerings to growers. There are additional considerations for any program changes in the next farm bill, he said. “Making payment limits more restrictive than imposed by the 2008 farm bill will create even more problems for many peanut producers who may be impacted. We must maintain our separate payment limit for peanuts. This was agreed to when producers worked with the House and Senate Agriculture Committees in the 2002 farm bill establishing a marketing loan program for peanuts. The current program will not work without the separate payment limit,” he said. Ricky Wiggins, partner in a row-crop family farming operation in south Alabama, told Committee members that the current three-part safety net of marketing loans, direct payments and counter-cyclical payments had worked “fairly well” for Southeastern farmers. “We do have some issues with USDA regulations on eligibility and see the need for Congress to be more specific on intent. Policy should encourage maximum participation without regard to farm size or structure,” he said. e-mail: [email protected] TAGS: Legislative 0 comments Hide comments

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Announcing SmartGardener.comThe first in our series. Smart Gardener is a new SaaS productivity toolthat enables enthusiastic gardeners to easily design, grow and harvest a successful organic vegetable garden. We have launched our SmartGardener.com Beta this Spring 2011. Smart Gardener is uniquely positioned to give *consumers exactly what they need to easily grow their own healthy, organic vegetables. Smart Gardener is built with proprietary IP and delivers consumers highly personalized tools and garden plans based on key inputs including geo-location and household size. Our service is also differentiated by a complex weather mapping algorithm, an extremely rich database of over 500 plants, as well as ecommerce to purchase the best organic seeds available online. * In 2010, 14 million new households joined the existing 55 million to grow their own food. Garden Trends Research Report, 2010 It's not about early adopters or a select group anymore. It's about all of us. Our online products leverage smart digital technology to make it much easier, convenient and satisfying for anyone to integrate sustainable practices into their daily lives. We believe in mainstreaming sustainability. Smart Living Studios, LLC, was founded in 2009, after 3 years of research and development by its founder, Kristee Rosendahl. In 2006, Kristee moved to a 300 acre property in Sonoma County to enable her to pursue a more "hands on" lifestyle of sustainable food gardening, reviving an old orchard for hard cider and beekeeping. Her endeavors, Big Dream Ranch LLC, now provide fresh vegetables to local restaurants and honey to retail stores. All this while trying to run a consulting business meant she wanted to both enjoy her time outdoors while being efficient and successful with the results. Frustrated every weekend about what to do in the garden, she resorted to reading hundreds of gardening books, designing spreadsheets, and spending hours online. Further frustrated with those results, she began building the first prototype in 2006 of what would become Smart Gardener today. While refining it, she spent time with lots of gardeners and wanna be gardeners who confirmed to her that there was an eager market out there wanting to be successful at growing tasty healthy food. During this same time, she saw a larger trend emerging - an increased desire and need to reclaim personal self-sufficiency on both a personal and social level. Smart Living Studios, LLC was created as the publisher of a variety of titles addressing this need. Smart Living Studios, LLC is a company in the northern California Bay Area founded to build a new breed of digital products that make a positive and tangible difference in peoples lives. Kristee Rosendahl, Founder, CEO and Product Designer Kristee Rosendahl has spent the last 26 years working across product development, user experience, design and management to build innovative new digital products and applications. In 1985, she pioneered the field of User Experience as the co-founder of Apple Human Interface Group and from 1986 to 1991, was one of the principal designers of the Apple Multimedia Lab in San Francisco. During her career, as CCO, VP of Product Development, Director, Creative Director, Art Director, Designer, and Manager, she has designed and delivered products across multiple media platforms and multiple channels while helping to define the new role of designer in these new and unchartered fields. She has brought unique perspectives, as a key member on executive management teams, to product vision; building and managing teams based on the early integration of user experience, creative, engineering, business and marketing. Kristee has developed several ground-breaking models for community, digital interactivity, revenue generation and branding on the internet while at Purple Moon, Harcourt Education, Apple and with clients like Microsoft, Cheskin Research, SFMOMA, Playskool, Motorola, and the BBC. Some of these products received the Codie, MC ICON, American Center for Design, Cindy Gold and Silver Medals. Prior to SmartGardener, Kristee ran her own consulting firm, KR Studio, LLC, helping very early stage start-ups with customer strategy, product development, user experience and initial design. She holds two patents; one for a method of rotating a three-dimensional icon and the other for a user interface system and method for traversing a database. She graduated from Stanford University in 1977 with a BA in Graphic Design and went on to do extended studies at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. InvestorsPlease contact: Kristee [email protected] 548 7167 Copyright 2009-2011, Smart Living Studios, LLC. Smart Gardener, Inc. is a spinoff of Smart Living Studios, LLC. All rights reserved.

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PoultryWorld - USDA and HHS - New food safety site USDA and HHS - New food safety site Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the co-chairs of the Obama Administration's Food Safety Working Group, unveiled a new consumer website. The website, which is designed to help consumers and families get all the latest information on food safety and food recalls in one convenient place, features information from all the agencies across the federal government that deal with critical food and food safety information, including preventive tips about how to handle food safely, alerts on life-saving food recalls, and the latest news from the key agencies. With this new tool, consumers are provided with one easy place to sign up to receive email and RSS alerts on recalled or potentially unsafe food, as well as get information from the top scientific experts across the government on food safety. Later phases of the site to be launched will include recall feeds for texting and mobile phones. The website will also feature a foodsafety.gov widget that the public and the media are encouraged to download and promote on their webites and social networking sites. The widget will instantly update viewers with the latest food safety recalls and will be a valuable public health and safety tool. Praise for the new site Leaders from HHS and USDA praised the new site and said it would be a valuable tool in their efforts to keep our food supply safe and consumers healthy. "Protecting the health and well-being of the American people is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government. Our new and innovative approach to connecting consumers to food safety information in an easy and timely manner is a critical improvement in this effort," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The highest mission of any government is keeping its citizens safe. In this administration, we see public health as an essential part of that mission and this new website as an essential way we will can help keep people safe from unhealthy food and food handling practices and up-to-date on critical food recalls," Secretary Sebelius said. "Consumers no longer will have to search around in different places trying to figure out which agency manages which food product. All the information that they will need will be one easy place at www.foodsafety.gov." "This site focuses on prevention by highlighting the steps both businesses and consumers can take to avoid illness," said Food and Drug (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg. "It also will be a clearinghouse for information on the latest FDA rules and guidance." "Health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rely on information from many places, including consumers, when it comes to tracking food-borne illnesses across the country and the world," said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. "With this new website, consumers will quickly know who to contact if they believe they became ill from eating a certain food. Those reports of illness can help us identify potential outbreaks sooner and strengthen our efforts to protect Americans from unsafe food and food-borne illness." Natalie Berkhout re-calls US: HPAI confirmed in Californian turkey flock The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has... On Jan 27, 2015 In Meat New measures by USDA against Salmonella and Campylobacter The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has proposed new federal... On Jan 26, 2015 In Health On Dec 21, 2015 In Broilers LPAI confirmed on UK poultry farm UK government body, Defra, has confirmed that low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) has been detected on a...

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Hobo Spiders - November 21, 2007 Jeff Schalau, Associate Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County The hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) was accidentally introduced to the United States (through the Port of Seattle) sometime before the 1930's. It almost certainly arrived via commercial shipping vessels carrying cargo originating from agricultural areas of Europe. By 1968, it had become established as far east as Spokane, Washington and Moscow, Idaho, and as far south as Corvallis, Oregon. Today, it is known to occur in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, north and central Utah, and Western Montana. It has not been reported in Arizona and there is currently no cause for alarm. The hobo spider has gained notoriety because it is poisonous and its bite causes necrotic lesions similar to the bite of brown spiders (Loxosceles spp.) which includes the brown recluse). In its native European range, the hobo spider nests outdoors and is not reported to be a serious threat to humans. In the United States however, the hobo spider has rapidly adapted to living in close proximity to humans and successfully expanded its range. These apparent differences could be due to genetic differences between populations, but is more likely due to lack of competition from other spider species and/or environmental conditions. The hobo spider is a member of the funnel-web spider family Agelenidae. Funnel-web spiders are long-legged, swift-running spiders that build funnel or tube-shaped retreats. Hobo spiders rarely climb structures like other spiders do. It has a brown cephalothorax (the front body region where the legs are attached) with darker brown markings and brown legs. The abdomen (the second body region) has a distinctive pattern of yellow markings on a grey background, although this pattern can be difficult to discern without the aid of a microscope or hand lens. Unlike many other similar-looking spiders, hobo spiders do not have dark bands (like multiple arm bands) on their legs. The hobo spider breeding cycle begins with eggs deposited in the fall which begin hatching in the spring. The juvenile hobo spiders grow and develop over the summer (or several summers) and will also overwinter before reaching maturity the following year. Males and females will mature from June to September. Males seek out females for mating during the summer and most die before October. Mated females start laying eggs in mid-September, with one to four egg sacs produced over a period of four weeks. There is some disagreement among researchers as to the length of the hobo spider life cycle. Only one year may be required to complete a generation among the warmer coastal regions; however, inland populations are believed to require two or three years to complete a generation. If the hobo spider does reach Arizona, it will likely reproduce more quickly in lower elevation areas. Hobo spiders are most commonly encountered by humans July through September when males wander in search of female mates. This is when most bites are known to occur. Female hobo spiders tend to stay in their webs and are not usually found wandering. Anecdotal information has indicated that hobo spiders may be aggressive. However, based on the experience of Utah researchers, they seem to be no more aggressive than other spiders, such as grass spiders or wolf spiders. In closing, it is not my intention to alarm people. We do not have any records documenting hobo spider occurrence in Arizona. Conversely, there is a distinct possibility that it will be introduced here at some point in the future. The goal of this column is not to scare, but to educate. Spiders, including black widows and brown spiders, are insect predators and are considered beneficial when found in their native range and habitat. Again, no need for alarm – just be aware. More information on the hobo spider, including photos, can be found by using the links provided below. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest control. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 ext. 14 or E-mail us at [email protected] and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. University of California Publication on Hobo Spiders University of Idaho Publication on Hobo Spiders Utah State University Publication on Hobo Spiders Back to Backyard Gardener Home Page Arizona Cooperative ExtensionYavapai County840 Rodeo Dr. #CPrescott, AZ 86305(928) 445-6590 Last Updated: November 15, 2007Content Questions/Comments: [email protected] Legal Disclamer

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African Rice I was aware that they ate a lot of rice in West Africa, since when I lived in Liberia, the rise in the price of rice was an important reason for the revolution that put that country into years of civil war and chaos. What I didn't know (since I worked in urban Liberia, not in a rural area) was that rice was independently domesticated in West Africa around 1500 BC from a wild plant that grew there. From Kew garden site: Scientific name:Oryza glaberrima Steud.Common name:African riceConservation status:Widespread in cultivation.Habitat:African rice grows best on fertile alluvial soils although it tolerates low soil fertility and can produce higher yields than Asian rice on alkaline and phosphorus-deficient soils. Floating rice is planted on loam or clay soils. There are only two species of cultivated rice in the world: Asian rice (Oryza sativa) and African rice (Oryza glaberrima). African rice is native to West Africa, where it is cultivated as a foodcrop. It is known for its hardiness and its ability to compete with weeds, pests, infertile soils and human neglect. However, increasingly African rice is being replaced by the introduced Asian varieties of Oryza sativa, which produce a higher yield than African rice, shatter less easily and have a softer grain that is easier to mill. This article notes that a new cross breed of both rices has greater yields and could help the growing population in West Africa.

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Decrease Food Waste and Give Yourself a ‘Raise’ Up until recent times, the weekly ritual of planning meals played itself out in homes across the country. Meals were painstakingly thought out. By Robert Giblin Up until recent times, the weekly ritual of planning meals played itself out in homes across the country. Meals were painstakingly thought out. Moms clipped coupons from the Thursday night paper and carefully planned the weekly grocery shopping trip. At meal time, everyone at the table was expected to be a member of the “clean plate club.” Even the family dog might happily to do its part, cleaning up table scraps. Leftovers were packed as lunches or eaten at other meals later in the week. Little went to waste. Lifestyles have changed dramatically and so has the amount of food waste we generate. Numerous experts have proclaimed the need to double the world’s food supply in the next 40 years to meet a growing population and changing dietary demands. However, because of food waste, doubling the food supply actually will require tripling production from fewer resources.According to a report issued in January by the UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers, “Global Food: Waste Not, Want Not,” up to half of all food produced goes to waste. Waste occurs at all levels of the food chain, from production, to harvesting, transportation, processing, retailing and restaurants and by consumers. The UK report echoes studies previously released by other organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Various sources show that a lot of food is produced but never consumed in North America and Oceana—nearly 40 percent of grain products, half or more of seafood, fruits and vegetables, and one-fifth of meats and milk. The good news is that because of ever-improving farming practices, very little of that loss is in farming and production in the U.S.—just 2 percent of grains, 11 percent of seafood, 20 percent of fruits and vegetables, 3 percent of meat and 3 percent of milk. Higher losses in fruit and vegetable production are due to retail, restaurant and consumer expectations of perfection; nutritious, safe and “tasty but ugly” produce never leaves the field. The consumer side is another story: 27 percent of grain products, 33 percent of seafood, 28 percent of fruits and vegetables, 12 percent of meat and 17 percent of milk go to waste in the U.S. The UK report says that as the development level and per capita income of a country increases, the food loss problem generally moves further up the chain, toward consumers. Thus, the U.S. is among the most efficient and least wasteful in farming and production, but the most wasteful at the consumer end.Further, close to 20 percent of the U.S. food supply is lost in households, restaurants and foodservice. In restaurants, portion sizes have increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Yet, on average, diners leave 17 percent of meals uneaten and half of all leftovers are not taken home.At home, U.S. families throw out one-quarter of the food they buy. Yet every day, about one in six people—50 million people—in the U.S. are “food insecure.” Reducing food losses by just 15 percent could feed half of them.Fortunately, small changes can yield big payoffs. Analysts estimate that reducing food waste can help the average family of four find an extra $1,350 to $2,275 annually. That’s a nice bonus in tough economic times. For consumers, reducing waste does not mean major dietary changes, guilt or doing without. It starts with little steps: meal planning, small reductions in portion sizes, taking home and eating restaurant leftovers, accepting slightly imperfect produce and storing and cooking with an eye toward reducing waste.Reducing waste in the food system is a continuous improvement process, involving cooperation and efforts at all levels. It also requires education, but not from a formalized program. It may be as simple as asking mom or grandma, “How did you used to do this?”Robert Giblin is an occasional contributor to the Focus on Agriculture series for American Farm Bureau Federation. He writes, speaks and consults about agricultural and food industry issues, policies and trends.

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Global Food Crisis Imminent, Drastic Changes Needed: Planet Under Pressure Published on Wednesday, March 28, 2012byCommon DreamsGlobal Food Crisis Imminent, Drastic Changes Needed: Planet Under Pressure Scientists call for immediate shift to global sustainable agriculture, decrease in wastebyCommon Dreams staff(Photo: AFP)According to a new report released today at the Planet Under Pressure conference in London, drastic changes must be made to agriculture and food consumption around the world to avoid a global food crisis in the near future. According to a year long study by The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change there are already one billion people in the world that are undernourished while millions of others eat in excess. The waste of affluent countries has aided environmental damage and mass hunger in the rest of the world. "Global demand is growing for agricultural products and food prices are rising, yet roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. Climate change threatens more frequent drought, flooding and pest outbreaks, and the world loses 12 million hectares of agricultural land each year to land degradation. Land clearing and inefficient practices make agriculture the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution on the planet," the Commission reports. The report calls for massive shifts in agricultural practices: "If you're going to generate enough food both to address the poverty of a billion people not getting enough food, with another billion [in the global population] in 13 years' time...you can't do it using the same agricultural techniques we've used before, because that would seriously increase greenhouse gas emissions for the whole world, with climate change knock-ons," Commission chair Prof Sir John Beddington told BBC News. World Scientists Define United Approach to Tackling Food Insecurity (Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change): Nearly one billion people in the world are undernourished, while millions suffer from chronic disease due to excess food consumption. [...] To address these alarming patterns, an independent commission of scientific leaders from 13 countries released today a detailed set of recommendations to policy makers on how to achieve food security in the face of climate change. In their report, the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change proposes specific policy responses to the global challenge of feeding a world confronted by climate change, population growth, poverty, food price spikes and degraded ecosystems. The report highlights specific opportunities under the mandates of the Rio+20 Earth Summit, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Group of 20 (G20) nations. “Food insecurity and climate change are already inhibiting human well-being and economic growth throughout the world and these problems are poised to accelerate,” said Sir John Beddington, chair of the Commission. “Decisive policy action is required if we are to preserve the planet’s capacity to produce adequate food in the future.” The report was released at the Planet Under Pressure conference where scientists from around the world are honing solutions for global sustainability challenges targeted to the Rio Summit, which will be held on 20-22 June in Brazil. [...] The Commission has outlined seven recommendations designed to be implemented concurrently by a constellation of governments, international institutions, investors, agricultural producers, consumers, food companies and researchers. They call for changes in policy, finance, agriculture, development aid, diet choices and food waste as well as revitalized investment in the knowledge systems to support these changes. Farming Needs 'Climate-Smart' Revolution, Says Report (BBC News): Farming is probably responsible for about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, although the figure is hard to pin down as a large proportion comes from land clearance, for which emissions are notoriously difficult to measure. Although there are regional variations, climate change is forecast to reduce crop yields overall - dramatically so in the case of South Asia, where studies suggest the wheat yield could halve in 50 years. "We need to develop agriculture that is 'climate smart' - generating more output without the accompanying greenhouse gas emissions, either via the basic techniques of farming or from ploughing up grassland or cutting down rainforest," said Sir John. [...] It says the economic and policy framework around food production and consumption need to change to encourage sustainability, to raise output while minimising environmental impacts. Farmers need more investment and better information; governments need to put sustainable farming at the heart of national policies. [...] But it also recommends changes in developed nations - for example, around food waste. "The less we waste food, the less food we have to produce, the less greenhouse gases are emitted," noted Dr Negra.

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News & EventsNews Private Sector Partners Bring an Innovative Edge to Heat Tolerant Maize Research in Asia Feed the Future | Newsletter CIMMYT-IndiaHeat-resilient hybrid varieties of maize (right) are better able to survive rising temperatures that can seriously damage traditional varieties (left). Climate model studies show South Asia is heating up, with often devastating consequences for smallholder farmers. Sharp increases in temperatures adversely affect maize production in tropical regions, so varieties that will thrive despite water deficits and soaring temperatures play an important role in adapting agriculture to a changing climate. That’s why Feed the Future supports the Heat Tolerant Maize for Asia (HTMA) project, a public-private alliance that targets poor farmers in South Asia whose crops are vulnerable to weather extremes and climate change. By developing and deploying heat-resilient, hybrid (i.e. produced by cross-pollinated plants) varieties of maize, the project gives these farmers a chance to thrive in the face of increasingly volatile weather conditions. One of the project’s strategies for increasing the scale of heat-resilient maize varieties is to link up with companies that are already established among farming communities and local markets, including DuPont Pioneer, Kaveri Seeds and Ajeet Seeds. These private sector partners give HTMA greater access to regional marketing networks, vastly increasing the project’s reach and impact. Companies who participate in the HTMA project contribute expertise in product evaluation and marketing as well as both in-kind and cash resources. For example, DuPont Pioneer has committed to generating 1,000 improved genetic lines per year as part of the project in order to accelerate the pace of heat-tolerant maize development. As a result of this collaborative research and investment, one new set of elite, stress-resilient hybrid varieties is rolled out every two years and becomes available for large-scale adaptive trials followed by broad dissemination. Companies find this approach very attractive because they have access to unique heat-resilient hybrids that are rarely available to their competitors. In consultation with all project partners, HTMA devised a well-defined product allotment and licensing policy. According to the policy, partners are allotted exclusive rights to specific, marketable hybrid seed varieties, while the source lines remain international public goods that can continue to be used for future research. Partners are also encouraged to use early generation lines from which proprietary lines could be developed. Thus, HTMA is leveraging pre-commercial products for marketing and helping partners strengthen their germplasm base, which will enable continued development and delivery of stress-resilient products after the project concludes. The new varieties that have resulted from the Heat Tolerant Maize for Asia project show great promise to be taken to scale and deployed in tropical climates beyond South Asia.

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News & EventsNews U.S. Steps Up Funding for Agricultural Research Kathryn McConnell | U.S. Department of State | IIP Digital The United States has stepped up funding for research to develop new climate-resilient cereals, high-producing legumes and disease-resistant crops and livestock, according to a top official with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)."Research is at the heart of Feed the Future," said Julie Howard, USAID's Bureau for Food Security chief scientist and the Agency's senior adviser to the administrator on agricultural research, extension and education. Howard noted that USAID is spending $120 million for crop and animal research and training in 2012, triple the amount it spent in 2008.She said Feed the Future—the Obama administration's strategy for improving agriculture, food sustainability and nutrition—focuses on four geographic areas that have high rates of poverty and malnutrition as well as potential to transform their agricultural systems. Those are the South Asia region of Bangladesh and India; the African Sahel region, mainly northern Ghana and southern Mali; the Ethiopian highlands; and the maize-growing region of eastern and southern Africa.Continue reading the article on the U.S. Department of State's IIP Digital websiteAdditional resourcesDownload the Feed the Future Research StrategyDownload the Feed the Future Research Fact Sheet Return to News and Events

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Caught In The Crossfire issue 317 - October 1999 PHILIP WOLMUTH / PANOS PICTURES Across the Caribbean to the Windward Islands, where small-scale banana growers are deserting the battle front. 'We don’t want to be in a market competing with producers like Chiquita,’ says Gregory Shillingford emphatically, ‘with a fruit that doesn’t taste good, uses a lot of chemicals and employs slave labour. We do not want to endanger our environment. We want to promote reasonable wages for all working people and a good relationship with consumers.’ Well, if any one person in Dominica can make this happen, then I guess it has to be Gregory Shillingford. As General Manager of the Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation (DBMC) he’s a key figure in the island’s banana trade and carries a big responsibility on his broad shoulders. Dominicans rely very heavily on bananas, which for the past decade or so have provided some 20 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, 60 per cent of exports of goods, and the jobs of maybe 10,000 people. That’s a very large chunk of the working population. Dominica, as one of the Windward Islands (the others are St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada), has more to lose from the Banana War than almost anywhere else. So what alternatives to bananas are there? As yet there is no easy answer. Here you do not find the kind of grinding poverty and repression so characteristic of Guatemala. Among the younger generations at least, illiteracy is virtually unknown. The banana industry began with sales to Britain in the 1950s and was developed by small farmers, providing them for the first time with a reliable weekly cash income. The industry gave birth to a generation of ‘banana children’ whose education was paid for by their parents’ banana earnings – and who now run the country. The Prime Minister, Edison James, used to do Gregory Shillingford’s job. But bananas also delivered this tiny island’s people into a fatal reliance on a single export crop that has now, inevitably, betrayed them. Production is in headlong decline. In the peak year of 1988, Gregory Shillingford tells me, 72,000 tons of bananas were exported from 15,000 acres of cultivation by 7,000 growers. But then falling prices, a spate of hurricanes and a more ‘liberalized’ single market in the European Union after 1992 all took their toll. Last year, just 28,000 tons were exported from 7,000 acres by 2,800 growers – a reduction by more than a half. In villages around the island, stores that sold basic necessities, most of them imported with banana money, have shut. Even so, preferential access to the European Union market continues. Between them, the Windward Islands still have an annual, duty-free quota of around 287,000 tons of bananas. Yet in some years they have used less than half of it. Growers must be either unwilling or unable to produce more bananas. They are, as it were, deserting the battlefront. If the European banana regime is such a good deal, why should this be so? Gregory Shillingford quotes a telling statistic: more than 80 per cent of the total crop in Dominica now comes from just 1,200 growers. The remaining 1,600 rely on the DBMC’s obligation to buy their bananas. ‘We don’t really mind,’ he says, a little half-heartedly. ‘But what we need are growers who are business people, not peasants.’ Dennis Labassiere is very much a man of business. He is also an appointed Senator and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly. He has a degree in business administration and spent some time in St Lucia running one of the Windward Islands’ largest suppliers of boxes for cut bananas. Now he owns a large farm in the northeast of Dominica which hires labourers and has 25 irrigated acres of bananas. He is very confident, particularly that ‘loyal’ West Indian consumers in Europe and North America will buy his bananas. He wants to see the industry restructured, and to put an end to what he reckons is the cross-subsidizing of the worst growers by the best. ‘Either you are a player or you are not,’ he says. ‘If you are a player, you must play by the rules of the game. That game is played on global markets, by the rules of competition. A lot of small growers can’t compete.’ ‘What can they do, then?’ I ask him. ‘Get out,’ he says. ‘They must diversify, like me.’ He has diversified into cut flowers, which for the time being he sells on the regional market, though he would like to supply Marks and Spencer in Britain. ‘When I saw the prices they fetch there, I wondered what I was doing in bananas!’ he says. He has also started a pig farm, which devours reject bananas. Small farmers who own their own land are not, however, going to ‘diversify’ into crops that bring a bad return, just for the hell of it. Nor are they merely a quaint feature of Dominican society. They are an expression of its history, shaping it almost entirely, giving it an idiosyncratic, stubborn, unpretentious, egalitarian, periodically febrile nature. No-one with any sense assumes that their interests can be taken lightly. The island has the largest land area but the smallest population of all the Windward Islands. Fearsome mountain peaks, still clothed in dense rainforest, shoot straight out of the Caribbean between Martinique and Guadeloupe. There is very little flat land, so Dominica never had the large sugar plantations that fed off slavery and made fortunes for European colonists elsewhere in the region. The island gave refuge not just to the Carib peoples, who resisted European colonization for longer here than anywhere else, but to fugitive slaves (‘Maroons’) and indeed to fugitives of all kinds, including loyalists fleeing the American War of Independence. After abolition, former slaves simply walked off such estates as existed to clear the largest area that could be cultivated by a single family – four or five acres, perhaps – and start subsistence farming on the fertile mountain slopes.1 ‘Lots of small growers, particularly the older ones, are giving up their banana plots because it’s all getting far too difficult, far too regimented,’ says Irvince Auguiste, as we pass a bedraggled collection of abandoned plants on a steep hillside. For ten years Irvince was the elected Chief – ‘rather like being Mayor’ he says – of the Carib Territory, through which we are now driving. In 1902 some 3,000 acres on the east coast of the island were handed back by the British to the few remaining descendants of the pre-Columbian Carib peoples. Today, 3,700 of their heirs hold the same land in common, from which some 200 growers still produce bananas. They are a reminder, if one were needed, that this is a special place. ‘It used to be a much simpler thing,’ continues Irvince. The contrast with Guatemala could scarcely be more stark. Everywhere, banana plants are set among coconut, cocoa, coffee and the ubiquitous forest. ‘People would grow bananas and do other things as well. Now you have to keep diaries and charts and add up columns of figures and do exactly what you’re told if you want to be a certified grower and get a decent price for your bananas. There’s no time for anything else. ‘Then you’ve got to be able to “bounce back” from hurricanes, which keep destroying your crop. Remember, small farmers have very little security. They can never be quite sure how good their crop will be, or when the next hurricane will strike and if there’ll be a crop at all. It’s not like having a regular wage and it’s very easy to get into debt, because you have to invest in the crop before it is harvested. Sometimes they abandon bananas and then, when they find they can’t earn a living from anything else, go back to them again. My father grew bananas, and I carried them on my head as a boy. But I don’t grow them myself. Just recently, though, I’ve been having second thoughts...’ A big, red, battered pickup hurtles towards us round a hairpin bend. Irvince signals to the driver, only just visible above the steering wheel, who screeches to a halt and winds down the window. She’s slightly breathless. They chat. ‘Balene Fredrick,’ says Irvince as she takes off again. ‘Just having a breather from the softball cricket match, to check on her kids. You know, she’s one of our best banana growers. We’ll go back and talk to her.’ He turns his van, and we set off in pursuit. She’s already disappeared round the next bend. ‘What a woman!’ says Irvince, unable to catch her up. ‘And she’s only just learned to drive!’ Balene and three of her kids are waiting for us in a roadside tin shed. Every small grower has a ‘field’ packing shed like hers. Handsome bunches of freshly cut bananas are laid out on tiered shelves, graded by size and labelled ‘Geest’. To one side is a half-packed Geest box. In front of the bench is a large plastic bowl containing a washing solution – chemicals are used here too, but much more sparingly than in Guatemala. Pinned to the back of the shed are complicated charts showing how the colour-coded production cycle must be followed. You can tell how she cares for her bananas from the way she handles them. I ask her how much she earns from her bananas each week. ‘Just about enough to keep the children,’ she says. ‘What with their clothes and food and schooling, they cost a lot of money, you know. In a way, I wish I didn’t have to grow bananas,’ she continues. ‘It never stops, and you have to do everything just right. It seems to get harder and harder, and we seem to earn less and less. But there’s nothing for it...’ I can see that talking like this is upsetting her a bit. It’s Sunday afternoon, after all, and she must be itching to get back to the cricket match, though she’s too polite to say so. ‘Well, they suggested I “diversify”, try to grow something else as well. I reckoned they meant there wasn’t going to be much of a future in bananas. So I planted two acres of ginger. But when harvest time came I couldn’t sell it. That was a disaster for us. So I’ll have to keep on with bananas.’ Dominica snapshot Population: 74,000 Infant mortality rate: 16 per 1,000 live births Illiteracy rate: male 5%, female 6% of people aged 15 and above Average income (GNP) per capita: $3,040 Exports of goods and services: $125 million Exports of bananas: $10 million; 34,903 metric tons Sources: World Bank Country Data; FAO data. All figures are for 1997 Forging ahead? ‘Now, David,’ says Irvince as the sun begins to set over this enchanting place, ‘you mustn’t go away with the impression that we Caribs are messed up. We have problems. Sure we have problems. But who hasn’t? No, no. We are forging ahead. I am forging ahead. I mean to make some money, and that’s not something we Caribs are supposed to do.’ He has a stream of projects in his head: affordable cricket bats made from the stems of coconut-palm leaves; basic shelters with hammocks and kerosene lamps for wandering hikers; deluxe cottages for well-heeled tourists ‘who’d like to come down to earth, but gently’. He is sceptical about official proposals for a ‘model’ Carib village, in which his community will be expected to perform. No, he and his associates can give the more discerning visitor a much stronger taste of passion fruit. And that, almost everywhere, is what it seems to come down to – tourism. It is true that the island is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is also true that Dominica attracts few tourists. I fear, however, that the two are related. There’s no airport for wide-bodied jets, and therefore there are no golf courses, casinos or ‘resort’ chain hotels. White sandy beaches and blue lagoons are few and far between. Tentative steps are being taken towards eco-tourism, to complement Dominica’s chosen image as ‘The Nature Island’. A ‘rainforest tramway’ is being constructed ‘for the less-athletic eco-tourist’. There are firm plans, too, for an international airport. This will destroy dozens of homes, a school and large areas of relatively flat agricultural land. It will plunge the people of Dominica deeply into debt, as well as the quagmire of graft and discord that engulfs all such projects. Short of selling their land to hotels and golf courses, changing into flunky clothes and training to be servile, it’s hard to see how mass tourism will benefit many Dominicans – or suit their disposition. One possibility that has been discussed, says Gregory Shillingford, is organic and fairly traded bananas. Some 15,000 acres of banana land have lain fallow for at least five years (and are therefore free of chemicals), and the growers own their own land, so the potential is there. So far, however, no-one has taken the plunge. Perhaps, just perhaps, there’s another future for this extraordinary place that has yet to be disentangled from its history. The alternative really is just too awful to contemplate. 1 Lennox Honychurch, The Dominica Story – A History of the Island, Macmillan Education, London, 1995. Comments on Caught In The Crossfire October 5, 1999 And Another Thing... October 5, 1999 Battle Of The Banana October 5, 1999 More articles on this theme Boom Times in Bali Hotel Solidarity

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mu extension > Agriculture > Pests and diseases > Horticulture insect pests > G7259 Reviewed September 2001 Order copiesG7259, Periodical Cicadas in MissouriPrice: $0.25Availability: 1000+ Download a free PDF of this publication (92KB). PDF help ContentsDamageBiologyOccurrenceControl measuresReferences Related publications IPM1020, Turfgrass InsectsMX349, Tree and Shrub Pests INCR63, Common Tree Fruit Pests Periodical Cicadas in Missouri Bruce A. BarrettDepartment of Entomology The range of periodical cicadas, Magicicada spp. (Figure 1), covers most of the United States east of the Mississippi River and includes Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Periodical cicadas lay their eggs on numerous tree species, favoring oaks, hickory, honeylocust, hawthorn, dogwood, apple, peach, pear, elm, ash, walnut and sycamore. Conifers appear to be free of attack. Figure 1Periodical cicadas. Figure 2Egg slits on twig. Lee Jenkins Slide Collection Damage The adult female cicada uses a sawlike ovipositor to cut through the bark of twigs and branches, preferring those less than 1 inch in diameter, and forms a pocket in the wood where she inserts her eggs (Figure 2). She then will move forward, cutting a new pocket, and lay more eggs. This process may be repeated several times and may produce a continuous slit along the length of the twig. Leaves of the attacked branch can wither and turn brown, and smaller infested branches may break off the following year. Such damage can be serious to young transplanted trees in nurseries and orchards. Cicadas are heavy-bodied, wedge-shaped insects that have large compound eyes and membranous wings held rooflike over the body. Periodical cicada adults range from 0.75 to 1.5 inches in length. They have a brownish-black body, unspotted from the top, and reddish colored eyes, legs and wing veins. They have a 13-year or 17-year life cycle. After hatching, the nymphs drop from the twigs to the ground, enter the soil and begin feeding on sap from the roots. A nymph will remain underground at a depth of 2 to 18 inches until it is ready for its last molt. Before its final molt to the adult stage, the nymph will emerge from the ground, leaving a finger-sized round hole, and climb up the trunk of a tree, fence post or side of a house and attach itself with its claws. The exoskeleton will split down the middle of the back and the adult will gradually pull itself free, leaving the cast skin still attached to the substrate. The adults can live from five to six weeks. Occasionally, the cicada nymph, just prior to its emergence, will construct earthen chimneys or towers above the soil surface. These towers are about 2--4 inches tall with a diameter of about 1.5 inches and are sealed at the top. This occasional tower-building habit of the nymph appears to be influenced by shallow soil, the proximity of the nymph to the surface, conditions of unusual warmth which brings the nymph prematurely to the soil surface, or excessive soil moisture. One may find a cicada tower surrounded by holes from which individuals emerged without making a tower. Male periodical cicadas will begin "singing" shortly after their emergence (from late-May to early-July). This song, a mating call that is different for each species, is a rhythmical shrill that is produced by two drumlike membranes on the sides of the first abdominal segment. During outbreak periods the cadence of the male chorus can be quite loud and incessant. The singing begins at dawn and ceases at evening. As the temperature rises during the day the volume of the singing also increases. There are two common types of cicadas in Missouri, the dog-day cicadas and the periodical cicadas. Dog-day, or annual cicadas are larger than periodical cicadas. They are blackish in color with a greenish margin to the wings and lighter markings on the thorax and abdomen. Their life cycle lasts from two to five years but, because of overlapping generations, some adults appear every year (usually July through September). The song of dog-day cicadas is similar to that of periodical cicadas but has less variation in the notes. There are six species of periodical cicadas, three with a 17-year life cycle and three with a 13-year life cycle. Broods of cicadas (or groups of individuals that hatch/mature at about the same time) emerge in different years and have different geographic ranges. The 13-year cicadas are generally found in the southern United States and the 17-year cicadas in northern states, but there can be overlap and both life-cycle types may occur in the same woods. Table 1 shows the occurrence and state distribution of the periodical cicada in Missouri. Table 1Occurrence and distribution of the periodical cicada in Missouri. State distribution South-east West-central Control measures Young trees can be covered with cheesecloth or mosquito netting during the egg-laying period (six weeks after start of male singing). This prevents the female from ovipositing on the twigs. Make sure the netting is tied to the trunk of the tree beneath the lower branches. Bands of sticky adhesive on burlap strips around the base of the trunk will trap the emerging nymphs as they crawl up the tree (mid-May to late-June). The trapped nymphs can be removed each morning. Prune out and destroy young twigs that have been damaged by egg laying. Do this within a four to six week period after eggs are laid. This will prevent newly emerged nymphs from reaching the ground. During outbreak years, tree planting should be delayed until the fall or the following spring. For ornamentals, apply carbaryl (Sevin) to host plants susceptible to attack during the egg laying period, repeat the process every 7-10 days. For fruit trees in commercial orchards, the following insecticides are labeled for periodical cicada: esfenvalerate (Asana) and carbaryl (Sevin) Enns, Wilber R. 1964. Periodical cicadas — Brood size, damage and control in Missouri. Proceedings of the North Central Branch, Entomological Society of America 19:139--141. Froeschner, 1952. A synopsis of the Cicadidae of Missouri (Homoptera). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 60:1--14. Marlatt, C. L. 1907. The Periodical Cicada. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin number 71. Periodical Cicadas: 17-Year Locusts. 1971. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Leaflet number 540. G7259 Periodical Cicadas in Missouri | University of Missouri Extension

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From the Ground Up: Herb of the Year, versatile elderberry packs a punch Photo courtesy Barbara Chambers The Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America will hold its annual herb sale on May 9 on the green at Historic Yellow Springs. Both a medicinal and culinary herb, the versatile elderberry (sambuca canadensis) has a power-packed list of attributes. The berries of this native shrub contain vitamins A and B, more vitamin C than oranges, and have been used for centuries to ward off colds and the flu. A mixture of berry juice, cider vinegar and honey is said to be healing, and a great boost to the immune system. In addition, the berries are loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants. The tart, purple-black fruits make excellent jams, chutneys, teas, pies and wine. It’s important to note that the fruits are really only edible when cooked; too many raw elderberries create a strong laxative effect. The fragrant flowers are edible, and can be dipped in batter and made into fritters. Elderberry also figures prominently in folklore. As recounted by William Cole in 1656, in some countries the common people would gather elder leaves on the last day of April and affix them to their doors and windows in order to prevent witches from entering their houses. In Europe, the native elderberry is sambuca nigra, a small tree growing to 20 to 30 feet. Our native sambuca canadensis is a large shrub, growing to about 12 feet. It prefers sun, and moist, fertile soil. It is extremely hardy, with wild varieties ranging from Florida to Nova Scotia and across the continent to California. Left untended, the plants can become sprawling. However, there are varieties such as Black Lace and Black Beauty that are very ornamental (pink flowers and dark purple-black leaves) and can be pruned back to work well in the garden. They grow to be about 8 feet tall. If you plan to grow elderberries for their fruit, it’s important to note the fine print and protect the berries from hungry birds and other animals. “If you don’t want to eat the berries, the birds certainly will love them.” (Edible Landscaping with Charlie Nardozzi). “Berries are ripe when they are slightly soft and deep colored. The birds will be your guide.” (Rosalind Creasy, Edible Landscaping) The Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America will feature the elderberry—named the Herb of the Year by the society—at its 74th Annual Herb Sale, held rain or shine on Thursday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the green at Historic Yellow Springs on Art School Road in Chester Springs. Alongside thousands of familiar or unusual culinary and fragrant herbs, customers will find scented geraniums and salvias, as well as elderberry. Visitors may also shop at the large tent of homemade herbal products and garden-related books and accessories. A gourmet herbal brunch (beginning at 10:30 a.m.) is available by reservation for $15. To reserve a meal, mail your check, payable to HSA Philadelphia Unit, and mail to: HSA Philadelphia Unit, P.O. Box 273, Chester Springs, PA, 19425. The Herb Society of America is a nonprofit/volunteer organization dedicated to promoting the knowledge, use and delight in herbs through educational programs, research and sharing the experience with its members and the community. Proceeds from this sale will benefit such projects as the Medicinal Garden at Historic Yellow Springs, the Fragrant Garden at Tyler Arboretum, and the National Herb Garden in Washington D.C. These gardens are maintained by Herb Society members and open to visitors. For more information on the Herb Society of Philadelphia, visit its website: www.hsaphiladelphia.org. You can also follow them on Facebook: Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America. Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. She is newsletter editor of the Green Valleys Association. Direct e-mail to [email protected], or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442.

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A Guide to the 2012 Farm Bill (and What it Means to You) By Kristen Demaline | Tweet tractor from Shutterstock.com Today, Ecocentric dives into the 2012 Farm Bill. We're providing this overview of the bill for interested readers. Hopefully it is helpful for those of you following this long – and critical – process. Join us! Where is the Farm Bill in the overall legislative process? The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012, a/k/a the Farm Bill has been passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee and is currently being worked on in subcommittees of the House of Representatives. It will come to the Senate floor for a full vote of all members, after which it must be reconciled with the House version. What is the Farm Bill? Perhaps more aptly named the Food Bill, it’s the biggest farm policy tool in the U.S., but this really concerns all food. Almost everywhere. Every five years, Congress must approve the bill so that it can fund programs concerning farmers, crop production, rural development, energy conservation and international food aid. The Congressional Budget Office analyzed the Senate’s proposed bill and projects it will cost some $969 billion during the 2013-2022 period, which includes some $23.6 billion in cuts. The largest section of the nutrition title (title = chapter in legislative-ese) – 70% of all Farm Bill funding – goes to the food stamp program, now formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is 100% federally funded, but benefits are administered by each state. Who’s Rocking C-SPAN? Senate Agriculture Committee: Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair; Pat Roberts (R-KS), ranking member House Agriculture Committee: Frank Lucas (R-OK), chair; Collin Peterson (D-MN), ranking member Debbie Stabenow is being praised by industry while coming under fire by observers since much of the committee’s business has taken place behind closed doors. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) voted “no” on the Bill in committee, citing opposition to SNAP cuts; four Southern senators joined in, pushing back on other provisions they claim disproportionally affect rice and peanut farmers. In the House, the Farm Bill continues to be assembled via various subcommittees. What’s Up This Year? The Political Landscape The House Agriculture committee has proposed $33 billion in SNAP cuts. Combined with a House Budget Committee proposal to cut SNAP funding by $133 billion over the next decade and convert it to a block grant, resulting cuts would affect every SNAP recipient. (This is modeled on 1996’s welfare reform enacted during President Clinton’s administration. SNAP would no longer be funded to pay whoever is financially eligible; one capped block of money would have to fund all recipients.) 280,000 children would lose free school lunches as their eligibility is tied to SNAP status. Is this necessary? That depends on your political priorities. Right now, the House has genuine difficulty in passing legislation or doing business. (Though like all politicians, they seem to get to talk shows and fundraisers just fine.) Members of the Democratic and Republican parties are so firmly entrenched in opposing ideological and political positions that reaching compromise is difficult. Budgets and “austerity” politics rule the day right now. The Farm Bill will be no exception. About a week ago, Rep. Lucas said that “There is a high probability one way or another that we'll see an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill.” You see, if Congress can’t pass a new one, they could simply extend the old bill, but many programs are scheduled to expire at the end of 2012 unless they're properly rolled into a new bill. Rep. Lucas also predicted a “wild ride.” Expect to see a huge push for SNAP cuts and elimination of direct subsidy payments to farmers, although those payments will be replaced by other programs. What’s to be determined: the depth of the cuts. Food Stamps are in the Farm Bill? Well, yes. It’s a long story. SNAP is credited with reducing the poverty rate by nearly eight percent in 2009, the most recent year included in a new USDA study. Sadly, you probably know at least one or two people who lost their job during the recession; 20 percent of those unemployed for more than six months during fiscal year 2011 received SNAP benefits. Overall, SNAP achieved a 4.4 percent decline in poverty from 2000-09. In 2011, the program served 44.7 million – or one in seven – Americans. Children, seniors and those with disabilities are the majority of those receiving SNAP benefits. According to testimony by Brookings Institution analyst Ron Haskins during House subcommittee hearings, “the average income (not counting the SNAP benefit) of families receiving SNAP is less than $9,000 per year.” By the way, the current upper threshold for a family of four to be eligible for SNAP? An annual income under $23,050. Why Should I Care About This? Those extra-value meals don’t pay for themselves! We know ya'll want everyone to be able eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, so why can’t we make them more affordable? The Farm Bill will continue to profoundly impact the nation’s diet (and therefore public health), the quality of the environment and the efficacy of our efforts to address food insecurity. Some of the specific government programs serving policy goals proposed by the Senate include: Nutrition assistance In the Senate bill, cuts to “heat and eat” programs would result in reduced SNAP benefits. (Funds to help low-income Americans with utility bills could count as additional income.) For some, this could result in making a choice: to pay for food or heat?Subsidies encourage farmers to grow some crops (especially corn, soy, rice and cotton) more than others (especially “specialty crops” like vegetables), or in certain amounts, in certain places. Remember, industrial livestock production depends on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) which in turn depend on cheap feed. Such as corn and soy. Lots of corn also becomes lots of high fructose corn syrup.Conservation programs protect land held in trust by the government and help farmers install environmentally friendly applications like drip irrigation. Also, by protecting lands from soil erosion, we safeguard fertile land so that it can still be farmed.International food aid partly refers to food aid commodities (rice, soy, wheat, corn etc.) but also funds technical assistance lent to farmers around the world.Water management by prioritizing funding for rural communities with fewer than 5,500 people. This proposal does not include more strict regulations of farm runoff, which ultimately pollutes watersheds. (Maryland has already done so.)Research and development, which funds work at land-grant universities (such as Texas A&M or the University of California system) and labs. Government funding enables independent research. Agribusiness prefers research that produces favorable results and affirms its own awesomeness, so Monsanto and their ilk are happy to step in if the Farm Bill doesn’t. As a researcher, if all you're directed or have funding to study is one Big Ag firm’s seeds, all you can responsibly study are those seeds.Energy will continue to fund biofuels programs after an $800 million amendment was attached to the Senate bill.Who Else Cares About This? Between industrial food – from growers to distributors – and activists in the sustainable food movement, there is involvement along the entire political spectrum. Involvement = lobbying for those who can afford it (how ya doin Big Ag!) That said it’s important to bear in mind that “good food” advocates are also focused on education and are not as well-funded or cohesive as are industry lobbyists. Sustainable food advocates are not the Farm Bureau, but they're certainly community-building amidst the explosion of public interest in food and agriculture. Since a SNAP fight features so prominently this time, anti-poverty and hunger organizations (some of which are tied closely to industrial food), a range of activists and think tanks that work on public policy, poverty and food security issues are also big players. To see some takes on the big issues this time around, please visit: From good food advocates: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy From an industry (and government) perspective, please see: Croplife For SNAP and budget-reduction perspectives, please see: Brookings Institution testimony to House Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture Other Big Farming Issues Crop Insurance and Commodities Eliminating direct payments to farmers, the new Farm Bill creates a replacement program, crop insurance, for farmers: Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC). The Senate markup on the Commodities title incentivizes farmers to only grow crops supported by the new ARC program. ARC payments will take place only when revenues fall below a moving market average. In English: no more automatic payments. Payments are capped, but if married, you can receive twice the single rate. That’s a carryover from the old law. Growing peanuts also earns twice the usual rate. This is an example of the political compromises you'll be seeing more of in the coming months, as the old payment system is favored by peanut and rice farmers in the South more than their Midwestern counterparts. According to IATP, the recent uptick in commodity prices is driving farm commodity program reforms (for crops like corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and cotton). Conservation In a word, this title is “streamlining.” This is another set of programs being substantively cut—by 10 percent—and policies trimmed back in terms of reach. Further, the title continues to favor larger-acre operations, which by default tend to be in the West. What Might Have Been: The Pingree/Brown Bill Introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the Local Farms, Food and Jobs bill incorporated measures to tackle food hubs, provide funds to schools so that they could buy more local food rather than solely subsidizing purchases via USDA commodity programs, and create block grants to fund specialty crops (organic and/or diversified operations). Some elements were woven into the Senate version (of course, the House version is still pending). Local Foods? Sustainability? Not much here. $20 million was written into the Senate bill to promote local food with an additional $20 million to improve SNAP access at farmers' markets ($40 million, if you hadn’t guessed, is barely a drop in the Farm Bill bucket.) Assuming there are reductions in SNAP benefits, this may have less impact than we'd hope in the effort to make fresh, local food more affordable and accessible. It looks like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will introduce the bill on the Senate floor during the first week of June. Chairwoman Stabenow would not ask him to do so unless she knew she had sufficient votes to pass the Senate version, so we may not see much action on the floor when that happens. We'll be following this bill along its merry way over the next few months, and will report back when we know more about what the respective houses of Congress are up to! © 2012 GRACE Communications Foundation farm bill food food ag policy Responses to "A Guide to the 2012 Farm Bill (and What it Means to You)" We need to make sure you're a human and not a spambot. Please answer the following question. What is 12 + 12 equal to? By submitting a comment here you grant us a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/website in attribution.

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For Georgia peanut farmer: Consistency is the key to success Paul Hollis [1] | Jul 06, 2006 Maintaining cost efficiency in peanut production has more to do with consistency than just about anything else, contends southwest Georgia grower Andrew Collins. “We put the same amount into our crops each year,” says the Edison, Ga., farmer. “We've found that if we ever cut back on one particular input, it'll cost us.” Collins believes in beginning with a plan at the start of the season and sticking with it through the end. “We're not going to get the crop three-fourths of the way completed and then say we can't afford to finish it. We'll do whatever we have to do. If it doesn't look good at the end of the season, that's when we'll re-evaluate things,” he says. Collins' consistency both in yields and in maintaining costs has earned him the Farm Press Peanut Profitability Award for 2006 for the Southeast region. He farms about 1,200 acres of land, including 400 acres of peanuts, 400 acres of corn and 400 acres of cotton, planting all crops in a one-in-three rotation. “We have an excellent team, including good employees, a good consultant and a good pilot. Everything has been running very well now for the past five years or so,” he says. Collins came back to the farm full time about 13 years ago, after graduating from Georgia Southern University with a degree in business management. Although an average annual peanut yield of 4,500 to 4,600 pounds per acre is very good, Collins isn't satisfied. “We have made yields as high as 5,900 pounds per acre on individual fields, but it has been difficult to break that 4,500-pound overall average on the entire farm. With our heavy, red soils, we have a difficult time gathering peanuts,” he says. He usually averages about 1,200 pounds per acre on cotton and 200 bushels per acre on corn. “Our corn and cotton yields are really good. We need to work on increasing our peanut yields. As an average, 4,500 pounds per acre isn't bad, but we need to do better.” He hopes the harvesting process will be made easier this year with the purchase of a KMC flex inverter. “Our shaker is about 15 years old, and it doesn't have a lot of adjustability — we couldn't move the blades around to our satisfaction, especially with twin rows. The versatility of the new machine should be a big help,” he says. All of Collins' land is irrigated, with 27 center pivot systems pulling water from ponds and wells. Each system is equipped with low-impact sprinklers to improve efficiency and coverage. He uses Irrigator Pro — an expert system from that National Peanut Research Laboratory — for scheduling irrigation. It uses soil temperature and rain gauges to help determine when to water and how much. Irrigation and timing, he says, are essential to the profitability of his farming operation. “We water the crops as we should, and we try to be on time with everything we do. We're small enough that we can do that. We have a good enough rotation that by the time corn comes off, it's about time to water cotton and peanuts, so we don't have many conflicting issues with irrigation,” says Collins. He has been planting twin-row peanuts for five years. “So far, we have had mixed results with twin-row. I think it may take several more seasons and maybe other varieties to see the full advantages of twin-rows on our farm. We always try to plant peanuts between May 10th and May 30th, but never before the 10th. I'd rather plant on the 29th than on the ninth. When planting later, we have never had much of a problem with tomato spotted wilt virus.” When applying fungicides for early and late leafspot, Collins sticks to a strict schedule, spraying every 10 to 14 days regardless of weather conditions. “We apply our fungicides by air, so we are able to apply when needed. We follow a seven-spray regime using Bravo/Tilt, Abound and Moncut. We'll always put out two treatments of Abound and one of Moncut, with the timing depending on the weather and the maturity of the crop. We usually have about $98 per acre invested in our fungicide program,” he says. All of Collins' crops are planted conventionally. “With peanuts, we turn the land and put out our yellow herbicide. We then plant about 140 pounds of seed per acre or about three and a half seed per foot. We apply about 5 pounds of Temik per planter, or about 10 pounds per acre. We'll burn down with Storm, 2, 4-D, and Gramoxone Max. Then we'll go back 10 days later with liquid Cadre. That usually takes care of any weed problems.” As for varieties, Collins will be planting all Georgia Green this year, but he's not totally satisfied with his choice. “I would like to see another variety that we could grow here. We did much better when we planted the larger GK-7 peanuts. When we irrigate or get heavy rains, the Georgia Greens seem to clump together when inverted, which makes it difficult to gather in our soil.” Many farmers in Georgia who grow both peanuts and cotton have been concerned in recent years about problems with lint quality, caused at times by harvest delays because peanuts and cotton need to come out of the field at the same time. But Collins has a system that alleviates such problems. “We have two six-row peanut pickers and a four-row cotton picker. We put two people on the peanut pickers, one on the cotton picker and one on the module builder. So far, we have been able to harvest both crops at the same time. I'd like to get to the point of harvesting each crop in about 10 to 12 days. That's how we need to do it, especially considering the high inputs of each crop. We need to have pretty good yields to support what we are doing.” Low overhead costs for equipment and land also help Collins maintain efficiency on his farm. His newest tractor is three years old while the others have about 8,000 hours on them. His family also own most of the land he farms. Good conditions at harvest helped in reducing costs this past year. “We didn't have to dry many peanuts in 2005. We dug them, waited for them to dry, and then picked them.” Like other farmers in the Southeast, Collins has been plagued this season by extremely dry weather conditions. “We're in desperate need of rain,” he said in mid June. “We started off with marginal subsoil moisture and it is going to be tough to meet the moisture with just irrigation. We're trying to water 360 acres of corn, and we're getting to the point of needing to start watering peanuts and cotton. Considering the price of fuel, this is shaping up to be a very expensive year.” Collins and his wife Leigh Anne have a seven-year-old son, Andrew. Source URL: http://www.southwestfarmpress.com/georgia-peanut-farmer-consistency-key-success

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BC Sports BC Games NFL Business Obits Video & Slideshows Lifestyles BC Opinions Letters Canada / World Crowdfunding Latest Study considers the financial impact of agriculture November 4, 2012 · Updated 6:28 AM Tweet The agriculture industry in the Okanagan has a far greater positive impact on the regional economy than anyone realizes, according to a professor with Okanagan College’s School of Business. “The public only sees the primary products. What they don’t see is the value-added that contributes to the economy,” said Lee Cartier, who has just received a national grant to conduct further study on the issue. “What we’re looking at here is the industry cluster of agricultural products. Wine, tree fruits, processing, manufacturers, stainless steel fabrication, equipment manufacturing, the service and support industries, the grower supply companies — all of this is the value chain.” The grant extended to Cartier is for $25,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to conduct his study, titled Rural Entrepreneurship and Industry Competitiveness: Value-Chain Innovation in the Agricultural Products Cluster since 2006. His research will examine the region with a macro-economic focus, looking at local agriculture as an industry cluster — similar to other classic industry clusters like the Silicon Valley. What’s curious, Cartier says, is that once agriculture is examined as a cluster, it becomes clear that it outpaces overall economic growth in the Okanagan — not by much, but enough to be significant at 3.6 per cent growth, versus three per cent growth. “What this research hopes to answer is why this is happening,” Cartier said. “I know I’m going to find innovation there, but what’s driving it?” Cartier says not much is known in Canada about the role rural entrepreneurs play in regional economies. By taking a closer look at what is occurring here, rural entrepreneurs, and others with economic interests, could literally capitalize on the findings. The difference can be exponential, he said. Case in point is the local wine industry, which Cartier researched in 2011 for the B.C. Wine Institute. His findings showed that while the wine grape growers contribute $28 million to the region’s economy, once the entire value chain is factored in, that contribution is closer to $250 million, which represents two per cent of the regional GDP. “This means the primary producers — the vineyards — only comprise 11 per cent of the industry’s total value-added contribution,” he said. “There is a real benefit to the agriculture sector seeing itself as a cluster, rather than as a collection of small wineries (for instance) in competition with one another. When an industry can see the entire value chain, it’s easier to determine the challenges they have to deal with, and what they haven’t tackled.” Investing in agricultureLetnick pushes B.C. agricultureAgricultural plan seeks business inputValhalla soars onto agriculture sceneGUEST SPOT: Consider volatilityFarmers promote agriculture More Than Ever Explore Vernon Morning Star Home

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The new peasants’ revolt Corporate agriculture is turning family and peasant farmers from stewards of the land into servants, or eradicating their livelihoods completely. Katharine Ainger meets the farmers fighting back. Everything in a supermarket has a story to tell, if only we could find it out. The produce defies seasons, geography, wars, distance, nature. It is winter outside, but inside the supermarket golden-shell pineapples from Côte d’Ivoire, still small and green, bathe in humming halogen light. There is civil unrest in the Côte d’Ivoire, but it does not seem to have disrupted the flow of tropical fruit to the cold North. Next to them are strange, knobbly bits of ginger dug from Chinese soil. Gala apples from France, bagged up and reduced to half price. Avocados from Israel and Chile. Pale tomatoes from the Canary Islands, where it is always warm, but the fruit must be picked green. ‘Ready-to-go’ meals fill the chiller cabinets. Here, wrapped in plastic, are small clusters of perfect baby corn and mange tout from plantations in Kenya. Here is cod, pulled up by trawler from the over-fished, churning cold sea of the northeast Atlantic. Though we can’t hear their stories, what we choose to put in our supermarket baskets writes its own language upon our bodies and our moods, our families, our economies, our landscapes. It can mean life or death in some distant country whose name we can only vaguely discern printed on the packaging. We are, all of us, affected by trends in the global economy, in the most intimate and fundamental way possible – through our food. Only rarely do these connections become visible, when the people who produce the food remind us of them. Those who work the countryside are a potent source of cultural identity, whether it’s the campesinos of Mexico, the gauchos of Argentina, the paysannes of France, Australian conkies, or the flat-capped Yorkshire farmer. Their images are used to market food to us, because we associate them with rural life, nature and rude good health. But the real people who produce our food are losing their livelihoods and leaving the land. Over the past two years British dairy farmers, in their grief and anger over plummeting prices, have blockaded supermarkets up and down the country, spilled their milk, boycotted suppliers. Why blockade the supermarkets? The average price British farmers receive for their milk is the lowest for 30 years. The bargaining power of the supermarkets is so great that prices for farmers are going ever downwards. In 2000, supermarket giant Tesco introduced international ‘reverse’ auctions for its suppliers all over the world. They were asked to bid against each other until Tesco got the lowest price. Supermarkets blame the consumer for wanting ‘cheap food’ – yet 50 years ago farmers in Europe and North America received between 45 and 60 per cent of the money that consumers spent on food. Today that proportion has dropped to just 7 per cent in Britain and 3.5 per cent in the US.1 Even that ultimate symbol of rugged individualism, the cowboy, is an endangered species. Most of the ranchers of the Great Plains of Nebraska are permanently broke, mortgaging or selling off their land and cattle to survive. The cowboy is riding into the final sunset as the Great Plains become steadily depopulated. The details are specific to each country but the broad trends are international: the crisis in farming is global. The six founding countries of Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy had 22 million farmers in 1957; today that number has fallen to 7 million. Just 20 per cent of the European Union’s wealthiest and largest farmers get 80 per cent of EU subsidies. Canada lost three-quarters of its farmers between 1941 and 1996 and the decline continues. In 1935 there were 6.8 million working farmers in the US; today the number is under 1.9 million – less than the total US prison population. Suicide is now the leading cause of death among US farmers, occurring at a rate three times higher than in the general population. In Britain farmers are taking their own lives at a rate of one a week.2 In poorer countries the situation is even worse. Half of the world’s people still make their living from the land – and it is they who feed the majority of the world’s poorest people. In South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa more than 70 per cent of the population makes a living from the land. Agriculture counts, on average, for half of total economic activity. In the Philippines the number of farm households in the corn-producing region of Mindanao is set to fall by half. Between 1985 and 1995 the number of people employed in agriculture in Brazil fell from 23 million to 18 million. In China an estimated 400 million farmers are in danger of losing their livelihoods entirely. Everywhere small-scale farmers are being ‘disappeared’. All eaten up Why is this happening? Somebody, somewhere, must be benefiting. The answer is not hard to discover. It lies not in the soil, but inside the corporations which have become known collectively as ‘agribusiness’. They traverse the planet buying at the lowest possible price, putting every farmer in direct competition with every other farmer. While the price of crops has been pushed down – often even below the cost of production – the prices of inputs such as seed, fertilizers and pesticides have gone up. Control of the ‘food-chain’ is being concentrated in ever-fewer hands. According to Bill Hefferman, rural sociologist at the University of Missouri, in some cases there is ‘seamless and fully integrated control of the food system from gene to supermarket shelf’.3 When the two giant corporations Monsanto and Cargill went into partnership they controlled seed, fertilizer, pesticides, farm finance, grain collection, grain processing, livestock-feed processing, livestock production and slaughtering, as well as several processed-food brands. This system, developed in the US, is being exported to other countries in the name of globalization. This level of control is one of the reasons why genetically modified (GM) seeds are of such concern. They give agribusiness yet more weapons with which to enforce total dependency on their patented seeds. Some of them require own-brand herbicides and even own-brand ‘trigger’ chemicals (known as ‘traitor’ technology) that the farmer has to apply for before the seed will germinate. This is the secret of the disappearance of the family farmer in the North – and the peasantry in the South. To disappear them, aside from killing them, you must turn them into vulnerable workers on an assembly line, without control over their own operations, and obliged to corporations. Agribusiness writes the rules of international trade. Cargill was largely responsible for the Agreement on Agriculture at the World Trade Organization (WTO), which liberalizes the global market in agricultural goods. Farmers, particularly in poor countries, find it impossible to compete with cheap imports. One James Enyart of Monsanto said of the WTO’s ‘intellectual property’ agreement (known as ‘TRIPs’) which makes its ownership of seeds and genetic material possible worldwide: ‘Industry has identified a major problem in international trade. It crafted a solution, reduced it to a concrete proposal and sold it to our own and other governments.’ Why does it matter that small, ‘inefficient’ producers are being eradicated by globalized, corporate agriculture? Free-trade theory is based on the idea that countries should specialize, produce the things that they make best and buy in everything else. But, as Kevan Bundell from Christian Aid says: ‘It makes little sense for poor countries or poor farmers to put themselves at more risk if they have to rely on the efficient functioning of markets which all too often fail or don’t exist.’4 How ‘efficient’ is a system of agriculture that ignores (‘externalizes’) the huge costs of removing chemical contamination from water or losing genetic diversity? How ‘wholesome’ is it to create new diseases in animals and antibiotic resistance in people? How ‘cheap’ is the expense of public subsidies to private agribusiness, of global transport or social breakdown in rural areas? Prevailing free-market thinking asks why we should provide support just to keep people in a state of ‘backwardness’ and rural poverty. But experience shows us that when these people lose their rural livelihoods, only a few will find better jobs in the city. Many will end up in enormous and growing urban slums. ‘The future for peasant incomes and employment is grim,’ says Chen Xiwen, deputy director of the Chinese State Council’s research centre. According to Chen, in 2001 over 88 million workers migrated from rural to urban areas in China, most of them employed in ‘dirty, hard, dangerous and unsafe conditions’.5 The question is not whether we have any right to condemn people to the difficult life of a poor farmer – an accusation often thrown at those who oppose the global-trade regime and the food cartel that runs it. The real question is whether vulnerable farmers themselves have meaningful choices. They need an international voice for their own priorities. Let them eat trade Nettie Webb, a Canadian farmer explains: ‘The difficulty for us, as farming people, is that we are rooted in the places where we live and grow our food. The other side, the corporate world, is globally mobile.’ To put it another way, global- trade rules might be fundamentally transforming agriculture, but as one sceptic asked: ‘can one envision a coalition of Belgian, Dutch, French, Italian, Uruguayan, Brazilian and New Zealand farmers marching on a GATT (WTO) meeting in Punta del Este? And what could they demand to benefit them all, since they are all in competition with one another?’6 In fact Via Campesina has been marching on every WTO meeting from 1994 onwards. ‘We will not be intimidated. We will not be “disappeared”,’ they have declared. This global alliance of small and family farmers, peasants, landless and indigenous people, women and rural labourers, has a membership of millions – the vast majority from poor countries – and they’re putting an alternative agricultural paradigm on the map. It’s based on the idea of ‘food sovereignty’. It is, they say, ‘the RIGHT of peoples, communities and countries to define their own agricultural, labour, fishing, food and land policies which are ecologically, socially, economically and culturally appropriate to their unique circumstances.’ They believe food is a human right, not a commodity, and that their job – the production of food – is fundamental to all human existence. This attitude is summed up by a food co-op member’s retort to Brazilian President Cardoso when he said that agriculture had to submit to the law of the market: ‘Very well, Mr President. When Brazil no longer needs food, then you can let agriculture go bankrupt.’7 The farmers of Via Campesina argue that nothing as important as food should be ruled by the WTO. They’ve been leading the campaign to take agriculture out of its remit entirely. This does not mean that they are ‘anti-trade’. They believe in trading goods which a country cannot produce itself. Once a country has supported its own food needs and production it should be free to trade the surplus. I spent time with Via Campesina at the 2002 World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where they explained their vision in more depth. I’m in the courtyard of the Convent del Capuchino. There are mango and papaya trees hung with unripe green fruit. Via Campesina delegates – people of few words – sit on benches, sip sweet coffee and contemplate. José Bocquisso Jr explains the views of the National Peasants’ Union in Mozambique. ‘Mozambique was one of the largest cashew-nut processors in the world,’ he says. ‘But because of the IMF the industry was privatized and the processing plants were closed… People should concentrate on producing food for themselves, not products for export… If we produce a lot of cotton the price ends up being below the cost of production, and people are stranded with piles of cotton, but with no food and no money. In our organization we concentrate on producing food, we encourage our members first to provide for their daily needs. Then it doesn’t matter so much if they don’t have money, because they are secure in food and have guaranteed the ability to feed their families.’ His group is part of the expanding African contingent in Via Campesina. ‘It is very strengthening to feel part of a global movement. World powers have to be fought globally.’ Via Campesina is not anti-technology. Its vision is, however, based on a model of agriculture built from the ground up, in which farmers’ knowledge has a significant place. Indeed, all Via Campesina’s arguments about food and farming – whether GMOs, access to land or markets – come down to one central issue: control. Indra Lubis, part of a coalition of 13 Indonesian peasant unions with 900,000 members, explains that rejection of genetically modified seed and pesticides is about self-determination: ‘With Monsanto, who have planted GM cotton in south Sulawesi, we’ll have to depend on them for seed. They want to control cotton and food production. As peasants, we’ll be made dependent on multinational corporations. But we are independent when we develop our own agriculture. We use our own productive system, with no chemical fertilizer or herbicides. We use local seeds and local fertilizer. In Indonesia we have so many varieties of seed. It is a deep part of our culture.’ Seventy per cent of the world’s farmers are women – most of the people in this courtyard are men. Rosalva Gutierrez, from the Belize Association of Producer Organizations, tells me: ‘It is always the women who take the hardest part as farmers, mothers, wives. We have many strong women but they have been abused for so many years, women’s self-esteem is very low. So we give workshops and training… I’m co-ordinator of the women’s project and on the international co-ordination of Via Campesina – I try to ensure that what Via Campesina says on paper about gender equality becomes reality!’ And she tells me: ‘We don’t see farmers as being from different countries. Farmers everywhere understand the same point.’ Via Campesina argues that food production has a unique role to play in rural livelihoods, health, ecology and culture. Kanya Pankiti, a peasant from the south of Thailand – on her first trip out of the country – says the way her people grow food preserves the forest, the watershed and the soil. She thinks the Brazilians aren’t growing enough trees. ‘The way Brazilians do agriculture now will cause soil erosion,’ she worries, picking and nibbling leaves she recognizes from home – it has never occurred to Brazilians to cook with them. Kanya knows a lot about trees. She says: ‘The Thai forest department doesn’t believe that people can live in the forest and preserve it. The reality is, we have lived in the forest for a hundred years. It is not the villagers who are destroying the forest, but the loggers clear-cutting. When the forest is clear-cut the land becomes less fertile.’ Her house is outside a new National Park zone, her land inside it, and they want to clear her out. ‘When they declare a National Park,’ she says, ‘they sit in an air-conditioned office and look at a map.’ What does she think of the World Social Forum? She’s going back to tell her village ‘that they are not alone in the world, struggling for land, and we can link up with those in other countries’. For anyone who eats, the question of who controls the food chain – farmers, or an ever-more powerful cartel of food corporations – is no less pertinent than it is for Indra, Kanya or José. At the very same time as consumers in the rich world are objecting more than ever to factory farming, to the use of antibiotics in livestock, to pesticide residues in food, to the loss of biodiversity and to food scares such as BSE, this very same model is being set up for replication around the world, often disguised as ‘development’. Mario Pizano, a member of the Confederación Campesino del Suerto in Chile, joins the conversation. ‘The big companies are buying up all the land,’ he complains. ‘With contract farming, they tell us: “We’ll buy your food only if you buy the chemicals you need from us.” They give us chemicals that are forbidden in the US. Then we have to give them a section of our crop. If we can’t, then they take our land.’ But he, and millions like him, refuse to become serfs on their own land. As we part, he takes off his green cap, emblazoned with the name of his organization, and gives it to me. ‘This organization is part of me,’ he says. ‘What’s Wrong with Supermarkets’, Corporate Watch, 2002. Bringing the Food Economy Home, Norberg-Hodge, Merrifield, Gorelick, Zed Books 2002. ‘Where have all the farmers gone?’, Brian Halweil, WorldWatch 2000. ‘Forgotten Farmers: Small farmers, trade, and sustainable agriculture’, Kevan Bundell, Christian Aid 2002. ‘The Forgotten 800 Million: How Rural Life is Dying in the New China’, Guardian Newspapers, 18/10/2002. ‘The Via Campesina: Consolidating an International Peasant and Farm Movement’, Annette Aurelie Desmarais, Journal of Peasant Studies, January 2002. Cutting the Wire, Branford, Rocha, Latin America Bureau 2002. Katharine Ainger Corporate agriculture Comments on The new peasants’ revolt Silent violence of malnutrition January 1, 2003 Food & farming January 1, 2003 Tricks of the Trade January 1, 2003 The rules of the global trading system – who makes them and why, as they apply to rice, meat, dairy products, sugar, wheat, coffee and genetically modified soya and maize. More articles on this theme The food rush Meet the food speculators Kibera's vertical farms Where now for biofuels? Biofuels - the good, the bad and the ugly

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News & EventsField Story With Crop Diversification, Farmers Get the Most out of their Land Feed the Future | Newsletter HARVESTCambodian horticulture farmers like this one in Kampong Thom province are alternating crops to mitigate their vulnerability to climate change. In Cambodia, diversifying crops is uncommon. The majority of farmers grow only rice, and they do it during the six-month wet season, leaving their fields unsown for half of the year. This practice limits the country’s agricultural productivity and leaves farmers vulnerable to a variety of problems, including pests, market fluctuations and the effects of global climate change.Through a program supported under Feed the Future and the Global Climate Change initiative, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with Cambodian farmers to change the country’s reliance on cultivating a single crop by promoting crop diversification as part of a broader agricultural technical package. Crop diversification encourages farmers to plant a number of crops including different varieties of rice and vegetables on the same plot throughout the year, reducing the risk that a particularly long, hot dry season will threaten their food security or incomes.This practice is beginning to take hold, with over 10,000 farmer clients who are part of the program having adopted crop diversification to date. One of those farmers is Sem Sokha. Based in Kampong Thom province, he grew only rice for years, occasionally experimenting with melons during the dry season.“I never made any money with the melons,” he says. “Honestly, I just did it to keep myself busy.”That changed in 2013, when Sem became a commercial horticulture client with the USAID program. With technical assistance, he began growing a variety of vegetables, including long beans and bitter gourd. He now plants these crops during the dry season on his once-dormant rice field, while continuing to grow rice during the wet season. This practice has led to dramatic increases in both productivity and income: Sem now earns a staggering 479 percent more than he did before diversifying his crops.“After years of failure, I feel like I’m finally achieving success,” he says. “I’m finally doing work that can support my family.”With this new approach to farming his land, Sem has increased his resilience to climate change. Climate projections show that Cambodia will face longer and more intense droughts and floods in future years, putting many farmers at risk of shocks to their livelihoods. But by optimizing his productivity during the dry season, Sem is in a much better position to adapt to changing weather patterns.“I’m getting the most out of my land now,” Sem says.

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How can adding a lot of toxic poison (pesticides) to the ground be good? Question Submitted By: GMOsux ** Questions submitted to GMO Answers appear as written at the time of submission. Notification Preferences A:Expert Answer By: Andrew Kniss, Associate Professor of Weed Ecology & Management, Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Wyoming on Friday, 9/13/2013 7:19 pm To really address this question, it is important to put “toxic poison” into perspective. It is true that pesticides are, by definition, toxic. But toxicity is relative; recall the old adage that the dose makes the poison. What may be a “toxic poison” to one species may actually be quite safe, and even a food source, to another. For example, chocolate is a toxic poison to dogs, but a nice treat to us. Pesticides should be considered in a similar context. Even though a pesticide is a toxic poison to the target pest (be it a weed, insect, or plant pathogen), the toxicity of most pesticides is quite different for other organisms. The most common pesticides incorporated into GM crops are proteins that originate from Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly referred to as Bt crops. The nice thing about Bt proteins is that they are very specific about the types of organisms they are toxic to. The crops have been engineered to produce a Bt protein that is toxic only to certain types of insect pests (usually Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) that feed on the plants. This greatly reduces non-target impacts by exposing only insect pests that feed on the crop. These Bt proteins are practically non-toxic to humans and other mammals. It has been well documented that the use of Bt crops has actually reduced pesticide spraying. So, in the case of GM Bt crops, we have actually reduced the application of insecticides to the soil. Herbicide-resistant crops, on the other hand, do not produce their own pesticide, but instead are developed to be resistant to effective herbicides. GM versions of herbicide-resistant crops include glyphosate-resistant and glufosinate-resistant varieties. These herbicides were designed to be “toxic poisons” to the weeds in the field, but they are substantially less toxic to most other organisms in the system. Specifically, glyphosate is less toxic to rats (the most common model for mammalian toxicity) than cinnamon oil or clove oil (two organically approved herbicides). Glyphosate is also less toxic to rats than many chemicals humans commonly consume, most notably table salt and caffeine. Once applied, a vast majority of pesticides do not remain in the environment indefinitely. There are some notable exceptions that tend to persist for a very long time in the environment (such as DDT), but most pesticides currently used in agriculture degrade relatively rapidly. Many pesticides are degraded by microorganisms that live in the soil. These soil microorganisms basically use the pesticides as a food source, breaking the pesticide down into chemicals that no longer have pesticidal activity; that is, they are broken down into things that are often no longer “toxic poisons.” Glufosinate, for example, has a soil half life between 3 and 70 days. This means that under most circumstances, glufosinate will be almost completely degraded one year after application. There will certainly be exceptions to this, particularly in soils where microbial activity is already low (like sandy soils with low organic matter). But overall, most pesticides currently used in modern agriculture (and particularly those associated with GM crop production) break down relatively quickly and have far fewer non-target impacts than many pesticides used in the past. Topic: Impact on Environment 5 Comments | Add Comment Log in or register to post comments Q: What is each of these seeds crossed with? Q: What are some good consequences of using genmodified insulin in corn plants instead of bacteria? Q: What about the depletion of the bee population. Also glyphosate in round up is not healthly. Q: If cross pollination does not occur, why did the incident with milkweed occur thus killing off thousands of monarch butterflies? Q: How to asses the certainty that human induced GMO crops will not have an effect in biodiversity ? Specially for cross pollinated crops like alfalfa and corn. See All Questions Moderator Updates Your question may not immediately appear on the site. Questions go through a spam filter and Community Manager review before appearing on the site. Click here to learn more about the independent & company experts answering your questions. Welcome to the GMO Answers community! Please remember to vote on the questions you'd like to see answered first. Andrew Kniss Associate Professor of Weed Ecology & Management, Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Wyoming Andrew Kniss is an Associate Professor of Weed Ecology & Management in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Wyoming. He has a PhD in Agronomy with a minor in Statistics. Andrew's research program focuses on developing weed management programs in agronomic crops, especially sugarbeet, winter wheat, corn, and dry edible beans.He has authored or co-authored 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and 1 book chapter. He teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses including Ecology of Plant Protection, Weed Science & Technology, and Applied Dose Response Analysis. He recently received the Outstanding Weed Scientist – Early Career award from the Western Society of Weed Science, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Weed Science Society of America. He grew up on a small farm in Nebraska. His interest in weeds began early in life after being forced against his will to pull nightshade berries out of dry bean windrows prior to harvest (he now thanks his dad for that experience). Ask

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October 7, 2009 - (10:40 a.m. EDT) No. 296Canada Requests WTO Panel on U.S. Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labelling The Government of Canada is standing up for Canadian producers by launching a World Trade Organization dispute settlement process over U.S. mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL). The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, announced Canada’s request for a WTO panel today.“The U.S. COOL requirements are so onerous that they affect the ability of our cattle and hog exporters to compete fairly in the U.S. market,” said Minister Day. “That is why our government has no choice but to request a WTO panel. This request demonstrates our ongoing commitment to resolving this issue and defending the interests of Canadian producers.”“Canadian farmers and ranchers produce top-quality food, and they are facing unfair discrimination because of COOL legislation,” said Minister Ritz. “This government is standing up for Canadian farmers and ranchers by exercising Canada’s rights under the WTO, and we are confident our challenge will be successful.”COOL is a mandatory labelling measure in the United States that requires firms to track and notify customers of the country of origin of meat and other agricultural products at each major stage of production, including at the retail level. These provisions impose unfair and unnecessary costs on integrated North American supply chains, reducing competitiveness in both Canada and the U.S. COOL has created confusion and uncertainty for livestock industries on both sides of the border. Canada’s request for a panel comes after two rounds of WTO consultations with the U.S. failed to resolve the issue. Panels are the next step in the WTO’s dispute settlement process.Canada initially requested WTO consultations with the U.S. on COOL in December 2008, as it believed the measures were creating undue trade restrictions, to the detriment of Canadian exporters. At that time, U.S. provisions were being implemented based on the interim final rule. The Final Rule was subsequently published in the U.S. Federal Register on January 15, 2009, and implemented on March 16, 2009. On June 5, 2009, Canada held a further round of consultations with the United States on COOL. The U.S. and Canada are each other’s largest agricultural trading partners. In 2008, bilateral agricultural trade totalled approximately $37 billion. Reducing obstacles to trade has contributed to mutually beneficial supply chains, making both countries more competitive domestically and internationally.Canada and the U.S. continue to have a close and ongoing dialogue on COOL and other issues.- 30 -A backgrounder follows.For further information, media representatives may contact:Mélisa LeclercDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of International Tradeand Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway613-992-6186Trade Media Relations OfficeForeign Affairs and International Trade Canada613-996-2000Meagan MurdochPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Foodand Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board613-759-1059Media RelationsAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada613-759-79721-866-345-7972Backgrounder - WTO Panel on U.S. Country-of-Origin LabellingWhat is U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL)?As part of the U.S. Food, Conservation and Energy Act of June 2008, the United States passed legislation imposing mandatory country-of-origin labelling for beef, pork, lamb, chicken and goat meat, and certain perishable commodities sold at retail outlets in the U.S. This legislation was implemented on September 30, 2008, on the basis of an interim final rule. This was then replaced by a Final Rule that entered into force on March 16, 2009. COOL provisions for fish and shellfish have been in place since 2005. In order for meat to be labelled as a product of the U.S., all production activities (birth, rearing and slaughtering) have to occur in the U.S. For meat derived from animals of different national origins, the label must indicate the country or countries involved.How does COOL discriminate against Canadian producers?Mandatory requirements to label products with their country of origin is imposing unnecessary additional costs at each stage of the production process (for example, feedlots, processing, packing and retail). U.S. processors, for instance, have to segregate Canadian animals and the meat from these animals at their facilities, a requirement that generates additional costs. Because of these additional costs, some processors do not buy Canadian animals, buy them only on certain days or buy them at a discounted price. Why a WTO dispute panel?Regrettably, the WTO consultations held with the U.S. in December 2008 and June 2009 did not lead to a resolution of the issue. Therefore, Canada is requesting a WTO panel to resolve the dispute. The panel will be asked to determine whether these measures are consistent with the United States’ international trade obligations under the WTO. It normally takes up to nine months from the establishment of a panel for its final report to be released to WTO members.For further information about the WTO dispute settlement process, please consult Understanding the WTO: Settling Disputes. Date Modified:2009-10-28 Secondary menu FooterSite footerTerms and ConditionsTransparency About UsOur MinistersOur PrioritiesNewsNews ReleasesMedia AdvisoriesSpeechesStatementsContact UsEmbassies and ConsulatesCanadian Representatives AbroadTrade Offices AbroadFind a Trade CommissionerStay ConnectedTwitterFacebookYouTubeFlickrLinkedInRSS FeedsGovernment of Canada footerHEALTHTRAVELSERVICE CANADAJOBSECONOMYCanada.ca

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Global Property Australian Agricultural Land for Sale? Australian Agricultural Land for Sale? 15 Posted on 15 Dec, 2015 Earlier this year, rules were put into place requiring foreign purchasers of agricultural land worth more than $15 Million to face the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) first. The Australian government does not oppose foreign investment but it must be transparent and shown to be in the national interest. The FIRB must have confidence that this investment is coming in on their terms and for the nation’s benefit. “We need to develop the architecture for successful and sustained agricultural investment.” From July 1 of this year, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) has also started collecting information on all new foreign investment in agricultural land regardless of value, and has commenced a stocktake of existing agricultural land ownership by foreign interests. The ATO register will also use land title transfer information from State and Territory governments. "These measures are a significant step in protecting Australia’s national interests and in giving the community greater confidence in our foreign investment regime," the statement said. Ausbuy CEO Lynne Wilkinson says the issue of food security is paramount to the rest of the world and should also be to Australia. “When countries buy our land it raises issues of sovereign risk, and in our grab for cash we lose the intellectual property of generations of Australian farmers. We cannot guarantee the food grown on this land will stay in Australia or that the profits from exports will be here.” The new $15 million screening threshold will apply to the cumulative value of agricultural land owned by the foreign investor, including the purposed purchase. Overseas investment groups shown the most interest set to acquire large Australian farms, with real estate group Raine and Horne announcing a deal to assist mostly foreign-based investors buy $600 million in agricultural assets. The investors are looking to secure a large portfolio of crop interests, wheat farms and processing facilities across the country that will not be selling on the open market. Their plans follow a recent announcement that one of China’s largest beef producers, Chongqing Hondo Agricultural Group, is looking to buy up to $100 million worth of Australian cattle stations in the next year. Top quality agricultural land has never been more valuable. An example of this new rule in affect was last month when the FIRB blocked the sale of the country's largest landowner, private farming group S. Kidman and Co, to foreign investors, saying an agricultural area the size of South Korea should remain in Australian hands. Ownership of farmland is a sensitive political issue in Australia amid concerns that foreign buyers are snapping up properties to cash in on a boom in food demand from Asia. S. Kidman and Co's 10 cattle stations cover more than 100,000 sq km (25 million acres) of land spread across Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. If you are a foreigner looking to buy a small farm, rural property, or commercial property under $5,000,000.00, then approval from the FIRB is not needed. A foreign person who holds a visa which entitles them to remain in Australia for more than one year will generally be granted permission to buy a house that is already built, providing that they live in the house and sell it when their visa expires. Global Property(20) Property Trends(19) Guest Blogs(0) Join our newsletter

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Africa starts a fishing ‘revolution’ NEPAD plan promotes poverty reduction, food security and environmental sustainability By: Michael FleshmanFrom Africa Renewal: April 2006 Africa's small-scale fishers want environmental protection, higher incomes and a greater voice.Photograph: Alamy Images / Mike Goldwater At the base of the Zomba plateau in southern Malawi, more and more villagers are digging ponds to raise fish. Mr. James Chitonya previously grew maize, with meagre returns. But since he began practicing “fish farming” (also known as “aquaculture”) several years ago, he has earned enough from fish sales to replace his thatched grass hut with a house that has electricity and an iron-sheet roof. “I am also able to pay school fees for my children and buy them clothes,” he told a local reporter. “In addition, I have bought some livestock from the sales of fish.” Several thousand kilometres away, in the village of Nianing on Senegal’s coast, hundreds of women clean and smoke the 50 tonnes of fish caught annually by kinfolk and neighbours, who venture into the Atlantic in canoes. The women’s processed fish is sold to residents or to companies for export to Asia, principally Japan. Concerned that overfishing was beginning to deplete the stocks of offshore fish, Nianing’s fishers and fish processors welcomed support from the Senegalese government and the Japanese aid agency to improve management of fishing, the village’s economic mainstay. Not only are these artisans now better organized than they were a few years ago, but they have learned to observe prohibitions against catching certain species at given times of the year, so the fish have time to replenish their numbers. Since the project began, the value of Nianing’s total fish output has increased by almost half. Initiatives such as these must be replicated across Africa if the continent is to harness the full promise of its fisheries to strengthen national economies, reduce poverty and improve people’s food security and nutrition, argue promoters of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The continent-wide plan, first adopted by African leaders in 2001, is intended to accelerate Africans’ own development efforts, draw greater benefits from external economic dealings and advance good governance, peace and security. Since NEPAD’s advent, teams of experts have begun developing action plans for specific sectors, such as agriculture, health and the environment. At a special Fish for All summit meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, in August 2005, African leaders launched the “NEPAD Action Plan for the Development of African Fisheries and Aquaculture.” In a concluding summit declaration, the leaders expressed alarm over the depletion of Africa’s fish stocks, the degradation of its aquatic environments and threats to the sustainability of its fisheries and aquaculture, especially as the demand for fish is rising sharply. To overcome such challenges, they vowed action to realize “increased benefits from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.” Half of all those employed in Africa’s fishing sector are women.Photograph: Panos / Jacob Silberberg In Senegal, as elsewhere in Africa, “Fishing is on the way to revolutionizing itself,” Minister of the Maritime Economy Djibo Kâ stated just a few days after the Abuja summit. Such a revolution is all the more urgent, he added, because the fishing sector as a whole is “in crisis.” A stagnating resource Although fishing in much of rural Africa tends to be overshadowed by agriculture and stockraising, it is not a marginal sector. Fishing provides direct incomes for about 10 million people — half of whom are women — and contributes to the food supply of 200 million more. According to the WorldFish Centre, an independent research institute headquartered in Malaysia, Africans rely on fish for an average of 22 per cent of their consumption of animal protein. In some countries, the rate is as high as 70 per cent. Fish also provides essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other nutrients crucial to a healthy diet. The poor rely on fish more than others, because it is often the most affordable source of protein. Fishing also makes a significant economic contribution. In Uganda, for example, lake fisheries yield catches worth more than $200 mn a year, contributing 2.2 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product. They employ 135,000 fishers and 700,000 more in fish processing and trading, and generate $87.5 mn in export earnings. Overall, African fish exports increased notably during the 1980s and 1990s. By 2001 they reached a value of $2.7 bn — about 5 per cent of the total global trade of $56 bn. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fish products make up more than 10 per cent of the total value of national exports in 11 African countries. But under current fishing practices and management methods, Africa’s marine and inland fisheries are reaching their limits. Too many fish are being caught, so stocks are dwindling. Mr. Daniel Pauly, a researcher at the University of British Columbia in Canada, estimates that with the tripling of fishing activity in northwest Africa since the 1970s, the amount of fish in deep waters has fallen by a quarter. Off West Africa, deep-water fish stocks have declined by half. “This trend is also evident farther south,” he says, “along the African coast down to Namibia.” The NEPAD Action Plan observes that during the 1980s and 1990s, fish caught in marine and inland waters increased steadily, rising to an average of 7.3 mn tonnes. But output has stagnated since then, reaching only 6.8 mn tonnes in 2002. Mr. Claude Martin, director-general of the World Wildlife Fund International, notes that a decline in fish output could seriously affect local food security. “A collapse of fish stocks in West Africa,” he said, “can have more serious human consequences than in Europe or North America,” the destinations for most of the region’s fish exports. Through negotiated agreements between European and African governments, hundreds of European vessels fish annually off Africa’s coasts. These agreements stipulate the types and volumes of fish that can be caught and the royalties and fees the foreign ships must pay to operate in African waters. But many African countries lack sufficient boats, aircraft, communications equipment and trained personnel to effectively monitor the activities of foreign vessels, to make sure they do not overfish. Sometimes African governments, eager to earn foreign revenue, simply agree to let European fleets catch more fish than they should. The NEPAD Action Plan argues that in marine fisheries, “arrangements that regulate the access of foreign fleets to African fish stocks need to be considered from a long-term perspective on fish supply and economic development opportunities.” In recent years, a number of African governments have been taking a tougher line when negotiating foreign fishing agreements. In addition to prohibiting fishing during certain times of the year and limiting the overall catch, the new agreements often channel part of the fees paid by the foreign vessels towards strengthening African countries’ surveillance capacities. Since many fishing zones cross maritime boundaries, neighbouring African countries are also working more closely together to improve monitoring and resolve any disputes that may arise. Getting foreign ships to operate more responsibly is only part of the challenge, notes Mr. Arona Diagne, president of Senegal’s National Association of Fishers. “Senegalese boats plunder more of the sea’s resources than do foreign ships,” he admits. “When fishers come across a school of fish, they want to take them all.” One solution, Mr. Diagne argues, is to teach them to fish more sustainably. Another is to invest in fish-processing enterprises, cold storage units, marketing facilities and other infrastructure that will increase incomes and minimize losses, thereby easing the economic pressure to catch so many fish. Overall, argues the NEPAD Action Plan, African governments need to work together with the private sector to channel more investment into various forms of infrastructure. In both coastal and inland fisheries, these would include landing sites, cold units, road and transport systems and marketing facilities. To make sure that fishing better helps reduce poverty, it is also important to target enterprise-support programmes, credit institutions and technical assistance towards small-scale fishers and women fish processors. Across the continent, says the plan, African countries need to develop their capacities to catch and process their own fish. This will help ensure that “revenues and economic rent generated by the sector are reinvested into development interventions.” Involving communities Reforming the way fisheries are managed will also be essential for bringing more of the sector’s benefits to those who do the actual work. In the development of both national and local policies, notes the NEPAD plan, there is currently a “general underrepresentation of fishing communities in the decision-making process.” Therefore, it states, governments must act to build the capacity of all stakeholders to engage in fisheries management; develop “co-management plans” that include government ministries and agencies, the private sector, associations of fishers and fish processors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and create decentralized government structures with transparent mechanisms of control and audit. Failing to work with all local actors can have dire consequences. In the mid-1990s, this writer visited Kétonou, a fishing village near the coast of Benin. A group of leading villagers, with funding from a French environmental NGO, had created a restricted fish “park” in the marshes. Fishing there was only allowed by permit, supposedly to prevent overfishing and safeguard sustainability. In fact, the project was run by two “deflatés” (retrenched former civil servants) and traditional elders. They and a small group of better-off villagers received permits, while the big majority of poor villagers were excluded. Tensions of a different sort emerged in the Senegalese fishing town of Kayar in June 2005. Local residents, who had long observed fishing restrictions, became frustrated when the authorities did little to stop seasonal fishers from further north from violating the prohibitions. Their anger broke out in a day of violent protests and clashes with police that left 30 people injured and one dead. In such cases, community participation in decision-making could have helped resolve the conflict before it spiralled out of control. Aquaculture: ‘sector of the future’ Improving the efficiency and sustainability of Africa’s marine and inland fisheries will help boost overall production to some extent. But they alone will not be able to meet the continent’s growing domestic demand for fish nor increase exports on a significant scale. The NEPAD Action Plan therefore singles out aquaculture as the sector with the greatest potential for expansion. Fish farming has been practiced in Asia for hundreds of years. It was introduced into Africa more than a century ago, but with only a very modest impact here and there. Only in the last decade or so has aquaculture begun to take hold, with overall production rising from 80,000 tonnes in 1990 to more than 530,000 tonnes in 2003 (see graph). But this is still only a small fraction of the continent’s total fish output. By far the greatest contribution to Africa’s increase in aquaculture production has come from Egypt, which produced about 400,000 tonnes in 2004. By combining traditional aquaculture techniques, improved management of water resources and the private initiative of thousands of small enterprises involved in production, marketing and servicing, Egypt is now able to meet about half of its national demand for fish from aquaculture. Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest producer of fish from aquaculture, with more than 30,000 tonnes recorded in 2003. Madagascar comes next, with under 10,000 tonnes. Even in countries where production is still very low, as in Mozambique, which produced just 855 tonnes in 2003, the sector is winning greater attention. Fish farming, says Ms. Isabel Omar, an aquaculture expert in Mozambique’s fisheries ministry, “plays an important role in the socioeconomic development of the country” by improving people’s diets through the provision of low-cost protein, creating jobs and enhancing rural incomes. According to studies by the FAO, about 9.2 mn square kilometres (31 per cent of the land area) of sub-Saharan Africa is suitable for smallholder fish farming. If the yields achieved in recent fish-farming projects can be maintained on a wide scale, devoting only 0.5 per cent of this land area to aquaculture would be sufficient to meet a third of Africa’s additional demand for fish by 2010. The experience of aquaculture ventures in Africa indicates that attempts to introduce fish farming as a separate activity generally do not have a great impact. But when fish farming is combined with crop cultivation or stockraising, villagers are more willing to adopt the practice. Yields also tend to be much higher. Crop residues can provide nutrients to help the fish mature, while runoff of enriched water from fish ponds can help fertilize crops. Irrigated rice farming provides many such opportunities. If aquaculture output can grow by an average of 10 per cent a year, argues a technical paper distributed at the August 2005 Fish for All summit, then Africa will be able to reach about 3 mn tonnes over the next 15 years. Such growth could create at least 5 mn additional jobs, help feed millions more and yield another $50 mn—$100 mn in export revenues. According to Mr. Kâ, Senegal’s maritime economy minister, experts have identified about 700 high-potential aquaculture sites in that country. Of those, only 59 are now being exploited, many directly linking fish farming with rice cultivation. Nevertheless, he says, fish farming is “the sector of the future.” In January, Senegalese Prime Minister Macky Sall inaugurated the stocking with about 70,000 “fingerlings” (very young fish) of three large fish basins near the town of Tivaouane. He announced that the government had just approved an allocation of CFA18.5 bn (about US$35 mn) for aquaculture, towards a goal of developing 7,500 fish ponds, with an estimated yield of 100,000 tonnes, by 2010. The stocking of the basins, Mr. Sall said, marked the beginning of a “new era” in Senegal’s fishing industry. “The challenges of sustainable development require new approaches in the search for solutions to the acute problem of food security.” Topics: agricultureNEPADenvironmentfoodView the discussion thread. New global anti-AIDS campaign kicks off Rwandan women: AIDS therapy beyond drugs Africa starts a fishing ‘revolution’ Tapping women’s entrepreneurship in Ghana Preventing genocide: from rhetoric to action Trade talks: where is the development? Loss of textile market costs African jobs Africa Books African Agenda Africa In Brief Africa Watch Archive

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Industry Vilsack joins world leaders for 1st U.S.–Africa Leaders Summit By USDA On Aug. 4, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack will join President Obama, members of Congress and other U.S. government officials to welcome African heads of state and government leaders for the first-ever Africa Leaders Summit. This historic summit, the first of its kind, will bring leaders from across the African continent to the nation's capital and further strengthen U.S. ties with one of the world's most dynamic and fast-growing regions. The theme of the summit, which will run from Aug. 4 to Aug.6, is “Investing in the Next Generation.” Over the course of the three day conference, Secretary Vilsack will attend several high-level events and meetings to discuss ways of improving agricultural systems and build better trade capacity in Africa. On Aug. 4, he will speak on a panel titled “The Power of Partnerships” at the National Academy of Sciences where he will highlight U.S.–Africa cooperation to address resilience and food security in a changing climate. He will also address the urgency of developing climate-smart agriculture, and how accurate, transparent data systems are instrumental to agricultural productivity. Later that evening, the Secretary will participate in a dinner roundtable with several African Heads of State, to discuss issues affecting agriculture and food security in Africa. On Aug. 5, he will attend the U.S. – Africa Business Forum to stress the importance of trade, both regional and global, to economic development. Building on the progress made since President Obama’s trip to Africa last summer, the Summit will advance the focus on trade and investment in Africa, and highlight America’s commitment to Africa’s security, its democratic development, and elevate the ideas of young people. At the same time, it will highlight the depth and breadth of the United States’ commitment to the African continent, advance our shared priorities and enable discussion of concrete ideas to deepen the partnership. At its core, this Summit is about fostering stronger ties between the United States and Africa. USDA collaborates with its partners in Africa to help strengthen connections between the U.S. and African agriculture sectors and to work towards common goals. USDA implements programs and activities across the continent in a wide range of areas, including food security, trade capacity, investment, climate-smart agriculture, school attendance and literacy, and open data systems. africa leaders summitusda About the Author:

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Corn left standing may have to wait By John Walter 11/29/2011 With December in sight, the corn harvest is widely regarded as "essentially over," according to individual state-level reports issued this week. There are enough exceptions in the countryside, though, to suggest that a significant amount of U.S. corn remains in the field and may stay there for a while. In Ohio, 24 percent of the corn crop remains unharvested, and Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania all have about 5% left to go. "Based on November USDA production data, this would amount to close to 200 million bushels," Freese-Notis Weather wrote Monday on Agriculture.com. "That is corn that is not going to see a combine any time soon, given how wet that area is right now, with considerable precipitation, including areas of heavy snow, forecast over the next 24 hours. Poor drying conditions in the region won't help matters. "Given how poorly soils dry this time of year, for a lot of areas it will probably take frozen ground in order to support machinery in the fields," Freese-Notis said. "It is entirely possible that some farmers may wait until spring to harvest the rest of this year's corn." Farmers in the eastern Corn Belt confirm this macro view. "It's still corn harvest here in NW Ohio," wrote a farmer in Agriculture.com's Marketing Talk. "The ground is wet.... It will take a freeze now to finish harvest--after the water goes down!"

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Home News Business Revitalizing the (olive) oil business in Israel NewsBusinessIsrael Revitalizing the (olive) oil business in Israel By Jennifer M. Macleod - February 21, 2014 1582 0 SHARE Two Torontonians are taking charge to revitalize one of Israel’s oldest agricultural areas. Combining tzedakah and environmentalism, Nili Abrahams and Rabbi Shmuel Veffer, through their new organization, Shemen LaMeor, are harvesting olives that would otherwise be wasted, creating pure oil to raise money for yeshivas, schools and food programs for needy families in their community, Yavne’el, and throughout the Lower Galilee. Abrahams said the phrase shemen lameor, from the Torah, means “oil that illuminates. The whole purpose is to use the oil to spread light… and light is Torah.” To highlight the importance of trees, the pair, along with local rabbis and other community members, unveiled the organization this past Tu b’Shvat. The organization will use the area’s surplus olives and boutique kosher olive oil to build relationships within and beyond Israel. They are also raising awareness about the increasingly dire situation in the region. The Lower Galilee, two hours from Jerusalem, had strong agricultural origins, which still attract many olim. “People love the idea of connection with the land,” says Abrahams, “of a safe haven for the children… a very simple lifestyle.” Yet that agricultural way of life is threatened by many forces. Twenty minutes from Tiberias, Yavne’el, home to 3,000 residents, “had an incredible heyday of agriculture: tobacco, date palms, olives, citrus,” Abrahams says. But the older generation of farmers can’t maintain their fields. And, she says, “if farmers can’t afford to keep up their farms… there is a significant number of Arabs waiting to buy up the land.” According to the latest Israeli Census Bureau statistics, for 2011, the Arab population in northern Israel (not including Haifa) is just over 53 per cent, while Jews make up just under 44 per cent. The Israeli government and organizations such as Nefesh b’Nefesh have been battling to rebuild the Jewish presence in the region since the 1980s. In December 2013, the World Zionist Organization’s settlement division announced its intention to build two new towns for 100,000 Jewish residents. At the time, MK Hanna Swaid criticized the move as part of a “demographic war” that is meaningless without “infrastructure improvements and a reduction in the… employment gaps.” Idyllic in some ways, life in the Lower Galilee can be devastating for families. “Most of the men aren’t home for the week, just for Shabbat. Some travel to Jerusalem, some travel to Bnei Brak… to work, and then come home for Shabbat,” says Abrahams, who has run a bed and breakfast with her husband, Arnie, since making aliyah to the area 2 1/2 years ago. Shemen LaMeor will create jobs and reinvigorate the region’s agriculture while preserving its unique character. “Kids here know how to plant, herd sheep, ride horses,” Abrahams says. “They really have a very good feel for the land; they know how to lead a simple life.” Rabbi Veffer, a graduate of the University of Waterloo and creator of the KosherLamp, which has changed late-night Shabbat reading for religious families around the world, was associate rabbi of The Village Shul Aish HaTorah Learning Centre in Toronto before returning to Israel nearly four years ago. Abrahams says they both wanted to help out by tapping into local resources that would otherwise be wasted. “A lot of the olive trees are actually abandoned, not picked, nothing’s done with them. “The area is blessed with abundance. Everyone’s got citrus and passion fruit and olives… We’re reclaiming the land, reclaiming the olives.” Rich in Jewish history, the area around Yavne’el is where, according to the Book of Judges, the warrior Deborah led her battle against Canaanite general Sisera. It’s also the site of the Golani tree, the oak tree symbolizing the legendary IDF brigade. Nearby Tiberias is considered the fourth-holiest city in Judaism, where the Jerusalem Talmud was written and the great teacher Maimonides is buried. Shemen LaMeor has built relationships with farmers to secure 1,500 dunam (1.5 square kilometres) of land to prepare for its first picking season this fall. They will compensate some farmers with a tax receipt, others with a percentage of the oil for personal use or resale. Abrahams says the organization welcomes volunteers, seminary and yeshiva students, and other willing groups, who will donate their labour for a morning or afternoon and learn how olives are picked and processed into one of Israel’s purest, most ancient bounties. “We’ll press the oil for them on the spot… it’ll be a great part of their visit to the north.” Together, they hope to extend the Jewish world’s appreciation for Israel in its entirety. “I see this as a way of going beyond Jerusalem,” says Abrahams. “Every single part of Israel is vital… to our existence. “The abundance here is God-given. We don’t want to waste that… so we’re using the abundance for ohr, to spread the light of Torah around the world.” For more information about Shemen LaMeor, visit shemenlameor.org. tweet Jennifer M. Macleod RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

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Yellow plastic identified as cotton contaminant Jan 09, 2017 Beltwide 2017: Industry reps explain new cotton herbicide chemistry Jan 09, 2017 Danny Davis’ last crop: It was a good one Jan 04, 2017 New tools for managing resistant weeds Jan 04, 2017 Regulatory>Legislative Groups warn against further financial uncertainty in farm country Unless Congress extends the Transaction Account Guarantee program, it will expire on December 31. Program provides coverage for non-interest bearing transaction accounts in community banks. David Bennett 1 | Dec 19, 2012 UPDATE: The bill to extend the TAG program for two years was unable to overcome a Dec. 13 procedural challenge by Republicans in the Senate. While the bill received 50 votes in favor, the total was 10 short of the amount needed to move the legislation. It is expected the program will now expire at the end of December. Without quick resolution of the impasse over budget issues, farm country is well aware of the imminent threats to federal farm programs. Less well known is the impending demise of the Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program, which provides coverage for non-interest bearing transaction accounts in community banks. Unless Congress extends the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) program, it will expire on December 31. Knowing the uncertainty farmers and their bankers already face going into 2013, worries over the expiration of TAG have recently been addressed by a wide range of agricultural and financial groups. In a joint letter to Senate leaders sent December 5, the groups stated that, “TAG deposits in community banks are a significant source of funding for farm and rural business loans. Premature expiration of TAG could adversely impact the extension of credit. Farmers, small businesses and rural Americans all have a stake in our local communities and the economic recovery.” A second joint letter to Congress, sent on Monday (December 10), warned that, “When combined with the looming uncertainty with respect to the nation’s economy, spending and tax policies, the expiration (of TAG) would act to force depositors to shift significant funds out of current deposits into various accounts to try and guarantee adequate safety. This can only foster a destabilizing effect on businesses, credit, and markets.” Mark Scanlan, vice president of agriculture and rural policy for Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), spoke to Farm Press about the situation on Monday (December 10). Having served at USDA’s Office of Congressional Relations under former Agriculture Secretaries Yeutter and Madigan, Scanlan is well versed in farm legislation. Among his comments: On the ICBA… “ICBA represents only community banks – about 5,000 of them across the United States. Because of that we’re geared towards a philosophy where we support community banks working with local businesses, farmers, non-profits and local entities.” On community bankers and the unknowns of going into 2013 without a farm bill in place… “The bankers we represent deal with nearly all the commodities addressed in the farm bill and a number that aren’t. So, a number of them are nervous about getting a new farm bill passed. “Our association has been supportive of passing a new five-year farm bill. We’ve signed onto some (joint) letters urging Congress to come to agreement on new legislation. “Our view is that much of the work has already been done and they’re pretty close. They’re in the ‘red zone’, so to speak, and are pretty close to putting the ball across the goal line. “Some of the (farm bill programs are set to) expire and go back to permanent law. That is unsustainable. So, by hook or by crook, we think there will be an extension (of 2008 law) or a new farm bill. Our strong preference is to get a new farm bill done and take away some of the uncertainties farmers are now facing.” On the TAG program and what it means to farmers… “There’s about $1.5 trillion of deposits in the Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program. Initially the program was started by the FDIC in 2008 during the financial crisis. It helped to ensure there weren’t runs on banks. “TAG was extended as part of Dodd-Frank to 2012. However, it expires December 31. “What it allows is for, say, farmers who are selling livestock or harvest and sell a crop to bring those proceeds to the community bank and have those deposits above $250,000 guaranteed. “Given all the financial turmoil we’ve gone through, a lot of the people with large deposits want to first ensure the safety of their deposit amounts. This program does that. The banks pay assessments to the FDIC for these guarantees so there isn’t any taxpayer funds involved. “It’s great for the borrower, great for small businesses. It is also helpful for local hospitals, non-profits, or municipalities. They can put their deposits with the community bank, support their community. The bank re-lends these funds for small business loans, farm loans or other loan demands in the community. It’s a good program for the rural economy.” On whether Congress will act to keep the program in place… “There will be a vote (Tuesday, December 11) on the bill that (Senate) Majority Leader Harry Reid has introduced. The bill, S.3637, would extend the TAG program for two years. “First, the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed. Then, there will be debate and, probably, a couple of hours later will come the final vote. We could know by (Tuesday) evening what the fate of this legislation is.” On optimism about getting a new farm bill as opposed to an extension… “I don’t have any inside track on that. But I think everyone in the ag community should keep pushing hard to influence the small cadre of (lawmakers) who will make the final decision. “I think the farm bill leaders in both the House and Senate have done a commendable job in keeping the ball rolling. And they’re close. There just needs to be some final pushes as the year winds down.” You’ve been involved with a lot of farm legislation. Have you seen anything akin to what we’re seeing with the latest farm bill and fiscal cliff negotiations? “Other farm bills haven’t passed smoothly and on time. There have been extensions and so forth. “I don’t think the difficulty in getting (a new farm bill) passed in unprecedented. The 2008 farm bill was initially the 2007 farm bill and it had a couple of presidential vetoes involved. The process can be sticky. “My concern is if they push a new farm bill into 2013 and have to depend on a budget where there’s less money in the baseline or Congress is looking for even more money as part of deficit reduction. (Under those scenarios), the farm bill could be hit even more. Some of the programs so important to farmers – crop insurance, conservation and so forth – have been well negotiated in the committees and they’ve seen significant cuts. Push things off another year and it’ll be even more difficult given the budget constraints, which are more difficult now than they’ve ever been.” “The TAG program guarantees, again, are provided by the FDIC. But it isn’t a taxpayer-funded programbecause banks pay premiums to pay for the insurance. So, it’s a good deal for rural America and customers get the benefit. If money leaves our local community banks it isn’t good for the rural economy. “We need to protect the diversity of the rural economy and allow institutions, farmers and ranchers to continue working and banking with their local banks.” December 5 letter sent to Senate leaders. “Dear Majority Leader Reid and Republican Leader McConnell: “The FDIC’s successful Transaction Account Guarantee (TAG) program, which provides full insurance coverage for non-interest bearing transaction accounts, is set to expire at year’s end. “The thousands of farms and agribusinesses we represent produce food for American families and for exports, or provide crop insurance or inputs to producers and, therefore, play a central role in rural economies. We are deeply concerned about the possibility of abruptly losing insurance coverage of transaction accounts and urge the Senate to pass S. 3637, which provides a temporary two-year extension. “Transaction accounts are used by small and large farmers and agribusinesses, as well as small businesses, municipalities, hospitals and other entities for payroll and other operational expenses. “These farmers and businesses appreciate the security provided by the FDIC’s TAG insurance for lump sum deposits which are inherent in the seasonal nature of their business. TAG was enacted during the financial and economic crisis to protect depositors and to prevent a sudden withdrawal of deposits that would dislocate the banking system. While economic and financial conditions have improved, they remain fragile and the impact of the year-end ‘fiscal cliff,’ a crisis in Europe, or other events could reverse the gains we’ve made. If full TAG insurance coverage expires, farmers and rural businesses will be forced to weigh shifting their deposits out of the local banks they partner with in their communities. “TAG deposits in community banks are a significant source of funding for farm and rural business loans. Premature expiration of TAG could adversely impact the extension of credit. Farmers, small businesses and rural Americans all have a stake in our local communities and the economic recovery. Therefore, we urge you to extend TAG.” Among those signing the letter: Agricultural Retailers Association, American Association of Crop Insurers, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association, and the USA Rice Federation. RelatedUAS technology meshing data with cotton crop modelsJan 10, 2017Plant microbes and technology will be key to farming successDec 27, 2016Flag the Technology app prevents misapplicationDec 14, 2016Mobile app will guard against misapplicationDec 14, 2016 Load More

农业

2017-04/0524/en_head.json.gz/11984

Western food supply safer since 2006 E. coli outbreak in spinach Jan 04, 2017 New HLB positive tree found in urban Cerritos, Calif. Jan 02, 2017 American Farm Bureau plows into Phoenix this weekend Jan 05, 2017 Ag at Large: New water bill holds promise for California agriculture Dec 27, 2016 Carson Smith standing in a Muscat Alexandria block, two years after planting on Freedom rootstock. The vines are planted on a 10-foot row spacing with the vines 6-feet apart within the rows. The cover crop is a blend of bell beans, Dundale peas, common vetch and Cayuse oats. Crops>Grapes Carson Smith big on Central California wine grapes Carson Smith Farming Co. co-owns and manages 800 acres of grapes in southwest Madera County along the San Joaquin River. Greg Northcutt | Mar 26, 2014 As wine grape grower Carson Smith sees things, a third consecutive record-size crush this year looks doubtful. The 2013 season marked the second year in a row that California’s wine grape growers set a new production record – nearly 4.7 million tons. That’s 7 percent higher than the previous high of close to 4.4 million tons in 2012. “With the current drought situation, I don’t expect another big crop this year since some San Joaquin Valley vineyards face a very limited water supply and limited options,” he says. “However, with all of the recent new plantings in the state, 4 million tons may be the new normal.” Smith expects to get his first glimpse of the size of his 2014 crop following bloom, which usually occurs in early May. Towards the end of May, he’ll get a better perspective on his crop’s production potential when he’ll be able to see how many of the clusters have actually set berries. Last year, yields of his older vineyards, which include French Colombard planted more than 30 years ago and 16-year-old Ruby Cabernet vines, slipped a little below average. Typically the French Colombard produces around 16 or mores ton per acre range. Last year’s yields were about 8 percent below Smith’s five-year average. His Ruby Cabernet yields were also down 8 percent from their 12-ton-per-acre average. However, his younger blocks of Chardonnay and Muscat Alexandria, in their second year of production, beat Smith’s pre-season expectations. Chardonnay production was a little over 10 tons per acre while the Muscat yields close to 20 tons per acre, he reports. Want the latest agricultural news each day? Click here for the Western Farm Press Daily e-mail newsletter. All the grapes are grown on contract with wineries. The older blocks are on five-year contracts, while the younger ones were planted on 12-year contracts. “Knowing you have a home for your grapes for the long term gives you some sense of security of earning a return on your investment when establishing a vineyard,” Smith explains. Adding diversity Smith, who also serves as president of the San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association and as a member-at-large on the board of directors of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), began his career in agriculture in 1973, selling farm equipment. That was after graduating from Fresno State University, where he majored in agricultural economics. Two years later, he was working with a farm management company, based in Fresno, and learning how to grow wine grapes. Today, Carson Smith Farming Co. co-owns and manages 800 acres of grapes in southwest Madera County along the San Joaquin River. This is his 17th season for managing that operation. At one time, the vineyards included 755 acres of French Colombard and 45 acres of Ruby Cabernet. However, to take advantage of changing markets and spread out the harvest work, Smith replaced 200 acres of the French Colombard vines with 100 acres each of Chardonnay and Muscat Alexandria. Continuing this diversification, Smith is replacing another 140 acres of Chardonnay with Pinot Grigio this spring. He has no access to surface water, relying solely on groundwater to irrigate his vines. With an adequate supply of groundwater Smith has not had to drill any new wells. That’s contrast many San Joaquin Valley growers. However, since 1998, he’s been treating his water with sulfuric acid to reduce pH levels to around 7.0. Otherwise, pH would be in the range of about 7.7 to 8.1, impeding water infiltration and causing salts to build up in the soil. Smith flood irrigates his older blocks. In the fields where he replaced older vines with new ones, he reduced the spacing between rows from 12 feet 10 feet and added a drip irrigation system. However, he floods these blocks several times each year to flush salts out of the root zone. Facing a new crop threat Powdery mildew is the most consistent threat to Smith’s crop. Lately, though, he’s also been keeping a wary eye on red blotch, an emerging threat to growers throughout California’s wine grape country. This viral disease was first observed in California five years ago. Some symptoms of red blotch are similar to leaf roll. In fact, researchers suspect that this particular virus is the real cause of damage previously attributed to viruses that cause leaf roll disease and fan leaf. Red Blotch can reduce grape sugar levels by as much as 5º Brix. “Fields infected with the disease either don’t get as ripe as wineries want or they’re the last fields to ripen. There are many variables when it comes to the severity of the effects of Red Blotch including climate, vine health, grape variety, and possibly which strain of red blotch is present.” Smith says. Like any viral disease, there is no cure for red blotch and researchers have not verified how it is vectored. “It is best to start by using virus-free grapevine nursery stock when planting a new vineyard or when replacing infected vines in an existing vineyard,” he explains. “Within the Farm Bill that the CAWG pushed for, we were successful in helping to get language included that funds the National Clean Plant Network. That’s important to ensure an adequate supply of clean grapevine nursery stock.” Smith was one of the founding members of the Central California Winegrape Growers -- now the San Joaquin Valley Wine Growers Association -- which was established in 2001. At the time, Smith managed more than 8,000 acres of wine grape vineyards in four counties for a major supplier of bulk wines to California wineries. “I felt an obligation to get more involved and try to help our industry,” he says. Back then, prices for wine grapes grown in the San Joaquin Valley, which usually accounts for more than half of the wine grapes crushed each year in California, were at an unprecedented low – well below the cost of production, Meanwhile, growers were losing market share to other grape-growing areas of California, perceived to produce higher quality wines, as well as imports from around the world. “Central California was the only wine grape growing region in the state without a growers association,” Smith recalls. “Wineries were telling us we needed to improve the quality of our grapes. So, with leadership and financial support from the California Association of Wine Growers we formed the Central California Winegrape Growers. Our goal was to enhance the quality, reputation and marketability of our products by educating growers on how to produce better grapes.” Those educational programs continue today in the form of a series of tailgate workshops presented in the spring. This year’s meetings in March addressed such topics as new water use and monitoring regulations, the impact of drought on irrigation water quality and techniques for treatment and dealing with the effects of a dry winter on vine physiology. Smith is now in serving his fifth year on the Board of the California Association of Winegrape Growers as one of two at-large members. As a growers advocate, this association provides leadership on research and education programs, public policies, sustainable farming practices and trade policy to enhance California’s wine industry. “Until I got involved with CAWG, I didn’t realize all this group does behind the scenes representing the interests of wine grape growers to legislators at the state and national levels,” he says. “For example, we have been pushing policy makers in Washington, D.C., to reconsider certain programs and wine label regulations that favor the importation of bulk wine, which directly competes with wine made from grapes produced by Central Valley growers. Among other groups, CAWG also offered strong opposition to proposed new limits on the use of cash method accounting for agricultural business. “Every season seems to offer some kind of challenge for wine grape growers. This year, of course, water is at the top of the list. But, the last two year’s large statewide wine grape crops are also a concern. The good part of the story is that the 2013 crop overall made very good quality wine. So, maybe it will offer stiffer competition for wine imported from other countries.” RelatedThe myth of the aging US farmerNov 11, 2013Ways to help alfalfa growers weather continued low hay pricesJan 12, 2017This is why California has damsJan 12, 2017USDA-ARS helping Arizona wheat growers maximize crop inputsJan 11, 2017 Load More

农业

2017-04/0524/en_head.json.gz/12790

Search More Americans are growing their own food Posted: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 During World War II, the government urged Americans to plant "victory gardens," backyard plots of fruits and vegetables that were supposed to ease reliance on the war-strained public food supply. Today, Roger Doiron is repeating that call, this time to ease the strain of industrial agriculture on the environment and help people take control of what they eat. "In a way, I'd say I'm trying to reinvent the suburbs and put food back on the suburban landscape," says Doiron, a freelance writer and consultant who grows vegetables, blueberries, strawberries, apples, cranberries and herbs on his third-of-an-acre lot. Around the country, people from Maine to California are spreading the word about the benefits of gardens in what some are calling a "grass-roots gardening movement." Doiron's Web site, Kitchen Gardeners International, extols the virtues of taking control of your food while reducing the distance it travels from the farm to the fork, which some estimates put at an average of 1,500 miles. Once common to backyards, kitchen gardens have become a why-bother sort of thing for most Americans. But now some say the pendulum may be swinging back. Between E. coli scares, global warming, the "buy local" movement, aging baby boomers with more time to spare and a desire to enjoy the freshest of fresh, a new wave of grow-your-own has begun. Heather Flores started a "Food Not Lawns" campaign in Oregon several years ago and last year authored a book by the same name. There now are about 10 "Food Not Lawns" chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Flores, who lives in Coburg, Ore., hears from people all over who have been inspired to plant their own gardens, with reasons ranging from environmental concerns to simply wanting to get their hands dirty. "There's something about self-healing and self-worth that people feel with getting out in the home garden," she says. It's difficult to measure the interest in backyard gardening. Experts say it is strong, though the National Gardening Association says the number of homes with gardens in the U.S. has ranged around a quarter during the past decade. Rich Pirog of the Leopold Center, a center for sustainable agriculture at Iowa State University, says food scares - think E. coli or mad cow disease - and natural disasters are arousing interest in where food comes from. "It's reached into the average consumer's consciousness," he says. The retirement of the baby boomer generation also is fueling growth in gardening, says George Ball, president and CEO of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., the largest seed company in North America. Burpee's sales have been growing at up to 10 percent a year. "When we face retirement or a slowdown in our lives, one of the time-based activities that is rewarding is gardening," he says. Doiron became a convert to home-grown foods while living in Belgium during the 1990s. There he became acquainted with so-called slow food (the antithesis of fast food culture), as well as the French protest against "La Malbouffe," or bad food. When he and his family moved in 2001 to the same Maine neighborhood where he'd grown up, Doiron noticed how few backyard gardens there were. He made it his mission to get more people to plant more gardens and prepare the food themselves. Besides growing a smorgasbord of foods in his yard, Doiron holds neighborhood garden parties and has created an International Kitchen Gardener Day, to be celebrated the fourth Sunday of each August. His Web site draws about 70,000 unique visitors a month, and his e-mail newsletter goes to 3,200 people in 80 countries. Though Americans are embracing the organic and local food movements, many still have questions, Doiron says. Should you buy conventional broccoli from a nearby farm, or the organic variety that was grown 1,000 miles away and required hundreds of gallons of fuel to get to your table? "But there's no quandary whatsoever with food from your own backyard," he says. If that's not enough to persuade people to plant a garden, then the cost savings might be. Last year, Doiron got one to two months worth of lettuce from a $3 packet of seeds. "We went five months without buying a vegetable, and we ate like royalty," he says. And a new study out of St. Louis University suggests that young children in rural areas eat more fruits and vegetables when the produce is homegrown, and that garden-fed children prefer the taste of fruits and vegetables to other foods. During World War II, some 20 million people answered the call to plant their own gardens in the name of patriotism. This time, Doiron says, the issue is about feeding the world, which is expected to grow from 6.5 billion to 9 billion people by 2045. "It's all meant to be working toward the goal of sustainability, which we have to be working toward if we're going to feed 9 billion people nutritiously in the next 40 years or so," he said. Kitchen Gardeners International: www.kitchengardeners.org Path to Freedom: www.pathtofreedom.com Food Not Lawns: www.foodnotlawns.com National Gardening Association: www.garden.org USD CANADA HUMAN INTEREST NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HEATHER FLORES UNITED STATES BURPEE INTERNATIONAL KITCHEN GARDENER SO-CALLED SLOW FOOD ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY MAINE FOOD CULTURE BELGIUM IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY PUBLIC FOOD SUPPLY W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO. OREGON NORTH AMERICA PRESIDENT AND CEO Trending this week:

农业

2017-04/0524/en_head.json.gz/12854

Related subjects: Agriculture Background to the schools WikipediaSOS Children offer a complete download of this selection for schools for use on schools intranets. See http://www.soschildren.org/sponsor-a-child to find out about child sponsorship. Extensive farming Mechanised agriculture Intensive farming Stock-free agriculture History of organic farming Arab Agricultural Revolution British Agricultural Revolution Poultry farming Sheep husbandry Agriculture by country Agriculture companies Agropedia portal Agriculture, also called farming or husbandry, is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for food, fibre, biofuel and other products used to sustain human life. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the development of civilization. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. Agriculture generally speaking refers to human activities, although it is also observed in certain species of ant and termite. The word agriculture is the English adaptation of Latin agricultūra, from ager, "a field", and cultūra, " cultivation" in the strict sense of " tillage of the soil". Thus, a literal reading of the word yields "tillage of fields". The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years, and its development has been driven and defined by greatly different climates, cultures, and technologies. However, all farming generally relies on techniques to expand and maintain the lands that are suitable for raising domesticated species. For plants, this usually requires some form of irrigation, although there are methods of dryland farming; pastoral herding on rangeland is still the most common means of raising livestock. In the developed world, industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture has become the dominant system of modern farming, although there is growing support for sustainable agriculture (e.g. permaculture or organic agriculture). Until the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of the human population labored in agriculture. Pre-industrial agriculture was typically subsistence agriculture in which farmers raised most of their crops for their own consumption instead of for trade. A remarkable shift in agricultural practices has occurred over the past century in response to new technologies, and the development of world markets. This also led to technological improvements in agricultural techniques, such as the Haber-Bosch method for synthesizing ammonium nitrate which made the traditional practice of recycling nutrients with crop rotation and animal manure less necessary. Modern agronomy, plant breeding, and agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements have sharply increased yields from cultivation, but at the same time have caused widespread ecological damage and negative human health effects. Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry such as intensive pig farming have similarly increased the output of meat, but have raised concerns about animal cruelty and the health effects of the antibiotics, growth hormones, and other chemicals commonly used in industrial meat production. The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials. In the 21st century, plants have been used to grow biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and pharmaceuticals. Specific foods include cereals, vegetables, fruits, and meat. Fibers include cotton, wool, hemp, silk and flax. Raw materials include lumber and bamboo. Other useful materials are produced by plants, such as resins. Biofuels include methane from biomass, ethanol, and biodiesel. Cut flowers, nursery plants, tropical fish and birds for the pet trade are some of the ornamental products. Regarding food production, the World Bank targets agricultural food production and water management as an increasingly global issue that is fostering an important and growing debate. In 2007, one third of the world's workers were employed in agriculture. The services sector has overtaken agriculture as the economic sector employing the most people worldwide. Despite the size of its workforce, agricultural production accounts for less than five percent of the gross world product (an aggregate of all gross domestic products). A Sumerian harvester's sickle made from baked clay (ca. 3000 BC). Agricultural practices such as irrigation, crop rotation, fertilizers, pesticides and animals were developed long ago, but have made great strides in the past century. The history of agriculture has played a major role in human history, as agricultural progress has been a crucial factor in worldwide socio-economic change. Division of labor in agricultural societies made commonplace specializations rarely seen in hunter-gatherer cultures. So, too, are arts such as epic literature and monumental architecture, as well as codified legal systems. When farmers became capable of producing food beyond the needs of their own families, others in their society were freed to devote themselves to projects other than food acquisition. Historians and anthropologists have long argued that the development of agriculture made civilization possible. The total world population probably never exceeded 15 million inhabitants before the development of agriculture. Prehistoric origins Forest gardening, a plant-based food production system, is thought to be the world's oldest agroecosystem. Forest gardens originated in prehistoric times along jungle-clad river banks and in the wet foothills of monsoon regions. In the gradual process of a family improving their immediate environment, useful tree and vine species were identified, protected and improved whilst undesirable species were eliminated. Eventually superior foreign species were selected and incorporated into the family's garden. The Fertile Crescent of Western Asia, Egypt, and India were sites of the earliest planned sowing and harvesting of plants that had previously been gathered in the wild. Independent development of agriculture occurred in northern and southern China, Africa's Sahel, New Guinea and several regions of America. The eight so-called Neolithic founder crops of agriculture appear: first emmer wheat and einkorn wheat, then hulled barley, peas, lentils, bitter vetch, chick peas and flax. By 7000 BC, small-scale agriculture reached Egypt. From at least 7000 BC the Indian subcontinent saw farming of wheat and barley, as attested by archaeological excavation at Mehrgarh in Balochistan in what is present day Pakistan. By 6000 BC, mid-scale farming was entrenched on the banks of the Nile. This, as irrigation had not yet matured sufficiently. About this time, agriculture was developed independently in the Far East, with rice, rather than wheat, as the primary crop. Chinese and Indonesian farmers went on to domesticate taro and beans including mung, soy and azuki. To complement these new sources of carbohydrates, highly organized net fishing of rivers, lakes and ocean shores in these areas brought in great volumes of essential protein. Collectively, these new methods of farming and fishing inaugurated a human population boom that dwarfed all previous expansions and continues today. Threshing of grain in ancient Egypt By 5000 BC, the Sumerians had developed core agricultural techniques including large-scale intensive cultivation of land, monocropping, organized irrigation, and the use of a specialized labor force. Domestication of wild aurochs and mouflon into cattle and sheep, respectively, ushered in the large-scale use of animals for food/fibre and as beasts of burden. The shepherd joined the farmer as an essential provider for sedentary and seminomadic societies. Maize, manioc, and arrowroot were first domesticated in America as far back as 5200 BC. The potato, tomato, pepper, squash, several varieties of bean, tobacco, and several other plants were also developed in America, as was extensive terracing of steep hillsides in much of Andean South America. The Greeks and Romans built on techniques pioneered by the Sumerians, but made few fundamentally new advances. Southern Greeks struggled with very poor soils, yet managed to become a dominant society for years. The Romans were noted for an emphasis on the cultivation of crops for trade. In the same region, a parallel agricultural revolution occurred, resulting in some of the most important crops grown today. In Mesoamerica wild teosinte was transformed through human selection into the ancestor of modern maize, more than 6000 years ago. It gradually spread across North America and was the major crop of Native Americans at the time of European exploration. Other Mesoamerican crops include hundreds of varieties of squash and beans. Cocoa was also a major crop domesticated in Mexico and Central America. The turkey, one of the most important meat birds, was probably domesticated in Mexico. In the Andes region of South America the major domesticated crop was potatoes, domesticated perhaps 5000 years ago. Large varieties of beans were domesticated, in South America, as well as animals, including llamas, alpacas, and guinea pigs. Coca, still a major crop, was also domesticated in the Andes. Roman harvesting machine: overview A minor centre of domestication, the indigenous people of the Eastern U.S. appear to have domesticated numerous crops. Sunflowers, tobacco, varieties of squash and Chenopodium, as well as crops no longer grown, including marshelder and little barley were domesticated. Other wild foods may have undergone some selective cultivation, including wild rice and maple sugar. The most common varieties of strawberry were domesticated from Eastern North America. By 3500 BC, the simplest form of the plough was developed, called the ard. Before this period, simple digging sticks or hoes were used. These tools would have also been easier to transport, which was a benefit as people only stayed until the soil's nutrients were depleted. However, through excavations in Mexico it has been found that the continuous cultivating of smaller pieces of land would also have been a sustaining practice. Additional research in central Europe later revealed that agriculture was indeed practiced at this method. For this method, ards were thus much more efficient than digging sticks. Agricultural calendar from a manuscript of Pietro de Crescenzi. The Middle Ages saw significant improvements in the agricultural techniques and technology. There was a steady clearing of woodlands and draining of wetlands for the increase of cropland throughout the period until about the year 1300. Tools such as axes, adzes, and bill-hooks were improved, but most significant was the gradual evolution of the scratch plough from the classical Mediterranean world into the mouldboard plough capable of turning over the heavy soils of northern Europe. The period saw a general move from a two field crop rotation to a three field crop rotation in which one field of three was left fallow every year. Also, there was a general change from small patchworks of fields to one large open field divided into strips owned by various members of a community. The use of watermills was common in the Middle Ages. There was tremendous increase in windmills from the 12th to the 13th century; some tens of thousands were built. Crops were wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Peas, beans, and vetches became common from the 13th century onward as a fodder crop for animals and also for their nitrogen-fixation fertilizing properties. Crop yields peaked in the 13th century, and according to Bruce Campbell and Mark Overton stayed more or less steady until the 18th century. Though the limitations of Medieval farming were once thought to have provided a ceiling for the population growth in the Middle Ages, recent studies by Campbell and David Stone have shown that the technology of Medieval agriculture was always sufficient for the needs of the people under normal circumstances, and that it was only during exceptionally harsh times, such as the terrible weather of 1315–17, that the needs of the population could not be met. Modern developments The Harvesters. Pieter Bruegel. 1565. This photo from a 1921 encyclopedia shows a tractor ploughing an alfalfa field. Satellite image of farming in Minnesota. Infrared image of the above farms. To the untrained eye, this image appears a hodge-podge of colours without any apparent purpose. But farmers are now trained to see yellows where crops are infested, shades of red indicating crop health, black where flooding occurs, and brown where unwanted pesticides land on chemical-free crops. After 1492, a global exchange of previously local crops and livestock breeds occurred. Key crops involved in this exchange included the tomato, maize, potato, manioc, cocoa bean and tobacco going from the New World to the Old, and several varieties of wheat, spices, coffee, and sugar cane going from the Old World to the New. The most important animal exportation from the Old World to the New were those of the horse and dog (dogs were already present in the pre-Columbian Americas but not in the numbers and breeds suited to farm work). Although not usually food animals, the horse (including donkeys and ponies) and dog quickly filled essential production roles on western-hemisphere farms. The potato became an important staple crop in northern Europe. Since being introduced by Portuguese in the 16th century, maize and manioc have replaced traditional African crops as the continent's most important staple food crops. By the early 19th century, agricultural techniques, implements, seed stocks and cultivar had so improved that yield per land unit was many times that seen in the Middle Ages. Although there is a vast and interesting history of crop cultivation before the dawn of the 20th century, there is little question that the work of Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel created the scientific foundation for plant breeding that led to its explosive impact over the past 150 years. With the rapid rise of mechanization in the late 19th century and the 20th century, particularly in the form of the tractor, farming tasks could be done with a speed and on a scale previously impossible. These advances have led to efficiencies enabling certain modern farms in the United States, Argentina, Israel, the United Kingdom Germany, and a few other nations to output volumes of high-quality produce per land unit at what may be the practical limit. The Haber-Bosch method for synthesizing ammonium nitrate represented a major breakthrough and allowed crop yields to overcome previous constraints. In the past century agriculture has been characterized by enhanced productivity, the substitution of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for labor, water pollution, and farm subsidies. In recent years there has been a backlash against the external environmental effects of conventional agriculture, resulting in the organic movement. The cereals rice, corn, and wheat provide 60% of human food supply. Between 1700 and 1980, "the total area of cultivated land worldwide increased 466%" and yields increased dramatically, particularly because of selectively bred high-yielding varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and machinery. For example, irrigation increased corn yields in eastern Colorado by 400 to 500% from 1940 to 1997. However, concerns have been raised over the sustainability of intensive agriculture. Intensive agriculture has become associated with decreased soil quality in India and Asia, and there has been increased concern over the effects of fertilizers and pesticides on the environment, particularly as population increases and food demand expands. The monocultures typically used in intensive agriculture increase the number of pests, which are controlled through pesticides. Integrated pest management (IPM), which "has been promoted for decades and has had some notable successes" has not significantly affected the use of pesticides because policies encourage the use of pesticides and IPM is knowledge-intensive. Agricultural exploration expeditions, since the late 19th century, have been mounted to find new species and new agricultural practices in different areas of the world. Two early examples of expeditions include Frank N. Meyer's fruit- and nut-collecting trip to China and Japan from 1916 to 1918 and the Dorsett-Morse Oriental Agricultural Exploration Expedition to China, Japan, and Korea from 1929–1931 to collect soybean germplasm to support the rise in soybean agriculture in the United States. Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution, is often credited with saving over a billion people worldwide from starvation. The Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s. The initiatives, led by Norman Borlaug, the "Father of the Green Revolution" credited with saving over a billion people from starvation, involved the development of high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, modernization of management techniques, distribution of hybridized seeds, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides to farmers. Synthetic nitrogen, along with mined rock phosphate, pesticides and mechanization, have greatly increased crop yields in the early 20th century. Increased supply of grains has led to cheaper livestock as well. Further, global yield increases were experienced later in the 20th century when high-yield varieties of common staple grains such as rice, wheat, and corn (maize) were introduced as a part of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution exported the technologies (including pesticides and synthetic nitrogen) of the developed world to the developing world. Thomas Malthus famously predicted that the Earth would not be able to support its growing population, but technologies such as the Green Revolution have allowed the world to produce a surplus of food. Although the "Green Revolution" significantly increased rice yields in Asia, yield increases have not occurred in the past 15–20 years. The genetic "yield potential" has increased for wheat, but the yield potential for rice has not increased since 1966, and the yield potential for maize has "barely increased in 35 years". It takes a decade or two for herbicide-resistant weeds to emerge, and insects become resistant to insecticides within about a decade. Crop rotation helps to prevent resistances. Contemporary agriculture Clark's Sector Model (1950): The percent of the human population working in primary sector activities such as agriculture has decreased over time. In the past century agriculture has been characterized by enhanced productivity, the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, selective breeding, mechanization, water contamination, and farm subsidies. Proponents of organic farming such as Sir Albert Howard argued in the early 20th century that the overuse of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers damages the long-term fertility of the soil. While this feeling lay dormant for decades, as environmental awareness has increased in the 21st century there has been a movement towards sustainable agriculture by some farmers, consumers, and policymakers. In recent years there has been a backlash against perceived external environmental effects of mainstream agriculture, particularly regarding water pollution, resulting in the organic movement. One of the major forces behind this movement has been the European Union, which first certified organic food in 1991 and began reform of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2005 to phase out commodity-linked farm subsidies, also known as decoupling. The growth of organic farming has renewed research in alternative technologies such as integrated pest management and selective breeding. Recent mainstream technological developments include genetically modified food. In late 2007, several factors pushed up the price of grains consumed by humans as well as used to feed poultry and dairy cows and other cattle, causing higher prices of wheat (up 58%), soybean (up 32%), and maize (up 11%) over the year. Food riots took place in several countries across the world. Contributing factors included drought in Australia and elsewhere, increasing demand for grain-fed animal products from the growing middle classes of countries such as China and India, diversion of foodgrain to biofuel production and trade restrictions imposed by several countries. An epidemic of stem rust on wheat caused by race Ug99 is currently spreading across Africa and into Asia and is causing major concern. Approximately 40% of the world's agricultural land is seriously degraded. In Africa, if current trends of soil degradation continue, the continent might be able to feed just 25% of its population by 2025, according to UNU's Ghana-based Institute for Natural Resources in Africa. In 2009, the agricultural output of China was the largest in the world, followed by the European Union, India and the United States, according to the International Monetary Fund (see below). Economists measure the total factor productivity of agriculture and by this measure agriculture in the United States is roughly 2.6 times more productive than it was in 1948. Six countries – the US, Canada, France, Australia, Argentina and Thailand – supply 90% of grain exports. Water deficits, which are already spurring heavy grain imports in numerous middle-sized countries, including Algeria, Iran, Egypt, and Mexico, may soon do the same in larger countries, such as China or India. Many governments have subsidized agriculture for a variety of political and economic reasons. These agricultural subsidies are often linked to the production of certain commodities such as wheat, corn (maize), rice, soybeans, and milk. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) leads international efforts to defeat hunger and provides a neutral forum where nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate food policy and the regulation of agriculture. According to Dr. Samuel Jutzi, director of FAO's animal production and health division, lobbying by "powerful" big food corporations has stopped reforms that would improve human health and the environment. The "real, true issues are not being addressed by the political process because of the influence of lobbyists, of the true powerful entities," he said, speaking at the Compassion in World Farming annual forum. For example, recent proposals for a voluntary code of conduct for the livestock industry that would have provided incentives for improving standards for health, and environmental regulations, such as the number of animals an area of land can support without long-term damage, were successfully defeated due to large food company pressure. Rollover protection bar on a Fordson tractor. Agriculture remains a hazardous industry, and farmers worldwide remain at high risk of work-related injuries, lung disease, noise-induced hearing loss, skin diseases, as well as certain cancers related to chemical use and prolonged sun exposure. On industrialized farms, injuries frequently involve the use of agricultural machinery. The most common cause of fatal agricultural injuries in the United States is tractor rollovers, which can be prevented by the use of roll over protection structures which limit the risk of injury in case a tractor rolls over. Pesticides and other chemicals used in farming can also be hazardous to worker health, and workers exposed to pesticides may experience illnesses or birth defects. As an industry in which families commonly share in work and live on the farm itself, entire families can be at risk for injuries, illness, and death. Agriculture is an especially dangerous industry for younger workers, accounting for nearly half of work-related fatalities in the United States between 1992 and 2000. Common causes of fatal injuries among young farm worker include drowning, machinery and motor vehicle-related accidents. To reduce the extent of farm-related youth injuries, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation have issued a set of guidelines known as the North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT) based on child development principles that matched children's abilities with the requirements of specific farm work. These guidelines have proven effective at reducing work-related injury rates among youth, based on the results of a randomized control trial conducted by NIOSH. Agricultural production systems Crop cultivations systems Rice cultivation at a paddy field in Bihar state of India The Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao, Philippines. Cropping systems vary among farms depending on the available resources and constraints; geography and climate of the farm; government policy; economic, social and political pressures; and the philosophy and culture of the farmer. Shifting cultivation (or slash and burn) is a system in which forests are burnt, releasing nutrients to support cultivation of annual and then perennial crops for a period of several years. Then the plot is left fallow to regrow forest, and the farmer moves to a new plot, returning after many more years (10–20). This fallow period is shortened if population density grows, requiring the input of nutrients (fertilizer or manure) and some manual pest control. Annual cultivation is the next phase of intensity in which there is no fallow period. This requires even greater nutrient and pest control inputs. Further industrialization lead to the use of monocultures, when one cultivar is planted on a large acreage. Because of the low biodiversity, nutrient use is uniform and pests tend to build up, necessitating the greater use of pesticides and fertilizers. Multiple cropping, in which several crops are grown sequentially in one year, and intercropping, when several crops are grown at the same time are other kinds of annual cropping systems known as polycultures. In subtropical and arid environments, the timing and extent of agriculture may be limited by rainfall, either not allowing multiple annual crops in a year, or requiring irrigation. In all of these environments perennial crops are grown (coffee, chocolate) and systems are practiced such as agroforestry. In temperate environments, where ecosystems were predominantly grassland or prairie, highly productive annual cropping is the dominant farming system. The last century has seen the intensification, concentration and specialization of agriculture, relying upon new technologies of agricultural chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), mechanization, and plant breeding ( hybrids and GMO's). In the past few decades, a move towards sustainability in agriculture has also developed, integrating ideas of socio-economic justice and conservation of resources and the environment within a farming system. This has led to the development of many responses to the conventional agriculture approach, including organic agriculture, urban agriculture, community supported agriculture, ecological or biological agriculture, integrated farming and holistic management, as well as an increased trend towards agricultural diversification. Crop statistics Important categories of crops include grains and pseudograins, pulses (legumes), forage, and fruits and vegetables. Specific crops are cultivated in distinct growing regions throughout the world. In millions of metric tons, based on FAO estimate. Top agricultural products, by crop types (million tonnes) 2004 data Roots and Tubers Oilcrops Fish (2001 estimate) Vegetable Fibre Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Top agricultural products, by individual crops (million tonnes) 2011 data Livestock production systems Ploughing rice paddies with water buffalo, in Indonesia. Animals, including horses, mules, oxen, camels, llamas, alpacas, and dogs, are often used to help cultivate fields, harvest crops, wrangle other animals, and transport farm products to buyers. Animal husbandry not only refers to the breeding and raising of animals for meat or to harvest animal products (like milk, eggs, or wool) on a continual basis, but also to the breeding and care of species for work and companionship. Livestock production systems can be defined based on feed source, as grassland – based, mixed, and landless. Grassland based livestock production relies upon plant material such as shrubland, rangeland, and pastures for feeding ruminant animals. Outside nutrient inputs may be used, however manure is returned directly to the grassland as a major nutrient source. This system is particularly important in areas where crop production is not feasible because of climate or soil, representing 30–40 million pastoralists. Mixed production systems use grassland, fodder crops and grain feed crops as feed for ruminant and monogastic (one stomach; mainly chickens and pigs) livestock. Manure is typically recycled in mixed systems as a fertilizer for crops. Approximately 68% of all agricultural land is permanent pastures used in the production of livestock. Landless systems rely upon feed from outside the farm, representing the de-linking of crop and livestock production found more prevalently in OECD member countries. In the U.S., 70% of the grain grown is fed to animals on feedlots. Synthetic fertilizers are more heavily relied upon for crop production and manure utilization becomes a challenge as well as a source for pollution. Production practices Road leading across the farm allows machinery access to the farm for production practices. Tillage is the practice of plowing soil to prepare for planting or for nutrient incorporation or for pest control. Tillage varies in intensity from conventional to no-till. It may improve productivity by warming the soil, incorporating fertilizer and controlling weeds, but also renders soil more prone to erosion, triggers the decomposition of organic matter releasing CO2, and reduces the abundance and diversity of soil organisms. Pest control includes the management of weeds, insects/mites, and diseases. Chemical ( pesticides), biological ( biocontrol), mechanical ( tillage), and cultural practices are used. Cultural practices include crop rotation, culling, cover crops, intercropping, composting, avoidance, and resistance. Integrated pest management attempts to use all of these methods to keep pest populations below the number which would cause economic loss, and recommends pesticides as a last resort. Nutrient management includes both the source of nutrient inputs for crop and livestock production, and the method of utilization of manure produced by livestock. Nutrient inputs can be chemical inorganic fertilizers, manure, green manure, compost and mined minerals. Crop nutrient use may also be managed using cultural techniques such as crop rotation or a fallow period. Manure is used either by holding livestock where the feed crop is growing, such as in managed intensive rotational grazing, or by spreading either dry or liquid formulations of manure on cropland or pastures. Water management is where rainfall is insufficient or variable, which occurs to some degree in most regions of the world. Some farmers use irrigation to supplement rainfall. In other areas such as the Great Plains in the U.S. and Canada, farmers use a fallow year to conserve soil moisture to use for growing a crop in the following year. Agriculture represents 70% of freshwater use worldwide. Processing, distribution, and marketing In the United States, food costs attributed to processing, distribution, and marketing have risen while the costs attributed to farming have declined. This is related to the greater efficiency of farming, combined with the increased level of value addition (e.g. more highly processed products) provided by the supply chain. From 1960 to 1980 the farm share was around 40%, but by 1990 it had declined to 30% and by 1998, 22.2%. Market concentration has increased in the sector as well, with the top 20 food manufacturers accounting for half the food-processing value in 1995, over double that produced in 1954. As of 2000 the top six US supermarket groups had 50% of sales compared to 32% in 1992. Although the total effect of the increased market concentration is likely increased efficiency, the changes redistribute economic surplus from producers (farmers) and consumers, and may have negative implications for rural communities. Crop alteration and biotechnology Tractor and Chaser bin. Crop alteration has been practiced by humankind for thousands of years, since the beginning of civilization. Altering crops through breeding practices changes the genetic make-up of a plant to develop crops with more beneficial characteristics for humans, for example, larger fruits or seeds, drought-tolerance, or resistance to pests. Significant advances in plant breeding ensued after the work of geneticist Gregor Mendel. His work on dominant and recessive alleles gave plant breeders a better understanding of genetics and brought great insights to the techniques utilized by plant breeders. Crop breeding includes techniques such as plant selection with desirable traits, self-pollination and cross-pollination, and molecular techniques that genetically modify the organism. Domestication of plants has, over the centuries increased yield, improved disease resistance and drought tolerance, eased harvest and improved the taste and nutritional value of crop plants. Careful selection and breeding have had enormous effects on the characteristics of crop plants. Plant selection and breeding in the 1920s and 1930s improved pasture (grasses and clover) in New Zealand. Extensive X-ray and ultraviolet induced mutagenesis efforts (i.e. primitive genetic engineering) during the 1950s produced the modern commercial varieties of grains such as wheat, corn (maize) and barley. The Green Revolution popularized the use of conventional hybridization to increase yield many folds by creating "high-yielding varieties". For example, average yields of corn (maize) in the USA have increased from around 2.5 tons per hectare (t/ha) (40 bushels per acre) in 1900 to about 9.4 t/ha (150 bushels per acre) in 2001. Similarly, worldwide average wheat yields have increased from less than 1 t/ha in 1900 to more than 2.5 t/ha in 1990. South American average wheat yields are around 2 t/ha, African under 1 t/ha, Egypt and Arabia up to 3.5 to 4 t/ha with irrigation. In contrast, the average wheat yield in countries such as France is over 8 t/ha. Variations in yields are due mainly to variation in climate, genetics, and the level of intensive farming techniques (use of fertilizers, chemical pest control, growth control to avoid lodging). Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are organisms whose genetic material has been altered by genetic engineering techniques generally known as recombinant DNA technology. Genetic engineering has expanded the genes available to breeders to utilize in creating desired germlines for new crops. After mechanical tomato-harvesters were developed in the early 1960s, agricultural scientists genetically modified tomatoes to be more resistant to mechanical handling. More recently, genetic engineering is being employed in various parts of the world, to create crops with other beneficial traits. New research on woodland strawberry genome was found to be short and easy to manipulate. Researchers now have tools to improve strawberry flavours and aromas of cultivated strawberries as stated in a publication by Nature Genetics. Herbicide-tolerant GMO crops Roundup Ready seed has a herbicide resistant gene implanted into its genome that allows the plants to tolerate exposure to glyphosate. Roundup is a trade name for a glyphosate-based product, which is a systemic, nonselective herbicide used to kill weeds. Roundup Ready seeds allow the farmer to grow a crop that can be sprayed with glyphosate to control weeds without harming the resistant crop. Herbicide-tolerant crops are used by farmers worldwide. Today, 92% of soybean acreage in the US is planted with genetically modified herbicide-tolerant plants. With the increasing use of herbicide-tolerant crops, comes an increase in the use of glyphosate-based herbicide sprays. In some areas glyphosate resistant weeds have developed, causing farmers to switch to other herbicides. Some studies also link widespread glyphosate usage to iron deficiencies in some crops, which is both a crop production and a nutritional quality concern, with potential economic and health implications. Insect-resistant GMO crops Other GMO crops used by growers include insect-resistant crops, which have a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which produces a toxin specific to insects. These crops protect plants from damage by insects; one such crop is Starlink. Another is cotton, which accounts for 63% of US cotton acreage. Some believe that similar or better pest-resistance traits can be acquired through traditional breeding practices, and resistance to various pests can be gained through hybridization or cross-pollination with wild species. In some cases, wild species are the primary source of resistance traits; some tomato cultivars that have gained resistance to at least 19 diseases did so through crossing with wild populations of tomatoes. Costs and benefits of GMOs Genetic engineers may someday develop transgenic plants which would allow for irrigation, drainage, conservation, sanitary engineering, and maintaining or increasing yields while requiring fewer fossil fuel derived inputs than conventional crops. Such developments would be particularly important in areas which are normally arid and rely upon constant irrigation, and on large scale farms. However, genetic engineering of plants has proven to be controversial. Many issues surrounding food security and environmental impacts have risen regarding GMO practices. For example, GMOs are questioned by some ecologists and economists concerned with GMO practices such as terminator seeds, which is a genetic modification that creates sterile seeds. Terminator seeds are currently under strong international opposition and face continual efforts of global bans. Another controversial issue is the patent protection given to companies that develop new types of seed using genetic engineering. Since companies have intellectual ownership of their seeds, they have the power to dictate terms and conditions of their patented product. Currently, ten seed companies control over two-thirds of the global seed sales. Vandana Shiva argues that these companies are guilty of biopiracy by patenting life and exploiting organisms for profit Farmers using patented seed are restricted from saving seed for subsequent plantings, which forces farmers to buy new seed every year. Since seed saving is a traditional practice for many farmers in both developing and developed countries, GMO seeds legally bind farmers to change their seed saving practices to buying new seed every year. Locally adapted seeds are an essential heritage that has the potential to be lost with current hybridized crops and GMOs. Locally adapted seeds, also called land races or crop eco-types, are important because they have adapted over time to the specific micro-climates, soils, other environmental conditions, field designs, and ethnic preference indigenous to the exact area of cultivation. Introducing GMOs and hybridized commercial seed to an area brings the risk of cross-pollination with local land races Therefore, GMOs pose a threat to the sustainability of land races and the ethnic heritage of cultures. Once seed contains transgenic material, it becomes subject to the conditions of the seed company that owns the patent of the transgenic material. GMO regulation Food security issues also coincide with food safety and food labeling concerns. Currently a global treaty, the BioSafety Protocol, regulates the trade of GMOs. The EU currently requires all GMO foods to be labeled, whereas the US does not require transparent labeling of GMO foods. Since there are still questions regarding the safety and risks associated with GMO foods, some believe the public should have the freedom to choose and know what they are eating and require all GMO products to be labeled. Agriculture imposes external costs upon society through pesticides, nutrient runoff, excessive water usage, and assorted other problems. A 2000 assessment of agriculture in the UK determined total external costs for 1996 of £2,343 million, or £208 per hectare. A 2005 analysis of these costs in the USA concluded that cropland imposes approximately $5 to 16 billion ($30 to $96 per hectare), while livestock production imposes $714 million. Both studies concluded that more should be done to internalize external costs, and neither included subsidies in their analysis, but noted that subsidies also influence the cost of agriculture to society. Both focused on purely fiscal impacts. The 2000 review included reported pesticide poisonings but did not include speculative chronic effects of pesticides, and the 2004 review relied on a 1992 estimate of the total impact of pesticides. In 2010, the International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme published a report assessing the environmental impacts of consumption and production. The study found that agriculture and food consumption are two of the most important drivers of environmental pressures, particularly habitat change, climate change, water use and toxic emissions. Agriculture accounts for 70 per cent of withdrawals of freshwater resources. However, increasing pressure being placed on water resources by industry, cities and the involving biofuels industry means that water scarcity is increasing and agriculture is facing the challenge of producing more food for the world's growing population with fewer water resources. Scientists are also realising that water resources need to be allocated to maintain natural environmental services, such as protecting towns from flooding, cleaning ecosystems and supporting fish stocks. In the book Out of Water: From abundance to scarcity and how to solve the world's water problems, authors Colin Chartres and Samyukta Varma of the International Water Management Institute lay down a six-point plan of action for addressing the global challenge of producing sufficient food for the world with dwindling water resources. One of the actions they say is required is to ensure all water systems, such as lakes and rivers, have water allocated to environmental flow. A key player who is credited to saving billions of lives because of his revolutionary work in developing new agricultural techniques is Norman Borlaug. His transformative work brought high-yield crop varieties to developing countries and earned him an unofficial title as the father of the Green Revolution. Livestock issues A senior UN official and co-author of a UN report detailing this problem, Henning Steinfeld, said "Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems". Livestock production occupies 70% of all land used for agriculture, or 30% of the land surface of the planet. It is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases, responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalents. By comparison, all transportation emits 13.5% of the CO2. It produces 65% of human-related nitrous oxide (which has 296 times the global warming potential of CO2,) and 37% of all human-induced methane (which is 23 times as warming as CO2. It also generates 64% of the ammonia emission. Livestock expansion is cited as a key factor driving deforestation, in the Amazon basin 70% of previously forested area is now occupied by pastures and the remainder used for feedcrops. Through deforestation and land degradation, livestock is also driving reductions in biodiversity. Land transformation and degradation Land transformation, the use of land to yield goods and services, is the most substantial way humans alter the Earth's ecosystems, and is considered the driving force in the loss of biodiversity. Estimates of the amount of land transformed by humans vary from 39–50%. Land degradation, the long-term decline in ecosystem function and productivity, is estimated to be occurring on 24% of land worldwide, with cropland overrepresented. The UN-FAO report cites land management as the driving factor behind degradation and reports that 1.5 billion people rely upon the degrading land. Degradation can be deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, mineral depletion, or chemical degradation (acidification and salinization). Eutrophication, excessive nutrients in aquatic ecosystems resulting in algal blooms and anoxia, leads to fish kills, loss of biodiversity, and renders water unfit for drinking and other industrial uses. Excessive fertilization and manure application to cropland, as well as high livestock stocking densities cause nutrient (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) runoff and leaching from agricultural land. These nutrients are major nonpoint pollutants contributing to eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Pesticide use has increased since 1950 to 2.5 million tons annually worldwide, yet crop loss from pests has remained relatively constant. The World Health Organization estimated in 1992 that 3 million pesticide poisonings occur annually, causing 220,000 deaths. Pesticides select for pesticide resistance in the pest population, leading to a condition termed the 'pesticide treadmill' in which pest resistance warrants the development of a new pesticide. An alternative argument is that the way to 'save the environment' and prevent famine is by using pesticides and intensive high yield farming, a view exemplified by a quote heading the Centre for Global Food Issues website: 'Growing more per acre leaves more land for nature'. However, critics argue that a trade-off between the environment and a need for food is not inevitable, and that pesticides simply replace good agronomic practices such as crop rotation. Climate change has the potential to affect agriculture through changes in temperature, rainfall (timing and quantity), CO2, solar radiation and the interaction of these elements. Extreme events, such as droughts and floods, are forecast to increase as climate change takes hold. Agriculture is among sectors most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; water supply for example, will be critical to sustain agricultural production and provide the increase in food output required to sustain the world's growing population. Transformational approaches will be needed to manage natural resources in future. For example, policies, practices and tools promoting climate-smart agriculture will be important, as will better use of scientific information on climate for assessing risks and vulnerability. Planners and policy-makers will need to help create suitable policies that encourage funding for such agricultural transformation. Agriculture can both mitigate or worsen global warming. Some of the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere comes from the decomposition of organic matter in the soil, and much of the methane emitted into the atmosphere is caused by the decomposition of organic matter in wet soils such as rice paddies, as well as the normal digestive activities of farm animals. Further, wet or anaerobic soils also lose nitrogen through denitrification, releasing the greenhouse gases nitric oxide and nitrous oxide. Changes in management can reduce the release of these greenhouse gases, and soil can further be used to sequester some of the CO2 in the atmosphere. Some major organisations are hailing farming within agroecosystems as the way forward for mainstream agriculture. Current farming methods have resulted in over-stretched water resources, high levels of erosion and reduced soil fertility. According to a report by the International Water Management Institute and UNEP, there is not enough water to continue farming using current practices; therefore how we use critical water, land, and ecosystem resources to boost crop yields must be reconsidered. The report suggested that we need to assign value to ecosystems, recognize environmental and livelihood tradeoffs, and balance the rights of a variety of users and interests. We would also need to address inequities that result when such measures are adopted, such as the reallocation of water from poor to rich, the clearing of land to make way for more productive farmland, or the preservation of a wetland system that limits fishing rights. Technological advancements help provide farmers with tools and resources to make farming more sustainable. New technologies have given rise to innovations like conservation tillage, a farming process which helps prevent land loss to erosion, water pollution and enhances carbon sequestration. International economics and market reports Differences in economic development, population density and culture mean that the farmers of the world operate under very different conditions. A US cotton farmer may receive US$230 in government subsidies per acre planted (in 2003), while farmers in Mali and other third-world countries do without. When prices decline, the heavily subsidized US farmer is not forced to reduce his output, making it difficult for cotton prices to rebound, but his Mali counterpart may go broke in the meantime. A livestock farmer in South Korea can calculate with a (highly subsidized) sales price of US$1300 for a calf produced. A South American Mercosur country rancher calculates with a calf's sales price of US$120–200 (both 2008 figures). With the former, scarcity and high cost of land is compensated with public subsidies, the latter compensates absence of subsidies with economics of scale and low cost of land. In the Peoples Republic of China, a rural household's productive asset may be one hectare of farmland. In Brazil, Paraguay and other countries where local legislature allows such purchases, international investors buy thousands of hectares of farmland or raw land at prices of a few hundred US$ per hectare. To promote exports of agricultural products, many government agencies publish on the web economic studies and reports categorized by product and country. Among these agencies include four of the largest exporters of agricultural products, such as the FAS of the United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Austrade, and NZTE . The Federation of International Trade Associations publishes studies and reports by FAS and AAFC, as well as other non-governmental organizations on its website GlobalTrade.net. List of countries by agricultural output Global agricultural output from 1970 to 2008. This time covers the effects of the Green Revolution. Below is a list of countries by agricultural output in 2011. Agricultural output in 2011 Output in billions of US$ Composition of GDP (%) % of Global Agricultural Output Remaining Countries Since the 1940s, agricultural productivity has increased dramatically, due largely to the increased use of energy-intensive mechanization, fertilizers and pesticides. The vast majority of this energy input comes from fossil fuel sources. Between 1950 and 1984, the Green Revolution transformed agriculture around the globe, with world grain production increasing by 250% as world population doubled. Modern agriculture's heavy reliance on petrochemicals and mechanization has raised concerns that oil shortages could increase costs and reduce agricultural output, causing food shortages. Agriculture and food system share (%) of total energy consumption by three industrialized nations Agriculture (direct & indirect) Food system Modern or industrialized agriculture is dependent on fossil fuels in two fundamental ways: 1) direct consumption on the farm and 2) indirect consumption to manufacture inputs used on the farm. Direct consumption includes the use of lubricants and fuels to operate farm vehicles and machinery; and use of gas, liquid propane, and electricity to power dryers, pumps, lights, heaters, and coolers. American farms directly consumed about 1.2 exajoules (1.1 quadrillion BTU) in 2002, or just over 1 percent of the nation's total energy. Indirect consumption is mainly oil and natural gas used to manufacture fertilizers and pesticides, which accounted for 0.6 exajoules (0.6 quadrillion BTU) in 2002. The energy used to manufacture farm machinery is also a form of indirect agricultural energy consumption, but it is not included in USDA estimates of U.S. agricultural energy use. Together, direct and indirect consumption by U.S. farms accounts for about 2 percent of the nation's energy use. Direct and indirect energy consumption by U.S. farms peaked in 1979, and has gradually declined over the past 30 years. Food systems encompass not just agricultural production, but also off-farm processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consumption, and disposal of food and food-related items. Agriculture accounts for less than one-fifth of food system energy use in the United States. In 2007, higher incentives for farmers to grow non-food biofuel crops combined with other factors (such as overdevelopment of former farm lands, rising transportation costs, climate change, growing consumer demand in China and India, and population growth) to cause food shortages in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Mexico, as well as rising food prices around the globe. As of December 2007, 37 countries faced food crises, and 20 had imposed some sort of food-price controls. Some of these shortages resulted in food riots and even deadly stampedes. The biggest fossil fuel input to agriculture is the use of natural gas as a hydrogen source for the Haber-Bosch fertilizer-creation process. Natural gas is used because it is the cheapest currently available source of hydrogen. When oil production becomes so scarce that natural gas is used as a partial stopgap replacement, and hydrogen use in transportation increases, natural gas will become much more expensive. If the Haber Process is unable to be commercialized using renewable energy (such as by electrolysis) or if other sources of hydrogen are not available to replace the Haber Process, in amounts sufficient to supply transportation and agricultural needs, this major source of fertilizer would either become extremely expensive or unavailable. This would either cause food shortages or dramatic rises in food prices. Mitigation of effects of petroleum shortages M. King Hubbert's prediction of world petroleum production rates. Modern agriculture is totally reliant on petroleum energy. In the event of a petroleum shortage (see peak oil for global concerns), organic agriculture can be more attractive than conventional practices that use petroleum-based pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Some farmers using modern organic-farming methods have reported yields as high as those available from conventional farming. Organic farming may however be more labor-intensive and would require a shift of the workforce from urban to rural areas. The reconditioning of soil to restore nutrients lost during the use of monoculture agriculture techniques also takes time. It has been suggested that rural communities might obtain fuel from the biochar and synfuel process, which uses agricultural waste to provide charcoal fertilizer, some fuel and food, instead of the normal food vs fuel debate. As the synfuel would be used on-site, the process would be more efficient and might just provide enough fuel for a new organic-agriculture fusion. It has been suggested that some transgenic plants may some day be developed which would allow for maintaining or increasing yields while requiring fewer fossil-fuel-derived inputs than conventional crops. The possibility of success of these programs is questioned by ecologists and economists concerned with unsustainable GMO practices such as terminator seeds. While there has been some research on sustainability using GMO crops, at least one prominent multi-year attempt by Monsanto Company has been unsuccessful, though during the same period traditional breeding techniques yielded a more sustainable variety of the same crop. Agricultural policy focuses on the goals and methods of agricultural production. At the policy level, common goals of agriculture include: Food quality: Ensuring that the food supply is of a consistent and known quality. Food safety: Ensuring that the food supply is free of contamination. Food security: Ensuring that the food supply meets the population's needs. Poverty reduction Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Agriculture&oldid=541344933"

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Farm lobby sees 2013 Legislature as mixed bag Published on January 26, 2013 3:01AM Last changed on February 23, 2013 6:09AM By MITCH LIESCapital PressSALEM -- Oregon's farm lobby is looking at the 2013 Legislature that resumes Feb. 4 as a mixed bag."We're looking at this as a mixture of opportunities for agriculture, but at the same time there are some disconcerting bills, and it is hard to know which ones are going to have legs and move," said Katie Fast, director of government affairs for the Oregon Farm Bureau.Among bills generating concern, House Bill 2532 requires labeling of products with genetically modified ingredients.Sponsored by Reps. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, and Alissa Keny-Guyer, D-Portland, the bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.Also generating concern is a bill that allows the Oregon Department of Agriculture to prohibit growing genetically engineered crops if the department determines they pose risks to nearby agriculture.Sponsored by Buckley, House Bill 2319 is assigned to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.A bill instituting a $100 annual management fee on each water right also has caught the farm lobby's attention."I don't think any of my clients support that," said Roger Beyer, who represents grass seed growers, dairy farmers and small woodland owners."We will be opposing that fee," Fast said. "We have a lot of concerns around a water fee that the state would start charging for the use of a resource that private individuals have put forward the groundwork and expense to develop."Senate Bill 217 caps the fee for "any single water right holder" at $1,000 a year. It is assigned to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.Several bills are on the table addressing concerns about canola production, including one that places a statewide ban on its production and one that bans it in the Willamette Valley.Sen. Chris Edwards, D-Eugene, who is a sponsor of the statewide-ban bill, Senate Bill 433, said he is proposing an amendment to scale back the ban to strictly the Willamette Valley.SB433 is in the Senate Rural Communities and Economic Development Committee.House Bill 2427, which bans canola in the Willamette Valley, is in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.Fast said the Farm Bureau "has concerns" about the bills."The board doesn't believe it is appropriate to deal with the canola issue at the Legislature, because it becomes political and not science-based," Fast said. On the plus side, Fast said the Farm Bureau views the upcoming session as an opportunity to pursue water development for irrigated agriculture.Gov. John Kitzhaber provided $22 million in funding for water development projects in his recommended budget.The Farm Bureau is also supporting a bill that changes the way the state authorizes wetland enhancement projects on farm land from an outright permitted use to a conditional use, requiring public hearings.The Farm Bureau is concerned about a loss of farmland in recent years to wetland enhancement and other wildlife enhancement projects that are taking farmland out of production, Fast said.House Bill 2173 is in the House Land Use Committee.The Oregon Association of Nurseries said it is working behind the scenes to get a bill introduced that "allows the undocumented workforce to get a driver's license and be fully insured," OAN Executive Director Jeff Stone said."It is a take-home for the nursery and greenhouse industry to try to fix this issue," Stone said.Since 2008, driver's license applicants in Oregon have been required to show legal presence when renewing licenses or applying for a new one."We want folks on the road who know how to drive and are insured," Stone said. The Farm Bureau also supports a proposed extension of a landowner preference program that allows landowners to obtain tags for hunting deer, elk and antelope on their land outside of hunting season.The program, due to sunset in 2014, would be extended to 2024 under House Bill 2250.

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Industry Commentary: We can protect farm kids without onerous regulations By Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation President March 14, 2012 | 11:43 am EDT Editor's note: The following article, written by American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman, was originally posted on AgAlert, the weekly newsletter for the California Farm Bureau Federation. As a boy growing up in southeast Texas, I not only worked on my family's farm, I lived and breathed it. What many people outside of rural America don't understand is that farm work for a kid is not just a chore or a job, it's a way of life. Learning to drive a tractor comes as naturally as riding a bike, and there's nothing that teaches a kid more discipline and commitment than milking a cow. It was "American Gothic" painter Grant Wood who once said, "All the good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow." Farm work has always played a significant role in the lives of rural youth across the country, whether they are milking cows on their grandparents' farm or harvesting apples as a summer job. But, because of general misunderstanding and over-zealous activists, the ability of rural kids to perform traditional farm chores and jobs is in serious jeopardy. A proposed rule released by the U.S. Department of Labor would have detrimental effects on farm families. No longer would kids be allowed to do many chores on their grandparents' farms, nor would kids under 16 be allowed to get a typical summer job at their neighbor's farm even with their parent's consent. Under the Labor Department rule as it was proposed last September, a child can only work on a farm that is "wholly owned" by his or her parents. Farm Bureau is hopeful that the recent decision by the Labor Department to re-propose the "parental exemption" will be a positive step, but we simply don't know. If the Labor Department decides to, it could interpret the parental exemption in a way that would make it much more difficult if not impossible for nieces, nephews and grandchildren to work on the family farm. Let's take a look at Missouri hog producer Chris Chinn, who grew up doing chores on her grandparents' farm. As she testified before Congress last month, she never would have had those life-shaping experiences if the Labor Department rule had been in place back then. Even more disturbing is that her two children won't be allowed the same experiences of doing routine chores on their grandparents' farm if the Labor Department goes forward with its initial plan. The Labor Department rule would also put strict limits on what hired youth can and can't do. In updating its "hazardous occupation orders," the department is saying that a youth under the age of 16 would be mostly prohibited from working with livestock or operating equipment that's not driven by hand or foot power. Read literally, the Labor Department proposal would mean a 15-year-old could not operate a hand-held, battery-powered screwdriver to mend fences or be hired to mow lawns. Farm and ranch families are more interested than anyone else in assuring the safety of our farms. We have no desire at all to have young teenagers working in jobs that are inappropriate or entail too much risk. But regulations need to be sensible and within reason—not prohibiting teenagers from performing simple everyday farm functions like operating a battery-powered screwdriver. Members in the House and Senate, on both sides of the aisle, have called for the rule to be withdrawn, and Farm Bureau agrees. But if the Labor Department proceeds, as seems likely, we will be working actively to assure that any final regulation makes sense, does not infringe on the traditional rights of family farms and does not unnecessarily restrict the ability of young people to work in agriculture. In other words, we need a rule that respects the significance of youth farm work in America and the importance it plays in our system of family-based agriculture. farmingfarm workyouthagriculture About the Author: Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman, a rice and cattle producer from Columbus, Texas, is president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's largest and most influential general farm organization. The 11th president in the organization's history, Mr. Stallman was first elected president on Jan. 13, 2000. Prior to becoming AFBF President, Mr. Stallman was president of the Texas Farm Bureau. He became a member of AFBF's board of directors in 1994. View All Posts

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PigProgress - H1N1 confirmed in Irish pig herd H1N1 confirmed in Irish pig herd The Republic of Ireland has reported an occurrence of the novel influenza A virus (H1N1) in a pig herd, the International Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reported yesterday. The information was received from Patrick J. Rogan, chief veterinary officer at the Agriculture House, Department of Agriculture and Food in the Irish capital of Dublin. The virus was discovered in Kilworth, county Cork. About 40 animals in a herd of 3,050 swine herd (approximately 1.3%) contracted the virus. The virus was discovered earlier this month and confirmed yesterday at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Backweston, in county Kildare. An infected farm worker is thought to be the source of infection, the report said. Monitored The report also mentioned: "The pigs were being monitored as high-risk following confirmation of the virus in a worker on 22 September. The worker tended the pigs from 15-18 September whilst sick. Clinical signs commenced in the pigs on 25 September with sows off feed and laboured breathing. Movements of pigs off farm have been stopped voluntarily since 18 September in accordance with a Code of Practice previously agreed between Department of Agriculture and stakeholders." Earlier cases of novel H1N1 in pigs have been confirmed in Northern Ireland (about ten days ago), Argentina, Canada and Australia. Related websites: International Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Vincent ter Beek US market hog inventory up USDA's June Hogs and Pigs report states the nation's market hog inventory is up 9.4% compared to a year ago and... On Jun 29, 2015 In Home English pig herd shrinks In the year to June 30th, 2015, the total number of pigs in England decreased by 3.2% to 3.8 million animals.... On Sep 22, 2015 In Sows Fewer UK sows but more pigs to finish Publication of UK figures from the December 2014 Livestock Survey confirms that the pig herd is expanding, with...

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Western food supply safer since 2006 E. coli outbreak in spinach Jan 04, 2017 New HLB positive tree found in urban Cerritos, Calif. Jan 02, 2017 American Farm Bureau plows into Phoenix this weekend Jan 05, 2017 Ag at Large: New water bill holds promise for California agriculture Dec 27, 2016 Almonds aid diet? Can one food help to make a diet better? According to researchers at Loma Linda University in California, almonds just might meet that standard. A new study finds that when individuals added almonds as a snack to their regular diet, their overall intake of several important nutrients increased. The findings indicate that incorporating almonds into a diet may promote the natural displacement of less nutrient-dense foods, making the overall diet better. Napa Valley is also a popular California tourist destination, with about 5.5 million visitors a year. Robert Mondavi built the first new winery there after Prohibition was repealed, but the primary fruit crop remained prunes through the 1940's. The 1949 “darling” of the California wine industry was Muscatel. The region now produces many varieties of wine that are imported by 164 countries. Gulfprince, a new peach variety that can tree-ripen for several extra days, thus becoming sweeter and juicier, is now available to consumers. The new variety, released to growers in 1999, was developed by the Agricultural Research Service, the University of Georgia and the University of Florida. It was planted in grower orchards in 2001. Almonds positively impact heart health on a variety of levels, according to three studies presented at the 2004 Experimental Biology conference. This research underscores the role almonds play in a heart-healthy diet, and provides further support for the qualified health claim almonds, and select other nuts, received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2003. How much did a Bartlett pear cost in the mid-1800s? $20.67. they were so delicious, people paid the same price for Bartletts as they did for an ounce of gold! Sweet Scarlet, a new, ARS-developed seedless red grape with raspberry-red skin and a pleasantly light muscat flavor, could start showing up in supermarkets within three to four years. Scientists interested in boosting the nutritional value of tomorrow's eggplant have found that this hefty veggie contains high levels of chlorogenic acid — one of the most powerful antioxidants produced in plants. California leads both the nation and the world in apricot production with a 10-year average of about 180,000 tons. Of that only 6 percent is consumed fresh. More than two-thirds of the U.S. production of Bartlett pears is harvested in California. The peak season for Bartletts is from mid-July to November. In orchards where water infiltration is limited, gypsum applications can be helpful. Gypsum is especially effective in increasing water penetration. On average, only one in 20,000 chemicals makes it from the chemist's laboratory to the farmers field, says the Alliance for Food and Fiber. Dating back to 7000 B.C. the walnut tree is the oldest known fruit tree. Fifty percent of the world's supply of walnuts comes from California. The California Farm Bureau heard through the grapevine that 75 percent of all California raisins are eaten at breakfast. Figs were not only eaten by the first Greek Olympians for their great tasted and healthful qualities, they were also worn as medals for their Olympic achievements. Almonds are really a fruit. They originated in China and are related to such fruits as peaches, plums and cherries. The No. 1 olive producing county in California is Tulare. The “Gala” apple was first found in 1939 in New Zealand. It is a cross between a Golden Delicious apple and a Kid's Orange Pippin. The pistachio is a relative of both the mango and the cashew. California grows all of the nation's commercial pistachios on 60,000 acres. Grapefruit is very high in vitamin C and is a source of potassium, folacin and Vitamin A. Dieters are especially fond of grapefruit because it is sodium and fat-free. During the Super Bowl, enough avocados were consumed to cover a football field 18 inches deep in guacamole! The Farm Bureau points out that California farmers and ranchers produce an average of $67 million in food, fiber and flower products every day of the year. California produced 151 million pounds of pistachios last year; Iran leads the world in production of pistachios. Milk is California's top ranked commodity, having a value of $2.9 billion in 1994. Grapes follow in second, with cattle and calves rounding out the top three spots. California avocados contain more vitamin A than many other popular fruits, including apples, bananas and grapefruit. The famous “Golden Apples” of Greek mythology were actually apricots. Commercial growing of apricots in California started in 1872 in California's fertile Santa Clara Valley. How much did a Bartlett pear cost in the mid-1800s? $20.67. they were so delicious, people paid the same price for Bartletts as they did for an ounce of gold! California leads both the nation and the world in apricot production with a 10-year average of about 180,000 tons. Of that only 6 percent is consumed fresh. More than two-thirds of the U.S. production of Bartlett pears is harvested in California. The peak season for Bartletts is from mid-July to November. A 50-acre apple orchard with 44 trees per acre can lose about $27,000 a year to deer. The key for long-term success of drying raisins “on-the-vine,” will be new varieties, according to UC Davis viticulture specialist Pete Christensen The most well-nourished families are those that prepare foods from scratch, buy more fruits and vegetables and use a variety of cooking methods. Prunes top the list of antioxidant fruits, followed by raisins and blueberries. Heading the list of antioxidant vegetables is kale, followed by spinach and Brussels sprouts. Sixty percent of California's raisins are sold as an ingredient to food processors, according to the California Raisin Marketing Board. Marketing research studies show consumers praise low-cost raisins as a source of nutrients, as a convenient and nutritious snack, and as a useful cooking ingredient. Rural crime has changed. It's no longer just a neighbor's kid swiping Tipe cherries from your tree on a warm spring day — it's serious business. Commercial orchards are particularly vulnerable to thefts of walnut burls that sell for thousands of dollars and are used in luxury vehicles. California continues to lead the U.S. in production of apricots, avocados, grapes, lemons, plums, prunes and strawberries. Eating a handful of walnuts everyday will lower your blood cholesterol. A study at Loma Linda University found that people who ate any kind of nuts at least five times a week had half the risk of heart attacks as those who ate nuts less than once a week. California leads the nation in production of walnuts, which ranks 10th in agricultural export commodities. What, countries import them? Japan, Spain, Italy, Germany, Canada, Netherlands and Israel. Differences in color are not the only thing that distinguishes white-fleshed peaches and nectarines from traditional varieties. Yellow varieties continue to ripen after harvest, while white varieties taste sweet even while they are quite firm to the touch. Ben Franklin predicted that in the future food would be our medicine. He was right! Farm Bureau reports that researchers found certain compounds in cherries which can help prevent heart disease, block inflammatory enzymes and are more effective than aspirin for reducing pain. So, if you hurt…eat 20 cherries and call me in the morning. What do wine and angel food cake have in common? Cream of tartar. Farm Bureau sources report that this major ingredient in baking powder is a natural, pure substance left behind after grape juice has ferments to wine, and keeps egg whites from foaming. Winery shipments increased for the sixth consecutive year, reaching a record high of 446 million gallons in 1999. “An apple a day…” You know the rest. Studies have found that people who eat at least one apple a day have a lower risk of stroke than those who don't eat apples. Kiwi — no, not the bird — the funny, fuzzy fruit-was rated No. 1 in per-gram nutrient density out of 27 fruits analyzed. In addition to vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, kiwifruit contains phytochemicals and amino acids that have been shown to help prevent macular degeneration — a leading cause of blindness. At first glance, a kiwifruit isn't very pretty. In fact, it looks like it needs a good shave. However, Farm Bureau says those hirsute kiwifruit are especially good for men. Each serving contains a healthy dose of nutrients that help fight prostate cancer and impotence. No need to peel it; just cut it in half and scoop out the goodness with a spoon. Or, eat it with the skin on. Really. Some do. The earliest evidence of wine was found on a pottery jar in Iran dating back at least 7,000 years. What familiar, low-cost, lunchbox treat is grown only in California? Raisins. According to researchers, farm children have lower rates of asthma than those children raised in cities. Studies credit this to their early exposure to fungi, dust and animal dander. California's 37,000 apple-producing acres yielded 408,000 tons of apples at last count. Technically, olive oil is really “fruit juice.” It's the only cooking oil that doesn't come from seeds, grains or nuts. And, like other fruit juices, it's good for you. If you're “nuts” for nuts, snack on pistaschios while you're watching Monday night football. A one-ounce serving has about 47 nuts — more per serving than any other nut — so you can eat a lot. They're tasty, loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and monounsaturated fat that helps lower cholesterol. Shaped like little footballs, too! The United Kingdom is the largest export market for California raisins — about 22 percent, says Farm Bureau. When Dom Perignon discovered champagne in 1600 he exclaimed, “Come quickly, I'm drinking stars.” Sunkist and Henry Ford — what do they have in common? 1908. that's the year Sunkist was adopted as a brand of oranges and Henry Ford introduced the Model-T automobile at a cost of $825. More than 6,000 California avocado growers produce the 154,000-ton crop. Almonds — California's largest food export at $780 million — have found their way into school lunches in Japan. To increase calcium in the traditionally non-dairy Japanese diet, a popular snack mix of baby sardines and slivered almonds was developed. One ounce of almonds provides 8 percent of the daily calcium requirement. Almond sales to India may eventually surpass those to Japan. The high-protein almonds are important to India's meatless society that spends more than 50 percent of its income on food.

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Sophisticated Asian markets ahead By DANIEL LOOKER 2/22/2012 Today, China is a key market for bulk commodities from the U.S. and South America. But in the future the U.S. could lose out if we don’t anticipate demand from affluent Asian consumers for specialized foods that fit their healthy lifestyles. It means more exports from the U.S. will be identity preserved, backed by quality tracking. That’s a key conclusion from a report, Food 2040, that the U.S. Grains Council will release Friday at the USDA Outlook Forum in Washington, DC. This week, the Council’s President and CEO, Thomas Dorr, shared background on the report with Agriculture.com. “The bottom line is the world is getting richer and the world is demanding higher quality protein food,” Dorr said. The report lays out the possibilities for foods sold in Asia in 2040, using Japan as a bellwether for other affluent Asian countries’ buying and eating patterns. By 2040, 70% of food consumed in Japan will be prepared outside the home. Many consumers in Japan won't even have kitchens, perhaps just a corner sink, microwave and small refrigerator. That could be part of a food system that has less waste, Dorr said. “If you can buy precisely what you need without any waste, you can capitalize that efficiency into a higher value product,” Dorr says. Just as they quickly adopted cell phones without putting in more expensive land line systems found in the U.S., developing nations may establish food systems that leapfrog into high-tech distribution of products aimed at sophisticated consumers. “What we’re going to have to do long term, and maybe short term, is figure out how we can compete in those markets,” Dorr said. China may seem far behind Japan, but Dorr doesn’t expect that to last long. “They don’t have systems in place to manage food safety but they are developing them,” he said. And, because of the size of its market, China will likely be setting food standards for exporters, the study concludes. But it’s not the only Asian nation with a growing middle class. Malaysia is another. And India. “If you look at Bangladesh, they’re doing very, very well,” Dorr said. The study isn’t a forecast, Dorr said. “Food 2040 is not designed to be a prediction. It lays out the possibilities,” he said. There is no way we can know what type of food system will be in place in Asia in 2040 and Dorr compares it to the rapid development digital technology. That can be a sobering analogy, if you look at companies and industries that didn’t adapt. Look at digital photography and Kodak. Or Internet information and services and newspaper publishing. “This implies we may be at the same place in food technology that we were at in computing technology in 1980,” Dorr said. That doesn’t mean Dorr is pessimistic about the future of U.S. ag exports. He sees them as an opportunity. “We have the technology, economic wherewithal and creativity to develop value-added products,” he said. The full report will be available Friday at the Grains Council’s website.

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Next Farm yields may drop if climate change impact not addressed Agriculture yields are likely to decline to 9 per cent in the next 25 years if the climate change impact is not mitigated, Minister of State for Agriculture Tariq Anwar said today. He also said biotechnology is expected to play a major role in improving farm yields and healthy scientific debate is required on this contentious issue. “It is increasingly being observed that occurrences of certain natural calamities such as cyclones and drought have become more frequent and that this is related to climate change induced by global warming,” Anwar said addressing an Assocham event on calamities. The warming trend in India from the year 1901 to 2000 is estimate to be 0.4 degree centigrade. “The impact of further warming is likely to aggravate yield fluctuations of many crops,” he said. If climate change impact is not mitigated, Anwar said that farm yields are expected to drop by up to 9 per cent in the next 25 years from the level of 4.5 per cent in 2010. Besides farm yields, climate change is expected to aggravate prevalence of pests and insects, decline in soil quality and higher heat stress among cattle affected milk productivity, he said. However, the government is making all efforts to ensure that the goal of food security is not compromised by challenges posed by climate change. Several measures are being taken to achieve sustainable agriculture through mission mode, he added. Emphasising the need to focus on biotechnology in improving farm yields, Anwar said: “There is need for a healthy scientific debate on the whole topic since it has been quite contentious not only in India but across the world with strong opinion being expressed on both sides of debate.” Currently, government has allowed commercial cultivation of Bt cotton, while moratorium has been imposed on Bt brinjal in the wake of safety concerns. Speaking on the occasion, Prabhudayal Meena, Special Secretary in Rural Development Ministry expressed concern that improper use of land is leading to disasters and affecting climate change. “To ensure better utilisation of scarce land resource, the government is in the process of framing land use policy in consultation with state governments,” he said. Michael J Ernst, South Asia Regional Advisor for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) emphasised the role of private sector in addressing the challenges of climate change.

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Peanuts versus enough off-target dicamba can cost yield, timing matters Jan 10, 2017 Five South Carolinians inducted into Extension Hall of Fame Jan 10, 2017 Florida takes aggressive action against New World screwworm in state Jan 11, 2017 Auxin herbicide training now mandatory in North Carolina Jan 09, 2017 Crops>Peanuts China's robust economy built on all things Western Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff | Feb 13, 2007 The relationship between Chinese textile mills and U.S. cotton producers may not be as open and honest as the relationship between U.S. textile mills and U.S. cotton producers, but China’s economic growth and love of all things Western was hard to ignore when a group from the National Cotton Council toured the country toward the end of 2006. The tour was hosted by the China Cotton Association, which is similar in structure to the NCC. The CCA has been very active in writing some of the contract rules for trading cotton in China. The NCC group visited production areas, gins and several bonded cotton warehouses in port cities. Inside the latter, Allen Helms, a Clarkedale, Ark., cotton producer and past chairman of the National Cotton Council, saw “a lot of cotton stored waiting for the next round of TRQs (tariff rate quotas) to open. It was mainly U.S. cotton, but a fair amount of cotton from West Africa, Zimbabwe and Uzbekistan was stored there, too. There was no way for us to come up with a specific number (of bales) and they didn’t offer one.” While the United States does not suffer from such a lack of transparency, the fact remains that China’s appetite for U.S. cotton is ravenous. “China’s textile mills were enormous. The ones that bought U.S. cotton were very happy to have our cotton. They don’t want to pay the domestic price for cotton, which was somewhere in the neighborhood of over 70 cents a pound.” While Chinese mills are asking for 31-3-35 type cottons, “they generally were accepting of most of our cotton,” Helms said. “When we met with some of the government agencies, one of the barriers we saw was the inspection group for imported cotton. They have a tendency to quarantine cotton for an extended period of time.” Helms also noted that both seed cotton and baled cotton are often stored outside in dry areas of the country. “With China’s red-hot economy, and growing affluency, they’re going to be our No. 1 factor for determining price in the long-term. We have to watch them and figure out where they’re going,” said Helms, who saw many Chinese men and women wearing designer, Western-style jeans. There is one fly in the ointment. Chinese officials expressed concern to Helms that Vietnam and India may become the low-cost producer of textiles at some point. The latter is worth keeping an eye on because India has a potential for increased yields with its continuing adoption of Bt cotton varieties and current low-average yields. e-mail: [email protected]

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"Idaho Women in Ag" event set Feb. 22 Published online: Feb 19, 2014 NAMPA, Idaho—The second annual “Idaho Women in Agriculture Conference” will cover a wide variety of topics of interest to women involved in all aspects of the state’s farming industry. “Our biggest challenge this year was narrowing the topics down to make them fit into one day,” said co-organizer Kelly Olson, administrator of the Idaho Barley Commission. Olson said last year’s event drew about 85 women and organizers hope to meet or exceed that total this year. The goal of the conference is not terribly profound, she said. “It’s an opportunity to bring women who work in Idaho’s largest industry together” to talk about the issues important to them and learn from each other. The conference will take place Feb. 22 at the Nampa Civic Center from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. An event news release said the conference allows women to share their experiences and unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities involved with working in Idaho’s largest industry. “The conference allows women from all aspects of farming — from farmers themselves, to agency people, to educators and technical information providers — to get together and work together to learn more about our agricultural system,” said co-organizer Cinda Williams. Topics of this year’s conference include proposed rules relating to the Food Safety Modernization Act, farm bill implementation, record keeping, credit scores, identity theft and the changing nature of land-use policies and how they impact agriculture. One of the highlights is a special presentation on how to make the connection between farming and the local foods movement, said Williams, a University of Idaho extension educator in Moscow. That session will include food journalists and other people involved with the local food movement who can help producers understand the popularity of the trend. “We want to highlight what’s going on outside of our world of production farming,” Williams said. “We’re trying to help farmers get a sense of what is going on in the area of the local food movement that has come to the forefront in the last five to 10 years.” Another session that will focus on some successes of Idaho women involved in agriculture will include the actual entrepreneurs themselves. “We have some great examples of Idaho women who are prospering in agriculture,” Olson said. One of those is Stacie Ballard, who will share some of the challenges she and her husband faced when starting what is now Ballard Cheese Co. in Gooding. Ballard moved here from Los Angeles with no knowledge about agriculture and “it took us three years to just figure out if it was something we wanted to do,” she said. “It’s been a big learning curve.” Conference registration costs $25 and can be made by calling the Idaho Barley Commission at 208-334-2090 or online at www.eventbrite.com. Source: www.capitalpress.com

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YOU ARE HERE: Aberdeen News Home→Collections→UsdaU.S. Cattlemen File Country of Origin Labeling Rule CommentsAugust 24, 2007San Lucas, Calif. - The U.S. Cattlemen's Association (USCA), on August 20, filed comments with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) on the agency's proposed rule requiring mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, lamb, pork, perishable agricultural commodities and peanuts. USCA's comments were submitted in response to USDA's request for comment prior to the adoption of the final rule. In 2002 Congress amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 by adding a provision for country of origin labeling to the Farm Bill. In July 2007, Congress again amended the Act by adding language regarding different allowable categories for labeling beef products. The amendment maintains the language of the 2002 Farm Bill with respect to U.S. products, and establishes a multiple country of origin meat label for product derived from animals not of U.S. origin. Further, the current law amends the Act by requiring an imported meat label for product imported into the U.S. for immediate harvest. Danni Beer, USCA Region X Director and COOL Committee Chairman said this comment period will likely be followed by more opportunities for producers to communicate with USDA on implementation details. "If we see similar language passed in the U.S. Senate during its farm policy debate, it's likely another comment period will be made available. Comment periods like these are the agency's method of inviting input from livestock producers to help shape the rules for implementation of the law. It is very important for producers to take advantage of these opportunities to communicate with USDA about how to implement the law in a manner that preserves the intent of Congress in a least-cost method. I encourage everyone to stay engaged as we see this process through to the day the law is implemented." USCA's COOL rule comments can be viewed at www.uscattlemen.org. Established in March 2007, USCA is committed to assembling a team to concentrate efforts in Washington, DC to enhance and expand the cattle industry's voice on Capitol Hill. For more information visit www.uscattlemen.orgAdvertisementFIND MORE STORIES ABOUTUsdaBeef ProductsFEATURED ARTICLESSenator: Meat labeling likelyOctober 11, 2007Senators introduce meat labeling billApril 3, 2007COOL rule released to public to spur implementationAugust 1, 2008Copyright 2017 Aberdeen NewsTerms of Service|Privacy Policy|Index by Date|Index by Keyword

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Pictures Don't Lie: Corn And Soybeans Are Conquering U.S. Grasslands By Daniel Charles A corn field is shrouded in mist at sunrise in rural Springfield, Neb. Nati Harnik Hot spots of grassland conversion: This map shows the percentage of existing grasslands that were converted into corn or soybean fields between 2006 and 2011. Christopher K. Wright / South Dakota State University Originally published on February 19, 2013 12:56 pm For years, I've been hearing stories about the changing agricultural landscape of the northern plains. Grasslands are disappearing, farmers told me. They're being replaced by fields of corn and soybeans. This week, those stories got a big dose of scientific, peer-reviewed validation. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows actual pictures — derived from satellite data — of that changing landscape. The images show that farmers in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska converted 1.3 million acres of grassland into soybean and corn production between 2006 and 2011. "This is kind of the worst-kept secret in the Northern Plains. We just put some numbers on it," says Christopher Wright, from South Dakota State University, who got funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy to take a close look at this phenomenon. Earlier studies from the Environmental Working Group and the USDA's Economic Research Service have also looked at it, each using slightly different methods. Still, Wright's images are striking, and these changes are having profound effects on the environment of this region. For instance, it's bad news for wildlife, because corn fields are much less inviting habitat for a wide range of wild creatures, from ground-nesting birds to insects, including bees. Corn and soybean fields are increasingly encroaching into the Prairie Pothole region of the Dakotas and Minnesota, the most important breeding habitat for waterfowl in North America. In southern Iowa, Wright says, much of the land conversion is taking place on hillsides. The soil of those fields, without permanent grass to hold it in place, is now much more likely to wash into streams and ponds. And on the western edge of this region, farmers are taking a chance on corn and soybeans in places that sometimes don't get enough rainfall for these thirsty crops. Why? There's one very simple reason: Corn and soybean prices are high, so farmers can earn a lot of money growing those crops. Meanwhile, funding has been declining for one important alternative — the government's Conservation Reserve Program, which pays farmers to protect wildlife and water quality by keeping land in grass. Another reason, however, is getting increasing attention: crop insurance. The government subsidizes private insurance policies that cover the risks of poor harvests, or even that prices will fall. Because farmers don't pay for the full cost of this insurance, critics of crop insurance say that it encourages risky behavior: planting crops in areas that don't drain well, where rainfall is unreliable, or on hillsides where soil erosion is a problem. Critics say that the government should drastically reduce its subsidies for such insurance. Not only is it fiscally irresponsible, they say. It's encouraging farmers to destroy the grasslands of the northern plains, a priceless and increasingly scarce natural treasure.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. TweetShareGoogle+Email Our Partners

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Landscaping Site Connie Krochmal BellaOnline's Landscaping Editor Corn for the Landscape Whether we grow it in craft gardens, edible gardens, or as a colorful landscape plant, corn deserves a place in our gardens. Maize-should that be maze? No, maize is the word non-English speaking people use for corn. Sweet corn is only one type of corn. Others include dent, flint, flour, pod, and pop. Sweet corn originated when flint or flour corns underwent genetic changes or mutations. Less than 1% of the American corn crop is eaten directly as human food. Most of it is used for animal feeds or in industries. Around 7200 years ago in tropical Central America, Indians domesticated corn, and then it spread from there to North and South America. No wild corn exists as it is entirely dependent upon humans for its survival. Entire New World civilizations based their very cultures upon corn. When the corn and other staple crops failed due to extended drought or poor environmental conditions, these settlements disappeared. This apparently happened in the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, where the former 13th century dwellings of the Pueblo Indians can still be seen. In many locations, Indians relied on vast irrigation systems, such as canals and water storage systems. They also had special structures like corn cribs for storing corn. At times they also buried corn in underground caches, one of which was found by Pilgrims needing food for the winter. This corn enabled the Pilgrims to survive and celebrate Thanksgiving the next year with the Indians. Indians contributed popcorn to the feast, which colonists learned to eat much as we do puffed cereals. Colonists also received their first sweet corn from the Indians. It was red-kerneled, and tended to stain linens since the color was water-soluble. Pre-Columbian life revolved around rituals relating to corn. Some of their temples contained life-size corn plants made of gold. The discovery of three perfectly preserved Incan mummies in Chile may help corn scientists studying the history of corn. These 500-year-old mummies were buried with ceramic vessels containing corn and corn liquor. Another means of studying corn has been to use pre-Columbian pottery made from molds created with actual corn ears. The molds preserved the ears so well scientists can compare the kernels and ears to those of modern corn types. I saw such pottery on display at a lecture once and later learned about a marvelous book, “Corn in Clay-Maize Paleoethnobotany in Pre-Columbian Art” by Marly W. Eubanks. This hardcover is available for $49.95 from the University Press of Florida. In this remarkable book she combines botany, archaeology, and art history to add and revise what is known about corn history. Her groundbreaking research marks a new era in research. I highly recommend this book for those with an interest in corn, the food of the gods. She found corn existed in Mexico much earlier than was previously thought. The oral histories and traditions of the American Indians offer insight into the role corn and other crops played in their cultures. Many of these enlightening stories, legends, and practices are beautifully presented in a touching book, “Brother Crow, Sister Corn-Traditional American Indian Gardening” by Carol Buchanan. This paperback is available from Ten Speed Press for $11.95. It is illustrated beautifully with black and white photos of historic interest. The title refers to Brother Crow from a Yuma story. He brought Sister Corn to the Yumas. Nature isn’t always benevolent as is indicated by the decline of the cliff dwelling settlements in the Southwest. This occurred between A.D. 1200-1500, and apparently could have been due to prolonged drought. The complete story of these lost cultures are examined an in evocative book, “Anasazi Ruins of the Southwest In Color” by William M. Ferguson et al. This is a softcover from the University of New Mexico Press for $32.50. The authors present insights into every aspect of Anasazi life, and examine each ruin in great detail. Helpful maps are provided. Analyses of Anasazi skeletons revealed the majority of the later residents suffered from severe malnutrition, dietary imbalance, and health problems. It is sad to think some of these may have been partially due to an over-reliance on corn. The fascinating story of corn is told in a wonderfully engaging book by Betty Fussell, a food historian. She wrote “The Story of Corn.” Farrar, Straus and Giroux published the original hardcover, but it is now available as a paperback from the University of New Mexico Press. You’ll experience history in this groundbreaking, authoritative book. It presents the entire story of corn from the cultural and agricultural to the scientific, including the crucial role it played in the lives of the ancient Native American civilizations. It is illustrated with historical photos and drawings. This book received the Julia Child Cookbook Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. The story of corn is an integral part of Native American culture. This becomes apparent when we read “Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden-Agriculture of the Hidatsa Indians.” Published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, this is by Gilbert L. Wilson. Originally published in 1917, this classic has now been updated with a new introduction by Jeffery R. Hanson, an ethnobotanist and anthropologist. For a number of years, Wilson, an anthropologist, made trips to the Fort Berthold Reservation, and interviewed Buffalo Bird Woman, a Hidatsa Indian gardener who followed the time-honored agricultural techniques used by her ancestors. In addition to information on Native American farming methods for corn and other crops, she shared details on the cultural roles of these plants through ceremonies, songs, and stories. She described the year’s activities from planting and harvesting to storing and cooking, and provided traditional recipes. The story of corn has become recorded in clay-mold pottery and in American Indian culture. | Editor's Picks Articles | Top Ten Articles | Previous Features | Site Map For FREE email updates, subscribe to the Landscaping Newsletter Tell a FriendForumTalk to Editor Content copyright © 2015 by Connie Krochmal. All rights reserved. This content was written by Connie Krochmal. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Pomegranate in England and the New World Pomegranate in EuropeThe Many Uses of Barberries

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New pressures force U.S. farmers south of the border Save for later Tougher immigration control and stricter environmental and food safety regulations are prompting US firms to move farms to Mexico, Brazil, and everywhere in between. By Sara Miller Llana, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Moved: Workers toil in the lettuce fields of Vegpacker de Mexico, an American produce company that has recently moved farms from the US into Comonfort, Mexico. Sara Miller llana View Caption About video ads of Comonfort, Mexico — Like so many before him, Claudio Morales crossed illegally into the US and found his way to the vegetable-producing fields of California.Six years later, standing among neat rows of lettuce, he holds the same job with the same company. But he's back in Mexico.His employer, Vegpacker de Mexico, opened lettuce and broccoli farms in central Mexico in 2006 in response to tighter US enforcement of undocumented immigrants. In doing so, this firm joins a growing number of US farm operations moving south of the border, to Mexico and beyond. To a degree, this is a cyclical trend. American farmers have sporadically moved south in search of cheaper land and labor, more fertile ground, and different growing seasons. But some analysts say that recent moves are driven by new pressures – such as stricter environmental and food safety regulations – and indicate an agricultural system in need of repair. "You may see companies putting more of their growth dollars into Latin America," says Joe Horner, a dairy and beef economist at the University of Missouri. "There is labor availability, resource availability, and you don't have massive compliance issues like you have here."There's no evidence that the exodus is large, but pressures on US farmers are not expected to let up any time soon, particularly on the labor front.Under a hot sun in the tiny central Mexican town of Comonfort, Fidel Rosales toils in a pristine lettuce field of Vegpacker de Mexico – a job he got after being deported from the US in November. He had worked for the same company in California, and so made his way south after hearing the company had set up operations in Mexico, too. He earns half of what he did in the US, he says. "But for now this is the best option."How many farmers are expanding abroad? According to a recent snapshot survey by the Western Growers Association – a US agricultural trade association whose 3,000 members grow, pack, and ship 90 percent of the fresh vegetables and nearly 70 percent of the fresh fruit and nuts grown in Arizona and California – 25 members reported farming over 84,000 acres of land in Mexico and employing over 22,000 workers.It is a fraction of the land farmed for similar produce in California, but the figures have doubled in the past year.Last year, a dozen respondents to the Western Growers Association showed 40,000 acres being farmed in Mexico. Farmers cite multiple reasons for Mexican operations, including tougher US regulatory costs, the diversification of crops throughout the seasons, water shortages, and migratory restrictions on labor.The president of Vegpacker de Mexico declined to comment for this article, but he has said publicly that a labor shortage from tighter immigration is one of the driving factors in expanding south of the border. "There are more and more [vegetable and fruit producers] considering and moving into El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico," says Manuel Cunha Jr., president of the Nisei Farmers League, a California group representing growers there. "It started about three years ago. If they have to move to another country to continue farming, that's what they will do."The lure of Brazil's 'cerrado'Grain farmers from the Midwest have also been expanding into Latin America, buying land in the frontier "cerrado" of Brazil, one of the largest tracks of arable land in the world. Many bought land in Argentina after the economic crisis of 2001 and are increasingly looking at Paraguay, where the industry is less developed.Brian Willott, who grew up on a farm in Missouri, moved to Brazil in 2003 as part of a wave of cotton and soy farmers from the Midwest expanding there.He says that he could never expand a farm in the US like he could in Brazil, where he started with about 1,000 acres. Since then the farm's size has doubled, and he has plans to expand further this year. "The land was cheap, the opportunity was there, it was a frontier, there was a huge draw," he says. "Brazil has that magic to it."At that time, the price of land was a deal. These days Willott says prices have almost doubled, to about $2,000 an acre today, and in some cases tripled. That is still cheaper than many places in the US. Chris Hurt, an agricultural economist at Purdue University in Indiana, says that agricultural land prices in his state have gone up from $3,162 an acre in 2006 to $3,688 last year; they anticipate that by 2010 prices could double from four years prior.But accessibility of land is the biggest draw, especially since a commodities boom is spurring expansion. "If you want to expand your farm operation in the US, if you are the son of a farm family and want to spend your life farming, that's almost impossible. You simply cannot gain access to land," says Phil Warnken, the president of AgBrazil, which runs tours for prospective investors in Brazil.Mr. Horner says that the costs of environmental and safety compliance and permitting, and the growing clout of activists, have also pushed investment, particularly in the livestock industry, outside the country. "The ease with which special interest groups can create activists in a community to shut down a viable operation has made more and more in the livestock sector invest outside the US," he says, "so we will have to buy more food from overseas."Whether in Mexico or Brazil, or anywhere in-between, the risks can outweigh lower costs, however. Mr. Willott says that land deals have waned with the decline of the dollar against the Brazilian currency, the real. Now profits are increasing again, but murky contracts and cultural norms can make farms less productive.Farmers think twice too, even if moving operations abroad means just 20 miles over the US border. Rick Rademacher, a vegetable farmer in Yuma, Ariz., says he once considered opening green onion production south of the US-Mexico border. But he reconsidered. "It's a whole other deal farming down there. You need someone who understands it very well."US farm industry under threat?Analysts say the fastest trend is agribusiness investment, both from traditional multinationals and investors from all over the world who are buying land to grow grains, sugar, and cotton, and positioning themselves as players in a biofuels market – a trend that has sparked some nationalist sentiment in Brazil. "They realize it's the breadbasket of the 21st century," says Peter Goldsmith, director of the National Soybean Research Center at the University of Illinois.Some say the future of the US farming industry is at stake. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) of California is behind an agricultural reform bill to legalize the migrant workforce. She maintains that the US could lose $5 billion to $9 billion to foreign competition because of farms shutting down and, in some cases, shifting production overseas.Not everyone agrees that the situation is dire. Philip Martin, a farm expert at the University of California at Davis, disputes that a labor shortage even exists. He adds that even if production moves abroad, the majority of fruits and vegetables, for example, will come from the US in the foreseeable future. "We are living in a globalizing world. Fresh fruits and vegetables are part of that," he says. "But that movement is going to be evolutionary, not revolutionary." Pitcher irrigation brings vegetables to Pakistani desert Earth Day 2015: 20 innovators helping protect the planet Celebrating International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2016

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Yellow plastic identified as cotton contaminant Jan 09, 2017 Beltwide 2017: Industry reps explain new cotton herbicide chemistry Jan 09, 2017 Danny Davis’ last crop: It was a good one Jan 04, 2017 New tools for managing resistant weeds Jan 04, 2017 Crops>Peanuts Top 10 keys to peanut profitability will be shared This list of winning production practices will be presented in descending order, ending with the No. 1 Key to Peanut Profitability. Over the 13-year history of the program, the peanut industry has really impressively turned into a high-tech business. This program has effectively trekked the evolution of the industry over the past 13 years. Paul Hollis | Apr 13, 2012 As the Farm Press Peanut Profitability Awards program prepares to evaluate nominations for its 13th class of winners, organizers of the program have been sifting through mounds of data from previous honorees to arrive at a “Top 10 Keys to Peanut Profitability.” This list of winning production practices will be presented in descending order, ending with the No. 1 Key to Peanut Profitability. “We looked at a lot of information in deciding on the Top 10 Keys,” says Marshall Lamb, research director for the National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, Ga., and advisor for the awards program since its inception. “It has really been interesting to look at this data set and to see how producers have evolved along with the program.” The Peanut Profitability Awards are based on production efficiency, honoring those growers who produce the highest yields at the lowest cost per acre. Awards are presented to growers from the Lower Southeast, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi; the Upper Southeast, including Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina; and the Southwest, including Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. The awards program is based on a producer’s entire peanut operation rather than small plots in selected fields. A growers’ overall management is considered, including yields, costs and marketing management for the entire farm. Lamb says the program is more relevant today than it has ever been. “Over the 13-year history of the program, the peanut industry has really impressively turned into a high-tech business. This program has effectively trekked the evolution of the industry over the past 13 years. “We’re dealing with farmers now who rely on smartphone and satellite technology, in addition to some of the best genetics, pesticides and other management technologies we’ve ever had available to us. It’s really interesting to look at this data set and see how peanut production has evolved over the years,” he says. Lamb, who was instrumental in creating the criteria for the awards program, designed the nomination form used by growers in determining production efficiency. “While achieving consistently high yields and grades is important, it’s only part of the equation to maximizing profits. The elements of production costs and price are equally important factors,” he says. The grower nomination form for the Peanut Profitability Award is very extensive, considering both fixed and variable costs. Detailed information gathered In finalizing a Top 10 list, Lamb and National Peanut Lab technician Staci Ingram looked through the nomination forms of past winners, in addition to the stories that were published about the winners in Southeast Farm Press, Delta Farm Press and Southwest Farm Press. “We were looking for what the growers defined as being their primary keys to success. While reviewing the data, it became evident to us what the most important or critical factors were on their farms. This will be a great educational tool to help other peanut producers achieve top yields and efficiency.” The critical factors listed by growers were not surprising, says Lamb. “As drought continues in the Southwest and Southeast, irrigation and water use efficiency continue to be important,” he says. Proactive farm management also has proven to be critical. According to Ingram, this is an all-encompassing term that takes into account timeliness. “Many farmers said they wanted to keep a very close eye of what they did on the farm so that they never got behind, and that’s how we classified this management style. It means staying on top of disease management, weed control and other production practices. If you ever get behind in any one aspect, then you’ll fall behind in everything on the farm,” says Ingram. And farmers have become more proactive and timely over the years, adds Lamb. “I think it’s a new mentality of the growers who are still farming today. It’s a new management level. It’s almost a generational thing, and farmers now are more empowered to do more through cell and satellite technology and scouting techniques. They’ve got a better toolbox with which to be proactive,” he says. Precision agriculture also is a concept that has evolved over the years, and it shows up prominently on the list. “It’s so common now. When we started the program, people were more or less experimenting with it. Now, everyone is at least using GPS and other basic precision farming practices,” says Lamb. Cost management, as expected, is a critical factor in an awards program based on production efficiency. “In this case, it is weighted more towards the management of fixed costs — having your fixed costs balanced with the amount you’re farming,” says Lamb. “Some farmers use older equipment, take care of it, and, as a result, have little or no fixed costs. Some have too much equipment to do the job they need to do, and their fixed costs are extremely high.” In two years of the awards program, the difference in who won the contest was their management of fixed costs, he says. The deadline for all nominations for the Peanut Profitability Award is April 15. Winners will receive an expenses-paid trip for two to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, set for July 19-21 in Panama City, Fla. They also will receive limited-edition signed and numbered prints from noted Southern watercolor artist Jack DeLoney. Growers may submit their nomination form directly to the National Peanut Research Laboratory, or they may submit it to their county Extension agent, peanut specialist or economist. Growers can access the nomination form via the Internet at southeastfarmpress.com, southwestfarmpress.com, and deltafarmpress.com. In addition, it can be linked from various commodity group websites. To receive a hard copy of the form, call Farm Press headquarters at (662) 624-8503. RelatedSponsored ContentThe evolution of dicambaJan 13, 2017Sponsored ContentEfficacy and stewardship: cornerstones of herbicide applicationJan 13, 2017Sponsored ContentThe road to registrationJan 12, 2017Sponsored ContentStewardship in the age of glyphosate resistanceJan 11, 2017 Load More

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THE MIGHTY LITTLE RED BEAN More polyphenols than red wine, abundant in fiber and minerals-the little brownish-red beans, azuki, are considered to be the second most important legume in Japan after soybeans. After they entered Japanese culture, they had their own unique evolution, or "Japanization", which in turn influenced other cultures. Even people unfamiliar with the word ozuki probably have heard of "red bean ice cream" and there are likely more than a few who have enjoyed that cool, creamy dessert. But when first hearing about cooked beans mixed with sugar, undoubtedly there were folks who thought hmmm...!? However in Japanese food culture, delicious sweet red bean paste, made from azuki beans, is a much loved and indispensable ingredient in Japanese confections. Let's find out where these little red beans came from, and how they earned such an important position in Japanese cuisine! AZUKI BEANS ARE...? Azuki, a member ofthe legume family, is an annual vine. Said to have originated in East Asia, it was discovered in its cultivated, or domestic form, and, interestingly enough, has no known wild counterpart. As documented in an ancient Chinese pharmaceutical text, the broth from cooking the beans was used as a counterpoison. Via word of mouth, azuki became known as a medicinally beneficial food, said to prevent the formation of blood clots due to saponin in the beans‘ outer skin, aiding in recovery from fatigue, helping to reduce swelling, ease constipation, etc., and it became a highly prized food among the ruling classes throughout many East Asian countries. The beans were introduced to Japan around the 3rd century, and cultivation began there about the 8th century. AZUKI IN SWEETS Nowadays, what we call anko, or on, is cooked azuki mixed with sugar and made into either a smooth or chunky paste-like consistency. The word on, however, originally came from China, and referred to any filling, usually meat or vegetable, or a mix thereof, that was enclosed in a dough wrapper. This type of on arrived in Japan long ago, before the Edo period, and for the Japanese people ofthose days, who didn't have the custom of eating meat (especially the Buddhist monks who weren't allowed to consume animal flesh), azuki beans were a healthy and convenient alternative. The seasoning for on at that time was salt. As the years went by, on began to be cooked with sugar, which still was an extremely expensive and rare imported commodity, and savory on fell out of favor. Zenzai, a sweet soup made with cooked azuki sweetened with precious sugar was enjoyed by the upper classes. It was during mid-Edo that sugar became available to ordinary folk, thanks to domestic production. With some refinements, the mixture of azuki and sugar morphed into the thickened paste that we know today as anko/an and burst onto the wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) scene, procuring a permanent place in the hearts and stomachs ofthe people. It gained wide use as an indispensable part of the tea ritual which became popular during the Edo period. It is interesting to note that, while not clearly documented, eating azuki had been said to have a calming effect, and this might have been part of its popularity. The two most well- known versions of on are tsubu-on (chunky textured, with partially crushed beans, or beans left intact) and koshian (smooth textured, like a puree, with bean skins removed). Some common uses for either kind are: monju, mochi (daifuku, dango, ohagi, etc.), sweet breads or buns (anpan, on-donuts), dorayaki, yokon, taiyaki-the list goes deliciously on! lt is also used in popsicles, ice cream, or as a luscious topping for shave ice! High in protein, low in fat, nutritionally well-balanced azuki sweets could most certainly be called healthy sweet treats! GOOD...AND GOOD FOR YOU AZUKI! These little beans are a diverse and well-balanced treasure house of nutrition that, when eaten daily, can contribute to good health maintenance. Just check out the main nutrients! Protein-The main component of ozuki are carbohydrates, but they also contain the highest protein content and lowest fat content among various type of beans. These proteins are made up of amino acids which are necessary for building and repair of body tissues but are not manufactured by ourbodies. Vitamins-Azuki contain a good deal of B vitamins, al. ofwhich help convert food into fuel, among other functions, including Bl (thiamine), which generates energy from carbohydrates, B2 (riboflavin), which helps to maintain good skin health, B6 (pyridoxine), which aids in fatigue recovery, and others. Smaller amounts of B9 (folic acid) and vitamin E are also present. Minerals-Azuki may help in preventing high blood pressure, swelling and the like due to potassium, which encourages excretion of sodium. They are also said to improve anemia and reduce sensitivity to the cold because oftheir high iron and phosphorus contents. Dietary Fiber-Azuki contain several times over the amount offiber found in foods known for their high fiber content, such as burdock root and wokome. Rich in both insoluble and soluble fiber, they aid in preventing constipation, and lowering cholesterol and blood sugar. Polyphenols-These are what give plants their bitter flavors and/or pigments. Think: isofiavones in soybeans, catechins in tea, anthocyanins in red wine, etc. Known as agents that inhibit free radicals and have antioxidative effects, they are now also thought the manufacture of anko, melanoidin is generated, and this substance is reported to have antioxidative properties as well. Saponins-naturally occurring compounds in legumes, they are found in plentiful amounts in the soaking or cooking water of azuki, and are said to have, aside from a diuretic effect, inhibiting effects on cholesterol, triglycerides, and production of blood clots. Azuki are revered in Japan for their low calorie and high nutritional balance-the epitome of "healthy foods." Starting with the renowned azuki from Hokkaido, Japan, Marukai has plenty of dried azuki'-and for those of us with less time, prepared canned anko (smooth or chunky) is also available. To tempt your fancy, there is also a scrumptious assortment of sweets made with azuki, including daifuku, dorayaki, ice cream and much, much more! Now, for those of you who still can't quite imagine how sweetened beans could be a delicious treat, go ahead and give them a try! Over 400 years as Japan's favorite sweet, in so many variations,just can't be wrong! And maybe you'll come up with a new way to enjoy azuki on your own. How about spreading some anko on hot buttered toast instead of jam? Or as a topping on a banana split? Wait...let me get my spoon!

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Peanuts versus enough off-target dicamba can cost yield, timing matters Jan 10, 2017 Five South Carolinians inducted into Extension Hall of Fame Jan 10, 2017 Florida takes aggressive action against New World screwworm in state Jan 11, 2017 Auxin herbicide training now mandatory in North Carolina Jan 09, 2017 Flue-cured co-op increases prices Chris Bickers Freelance Writer | Jul 19, 2006 For flue-cured tobacco growers, the off-season was one of excitement and promise. A number of potential customers — most notably China — expressed interest in increased purchases of their product. So even though the prices at the 2005 flue-cured auctions — the first since the quota buyout ended the price support program — were less than expected, the flue-cured growers' cooperative in Raleigh N.C., felt it could gear up for the 2006 season with some optimism. And it did. In June, the Flue Cured Tobacco Cooperative of Raleigh raised the advance rate on grades for which advances are provided by two cents a pound. Though some grades — such as nondescript and poor quality grades — are not eligible for advances, this adjustment by the cooperative was in effect an increase in the overall price. “The increase in the advance rate will help the farmer cover expenses that he has incurred by that time,” said Albert Johnson of Gallivant's Ferry, S.C., the farmer-president of the organization. “We all know what is happening with diesel fuel, natural gas, LP gas and gasoline prices.” Also, said Johnson, some changes were needed in the way the cooperative accepts the tobacco from the grower. “This year he will bring the tobacco in, and it will be graded,” Johnson said. “If his tobacco meets the advance grades, we will cut him a check right then. Last year it took two trips to get an advance. Now it will take only one.” In another indication that a good market is expected, the cooperative has also agreed to purchase tobacco this year from all stalk positions, unlike 2005, when it purchased only select grades. These changes will apply only to farmers who have contracted to sell all their tobacco through the cooperative. The changes were announced at the cooperative's annual meeting. And that involved another change: The meeting was held for the first time at the cooperative's factory, a short distance from Timberlake, N.C. Everyone seemed to like the move. “The people who hadn't seen the facility before were bowled over,” said Arnold Hamm, general director of the cooperative. “It gave us a good chance to let our members see what we do.” After the meeting, farmers streamed through the manufacturing area seeing how cigarettes and other tobacco products are made there. Cost was a factor in the cooperative's decision to move its meeting location. The meeting had traditionally been held in the Kerr Scott Building at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, but the expense of renting that hall had gotten high. “We were able to do it in Timberlake at a much lower cost,” said Hamm. “I am sure we will be holding it here in Timberlake again in the future.” The location did not appear to keep anyone away. About 200 attended the meeting and that was actually more than the attendance the year before in Raleigh (although in some years past the crowd has approached 500.) Though Timberlake is a bit off the beaten path — about five miles south of Roxboro and 20 miles north of Durham — it is easily accessible from US Highway 501. It can be located by a large blue sign on the highway bearing the name of the cooperative's subsidiary U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers Inc. The meeting was a benchmark because it fell in the 60th year of the cooperative's existence and at the end of its first year of operation in a free market. “There have been many challenges in the past 12 months in the transition from administering the price support program to becoming a value-added marketing cooperative,” said Johnson in his address to members. “We now have the facility to produce several value-added tobacco products, including consumer products. That translates to more income opportunities for members in the future.” Manufacturing holds great potential for the cooperative. It is already making cigarettes and little cigars on a contract basis for several different companies. Later this year it will begin manufacturing a roll-your-own product. But for 2006, the bright spot is prospective sales of blended strips. “The cooperative has secured large customers for un-manufactured tobacco strips, including the Peoples Republic of China,” explained Johnson. Also, there have been “demands from international customers for a broader selection of grades.” In 2005, China purchased 6,177 MT of flue-cured from the cooperative. Counting flue-cured leaf from other American sources, they bought a total of about 8,000 MT of US flue cured, cooperative sources said. Shipment of China's 2005 purchases from the cooperative were completed in March 2006. The tobacco was distributed to 17 of China's largest cigarette manufacturers. China might need as much as 10,000 MT of US flue-cured when its buyers return in October, sources at the cooperative said. In other news from the flue-cured cooperative there is the following: About 50 million pounds of flue-cured have been contracted by the cooperative this season, said Hamm, up about 25 percent from 2005. The number of market towns for 2006 will be down by two. Those eliminated are Oxford N.C., where the volume of tobacco available did not justify the expense of operation, and Wilson N.C., where no suitable warehouse was available. The cooperative has entered into over 800 “exclusive” and about 700 “non-exclusive” marketing agreements with its members. Exclusive contracts are those in which the farmer promises to bring all his tobacco to the cooperative's auction warehouses and receives a price advance up to the agreed-upon amount. Non-exclusive contracts involve no price advance, but the farmer is not required to deliver any certain amount to the cooperative's warehouses or indeed any at all if he chooses not to. A new seal has been designed and trademarked by the cooperative to serve as a guarantee that the flue-cured tobacco it sells has been produced entirely in America. “If you see this symbol on a strip case, you will know it contains 100 percent U.S. flue-cured tobacco,” said Mike Lynch, director of sales and marketing for the cooperative. The seal shows a stylized tobacco plant in white on a red and blue background with USA in large blue letters underneath. Two new members were elected to the board over the winter. Both are North Carolinians: Blythe Casey of Kinston N.C., and Richard Renegar of Harmony N.C. 0 comments Hide comments

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Western Showdown: Saving the Klamath How the tribes of the Klamath River stood up for the salmon—and won. Alice Outwater posted May 27, 2010 It was a dramatic scene in a classic Western water war: Thousands of dead fish, washed up on the shores of the Klamath River. A move meant to help farmers—using Klamath water to irrigate crops—triggered a loss for Indian tribes and the salmon. That was five years ago, when a detente in the battle was nowhere in sight. As with many Western rivers, irrigators own nearly all of the water in the Klamath. The river, which straddles the border between Oregon and California, irrigates fields and generates electricity, but it also serves as fish habitat. The Klamath River was once the third largest salmon fishery on the West Coast, producing roughly a million salmon a year. The upper reaches of the Klamath were originally enormous wetlands and lakes that served as a stopover for millions of waterfowl migrating along the Pacific Flyway, a nursery for tens of millions of fish, and home to two unique species of suckers. Klamath Basin tribes and allies fought for removal of PacifiCorp’s Klamath River dams tohelp restore salmon runs. Photo by Patrick McCully The conflict between Klamath-area farmers and fishermen has lasted for decades, complete with lawsuits and public relations campaigns, a disastrous political intervention, and a thrilling finale. But this year, after 15 years of meetings, an agreement was forged to allow the parties to share water; a related agreement calls for removing four dams. The linchpin? The Yurok and Klamath tribes. Indian treaties from the 19th century give the Yurok and Klamath the right to speak for the salmon. Through these treaties, the tribes established the salmon’s right to water and required that the river be managed with the health of migrating salmon in mind. Since Indian treaty rights predate the farmers’ rights, salmon have priority over crops. In 1994, the Yurok formed a fisheries program to develop the legal, political, and biological expertise to restore the Klamath Basin. “We’re salmon people,” says Yurok tribal member Troy Fletcher. “The existence of the Yurok people depends on the health of the Klamath and its fisheries. This is something the creator provided the tribe, and it is the responsibility of the tribe to have healthy fisheries.” But first, a deal had to be made. How the Water Was Won Water is scarce in most Western states, and the laws governing its use date all the way back to the mining days of the 1800s, when mine owners diverted the high mountain streams to power mills that crushed ore; open-pit miners also used water to separate gold from gravel. But rather than allow one person to divert the entire stream, individual mining camps divided the flow into water rights based on the location of the diversion, the amount of water taken, and the date the right was established. Water courts, set up shortly after Western territories became states, enforced these rules. A water right keeps its original date no matter how many times it’s bought and sold; earlier rights have priority. The Klamath River, looking upstream toward Orleans, Calif., in the Six Rivers National Forest. Photo by Ken Malcomson When ranchers and farmers moved in, salable water rights worked as a way to cope with low rainfall. Farmers without a stream running through their property, for example, could buy rights to use water from a neighbor’s stream. Ranchers and farmers own between 75 percent and 95 percent of the surface flow in Western states, while government-funded dams have helped provide water for holders of more recent water rights—cities. By the 1960s, most Western rivers were dammed, and irrigators with frontier-era water rights drained many rivers. Since then, fish populations have crashed, and rivers have become battlegrounds for fishermen, farmers, ranchers, tribes, utilities, businesses, environmentalists, and recreationists. With modern irrigation systems, farmers can cultivate the same acreage using much less water. But according to mining-era laws, you lose rights to water you don’t use. So across the West, farmers grow wet-weather crops on arid land with inefficient irrigation methods in order to avoid losing their water rights. Meanwhile, cities run dry. In a reasonable world, some of a river’s flow would be diverted for agriculture, and some of the flow would remain in the river to nurture the fish. But when water is privately owned, those management decisions are more difficult. Take the Klamath Basin, where farmers own 93 percent of the surface water. Starting in 1905, the federal government began draining much of the Klamath Basin wetlands and lakes for farmland. Today, farmers there cultivate about 500,000 acres of irrigated cropland adjacent to six national wildlife refuges, which serve as a stopover for migratory birds and shelter the largest wintering population of bald eagles in the contiguous United States. The Bureau of Reclamation built two dams on the Klamath and dammed many of its tributaries, while utilities built three others downstream. Upstream farmers divert most of the water to irrigate crops, and manure and fertilizers contaminate the river’s reduced flow. Dams slow the flow, the water heats up, and pollutants breed algae that color the river a bright pea green every summer. The river is so badly damaged that the Klamath’s coho salmon face extinction. Indian treaties from the 19th century give the Yurok and Klamath the right to speak for the salmon ... Since Indian treaty rights predate the farmers’ rights, salmon have priority over crops. Enter the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Native American treaty rights. The ESA protects the habitat that endangered plants and animals need to survive. The Lost River sucker and the shortnose sucker, two species of formerly plentiful lake fish in the Klamath Basin, were listed as endangered in 1988; the Klamath coho salmon was listed in 1997. According to the ESA, these fish have the right to survive and need water for habitat. And by treaty, the Yurok and Klamath tribes have the right to catch them. When the Yurok treaty was ratified in 1855, the tribe retained its right to fish for salmon. In 1864, the Klamath tribe was granted a federally reserved fishing right. Since water rights are based on prior appropriation, the Indian treaty rights to fish trump the farmers’ rights to irrigate. During the drought of 1992, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shut off the irrigation water from Clear Lake to protect endangered suckers and was sued by a group of farmers and ranchers from the Langell Valley. More lawsuits followed. In 1995, U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., assembled the Klamath Basin stakeholders and asked them to resolve the water impasse. Local businesses, farmers, ranchers, utilities, conservation groups, the commercial fishing industry, and the tribes were represented in the working group, and Hatfield promised that if they came up with a solution, he’d make it happen. He retired two years later, but the meetings continued. In 2001, the Klamath Basin received half its normal rainfall, and a group of environmentalists and the fisheries industry sued the Bureau of Reclamation to limit water deliveries to farmers. Scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service concurred, and the Bureau of Reclamation cut off water to the 1,200 farmers in the Klamath’s upper basin. The farmers lost their crops, for which the government compensated them $36 million. This photo was used in court to establish the extent of algae blooms, which turn the river green and kill the fish. Photo by Thomas B. Dunklin The next year was dry as well but the farmers had no intention of losing their water a second time. The Klamath Bucket Brigade, a grassroots organization of farmers, had a message for Washington, D.C., from rural America: They claimed that the Endangered Species Act threatens the nation’s economic health, and rural property rights were being abused. Their plight struck a chord with the Bush administration, and the irrigators got their full measure of water in 2002. Interior Secretary Gale Norton flew in to open the ditch gates herself. By the end of the summer, low water and high temperatures triggered a bacterial infection that left at least 34,000 dead salmon rotting in the Klamath River. The waste of those tens of thousands of chinook salmon—some of the last Klamath salmon on Earth—shocked all the parties involved into recognizing that even though farmers held rights, what was happening was wrong. Everyone was “totally frustrated,” said Fletcher, who helped negotiate the agreement for the Yurok. “They were broke, and beat up by Congress and the administration. All of the parties tried litigation. All tried political routes. And in the end, it turns out that the communities in the basin are the ones who know best how to solve the problems they’re faced with.” On Feb. 18, 2010, all 28 parties signed an agreement to restore the Klamath Basin. “The Klamath River, which for years was synonymous with controversy, is now a stunning example of how cooperation and partnership can resolve difficult conflicts,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in announcing the agreement. The 369-page plan includes habitat restoration and flow management. Water is provided for agriculture, but the levees around the lakes will be breached, wetlands restored, and, according to the companion agreement, four dams removed to allow salmon access to hundreds of miles of spawning streams while improving water quality. The plans amount to a compromise; no interest group got all it wanted. And federal money still must be set aside. It’s a daunting task, Fletcher said. “Now we have to make it happen.” A summary of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement is available from the Yurok Tribe: Producing in-depth, thoughtful journalism for a better world is expensive – but supporting us isn’t. If you value ad-free independent journalism, Alice Outwater wrote this article for Water Solutions, the Summer 2010 issue of YES! Magazine. Alice is a writer based in Durango, Colo. She is the author of Water: A Natural History and co-author of The Cartoon Guide to the 3 Ways Progressives Can Reconnect With Rural America

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Crabbing plan spurs reaction from fishermen by Sepp Jannotta Reaction around the commercial fishing industry reverberated from coast to coast last week in the wake of a controversial proposal from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to restructure the Bering Sea crab fishery. The North Pacific council, the group of government and industry representatives that governs fishing activities in Alaska waters, voted 11-0 to adopt the plan during a week of meetings in Dutch Harbor. The plan, which would implement a system of quota shares divided among crabbers, processors and Western Alaska communities, will now go to Congress for final approval. Pending Commerce Department approval, the rationalization plan might take effect by 2004 at the earliest. The first aspect of the proposal, individual fishing quotas for the fishermen, is not controversial. Each boat of the 250-strong crab fleet will get a share of the fishery, metered out in IFQs to be determined by each boat's catch history. In addition to making the world's most hazardous fishery safer by eliminating the race through timed openings, IFQs will likely lead to some consolidation within the fleet as shares are bought and sold on the open market. "The safety is the good side of it," Homer crab fisherman Charlie Rehder said. "It'd be nice not to have go out when there's a 9 millibar low," Rehder said, referring to low barometric pressure that often accompanies stormy weather in the notoriously rough Bering Sea. Rehder operates one of the roughly half-dozen crab boats from Homer that still make the run to the Bering Sea each winter. The idea of guaranteeing 90 percent of the catch to a set group of processors, on the other hand, has created quite a stir, with crabbers complaining that individual processor quotas will hamper their ability to secure fair prices. Alaska has long been known as a progressive manager of its fisheries and reforms here often lead to debate in other commercial fishing centers. An editorial from the Boston Herald feared the council was setting the precedent for creating a "processor cartel," a term that was quickly picked up by the media and the fishermen's lobby. The Alaska Marine Conservation Council, a nonprofit representing small Alaska fishermen, fears that the creation of processor quotas could return Alaska's fisheries to the "feudal system" that existed before statehood, when canneries wielded enormous power to set prices and charge exorbitant prices for the goods and services they offered. Rehder and other local crabbers are uncertain processor quotas will improve business of fishing for Bering Sea shellfish. "Maybe it'll work," he said. "But (negotiating prices) is the scary thing for sure. But, I've sold every crab I've ever caught to Icicle (Seafoods) anyway, so maybe it's not that big a deal." The processors fought hard for quotas, and ultimately the state of Alaska, represented by Kevin Duffy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, came out in favor of processor quotas. Arguing that they have invested heavily in the superstructure of the fishery, processors said catch guarantees were necessary to prevent fishermen from freezing out certain processors. Chris Wythe, another long-time crab boat captain from Homer, can't see the upside of processor quotas. "I'm not in agreement with that (part of the plan)," Wythe said. "I think it puts the fishermen in a poor bargaining position." Wythe said that if the Bering Sea crab processors get 90 percent of the catch, it would be less economically viable for him to bring some crab back to the Peninsula for processing. That is an option he would like to have. "I don't know if this will go through. It's a long way from being set in stone," he added. "If processor shares go through I think its going to change fisheries in the entire country." With fishing interests on both coasts closely eyeing the crab rationalization proposal, particularly the creation of processor quota shares, there may be considerable wrangling when Congress picks up the issue. Beth Stewart, the Juneau-based natural resources director for Aleutian East Borough, guessed it would likely be several months before the proposal would see the light of day in Washington, D.C. And when it does, she expects there to be some wrangling over the controversial nature of processor shares. "These are contentious issues," Stewart said. "This isn't going to happen overnight." That is even more true regarding efforts to deal with the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fishery, which is also up for an overhaul, said Davis, who is a member of the Gulf Rationalization Committee. That committee presented the North Pacific council with minutes from its most recent meeting, though there was little if any discussion in Dutch Harbor last week of the Gulf rationalization issues. It will likely be some time before a concrete plan gets unveiled, she said. "I think a lot of people have an idea of what form they want it to take," Davis said. "And a lot more people have ideas on what form they don't want it to take." No matter what the fishery, rationalization doesn't change the bottom line: fishermen want to make a living at sea, and fish processors want to turn a profit from their product. "I've been saying good bye to my wife and kids every year since 1987 and spending untold hours in the cold and wet of the (Bering Sea) chasing these fish," Rehder said. "I'd like to be compensated for it some how. And if this is how it's going to happen, then that's OK with me."

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Six facts about poinsettias By Chaya Kurtz/Networx.com Poinsettias are a well-loved variety of houseplant. Their gracious (but bold) red and green leaves flourish in foil-covered pots in places public and private, augmenting the holiday spirit. Rumored to be poisonous (they’re not), and originating in the exotic Mexican state Morelos, they are simultaneously a plant of intrigue and a common sight. These six facts about poinsettias will help you to appreciate and enjoy your poinsettia for years to come. (It can bloom for more than one season!)1. The red blooms of the poinsettia are bracts, not flowers.According to the University of Illinois Extension, the showy red blooms of the poinsettia are not flowers. They are modified leaves, otherwise known as “bracts”. The flowers of a poinsettia plant are the small yellow flowers in the center of the bracts. According to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the colorful bracts drop off of the plant after the flowers have shed their pollen. For plants that are in bloom longer, select a plant whose flowers show little or no yellow pollen.2. Poinsettias are available in more than 100 colors.While a shade called “Prestige Red” is one of the most-bought cultivars of poinsettia, don’t feel limited to the classic green and red leaved look. According to the University of Illinois Extension, over 100 colors of poinsettia are available. Should you desire a bit of variety, poinsettias are also cultivated with bracts in shades of white, salmon, gold, cream, pink and burgundy.3. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous.According to the Colorado State University Extension, 1971 research at Ohio State University proved poinsettias were only poisonous to rats when the rats ate 500 brachs or leaves. However, they are not meant for human or animal consumption. Poinsettias contain a sap that is irritating to animals and to people with latex allergies. Dogs or cats that eat poinsettia leaves or stalks have been known to cough or vomit, though the plants are not fatal to them. Since dogs will often taste new objects in their surroundings, it is best to place poinsettias in places where dogs cannot reach them. 4. Poinsettias like cooler temperatures, but not too cold.The experts at Ohio State University Extension suggest keeping your poinsettia at 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and at a slightly cooler temperature at night. These optimal temperatures promote longer blooming. To avoid leaf drop, keep the poinsettia away from heat sources and drafts.5. Moderation is the key when watering a poinsettia.Only water a poinsettia when its soil is dry to the touch. How much water should you add to the pot? Horticulturists from the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service suggest watering until water seeps out the bottom of the drainage holes. Be sure to remove the foil that often covers drainage holes if you have just purchased a poinsettia. Although poinsettias do not like to dry out, they also do not like to sit in water. Empty the water that accumulates in the drip pan that holds the pot.6. It’s not only possible, but also easy, to reflower a poinsettia year after year. The Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service published a fantastic, simple chart that details how to make a poinsettia reflower. Simply, in March, remove the flower and cut stems to 6 inches. In June, repot the plant in a larger pot. Then plant it (in the pot) outside. In July, pinch off the lateral shoots. In late August, take the plant inside. From Sept. 20 to Dec. 1, keep your poinsettia in light from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only. Keep it in darkness from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. This will cause the poinsettia to flower by Christmas.This article originally appeared at http://www.networx.com/article/six-facts-about-poinsettias. Chaya Kurtz writes for Roofing Networx.

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Home > Put nature at centre of food crisis debate, says IUCN Fri, 06 Jun 2008 The Declaration on World Food Security, adopted in Rome on June 5, fell short of showing the political will needed to address the underlying causes of the food crisis, according to IUCN. Photo: Georgina Peard / IUCN Although the Declaration, adopted by 180 countries, mentioned the role of biodiversity in ensuring the world has sufficient food, it did not place enough emphasis on it. The Declaration expressed no commitment to stop the causes of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation that are affecting food production systems. “Biodiversity and the role that nature plays in ensuring food production, such as providing clean water and healthy soil for crops, must be given more recognition,” says Georgina Peard, IUCN’s Programme Officer for Conservation and Poverty Reduction. “These issues should be central to all discussions on food security, not just a footnote among other problems. We share the concerns expressed by many countries on the weakness of the Declaration’s text.” The Declaration came at the end of a three-day High Level Conference on Food Security: The Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy, organized by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Food Programme (WFP), and Bioversity International. The High Level Conference attracted 43 Heads of State; an overwhelming turn-out, clearly demonstrating the level of concern over the global food crisis. Billions of dollars were pledged to fight world hunger and the final declaration was a commitment of governments to urgently alleviate the suffering caused by the current crisis through direct food aid and support for agricultural production and trade, as well as measures to secure food for all in the longer term. While a consensus was eventually reached on the declaration after lengthy debate, a number of countries, in particular Venezuela, Argentina and Cuba, voiced their dismay and anger over the weakness of the text, and lack of political will of nations, to truly face up to the powerful forces negatively influencing food prices and markets and thus contributing to increased hunger in the world. They were referring to the omission of text on the distorting impact on food markets of agricultural subsidies, the power of large, rich monopolies in Europe and North America over markets, the use of grains for fuel, the models of production and consumption of the developed world and their impacts on climate change, and the impacts of commodity speculation on food prices. Impacts on the ground The impacts of climate change are expected to hit hardest some of the most vulnerable and food insecure parts of the globe, such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Some of the expected impacts are changes in agricultural productivity and shifts in growing seasons, increased floods and droughts, decreased water quality and availability, and the propagation of crop and animal pests and diseases. Many of these impacts are already being felt. Philippe Kiriro, of the East African Farmers Federation, said farmers saw this coming. He noted how farmers are already incurring losses, seeing rivers dry up and soils exposed to erosion. Yet nobody pays for these losses; the smallholder farmers of Africa have no social support system when their crops fail or livestock die. Mr Kiriro’s plea is for partnership and dialogue in policy formulation and implementation. The farmers of East Africa, like in all other regions, know their land and have strong opinions on food production. With the rapid changes occurring in the climate, however, they are seeking clear and honest information on the risks and opportunities, as well as financial and technical support to help them engage fully in the debate and in developing and implementing sustainable adaptation strategies. Listening to the wisdom of the farmers themselves is essential. Natural ecosystems, plant and animal biodiversity increase resilience to changing environmental conditions and stresses caused by climate change. It is essential to maintain and reinstate diversity into our agricultural systems, in particular including indigenous and locally adapted plant and animal diversity. Although the voices of the farmers and various non-governmental organisations present in Rome for the High Level Conference were mostly excluded from the deliberations of government officials, their messages from the sidelines were clear. They want to be included in dialogue. They want clear, honest information on the risks and opportunities on issues such as biofuels, climate change, genetically modified organisms, and other biotechnology. Most importantly, they want to see a shift away from large multinational companies controlling world food production and markets, to policies that support national smallholder farmers in accessing land and producing food locally. The Rome meeting came some 12 years after the World Food Summit in 1996 when the world’s leader committed to halving the number of hungry people in the world by 2015. Radically off course to meet this objective and faced with the current food crisis and threats of climate change, the commitments of the Rome Declaration of Food Security must now lead to action on the ground. IUCN is currently developing its strategy and response to the global food crisis. It recognizes that the conservation community has a key role to play in raising awareness on accounting for the services provided by ecosystems and supporting farmers, communities and governments to maintain healthy ecosystems for food security. Work area: EcosystemsSocial Policy

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NEW HOLLAND PROVIDES TRACTORS TO IOWA STATE'S BIOCENTURY RESEARCH FARMFeb. 20, 2014Source: Iowa State University news release The loan of two tractors by New Holland Agriculture to Iowa State University's BioCentury Research Farm has provided new options for its biomass research projects. The BioCentury Research Farm combines biomass feedstock production, harvesting, storing, transporting and biorefinery processing into a complete system to develop the next generation of biofuels and biobased products. A New Holland baler also was provided for a corn stover research project conducted by Matt Darr, an associate professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering. "The facility has needed a utility tractor for research projects related to biomass handling, storage and processing," said Larry Johnson, farm director and professor of food science and human nutrition. Companies frequently loan or donate equipment to the farm or its bioprocessing facility, he said. The New Holland Agriculture loan arose from a tour Andy Suby, manager of the research farm, gave to company officials last year. "We appreciate the equipment and research funding provided by New Holland Agriculture," Johnson said. "The BioCentury Research Farm was intended to be a partnership with private companies." New Holland Agriculture provides the use of a model T8.330 and a T5.115 tractor with a loader to be used in research and education projects conducted at the facility. The tractors will be replaced with similar models when they reach 200 hours of operation. The company provided the baler and funding to evaluate its use in baling corn stover for supplying to cellulosic ethanol plants. This "Leading the Bioeconomy Initiative" project was supported by an appropriation from the Iowa legislature. Suby said the possibility for funding more projects with gifts or loans of other equipment has been discussed. The farm began in 2009 as the first integrated research and demonstration facility dedicated to biomass production and processing in the nation.Tweet

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PANNA: UN FAO focuses on organic agriculture; California reports pesticide use up; Texas cotton farmer to head Organic Exchange, Nov 22, 2006 -- Andrew Olsen A Weekly News Update on Pesticides, Health and Alternatives See PANUPS updates service, for complete information. UN FAO focuses on organic agriculture; California reports pesticide use up; Texas cotton farmer to head Organic Exchange, and more... Hold Syngenta responsible for global paraquat poisonings: Paraquat, an extremely toxic herbicide, poisons tens of thousands of people every year. Swiss NGO Berne Declaration is holding a virtual “People’s Vote” on Syngenta’s practices and asking for broad participation. PAN groups and many others are collaborating in the campaign to get Syngenta to stop production and marketing of paraquat—a chemical their own studies show can’t be used safely in the real world. You and your friends can join in demanding that Syngenta take responsibility for the devastating health impacts of this highly hazardous pesticide. Visit stop-paraquat.net to read the case against Syngenta and register your verdict of Guilty. UN FAO to explore organic agriculture’s potential: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) plans to investigate the potential for organic agriculture to support food security needs around the world, according to a report by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). The FAO Committee on World Food Security met in Rome and concluded that practically no progress has been made with the World Food Summit targetsince its establishment in 1992. IFOAM organized a side event at the meeting, emphasizing the potential of organic agriculture to achieving global food security. At the meeting, Italian Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs Patrizia Sentinelli stressed organic production’s importance to sustainable local development, stating: "Solutions for food security should both address the need of small holders and should not exploit the environment and natural resources. Producers having direct contact with consumers, having security in access to land and some financial space through micro credit, can contribute themselves to a sustainable future. Organic Agriculture drives local development so that local communities can be sustainable in their economy and in their use of and dependence on natural resources like water and land." California farmers using more pesticides: On Nov. 15, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) issued their report on pesticide use in the state for 2005, characterizing the data as showing that “highly toxic categories are down again”. DPR’s director Mary-Ann Warmerdam added “we see a growing reliance on sustainable pest management” but failed to mention that use of some of the most toxic chemicals increased substantially. With international pressure to phase out the ozone-depleting pesticide methyl bromide, many farmers are switching to other high-hazard fumigants to “sterilize” the soil, particularly the carcinogenic Telone (1,3-dichloropropene) instead. Telone was banned in California in 1990 because of the cancer hazard but brought back as methyl bromide was listed for phaseout. Its use reported in 2005 was 9.3 million pounds. PANNA senior scientist Dr. Susan Kegley told the Los Angeles Times, "Growers are not making progress toward using less-toxic alternatives for soil pests, and that's a problem that needs to be addressed." Use of one of the more toxic organophosphorus insecticides, chlorpyrifos, increased for the fourth year in a row, up to 2 million pounds from 1.4 million in 2001. Fiber news - new leadership at Organic Exchange: Organic Exchange, a non-profit organization committed to expanding global production and use of organic cotton and other fibers, has chosen LaRhea Pepper, a fifth generation Texas cotton farmer and organic leader as their new Executive Director. Organic Exchanges’s founding president Rebecca Calahan will now head the organization’s program development, including “helping companies develop their organic strategies, shape and guide new programs and innovative projects, and lead fundraising efforts.” Organic Exchange has also hired Simon Ferrigno, formerly of Pesticide Action Network United Kingdom, as their new Development Director, and their new Board Chair is Jill Dumain, Director of Environmental Analysis for Patagonia, Inc. Patagonia was among the first apparel companies to switch to 100% organic cotton in the mid-1990s. Holiday Gift and Reading Suggestions: PAN offers gift memberships year round, and there’s no better time than the holidays to honor a special someone by connecting them with the network of scientists, activists, health professionals, farmers and gardeners working toward a healthier world for friends, pets, farm workers, neighbors, all of us. Purchasing your PANNA gift membership is quick and easy online. Want to make the PAN gift really special? Email us as soon as possible: we have a few autographed copies left of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, available as a thank you for memberships and donations of $150 or more. For those interested in sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty and globalization, here are some solid resources recommended by PAN staff: Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas Describes market opportunities for small-scale producers, the regional food sovereignty movement, agroecological production, impacts on growers of regional free trade agreements in the Americas and other issues. May be ordered in English or Spanish for US$32, $12 for students. Developing and Extending Sustainable Agriculture - A New Social Contract Explores challenges faced by farmers and ranchers in evolving new agricultural systems for the 21st century. Available from Hawthorne Press, The first chapter is free online. Paradigm Wars: Indigenous Peoples' Resistance to Globalization Author Jerry Mander and celebrated Indigenous leader, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, report on “a momentous collision of worldviews that pit the forces of economic globalization against the Earth's Indigenous peoples.” US$30.00, postage and handling included, from International Forum on Globalization. PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and reporting on pesticide issues that don't always get coverage by the mainstream media. It's produced by Pesticide Action Network North America, a non-profit and non-governmental organization working to advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide. You can join our efforts! We gladly accept donations for our work and all contributions are tax deductible in the United States. Visit http://www.panna.org/donate.

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Washington wants to add 100,000 ag acres by 2020 Washington hopes to add 100,000 more acres of working farmland by the year 2020. Natural resources assessment section supervisor Kirk Cook says the state wants to combat losses of prime farmland to development, particularly in western Washington. Published on April 9, 2014 12:22PM Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and his Results Washington team hope to increase working farm lands by 100,000 acres by the year 2020.According to the state, the goal is to increase farm lands from 7.237 million acres to 7.347 million acres.“Agriculture is a very important component of the state’s economy,” aide Kirk Cook, supervisor of the natural resources assessment section and hydrogeologist for the Washington State Department of Agriculture. “A healthy agricultural economy contributes to a healthy statewide economy.”Concerns have emerged about the loss of prime farmland to development, particularly in western Washington, such as the Skagit Valley and Snohomish County, Cook said.“Once you lose farmland, it’s pretty impossible to get it back,” he said. “To preserve that farmland for now and into the future goes a long way to ensuring viable agriculture is going to remain in this state.”The department, conservation commission and Office of Farmland Preservation are getting more involved in county growth management ordinances, working to offer provisions and incentives to keep farm land in production, Cook said.The agencies are considering incentives to maintain viable agriculture land or consider environmental benefits, Cook said, including conservation easements.“It’s more about making sure things are put into place to allow farmers to keep their land in high-value operations, rather than sell it off to developers to subdivide it,” he said.Part of the problem is that the state needs to consider the relative quality and location of acres, Cook said. If farm acres disappear in western Washington, but expand in eastern Washington, the goal would appear to balance out.“Eastern Washington’s a little bit easier to deal with just because we have a lot more rural area,” he said.Cook said the state hopes to put more focus on the issue, to generate further interest on state, federal and local levels. They will collect data for a year or so, to decide where to concentrate efforts, he said.“We would rather see productive farmland and all the environmental benefits that go along with that, rather than continue to creep out into rural areas and grow houses instead of food,” Cook said.Washington’s departments of agriculture and ecology and Office of Financial Management are among the agencies working on the issue for the Results Washington goal council.

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Clients And Testimonials About Brazil RECENT BRAZIL NEWS How agricultural innovations can contribute to the demand for food? Posted by Pedro Costa The Chicago Council on Global Affairs released a report that examines the implications of the increasingly influential roles of global business, Brazil, China, and India in agricultural research and the limited national research capacity of developing countries. It makes the case that greater international collaboration and investment in research is needed to safeguard productivity gains made over the past half century and meet future food demand. The independent study, Agricultural Innovation: The United States in a Changing Global Reality, is authored by University of Minnesota researchers, Philip G. Pardey and Jason M. Beddow. It concludes that most Sub-Saharan African countries could potentially access at least 25 times their locally produced agricultural knowledge by adapting and adopting scientific breakthroughs produced in other countries. "A new way of thinking about agricultural investments and innovation must be embraced to take advantage of such opportunities to increase agricultural production and increase the efficiencies of investment at all levels, from the local to the international level," said Pardey. "A more international approach is urgently needed, as the lag between research investments and commercial adoption is extremely lengthy." Pardey and Beddow present new measures of accumulated knowledge stocks by country and the potential for this knowledge to "spill over" and benefit other countries. These new measures of global spillover potential can help guide research and development decisions in the United States and globally. "The current system does not adequately take advantage of the vast stocks of knowledge that exist around the world that could be adapted to local environments elsewhere," said Beddow. History has shown that agricultural research and innovation is pivotal to increasing productivity, but the share of R&D investments made by traditional high-income countries, especially the United States, has dropped. Investments in agricultural research in emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa are growing. Business investments in research are playing an increasingly important role. Investments have also shifted away from a focus on productivity improvements in staple crops and been spread across a wide variety of other interests. "The Chicago Council commissioned this report to assess how to better leverage scientific breakthroughs to benefit agriculture in low-income countries and get the most out of R&D dollars and activities," said Marshall M. Bouton, president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "Taking stock of international agricultural R&D efforts is critical given the important role science will play in empowering the agriculture and food system to meet future food demand." The study takes into account that the global agriculture and food system will be asked to increase production by 60 percent by 2050. It acknowledges that research and development will play a critical role in meeting this challenge given that production increases will occur in the face of rising temperatures, resource scarcity, and the increased frequency of extreme climatic events. Source: AG Professional Copyright © 2016 The Information Company, Inc. USA : 1-425-235-0724 - BRAZIL : +55 11 3198-3650 Back To Top

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What Food Product Labels Really Mean Aol.com Editors Click through the slideshow to see food labels decoded. 1. Organic According to the USDA, "Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Credit: Jupiterimages 2. Biodynamic Is biodynamic the new organic? It's not a term that has started popping up in grocery stores yet, but it may not be long before that happens. What often starts out as a "specialty" movement or product in farmers markets usually trickles down to brick-and-mortar stores — think of rocket, grass-fed beef, and pastured eggs. Such may be the case with biodynamically grown food. Credit: Jane Bruce 3. Cage-Free/Free-Range The USDA officially defines "cage-free" in the following manner: "This label indicates that the flock was able to freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle." Their definition of "free-range" is similar but includes a stipulation that they have "continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle." Credit: flickr/Joelk75 4. Pasture-Raised The USDA doesn’t have an official definition for "pasture-raised" yet, but we spoke to a farmer at the Union Square Greenmarket who sells eggs from pastured hens. Jon, of Millport Dairy located in Lancaster, Pa., says that his laying hens have access to the outdoors year-round, as long as weather permits. 5. Not Treated with rbST Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST), also known as rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) doesn’t sound like something that would become a household name, but it has. And it is synonymous with "no thanks." It’s a synthetic version of a hormone that’s already produced by cows, known also as Posilac. Credit: flickr/justj0000lie 6. "Natural" The USDA actually has an official definition for "natural," but it only applies to meat, poultry, and egg products. It states that any such products "must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients or added color." Minimally processed? What does that mean? That’s pretty vague and doesn’t really tell consumers a whole lot. Credit: flickr/Arun Katiyar 7. Antibiotic-Free It's understandable that many consumers these days are concerned with antibiotics making their way into animal feed, and eventually, through the consumption of meat from such animals, into our bodies. Jonathan Safran Foer states that 3 million pounds of antibiotics are already administered to Americans each year. 8. MSC Certified MSC stands for "Marine Stewardship Council," an organization created by the World Wildlife Fund and Unilever to oversee the wild fish stocks around the world. In theory, fish that are MSC Certified come from fisheries that meet the organization's environmental and legal standards and are traceable from boat to fork. Credit: flickr/Walmart Stores 9. Kosher According to the USDA, when it comes to meat and poultry products, the word "kosher" can solely be displayed on products "prepared under rabbinical supervision." Credit: flickr/eek the cat 10. Grass-Fed The USDA's official definition of grass-fed states, "Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life." That's a lot like their "USDA Organic" label, which basically says that 95 percent of the way is good enough. Furthermore, the USDA definition states that "the grass-fed label does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides." Credit: flickr/VirtualErn 11. Wagyu Wagyu is a term more likely to be encountered in restaurants than in grocery stores, but the term is so confusing, we thought we'd include it on this list just to clear things up. Wagyu beef is desirable for its unique marbling, flavor, and texture, and as a result, it carries a hefty premium. Credit: flickr/avlxyz 12. Fair Trade Certified Consumers will find this label on a variety of products, not just coffee. It is found on tea, cocoa, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, sugar, honey, wine, and grains, as well as non-foodstuffs such as flowers and rubber products. Despite the (somewhat) tacky informational video on their site, the organization that issues the certification, Transfair USA, does seem to be on the level. Credit: flickr/kafka4prez 13. Pesticide-Free The use of this term isn't regulated, and it's most often seen at farmers markets. Pesticide-free could mean just that — pesticides were not used in the production of a crop. But, the most important thing to take away is that it's not necessarily synonymous with "organic." Credit: flickr/numberstumper 14. DO/AOC/DOC/PDO If you’ve ever seen products like "Parmesan Reggiano" at Trader Joe’s, that’s probably thanks to the protective power of one of these designations. They’re typically found on European artisanal products and are basically a way of signifying an authentic product from a specific region or terroir, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, or champagne. Credit: Wikimedia/ Pinpin 15. Farm-Raised This is a term that applies to fish; it’s common to also see the term "aquaculture" these days. Farm-raised fish are commonly raised either in closed systems inland, or in open-net pens in the ocean. Farm-raised fish are subject to a number of problems, starting with their habitat. Those that are farmed in open-net pens often release tons of waste directly into the ocean. Credit: flickr/thefoodgroup 16. Non-GMO GMO stands for "genetically modified organism." For those concerned with the presence of genetically modified ingredients, components, or seed in their fruits, vegetables, and other food products, the current situation is a bit of a mess, but there are attempts to clean it up. Credit: flickr/sbassi 17. Vine-Ripened The term refers to tomatoes; vine-ripened tomatoes sound like they've been left on the vine until red ripe, but what it actually means in practice is that they were left on the vine just a bit longer than "non-vine-ripened" tomatoes, just long enough for the first sign of red to appear on a mostly still green tomato. Credit: flickr/dnfisher 18. Hothouse-Grown A hothouse is essentially a heated greenhouse used to grow plants out of season. Common examples of hothouse-grown vegetables and fruits include rhubarb, tomatoes, and peppers. Results vary by crop — for tomatoes, it's pretty hard to beat the flavor and texture of a field-grown tomato picked at the height of ripeness from a farmers market. Credit: iStockphoto/Thinkstock 19. Sustainable Here’s a term that’s used often by marketers and seldom defined. In the context of food production though, the simplest definition probably goes something like this: Food that has been produced or harvested in a "sustainable" manner minimizes environmental impact and takes into account resource and population management for the sake of future generations. Credit: flickr/Daquella manera 20. Heritage Breed For consumers who already possess this knowledge but aren't ready to give up meat, a few producers have stepped in claiming the use of "heritage breeds" Pollo Buono, for example, in the case of chicken, D'Artagnan in the case of turkeys, and Flying Pigs Farm in the case of pork. Credit: flickr/Michael Dietsch 21. Artisanal This isn't a legally regulated term either, and so it gets used a lot because it sounds good — when people think of artisanal, they're probably thinking of a passionate baker, slaving away over some hot hearth in the wee hours of the morning, making the same, perfect baguette that he does every morning. 22. Halal Halal means "permitted" or "lawful" in Arabic. With respect to food, anything that is permitted under dietary guidelines outlined in the Quran is considered "halal." Here in the U.S., it is most commonly used to refer to meat. Halal meat must come from animals that are slaughtered in a humane manner. Credit: flickr/gruntzooki 23. Pareve Pareve, also sometimes spelled "parve" or "parev," appears on kosher products and means that the product is "neutral" in the sense that it does not contain meat or dairy products, and can be served with either meat or dairy. This is useful for those who observe the restriction against consuming meat and dairy together. Credit: flickr/irina slutsky 24. Meat Grading For poultry, you should only see Grade A meat in stores. Grade A simply means that "poultry products are virtually free from bruises, discolorations, and feathers. Bone-in products have no broken bones. For whole birds and parts with the skin on, there are no tears in the skin or exposed flesh that could dry out during cooking." 25. Probiotic Probiotics seem to be all the rage these days. Just walk down the dairy aisle in the supermarket and there are bound to be dozens of brands of yogurt all advertising the use of probiotics and perhaps some purported health benefits. Some claim improved immunity, while others claim better digestion. Credit: flickr/Veganbaking.ne 26. Certified Angus Certified Angus Beef is a registered trademark and brand of beef that comes from Angus cattle. In order to be certified, the beef must fall in one of the USDA's top two grading tiers: USDA Choice or USDA Prime. There are other criteria considered, such as carcass weight, fat thickness, the size of the rib-eye, and some cosmetic considerations. With the proliferation of many convenience foods and ingredients purporting to be "healthy" or perhaps just as importantly, "green" in one way or another, shopping for groceries can be a daunting task. There's even an entire supermarket chain, Whole Foods, that happens to be wildly successful (it last reported net income in excess of $117 million, up nearly 31 percent over the prior year), dedicated to the concept of shopping by buzzword.Click here to see Guess That Food ProductThere was once a time when the only thing that really mattered when it came to eating food was a vague concept known as "wholesomeness." Difficult to define yet seemingly desirable, wholesomeness was perhaps more easily defined by examples of what was not wholesome rather than what actually was. Anything that wasn't made from scratch was probably not "wholesome," anything that didn't stick to your ribs was not "wholesome," and anything that had ingredients that you couldn't identify as food was probably not what Nonna or your cultural equivalent considered "wholesome."Not anymore. These days, many more buzzwords are creeping into our language, and they can make grocery shopping a real chore. To cite an example of just how confusing the experience can be, Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, offers this little vignette about his milk shopping experience at Whole Foods: "Some of the organic milk in the milk case was 'ultrapasteurized,' an extra processing step that was presented as a boon to the consumer, since it extends shelf life. But then another, more local dairy boasted about the fact they had said no to ultrapasteurization, implying that their product was fresher, less processed, and therefore more organic." Organic, ultrapasteurized, local, more organic — it's enough to make anyone just grab a random jug out of confusion and frustration.Yet, in a way, perhaps one could argue that in the end, it all boils down to "wholesomeness," whatever it is — many people seem to have an interest in food that is not just "wholesome" for themselves, but for the animals and society as a... whole — in terms of its production, sustainability (another loaded term), and its overall impact on the environment and the people who produce it. Chipotle's carnitas burrito, for example, wasn't really a hot seller until its founder, Steve Ells, made the switch to antibiotic-free pork. The switch was inspired by an article called "The Lost Taste of Pork," written by Edward Behr, about a Niman Ranch pork chop Behr had first tasted at Alice Waters' Chez Panisse. After the switch, Chipotle customers started purchasing more carnitas, despite an initial 22 percent premium.But when you pay a premium for foodstuffs bearing (or boasting, depending on your personal proclivities toward these newfound terms) such labels as "MSC certified," "Fair Trade," or "Biodynamic," are you really getting what you pay for? What do these terms really mean? Sure, they might make you feel good, but do they really do any good? Especially with the current state of economic affairs, even the most die-hard of "green" shoppers probably wonder if these terms are "worth it" and actually mean anything. After all, what good is paying double for organic chicken if it's still the same breed of chicken as "regular" chicken?Oftentimes, the best thing to do, when possible, is to cut through all the marketing and just take a few minutes and talk to the people who make your food — this, of course, is probably only possible at farmers markets, assuming they are populated by "real" farmers (that is a whole separate article in itself), and only for certain food products — namely produce, and perhaps dairy, meat, and seafood. For instance, there are many farmers who choose not to become certified organic because of the sheer cost, but may conform to the required practices anyway (or perhaps, exceed them). But, we also recognize that not everyone has the time, or the desire, to talk directly with food producers, and that's where product labeling is supposed to step in and do everyone a service.So we've assembled a list of terms that you're likely to encounter when shopping for food. While we recognize it is possible to practically write a book on quite a few of these terms (and many have been written), we've tried to limit ourselves to their official definitions and the main issues to keep in mind when encountering one of these terms on product packaging, so that you can make a better informed decision when shopping for food. Check out the slideshow above!The Best Restaurants for Reading and Dining17 Cereals That Were Too Sweet to Last24 Places to Get Drunk On Your FoodThe Great American Fried Chicken RoadmapAmerica's Most Outrageous Ice Cream Sandwiches

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Climate change threatens Nepali farmers' livelihood and nation's food security Coco Liu, E&E Asia correspondent Climatewire: Friday, October 18, 2013 MADAN POKHARA, Nepal -- Churamani Neupane thought he was going through a normal monsoon when heavy rain arrived in June. But three days later, he found "normal" no longer applied. "My rice paddies had never been flooded before, but this time, they submerged into 2-meter-deep water," the 34-year-old farmer recalled of his first visit after the rain. "I was so stressed when I saw it, because much of my family's income relies on the rice sales." The flood finally faded away one week later, but the problem it caused didn't. What used to be Neupane's rice paddies is now a mix of rocks, streams and muddy dirt, making it impossible for the rice grower to cultivate this year. This year's unexpected heavy rain washed away Churamani Neupane's rice paddies, leaving the farmer with the biggest losses of his life. Photo by Coco Liu.Such stories have become much more common in Nepali villages in recent years, as erratic climate patterns and natural disasters likely linked to global warming increasingly take a toll on farmers' livelihoods and the country's food security. Nepal, responsible for just 0.025 percent of global greenhouse emissions, is one of the lowest emitters in the world. Yet it ranks in the top 20 among 197 countries in British risk advisory firm Maplecroft's latest climate change vulnerability index. Atmospheric temperature here is rising at a rate higher than the global average, with an increase of 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 degrees Fahrenheit) between 1975 and 2006. The warmer weather allows crops to grow in areas that were previously too cold and lengthens the growing season for some crops. However, it also has caused higher evaporation and a bigger need for irrigation. At the same time, rainfall patterns have become unpredictable, while more extensive insect attacks and increased frequency of extreme weather events have all hurt Nepal's agricultural production. There have been few epidemiological studies to analyze how bad this impact may be, but a growing list of food loss reports could give a clue. Last year, a large-scale insect attack outbreak hit Dubiya village in central Nepal, and at least 40 percent of rice growers' hard work ended up feeding pests. This summer, monsoon rain arrived in western Nepal's Deukhuri valley several months earlier than it used to, leaving unprepared farmers with nothing to do but watch their farmland go underwater. As the majority of Nepali citizens engage in smallholder farming, a sector that is particularly susceptible to weather volatility, a great portion of the population will find itself affected by climate change. When rainfall goes off the charts Deep in the lush, green valleys of southern Nepal, the residents of Madan Pokhara have already felt the pinch of the changing weather. Gita Bashyal, for one, witnessed her farmlands being threatened by more floods in recent years. Meanwhile, her rice, tomatoes and other plants fruited less, falling victim to a blooming season in which heavy rains washed down flowers. There were also days when no rain came at all. To cope with increasing droughts, Bashyal dug a 75-foot well for her rice paddies, which were traditionally fed by rainwater. But the warmer weather dried up the soil more quickly, and the lack of rain reduced the groundwater. The result: More than 20 percent of her anticipated production was lost in 2010, despite hours of pumping water every day. "Climate change has made my life harder," Bashyal said. "I'm now earning less than what I earned 15 years ago." As making a living from farmlands became more difficult, Bashyal's husband turned his back on farming. Instead, he now works in a construction company. Bashyal's family is hardly alone. Everyone ClimateWire spoke to at the village knew of people who had abandoned their farmland and migrated to cities, sometimes to foreign countries, to seek a higher-paying job. Such migration has a long history in rural Nepal, but slumping agricultural output has helped speed up the trend. As men departed, the work of growing crops, feeding livestock and taking care of the family has all shifted to women. Nepal was once a net food exporter to India and Bangladesh. Now it's struggling to feed its own people, importing 316,000 tons of food in 2010 alone. This figure is expected to continue growing. Hans Woldring, an agriculture specialist at the Asian Development Bank, said Nepali farmers may not have to leave their homes in order to make a living. "The yield gap between Nepal's current output and good practice is very wide," Woldring said. "So for most Nepali farmers, they could improve the productivity by changing the way of managing their crops and farmland, and the benefit of that will be considerably bigger than the impact of climate change which decreases the yield." It's a tall order for a poor country. Years of civil wars here not only killed tens of thousands but also created a vacuum of supportive policies, financial assistance and reliable technologies -- all of which are key for increasing Nepal's food productivity. Beyond that, little is known about how Nepali farmland has been changed so far, let alone what it will be in the future. International and local organizations have tried to help. For instance, the World Wide Fund for Nature seeded "climate smart" village programs in several Nepali communities, with the hope of replicating learned lessons elsewhere. Since 2010, the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-Nepal has been collecting data from six Nepali villages in different climate zones. The data could help communities develop their own adaptation plans while increasing global knowledge of climate change. Meanwhile, farmers are preparing for more uncertainty. At Madan Pokhara, for example, many have shifted to organic farming because they recognize that commercial pesticides can't protect their crops from future insect attacks, but more balanced ecosystems can. The villagers pay more attention to protecting the surrounding forests because they can reduce dry spells by storing more rainwater and limit flooding from heavy rains. Neupane, the rice grower who experienced this year's unexpected flood as the greatest loss in his life, will have difficulty resuming farming because a nearby river changed course to run across his rice paddies. Then there is his mother, who lost her husband years ago and totally depends on Neupane's income. "I'm expecting more unexpected floods to come in the future," the rice grower said. "I will do whatever I can to adapt to the change and support my family."

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粮农组织主页性别新闻为什么说性别洞察力项目资源相关链接 性别 Global platform for food security revitalized © FAO/G. Napolitano Faced with rising world hunger and in response to calls for greater coherence and coordination, members of the FAO Committee on World Food Security (CFS) have agreed on a wide-ranging reform, FAO announced today. 20 October 2009, Rome – The reform aims to make CFS the foremost inclusive international and intergovernmental platform dealing with food security and nutrition and to be a central component in the evolving Global Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. The CFS reforms are designed to focus the Committee's vision and role on the global coordination of efforts to eliminate hunger and ensure food security for all. This includes supporting national anti-hunger plans and initiatives; ensuring that all relevant voices are heard in the policy debate on food and agriculture; strengthening linkages at regional, national and local levels; and basing decisions on scientific evidence and state of the art knowledge. The new CFS will be inclusive. In addition to member countries, participation in the Committee will be made up of a wider range of organizations working with food security and nutrition from UN agencies like the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis and other UN bodies. The CFS will also include civil society and non-governmental organizations, particularly organisations representing smallholder family farmers, fisherfolk, herders, landless, urban poor, agricultural and food workers, women, youth, consumers and indigenous people. Participation will also include international agricultural research institutions, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, regional development banks and the World Trade Organization. The Committee shall also be open to representatives of private sector associations and philanthropic foundations. Advice from the experts Another important part of the new Committee is that it will receive advice from a high level panel of experts on the subject of food security and nutrition. This will ensure that effective solutions to ending hunger are based on scientific and knowledge-based analysis. Aligning policies The Committee will provide a platform for discussion and coordination. It will promote greater policy convergence including through the development of international strategies and voluntary guidelines on food security and nutrition based on best practices and lessons learned from countries who have managed to make progress in reducing hunger. The CFS will help countries and regions to address how hunger and malnutrition can be reduced more quickly and effectively. Successful reform "The CFS reform shows that the international community is committed to pay more attention to the elimination of hunger and poverty," said Hafez Ghanem, Assistant Director-General of FAO. "Creating this important global platform means that we are building a better home for global food security including governments, international institutions, researchers civil society and the private sector." The World Summit on Food Security, 16-18 November 2009, will focus the attention of leaders on making sure everyone in the world has enough food, including how to support the implementation of the reform of CFS. 妇女是消除世界饥饿和贫穷的重要力量粮农组织与印度自我就业妇女协会为增强农村妇女和青年权能携手努力促进水产食品行业性别平等新编视觉指南旨在保护儿童免受农药伤害鱼品烘干新技术促进科特迪瓦村镇生计 Add new content Gender and Climate Change Programme Gender and Land Rights Database 联系我们FAO Gender ProgrammeFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations电子邮件：[email protected]连接 与我们联系 | 条款和条件 | 欺诈邮件

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Aerial view of nitrogen deficient corn from central Iowa, August 2008 Crop Protection [1]>Fertilizer [2] Wrong year for late season nitrogen application If you apply enough nitrogen early and don’t lose it during spring, you won’t likely need more. John Pocock 1 [3] | Nov 28, 2012 Having equipment that allows you to apply nitrogen (N) late in the season is well worth having — even if you don’t use it every year, says Clay Mitchell, Buckingham, Ia. “Adding late-season N can be like putting on a booster rocket for corn production in a wet year, when it’s needed,” says Mitchell, who farms approximately 2,800 corn and soybean acres with his great-uncle Philip near Waterloo, Ia. “In dry years, you can save a lot of money by holding off on early-season N applications that don’t pay off.” Mitchell’s strategy is to apply N in a way that ensures little, if any, will be wasted. “Typically, we split-apply anhydrous ammonia N applications,” he says. “We start with some preplant and then apply more as an early sidedress. If it’s been warm and wet, like last year, we use our high-clearance sprayer to apply a third N application.” In 2011, Clay’s dad, Wade, helped equip the farm’s John Deere 4700 self-propelled sprayer with drop tubes that ensures the Mitchells can safely apply urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) to corn up until tasseling stage. They welded oval, stainless-steel screw-thread links to the spray boom where they could hang chains connected to 5-ft. stainless-steel tubes that attach to the nozzle couplers. “Having the tubes hang on the chains makes it easier to take the tubes on and off,” Mitchell says. “The drop-nozzle tubes get the UAN product closer to the roots, so they don’t burn the leaves.” For farmers who use sprayers with drop tubes to apply liquid N, the tubes need to be long enough to go well below the ear, says Peter Scharf, University of Missouri Extension soil specialist. “Avoid spraying the ears or the leaves near the ears, or you’ll hurt yields, not help them,” he advises. “Farmers should also avoid broadcasting UAN solution on corn larger than the V7 growth stage.” Cornfields typically need late-season N applications only if soils lost their N earlier in the season, due to excessively wet conditions or if the field didn’t receive enough N early on, Scharf says. “There is nothing wrong with an early N application that can supply the crop’s needs all the way through the season,” he says. “The only problem with that approach is if you lose N after it’s applied and you don’t get back in the field later on to apply more.” When relying solely on spring preplant or sidedress anhydrous applications, farmers may be unable to complete operations on all their acres, if conditions are wet. “Sometimes it can be mid-June to early July before the ground dries up enough to get in the fields, and by then the corn might be too tall to do so,” Mitchell says. “That’s where a high-clearance sprayer is a really good risk-management tool to be able to apply N when it’s a challenge to put it on by any other means.” Having the high-clearance sprayer gives his family’s operation “a third backstop for putting on N during the season,” Mitchell says. “We always have a window, sometime between the V6 to tasseling growth stage, when ground conditions are dry enough to allow us to make these high-clearance N applications. We also try to time our applications to when we know rain is coming so that the N is made available to the roots.” The biggest concern in a rain-fed system, which includes most of the Midwest, is not having enough moisture after a supplemental application to move the N into the root zone, says Fabian Fernandez, University of Illinois Extension soil fertility specialist. “A half-inch of rain or more is typically needed to do this,” he says. For late-season applications, the supplemental N also needs to be in a readily available form, such as urea or UAN, Fernandez adds. “Either liquid or granular N is fine, as long as it’s not in a slow-release form,” he says. “Irrigation can also make a huge difference in the success of late-season supplemental N applications, because with irrigation, farmers can make sure to move the N into the root zone, where plants can use it.” Still, sometimes the soil will contain enough moisture that only minimal rainfall is needed to move N into the root zone, Scharf says. “If you throw a handful of dry N on the ground and it disappears overnight, that shows there is enough moisture in the soil to dissolve the product and wick it into the soil,” he says. Late N needs are predictable “A successful, late-season N application is very, very weather dependent, and that’s exactly what makes it attractive,” Mitchell says. “You can predict when it will be an effective practice and when it won’t be. If it’s been warm and wet during spring, it will more than pay for itself. In a year like last year, we would easily see a 1 bu./acre yield increase per unit of N applied.” Late-season N applications can be particularly valuable in places with inconsistent rainfall, such as on the fringes of the Corn Belt, Mitchell points out. “In these areas, if you apply all the N upfront, either prior to or soon after planting, then you risk throwing it all away or losing a lot of money if it turns out to be a very dry year and the corn can’t take it up,” he says. “In a very wet year, unless you’re able to apply N later in the season to make up for lost N early on, you risk not having enough N available to the crop to optimize yields. So, especially on marginal corn-growing areas, this is a great way to deal with the uncertainty and risk over weather.” Farmers who can raise a fall cover crop after corn would still benefit from a late-season N application, even if dry conditions prevail, Mitchell adds. “The cover crop will take up the N and release it in the future,” he says. “So the late-season N application is a really good option. It’s much better than putting a whole bunch of N on upfront and taking a risk that it might be wasted.” Source URL: http://www.farmindustrynews.com/fertilizer/wrong-year-late-season-nitrogen-application-0

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DANCIN Vineyards has named Brian Denner to handle all winemaking activities beginning Aug. 15. DANCIN Vineyards has named Brian Denner to handle all winemaking activities beginning Aug. 15.The vineyard, located off Old Stage Road near Jacksonville, is constructing a new winemaking facility that's scheduled to be ready in time for fall harvest.Denner has been the winemaker at Agate Ridge Vineyards since the summer of 2011.Denner has produced wine professionally for 17 years. After his first harvest in 1997, he earned an enology degree from Fresno State University. He worked as cellarmaster at Williams Selyem Winery, a producer of pinot noir and chardonnay in Healdsburg, Calif., from 2000-2003.In 2003, Denner moved to Casablanca, Chile, where he worked as assistant winemaker for Kingston Family Vineyards. Later, he was winemaker at Denner Vineyards in Paso Robles, Calif., from 2004 to 2009, crafting more than a dozen wines that scored 90-plus from the Wine Spectator. One vintage earned the 11th spot on the magazine's Top 100 wines of 2011.In 2010, he studied sauvignon blanc during harvest at Drylands Winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. He then moved to the Rogue Valley, where he worked with DANCIN on its first vintage in 2010, and then he joined Agate Ridge Vineyards during the summer of 2011.Grant Walker, the primary spokesman for Asante for the past seven years, will become the director of marketing and recruitment at Rogue Community College.Walker handled a variety of roles for Asante, a three-hospital health system, including public relations and internal communications campaigns.At the same time, he has been with Iron Horse Communications in Grants Pass since June 2000, writing and doing Web development for several organizations, including the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and the American Association of Radiologists of Indian Origin.Walker earned a bachelor's degree in English at Portland State University and a Master's of Fine Arts in theater and playwriting at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill.Kathy Peckham has returned to Bank of the Cascades as vice president and commercial lender for the region. She has 37 years of experience, much of the time with U.S. Bank. She moved from Bank of the Cascades in the spring of 2010 to become U.S. Bank's vice president and relationship manager for Southern Oregon.Peckham is a graduate of U.S. Bank's Management Training Program and a graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management at University of Colorado at Boulder.Jeresa Hren, vice president and private banking center manager, and Debbie Fenstermaker, branch manager, have won U.S. Bank's Pinnacle Award.Hren and Fenstermaker were among the top 10 percent of highest-performing employees for the bank nationwide. It was the ninth such award for Hren.Northwest Health Foundation named Jason Hilton vice president of finance. Hilton has been senior vice president for Capital Pacific Bank. He succeeds founding vice president of finance David Hooff following his retirement.If your business or company has new management hires or promotions, send an email to [email protected].

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22 de enero de 2014 | Entrevistas | Bosques y biodiversidad | Soberanía Alimentaria GM food labeling approved in Montevideo, Uruguay Descargar: MP3 (1.7 MB) Mandatory labeling announcing the presence of genetically modified components has long been legally required in more than 60 countries, such as the European Union countries. This is not the case in Uruguay, where in addition to suffering the strong influence in the food market of industrial chains that use these ingredients in their products, the territory itself and its biodiversity have suffered the impact of these GM monoculture crops (mainly soy and maize). However, as a result of a awareness raising and interdisciplinary advocacy work including eco-gastronomic organizations, nutrition experts and environmentalists, among others, the local authorities of Montevideo passed a resolution in December 2013 to make this labeling mandatory. Said organizations believe that the obligation to inform consumers through labeling is a right and a “first step” that can be continued with a declaration of a “territory free from GMOs”, and afterwards, the banning of these organisms at national level, both in animal feed and crop seeds as well. In fact, Uruguayan farmers can´t grow native varieties of maize since GM maize has taken over the market and its characteristics are not always explained. The text, which is included in health and sanitation regulations of Montevideo (where over 50% of the Uruguayan population lives) establishes that “food that has been genetically modified or in which one or more of its genetically modified ingredients exceed 1% of the total ingredients, should bear a special label”. This doesn´t include non-packaged food products that are commercialized in restaurants, and it doesn´t apply to yeasts or other enzymes that may have been genetically modified. Chef and member of Slow Food Uruguay, Laura Rosano, said in an interview with Real World Radio that the actual implementation of this resolution could take up to six months. Slow Food organized three seminars in the past years about the need for labeling and will participate in the drafting of the project. Their motivation started in 2010, when a study by the Sciences School of the University of the Republic concluded that all commercial brands of cornflour -often used to make “polenta”- contained GMOs. Seminars, regional experiences, the approval of “new generation” GM organisms such as Monsanto´s “Intacta Soy”, and the evidence of increasing GM contamination in maize in different territories of the country, even those that were grown with the mandatory separation distance, motivated this interdisciplinary team to draft a labeling project as a way to start raising awareness on the problem and act accordingly. The project was submitted to Parliament for approval at national level. However, its passing was limited to human food and it was only partly adopted by the government of Montevideo. Rosano said that the organization will insist on the need to have a broader regulation that includes seeds, animal feed and areas free from GMOs. Rosano also said that the labeling requirement is important because of its subsequent consequences: “by demanding, for instance, cornflour to be free from GMOs, we are opening the doors for farmers to promote another type of maize and to have areas where maize is protected since we know it can be contaminated with GM maize”. “If we continue consuming this food without knowing it was genetically modified, we won´t demand another type of products”, she added. Currently, more than 60 countries, including in the European Union, South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, China and Brazil have laws and regulations that require labeling of genetically modified food. Until now, labeling was included in biosafety regulations in Uruguay, although as a voluntary option for the industry. Of course, no company chose to label their food with GM components. Decree available (in Spanish) at Slow Food Uruguay. Imagen: Foto: www.pajarorojo.info

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Peanuts versus enough off-target dicamba can cost yield, timing matters Jan 10, 2017 Five South Carolinians inducted into Extension Hall of Fame Jan 10, 2017 Florida takes aggressive action against New World screwworm in state Jan 11, 2017 Auxin herbicide training now mandatory in North Carolina Jan 09, 2017 BELTWIDE: CI, CCI form alliance to help reverse trend in man-made fibers Forrest Laws 1 | Jan 15, 2002 “Other countries are not promoting cotton consumption, even the other largest world producers such as China, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan or Australia,” said Allen Terhaar, executive director of Cotton Council International, speaking at a press briefing at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in Atlanta. “The U.S. cotton industry is the only one doing consumer promotion on any significant scale – here in North America using the Cotton Incorporated Seal of Cotton and elsewhere using the COTTON USA trademark.” “What’s happening in other countries reflects what could have happened in the United States if farmers had not funded their own marketing and research program, said Dean Turner, senior vice president in charge of global marketing and technical services at Cotton Incorporated. “Those of you old enough may remember that when we were formed 30 years ago, cotton’s market share at retail seemed destined to drop precipitously to around 20 percent in the early 1990s,” said Turner. “Cotton was history…a fiber of the past.” As most producers know, Cotton Incorporated has worked hard to reverse that trend so that cotton consumption levels are back above the 60 percent level in the United States and Mexico today. Outside North America, however, promotion efforts for cotton have been limited with man-made fiber dominating much of the overall strong growth in fiber use. As a result, cotton consumption is declining overseas and world cotton prices have fallen to the lowest levels in 20 years. “The key reason that cotton is losing the battle against man-made fibers internationally appears to be the decline in cotton consumption in favor of synthetics in some of the world’s most populous countries, including those like India and China that are among the world’s largest cotton producers,” said Terhaar. “In those countries, cotton has not only lost market share to man-mades, it has also lost overall per capita consumption. If this trend continues, cotton consumption in India, for example, will be half what it is today by 2020.” To combat such losses, Cotton Council International is working to develop a formula to stimulate demand in densely populated countries, particularly those with domestic cotton fiber production. As part of that effort, Cotton Council International applied for and was granted $2 million in USDA Section 108 funding over the next three years to try innovative approaches to increase foreign consumption. “Our intent is to pick one or two countries within the Indian subcontinent and South America to focus our activities to determine the success of this approach and determine how and whether this program can be expanded after two or three years of success,” Terhaar said. The program will be called the Cotton Gold Alliance, a reference to the partnership between Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated that will build on the organization’s experience in promoting U.S. cotton. “The Alliance also refers to the close working relationship that we intend to develop with the leaders of the local cotton value chain,” he said. “We intend to enlist their collaboration and active financial involvement in promoting their products in local markets.” Given the challenge of man-made fibers, “we cannot afford to have developing countries moving wholesale from natural fibers to synthetics,” Terhaar noted. “We need to devise effective strategies to bring those consumers, particularly those in the middle class, back to cotton.” e-mail: [email protected]

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Taiwan agricultural aid helps farmers in Haiti - Taipei Times Tue, Aug 21, 2012 - Page 4　News List Taiwan agricultural aid helps farmers in Haiti Carlos Hsiang, center, head of the Taiwan agricultural mission in Haiti, shows Red Cross Society president Wang Ching-feng, right, and former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Tsao Erh-chang around an orchard in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, on Sunday.Photo: CNA Taiwan’s agricultural programs in quake-stricken diplomatic ally Haiti have helped to establish a burgeoning rice industry in the nation while also providing technical assistance to help farmers counter the impact of potential food shortages.A program to grow rice on 30,000 hectares of land was launched in 2008, when food price hikes led to a series of riots which prompted the Haitian government to ask for agricultural assistance from Taiwan, Carlos Hsiang (向水松), head of the Taiwan agricultural mission in Haiti, said on Sunday.The mission then introduced the TCS 10 rice variant to the country which helped improve farming techniques and irrigation facilities, Hsiang said, adding that Taiwanese technicians also advised farmers how to husk rice and sell their crops.Haiti’s rice harvest now meets its domestic needs and is also exported to North America, Hsiang said.Run by Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund, the four major programs also offer assistance and expertise to help farmers grow vegetables, bamboo and raise chickens.Located near the capital, Port-au-Prince, the vegetable and fruit production project has helped 80 farmers improve their farming techniques, project director Yang Feng-hsu (楊豐旭) said.The mission also grew guavas, wax apples and eggplants and provided as many as 60,000 seedlings to local farmers, Yang said.The chicken breeding program, meanwhile, is aimed at reducing Haiti’s reliance on imported food, program director Kuo Yu-liang (郭育良) said.The goal is to raise 180,000 chickens per year in the southeast of the Caribbean state, raising the percentage of locally produced chickens on the market to 18 percent, Kuo said. In addition to the agricultural support programs, Taiwan has also funded and helped to build a resettlement project to house 1,000 people who lost their homes during the magnitude 7 earthquake in 2010.The Village of Hope — which includes housing for 200 families, an elementary school and a 300 hectare area suitable for agriculture — was inaugurated on Saturday. It was fully funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China.

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Peaches Federal regulators receive hands-on ag lessons By By Vicky Boyd August 07, 2013 | 11:28 am EDT Upon arriving at a Kingsburg, Calif.-area peach orchard at 7 a.m., Aug. 5, Elanor Starmer received a briefing on worker and food safety before being given a ladder and picking bag and sent down a row to begin harvest. A half-hour into struggling with the three-legged ladder and trying to determine whether fruit was ripe enough to pick, the special assistant to the U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs admits she has a new view of farm workers. “It’s harder than I thought it would be,” Starmer said. “I’m much slower than people who do it professionally, so it gives me some insight into picking our fruit and getting it to the right place.” She was one of about two dozen government regulators from Washington, D.C., who spent a week in California experiencing the industry first hand as part of the DC Exchange. The program has been hosted annually by the California Agricultural Leadership Program for more than 30 years, said Darlene Din, a graduate of leadership class 35 and one of the exchange organizers. It is designed to help educate government regulators about the diversity of California agriculture as well as the myriad issues it faces, she said. The lack of knowledge was one of the main drivers behind the program’s development initially. “We realized as we talked to them they’d never been to California, and we found that many didn’t realize California was a big ag state,” Din said. Andrea Huberty, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Biotechnology Regulatory Service branch chief, is one of those, having been born in Wisconsin and having worked in Washington, D.C., most of her life. “I think it’s an excellent experience for someone like me to get my boots on the ground and learn about the real story,” Huberty said. “You hear a lot of things when you’re inside the Beltway.” The exchange program typically receives 70-80 applications each year, and a panel of leadership alumni first screen the applications, then interview the finalists in person before selecting 20-25 participants, Din said. Participants this year came from the USDA, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Interior, Department of State, Centers for Disease Control and U.S. International Trade Commission. Each exchange member is paired for the week with a host who is an alumnus of the leadership program. After spending Sunday touring San Joaquin Valley’s broad array of crops with her host, Huberty said she already had gained a better understanding of the state’s ag industry. “We never talk about water (out East), but it’s a huge issue here,” she said. “I’ve never been to the Central Valley, and it was amazing to me coming and seeing all of the agriculture and the sheer size of it.” The hands-on introduction to fruit harvest at McClarty Farms was one of many stops, which also included Dresick Farms Inc./DFI Marketing, Sun World, Oceano Breeze Farms and Pismo Ocean Vegetable Exchange. Barry Bedwell, president of the Fresno-based California Grape and Tree Fruit League who joined owner Harold McClarty in addressing the rookie picking crew, said he supports these types of programs. “I think it can be a very positive experience, and I think it’s very important that we consider the term balance,” he said. “And what we’re trying to do is present a balanced point of view to these regulators.” Bedwell took the opportunity to talk to exchange participants about the need for immigration reform, pending legislation and how workers — like the picking crews seen in the orchard — can’t be replaced by just anybody walking in off the street. “We’re talking about some of the most labor-intensive crops, and I think, as you can see, it’s not unskilled labor,” he said of stone fruit. Bedwell also pointed out that family growers, such as McClarty, contribute to both domestic and international trade. In addition to shipping to numerous U.S. retailers, McClarty was the first U.S. stone fruit grower-shipper to export peaches into Australia, culminating three years of efforts to crack that market. dc exchangecalifornia agricultural leadership programfederal regulatorshands-on ag lessonsmcclarty farmsbarry bedwell About the Author: By Vicky Boyd

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Oklahoma's Extreme Drought Has Wheat Farmers Bracing For Worst By Joe Wertz Fred and Wayne Schmedt say the drought has withered their wheat plants down from an average height of 24 to 30 inches to just 6 to 8 inches. Joe Wertz / StateImpact Oaklahoma Brothers Fred and Wayne Schmedt run a wheat farm in southwest Oklahoma. They say their wheat stalks are about a third as tall as usual. / StateImpact Oklahoma Originally published on May 30, 2014 7:27 pm Rainfall totals in southwest Oklahoma are more than 3 inches below normal. And that means that the wheat crop grown in brothers Fred and Wayne Schmedt's farm is several inches shorter than normal as well. Laughter is key to surviving as a farmer here. Fred Schmedt looks out on his field, then down at his legs and laughs at how short the wheat stalks are. "What would you call that, high-shoe-top high?" he says. "In a normal year — a really good year — it'd be thigh-high. So we're looking at plants that are 6 to 8 inches tall versus 24 to 30 inches tall." Four years of extreme drought has withered the agricultural economies of southern Great Plains states like Oklahoma, where farmers are bracing for one of the worst wheat crops in state history. Wheat is Oklahoma's No. 1 crop. In a good year, Oklahoma produces 120 million to 140 million bushels of wheat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts this year's crop will be half as big. The economic impact of the annual harvest doesn't end in the field. A bad wheat crop means farmers aren't buying chemicals and equipment, says Jeff Edwards, a wheat expert at Oklahoma State University. And they aren't paying local shops to make repairs. Fewer seasonal workers also means less business for restaurants. "In rural Oklahoma, they make most of their money off the wheat that they bring in," Edwards says. "If they're not bringing in wheat, they're not making money. It's hard for them to keep people employed." Fred Schmedt says he isn't sure if he'll still have work for the "wheatie," a seasonal worker, also known as a "custom cutter," who comes every year to help during the harvest. "The guy that does our combining comes from South Dakota. He's cut our family's wheat since 1973. He sort of needs a job," he says. A few miles away from the Schmedts' farm, at a grain storage company, you would normally hear trucks coming and going, fertilizer rigs and the whooshing sound of the elevator's giant screw turning as it moves the grain around. But you don't hear any of that. "Just quiet as a mouse around here," says Mike Cassidy, who runs the storage company. "There's not a sound anywhere except the air conditioner running." Cassidy's grandfather built the grain elevator here in 1921. The company employs about 10 people year-round and hires another 10 workers during the harvest. Cassidy says he's not hiring those seasonal workers this year. While a few farmers will go out of business, others have crop insurance. Cassidy doesn't have that financial lifeline, and while he doesn't think he's going to go under, he's cutting costs, saving money and trying to diversify his business by selling more products, like lumber. One bad sign of the drought's toll is the big, golden hay bales that dot the fields. There shouldn't be so many so early, according to Edwards from Oklahoma State. It's a sign that many farmers have given up on harvesting wheat — they're in salvage mode, just using the stalks to make hay for cattle. And the state might not even have enough hay, Edwards says. "It's a big deal for the cattle industry as a whole. The southern Great Plains is the buffer between the cow-calf producer and the feed yard." Ranchers send calves to Oklahoma to fatten up in pastures during the winter. If there's not enough hay, ranchers will have to make other plans. The uncertainty could further push up prices, which are already the highest they've been since the 1980s.Copyright 2014 KGOU-FM. To see more, visit http://www.kgou.org. TweetShareGoogle+EmailView the discussion thread. © 2017 WVXU

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AGEARTH STEWARDSFINDING FUTURE COMMON GROUNDby Barb Baylor Anderson, Contributing EditorJune 2002When it comes right down to it, growing plants, managing water drainage and controlling unwanted vegetation in the city isn't much different than on the farm. Yet the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) suggests that despite similarities in issues, urban and rural leaders have not effectively connected to foster a sustainable future. "A two-way conversation needs to happen, and can begin in local communities, to talk about everything from land use to food systems," says Dr. Lorna Michael Butler, sociology and anthropology professor and the Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. "Producers and others in agriculture can use dialogue with people in urban areas...to build support and appreciation, create new markets for agriculture and enhance its image." CAST TASK FORCE Butler, Dr. Dale Maronek, department head, horticulture and landscape architecture, Oklahoma State University, and others representing diverse backgrounds addressed these and other challenges in the CAST task force report, Urban and Agricultural Communities: Opportunities for Common Ground. The authors stressed that agriculture is often seen as a "lesser player" in urban areas, yet knowledge of relationships among urban plant, animal, and human communities and structures is critical to modern life. "There are a lot more applications of agricultural science in urban areas than people think," says Maronek. "We share the same set of problems but often have different perceptions. To sustain our society, we should be more conscious of our mutual environmental management." The report contends policy-makers, urban planners and land grant university leaders can capitalize on knowledge and experience gained through various ag sciences to bridge the rural/urban gap. Some ag applications in urban areas are direct, such as monitoring water quality, composting waste, soil and storm water management, food production and marketing. Others are more indirect - open space conservation, farmland protection and management, property value enhancement, and stress moderation through landscapes. REMOLDING PERCEPTION "The perception is that agriculture is only about production, so it may not get much attention as a possible source for urban solutions," says Butler. But the report's authors conclude that agriculture is indeed the one tool that, if viewed creatively, can be used to foster environments that improve the quality of life and economic vitality in urban and rural communities. For example, the authors suggest agricultural science can have a positive influence on urban restoration and remediation, therapeutic and environmental horticulture, entrepreneurial food gardens and direct marketing. They conclude agriculture can build consumer-farmer relationships by improving understanding among consumers about food production and helping farmers understand the qualities desired in food. "Agrimarketers can get involved in remolding perceptions by helping to build positive relationships in urban communities," says Butler. "This involvement begins by making sure those unfamiliar with agriculture learn where food comes from. Agrimarketers can also help people understand and recognize what agriculture involves, including ways of getting products directly from farmers, the equine and aquaculture industries and even how to care for companion animals." Maronek and Butler hope their paper will lead to greater integration of agriculture's expertise in entomology, horticulture, sociology, veterinary science and biosystems engineering, which can help address policy issues such as land preservation, sprawl and food security. "We can't wait for the future to see whether rural and urban areas work together," says Butler. "We have to shape the future now, broaden perception and understanding of agriculture, and take advantage of the knowledge agriculture offers both urban and rural areas." "Agriculture is the fabric of our society," adds Maronek. "It provides a safe, secure food supply that allows us to pursue other luxuries...agriculture can help conserve and protect natural resources, and help communities solve problems associated with urbanization. Agriculture can also benefit from the non-ag community by learning how to become more useful to urban areas." The CAST report is found at www.cast-science.org. AM Barb Baylor Anderson is a freelance writer from Edwardsville, Ill., who covers a wide variety of ag issues.Tweet

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Grape growing is in Lower Valley man's blood Don Golladay is the Washington State Grape Society's Grower of the Year As of Friday, December 2, 2005 | 12:00 a.m. Photo by Ben Davis/Daily Sun News Washington State Grape Society Grower of the Year Don Golladay stands with his plaque next to a vine at his Factory Road vineyard. Golladay owns six properties around the Lower Valley on which he grows Concord grapes. How long has Don Golladay been involved in grape growing? "All my life," he said. The 58-year-old Concord grape grower, who lives just outside Sunnyside on Factory Road, has also spent the majority of his life in the Lower Valley. He grew up on a vineyard just north of Grandview, he said. His grandfather started the family business in the 1920s, with just over one acre of grapes. "My dad got serious about grapes in 1950," Golladay said of his father, Clarence, who was a big reason Golladay got serious about grape growing, himself. "I think at that time we had about eight acres of grapes." Golladay left the Valley briefly from 1967 to 1971 to attend college at Northwest Nazarene, he said. He earned a degree in business administration. Logically, or maybe illogically, he accepted an invitation from his father to come to work in the family business after finishing his education. Working land wasn't anything new to Golladay. In high school, he leased 20 acres of grapes from his uncle. He attended school during the day and work the land after school, he said. So, when the opportunity presented itself to return to the Lower Valley and help in the business he'd grown up around, Golladay, and wife Terria took it. Golladay's father died just three years later, leaving Golladay in the position he's in today. He owns more land now - 160 acres to be exact. It's spread over six properties all over the Lower Valley, Golladay said. "We picked up smaller parcels and kept adding to it as time and opportunity allowed," he said. All the while Golladay stayed active in the Washington State Grape Society after joining in 1971. He said he's served in all capacities in the grape society. He served as its president from 1979 to 1981, and was given the Walter Clore Award in 1985. This year, Golladay received the Lloyd H. Porter Grower of the Year award. The award is named for a former Welch's manager who worked in Grandview in the 1970s and 1980s. He died of cancer in the early 1990s, and the award was named in his honor shortly thereafter. Golladay said he was glad to receive the award. "It's an honor," he said. "It's your peers choosing you as the recipient of an award given to a chosen few." The award winner is chosen by members of the society who vote for whom they believe is the most deserving after names have been submitted as nominees, Golladay said. Though Golladay was happy to receive the award, he said growers are facing more challenges than they used to in the past. "It's all economic," he said. "The price of grapes paid to us has been declining from 1999 to the present. Labor costs are huge." Those problems ensure one thing, Golladay said, "It's not boring." In fact, being a grower has allowed Golladay to do a number of things he wouldn't have done in any other profession. "Being a farmer gives you a chance to be anything you want to be," he said jokingly, explaining that he's had to become a mechanic, businessman and many other things while running his vineyard. But those problems have caused problems in the growing community, he said. "There are very few new young people coming in that aren't associated with an established family," Golladay said. Grandview man named Walter J. Clore award recipient Concienne Walter Clore Award winner Grape Society trade show Local grape prices drop as harvest hits midway mark Growing great grapes

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Kim Matthews, who with her husband, Terris, owns Matthews Ridgeview Farms in Wynne, AR, told The Produce News that the company had an awesome sales year with the current crop. “The crop was good — not bumper — but good,” she said. “But we did have an outstanding sales year. As of late January we had about 55 percent of the crop remaining in storage. Our projections are that we will have a tight run of supplies when the 2013 harvest starts the first week of September.” Matthews Ridgeview Farms is one of the larger sweet potato growers in the state of Arkansas, and it functions as both a farmer and a broker. Microwavable ‘Fifth Generation’ brand sweet potatoes from Matthews Ridgeview Farms.Ms. Matthews said the company increased its acreage by about 15 percent last year. “That’s a normal increase for us,” she noted. “We aren’t ones to haphazardly double our acreage and risk getting into a mess. We increase so that we can take care of our customers and add enough to service new customers.” The company’s stored sweet potatoes, she said, are in great condition. The company added coolers to its operation in the past year. Its sweet potatoes are maintained in controlled-atmosphere storage. The company also made a major staff change in 2012. “We hired Sam Gilbert as our full-time food-safety coordinator,” said Ms. Matthews. “She joined us in September 2012 full time, but she had been working for us on a part-time basis before then.” Matthews Ridgeview Farms has been GlobalGAP certified for five years, and it will continue to maintain the status. The company currently exports to Canada, and its customers are retailers, wholesalers, foodservice operators and processors. “The market in the U.S. and Canada is so strong today that we have not had to pursue other potential export markets,” said Ms. Matthews. “But we stay tuned into what is going on with sweet potatoes in all corners of the world.” The popular Beauregard sweet potato continues to be the company’s strength, but it also produces some Evangeline and it dabbles in Covington varieties. “We are also trying some of the new Orleans variety, and a new white Bonita sweet potato variety. This is a small niche market, but it allows us to try out new items.” Ms. Matthews said that she is a seat-of-the-pants cook, and she likes to try combining white potatoes with sweet potatoes and other ingredients for a family meal — oftentimes with terrific results. The company’s website, www.arsweetpotatoes.com, offers an array of sweet potato recipes, and it is active in social media to help promote its high-quality products. Ms. Matthews said that the company’s bagged and wrapped sweet potatoes are always popular consumer choices. “A woman from Michigan called me just yesterday,” she said. “She wanted to tell me how much she loved our sweet potatoes and our recipes. That makes all the hard work we do here worth it.” Mr. and Ms. Matthews are fifth-generation sweet potato growers, but Matthews Ridgeview Farms was only formed a few years ago. “Terris’ father, David, works with us,” said Ms. Matthews. “He is here every day with his hands in every aspect, including driving a digger. His wife, Mickie, is semi-retired, but she also comes to the office to help out with administration tasks.” Matthews Ridgeview Farms’ dedication to family is also apparent in its packaging. Its “Fifth Generation” label design is a photo of the couple’s daughters, Jaylie and Taycie, sitting on a bale of hay, each holding an armful of sweet potatoes. Ms. Matthews said that consumers today really want to know where their food is coming from, and they like the idea of buying from a true family farm. Future plans for the company include expansion. “We’re looking at some different avenues of expansion,” said Ms. Matthews. “At this point we’re not sure how or when, but we do know that we’ll be growing our company. “For now, however, we are very thankful for all of our great customers and we want to continue to serve them to the best of our ability,” she said. “That and providing them with great quality is what we will continue to build our business on.” Videos

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Farm Industry News [1] brought to you by Injunction Jolts Roundup Ready Alfalfa Courtesy of Hay & Forage Grower A federal judge last week imposed a preliminary injunction against the sale and planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa, effectively removing the transgenic crop as a spring seeding option in much of the country. The March 12 injunction, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California, states that growers who bought Roundup Ready before that date can go ahead and plant it. But the seed must be in the ground by March 30. Those who plant by that date, and growers with existing Roundup Ready fields, can harvest and feed or market the crop without restriction. The court order came in response to a lawsuit brought by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and others against USDA. The suit claims that USDA violated the National Environmental Protection Act by failing to prepare an environmental impact statement before deregulating Roundup Ready alfalfa in 2005. CFS says an environmental impact statement should have addressed a range of issues, including the risk that conventional alfalfa will be contaminated by the Roundup Ready gene and Roundup Ready alfalfa's impact on the development of glyphosate-resistant weeds. A Monsanto news release issued the same day expressed disappointment. "We are hopeful that a reasoned approach in this matter will address questions about the regulatory approval process for Roundup Ready alfalfa while maintaining farmer access to this beneficial technology," said Jerry Steiner, executive vice president. "The extensive regulatory dossier for Roundup Ready alfalfa, combined with farmer stewardship agreements, provides a robust and responsible approach to managing the environmental questions raised by the plaintiffs in this case." The judge is scheduled to hear arguments April 27 on whether to make the preliminary injunction permanent. Monsanto, which owns the Roundup Ready patent, and Forage Genetics International, which developed the first Roundup Ready varieties, were granted intervener status in the case on March 8, and will participate in the arguments. If they're able to convince the judge to remove the injunction, Roundup Ready alfalfa could be available in time for late summer and fall seedings this year. If not, it might not be legally sold or planted until sometime after USDA prepares an environmental impact statement. Source URL: http://www.farmindustrynews.com/injunction-jolts-roundup-ready-alfalfa

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Bayer CropScience Opens New Development North America Facilities in Research Triangle Park Crop Protection Company Celebrates Opening of New Development Facilities and Laboratories at North American Headquarters The concentration of innovation and development efforts at the Research Triangle Park campus will allow Bayer CropScience to leverage knowledge and increase collaborations among scientists to grow a healthier world in which we live, work and play. Research Triangle Park, NC (PRWEB) With the expansion of its North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park, Bayer CropScience continues to develop sustainable solutions for farmers around the world as well as the for the communities where we live, work and play. The crop protection company celebrated the opening of its new Development North America facilities and laboratories this past week. These facilities boast 40,000 square feet of space in which nearly 70 scientists will conduct crop protection and environmental science research, including pest and turf and ornamentals management. The renovations and remodeling, a combined investment of $16.1 million, will allow Development North America to serve as the global center for seed growth formulations as well as the U.S. center for product safety and seed growth technology. “The agriculture community, professional pest managers and amateur gardeners stand to benefit greatly from expanded facilities and research capabilities,” said Dr. Bob Graney, head of Development North America for Bayer CropScience. “The concentration of innovation and development efforts at the Research Triangle Park campus will allow Bayer CropScience to leverage knowledge and increase collaborations among scientists to grow a healthier world in which we live, work and play.” During the opening celebration, Dr. Graney was joined by Dr. Adrian Percy, global head of Regulatory Affairs, and Development North America employees as they demonstrated the role that the facilities and laboratories will play in Bayer CropScience’s overall research and development strategy. In addition to studying seed growth, scientists will work with some of agriculture’s brightest minds on human and environmental safety. “Crop sustainability, environmental management and ensuring a strong global food supply are just a few of the reasons Bayer CropScience decided to further invest in the Development North America laboratories,” said Percy. “New and renovated facilities will give us increased capabilities to develop agricultural products for the North American and global markets. Sophisticated safety evaluation is one of the first and most important steps in generating a food supply that can be safely grown, transported and consumed. Our scientists will be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to utilize research to benefit an exponentially growing population for years to come.” Development activities in the new facilities include testing and developing new chemistries for seed growth formulations and performing a range of safety studies to ensure Bayer CropScience products are safe both to the environment and consumers. Dedicated laboratory space will also allow for research on formulations to protect homes, businesses and recreational areas from a variety of pests. For more information on Bayer CropScience, visit http://www.bayercropscience.us or check out the newly launched Bayer CropScience social media hub, connect.bayercropscience.us. About Bayer CropScience Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. This year the company is celebrating 150 years of Bayer – consistent with its mission “Bayer: Science For A Better Life”. Bayer CropScience, the subgroup of Bayer AG responsible for the agricultural business, has annual sales of EUR 8,383 million (2012) and is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. The company offers an outstanding range of products including high value seeds, innovative crop protection solutions based on chemical and biological modes of action as well as an extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture. In the area of non-agricultural applications, Bayer CropScience has a broad portfolio of products and services to control pests from home and garden to forestry applications. The company has a global workforce of 20,800 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: http://www.press.bayercropscience.com. Contact: Media can utilize the hotline at 1-866-99-BAYER (USA-BCS-2013-0137) ©2012 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer (reg’d), the Bayer Cross (reg’d) are trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our Web site at BayerCropScience.us. Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. Becca Hogan Bayer CropScience LP (919) 549-2998

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The Crop Trust Calls for Conservation of Genetic Crop DiversityJan 1, 2016 | 9:00 amBy Food Tank From foodtank.com, by Kathleen Shannon The Crop Trust Calls for Conservation of Genetic Crop Diversity The Crop Trust works to conserve crop diversity and genetic variety for generations to come. Part of this effort includes the world’s largest collection of seeds in storage at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The Trust hopes to create a global system of seed collection to cultivate food security for everyone. Food Tank had the opportunity to speak with Brian Lainoff, Partnerships and Communications Officer at the The Crop Trust. Food Tank (FT): How do you contribute to creating a better food system? Brian Lainoff (BL): Food security depends on crop diversity. An increasing population means we must increase food production, as we cannot count on adding arable land. Historically, half of the increase in crop yields has come from higher yields through genetic improvement: breeders identify useful genes in existing varieties of food plants and recombine them to develop new varieties that are more productive, more nutritious, and more resistant to stresses like higher temperatures or less water. The raw material for such improvement is the genetic diversity of crops. We know that conserving the vast diversity within crops globally is the only way to guarantee that farmers and plant breeders will have the raw material needed to adapt to whatever the future brings. And while securing the world’s food supply will require much work beyond crop diversity conservation—such as further advances in crop science, building efficient markets, and reducing the waste of food—none of this can be effective if the genetic base of our food supply is lost. Our mission is to ensure the conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide. FT: What is a project, program, or result you are most proud of? BL: Over the next decades, the world is expected to experience higher average temperatures and lower and more variable rainfall in many places. The yields of many crops are predicted to fall significantly in many parts of the world as a result. Given that demand will increase, adapting agriculture to climate change is arguably the most urgent challenge of our time. A critical step to prepare for a changing climate is to ensure that the crops feeding humanity are more resistant and resilient to the vagaries of the climate, as well as new pests and diseases. The Crop Trust has embarked on a long-term effort to collect, conserve, and use the wild relatives of crops for climate change adaptation. It aims to identify those wild crop varieties that can be described as missing from existing crop collections, most likely to offer diverse value in making agriculture more productive under climate change, and most endangered. This diversity will then be collected from the wild by national conservation programs and maintained in genebanks; evaluated for useful traits and prepared for use in crop improvement (pre-breeding) programs; and made available globally through their inclusion in pertinent information systems. FT: What are your goals for this year and beyond? BL: The goal of the Crop Trust is to establish, fund, and manage a global system for the conservation of crop diversity held in genebanks. Crop collections require constant curation and care, as even brief disruptions can expose plant genetic material to the risk of permanent loss. The ex situ conservation of crop diversity is by its nature a long-term, never-ending task. Only long-term, sustainable financial support from an endowment fund can secure a global conservation system that is too important to leave to chance. The Crop Trust is building a Crop Diversity Endowment Fund of US$850 million, which will generate some US$34 million in annual income. This will safeguard the diversity of the major food crops of the world in genebanks, and thereby the basis for food security. The Crop Trust is committed to build its endowment over the next five years. By 2016, an international donors conference will be asked to add US$330 million to the current endowment fund of US$170 million, bringing this to US$500 million so as to protect all of the key international crop collections. By 2018, an additional US$350 million will be sought so as to reach US$850 million and safeguard a wider spectrum of the world’s agricultural diversity found in national collections and in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. FT: In one sentence, what is the most important thing eaters and consumers can do today to support a more sustainable food system? BL: Demand diversity. FT: How can individuals become more involved in your organization? BL: Individuals can sign up for our newsletter, contribute to the conservation of crop diversity on our website, or share our video Securing Our Food, Forever. Download the 2015 Good Food Org Guide HERE.

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Follow @thecattlesite News & Analysis Features Markets & Reports Sustainability Knowledge Centre Directory Events Our Shop News Dairy Crisis: Farmers at Risk of Mental Health Problems17 November 2015 ANALYSIS - Facing increasing pressure on finances as well as uncertainty surrounded Basic Payments, the oncoming winter months are likely to worsen the stresses on many dairy farmers. Melanie Jenkins looks at the mental strain of running a dairy farm this winter.Dairy farmers have been hit hard by the drop in milk prices over the past 10 months, and with production costs likely to rise over the winter the future is pretty bleak. As a result of the downturn, dairy producer numbers have fallen every month of this year, with the industry losing over 4 per cent each month on year earlier figures until October, with the highest fall of 4.8 per cent in April. As of November, producer numbers across England and Wales stood at 9,654. In 2014 most months saw a year-on-year drop of between 2 per cent and 3 per cent, while in 2013 this was between 1 per cent and 2 per cent: In 2012 it was mostly below 1 per cent. This puts into perspective the difficulties the dairy industry is facing, with more farmers quitting the industry than since 2009. * "Farming is not just a business, it is a way of life." According to Peter Riley from The Farming Community Network (FCN), low profitability is one of the main causes of concern for dairy farmers, with 43 per cent of all cases - across all farming sectors - reported to the FCN in 2014 saying financial issues were a problem. “Farming is not just a business, it is a way of life and very often the farm has been handed down through generations of the same family. This can place enormous pressures on the farmers who do not want the business to collapse and the farm sold up ‘on their watch’,” said Mr Riley. “While the situation for some farmers has eased slightly, it is still a source of problems for many dairy farmers and there have been several cases of farmers selling the herd and leaving dairy altogether.” TB is another major issue. “In the South West of England and in much of Wales, bovine tuberculosis has been endemic for a number of years,” said Mr Riley. “There are signs that the disease is spreading into other areas and both dairy and beef farmers are in constant fear that there will be a breakdown in their herd.” Last year 28 per cent of cases reported to the FCN had problems concerning bovine TB. Look out for signs of stress and depression Depression and anxiety also featured heavily in FCN referrals, with 32 per cent of cases saying it was a problem, while 30 per cent listed general health and 29 per cent said family relationships were an issue. “A farmer may see that the business is struggling and this can impact upon the family and result in domestic problems,” said Mr Riley. “Allied to financial difficulties and other pressures, we are seeing an increasing number of calls to our helpline from farmers suffering from depression and, in some cases, this has led to mental health problems. Inevitably, this can affect the whole family and recovery is slow and gradual: It can take a long time to recover.” Mr Riley stresses that it is vital to keep an eye on family and friends who may be experiencing difficulties. Practical signs to look out for include the farm falling into disrepair, as well as animals and machines not being looked after properly. Behaviourally, people might become morose, stop talking and withdraw into themselves. “We are asking everyone and anyone connected with or visiting farms, from tanker drivers to feed merchants and vets, to look out for signs of stress and depression,” said Mr Riley. The heart of the message to farmers is to not try to do everything on your own. Farming can be an isolated 24/7 job, where farmers are on their own for days on end, but there are people they can talk to. “The message is simple - talk to us,” stressed Peter Riley. “Do not bottle up your problems and wait until it becomes a crisis.” Mike Gorton has been farming at Harebarrow Farm, Macclesfield, Cheshire, since 1976, but the current dairy crisis is forcing him out of the industry. Unfortunately Mr Gorton is one of many farmers in the same position; struggling against low milk prices and unable to justifiably continue to produce milk. * "Unless the milk price miraculously recovers, I will be exiting the industry." Mike Gorton Until very recently, Mr Gorton was milking 70 cows, but has reduced the herd size to 55 this autumn as part of a step to give up altogether. “I cannot carry on with the low prices at the moment. Unless the milk price miraculously recovers, I will be exiting the industry,” he said. Unfortunately, Mr Gorton recently received an inconclusive result in a TB test, which has left him unable to proceed with dispersing his herd and at a loss for what to do now. “I am feeling distraught and pig sick right now. Any decision of where to go now it out of my hands at this stage.” On top of this added stress, Mr Gorton says the idea that the Basic Payment may not be on time is unthinkable. “It would be horrendous; I cannot meet my monthly bills and I am up to the limit on my overdraft.” Thankfully, he has approached the bank for help. “I could add my bank manager to my list of family contacts we speak so often. We have regular conversations every three to four weeks and the bank knows what I and other farmers are up against.” Some banks, including Mr Gorton’s, are offering loans to cover the Basic Payment while farmers wait for it to arrive, in order to ease the financial burden. “At the moment I just wish I knew when the Basic Payment was coming so I could have some certainty. Everything is functioning completely day-by-day at the moment.” Mr Gorton says he often finds it better to discuss problems with non-farmers as speaking to other farmers can make individual situations seem worse. “Non-farmers don't have that baggage. Just try to speak to someone, as so many farmers are sitting alone just stewing. Just talk to whoever you are comfortable with,” he added. “As farmers, we usually trudge along through difficulties but some serious decisions need to be made now. Farmers need to face up to the reality of the situation, but a lot are not doing so.” As a member of the NFU Dairy Board, Mr Gorton says it has been an important source of communication. “The NFU has been very supportive and I hope that other farmers will make the most of this assistance.” How to get help: The FCN has a number of volunteers, all of whom have a close association with agriculture and rural living and many of them are farmers or retired farmers, with a number trained in Mental Health First Aid. Call the FCN helpline on: 03000 111 999 or e-mail [email protected] Read Melanie's previous report on the problems facing the dairy industry: How Can Dairy Businesses Survive Winter? TheCattleSite News Desk Markets, Economics, General, Farmer/Worker Health & Safety Share This

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Western food supply safer since 2006 E. coli outbreak in spinach Jan 04, 2017 New HLB positive tree found in urban Cerritos, Calif. Jan 02, 2017 American Farm Bureau plows into Phoenix this weekend Jan 05, 2017 Ag at Large: New water bill holds promise for California agriculture Dec 27, 2016 U.S. rice leaps EU testing hurdle, sets up easier exports The U.S. rice industry has crossed a major hurdle towards resuming regular rice shipments to the European Union. On Dec. 20, the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health — at the recommendation by staff of EU Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General (DG-SANCO) — voted to remove the requirement for mandatory testing of U.S. long-grain rice for the presence of genetically engineered traits at the first point of entry into the European Union. U.S. rice shipments had been hindered by EU actions and mandated testing following the Aug. 18, 2006, announcement that trace amounts of genetically modified rice were found in the U.S. commercial supply. “Exports of U.S. long-grain rice to the EU were 282,000 metric tons in the 2005-2006 marketing year prior to the discovery of the (LibertyLink) traits,” said Bob Cummings, USA Rice senior vice president. “Exports were 50,000 metric tons in 2006-2007.” Now, following several days of meetings, “DG SANCO is recommending the lifting of the current mandatory inspection requirement on imports of U.S. long-grain rice because the U.S. rice industry has in place a robust action plan to remove the LibertyLink traits from the commercial long-grain supply, and because of the successful implementation of this plan in connection with the 2007 crop,” said Cummings. “Additionally, the EU Commission (in the form of DG SANCO) and the U.S. government (USDA/GIPSA) have agreed on a sampling and testing protocol for U.S. long-grain rice destined for the EU that meets EU standards and that provides direct involvement by USDA in the sampling of rice to be exported to the EU. Both the United States and the EU have agreed on the test to be performed on this rice and on the list of U.S. laboratories eligible to perform the test.” The EU shift in mandatory testing “is the single most important step necessary for the restoration of the EU market for U.S. long-grain rice,” said Al Montna, USA Rice chairman. “Destination testing creates tremendous risk and uncertainty for U.S. shippers and EU customers and, as a result, has had the effect of slowing trade to a trickle.” The news was welcomed by Keith Glover, president of Producers Rice Mill in Stuttgart, Ark. “We're so glad to see this — what a great first step. It comes after a lot of hard work by the industry to get to this point. One of the big things that allowed this to happen was the industry's seed plan put in place in 2007. The EU authorities were impressed with the efforts to clean the crop. Hopefully this is what will open the door to normal shipments into the EU.” Prior to the latest vote, the EU had insisted U.S. rice be tested for GM traits not only in the United States but also when it arrived in Europe. “Sometimes, tests here would be negative and (show positives) there,” said Marvin Baden, Producers Mill senior vice president and chairman of the USA Rice EU Trade Policy Subcommittee. “That led to rice having to be shipped back to the United States.” Baden was a member of a U.S. rice industry group that visited EU officials regularly over the last year. The meetings fostered trust between the sides. “This is our third or fourth trip there this year. We proposed the best way to do this is origin testing under APHIS/GIPSA.” While the origin testing is now enough for the EU, each country within the union is able to insist on further testing. No country has announced such plans. Following the announcement, Betsy Ward lauded those involved in the negotiations. “No other industry faced with the unintentional release of a GE trait has made the commitment and taken such comprehensive actions to meet the regulatory and consumer demands of its customers,” said the USA Rice president and CEO. The EU decision “means that the U.S. rice industry is now clearly on a path for normalizing trade with the EU and other world markets affected by the unintended Liberty Link presence,” Montna said. “This is the result of more than a year of diligent work within the U.S. rice industry to eliminate the LibertyLink traits from the commercial rice supply, and the industry will need to continue its vigilance.” Information in this story was supplied by the USA Rice Federation. RelatedCalifornia almond industry looks to add another 500m pounds of nuts by 2020Dec 23, 2016Federal regulators agree honeybee decline linked to 'local stressor' mixNov 04, 2016Almond grower, beekeeper communication fosters honey bee healthNov 01, 2016Almond Conference will buzz with bee health, marketingOct 28, 2016 Load More

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Union seeks meeting with sugar beet growers Share Tweet Union officials representing 1,300 locked out American Crystal Sugar Co. workers have mailed letters asking for a meeting with members of the sugar beet cooperative that owns the company as the harvest begins.The union workers have been locked out of five sugar processing plants in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa in the company's first labor impasse in 30 years."We want to try to sit down and talk in a very friendly manner with the growers," union spokesman Mark Froemke told the Grand Forks Herald ( http://bit.ly/ps1TGr). "We would like to get to a point where we can put this difference of opinion aside and get back to work so the farmers can get back to what they do and still get a good beet payment."However, company officials said they are displeased the union is reaching out to growers."To us, that would be paramount to us going directly to union members and negotiating with them, and that is very much prohibited," said Brian Ingulsrud, company vice president for administration. "We wouldn't do that."In five cases, the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board ruled that there was insufficient evidence to show that either the company or the union has failed to bargain in good faith.In one case, the NLRB found that the company did not violate labor law by sending notices with paychecks informing workers of the company's bargaining position before the union voted on a contract. The board said that because the company had previously communicated its position to the union, the notice to workers did not amount to a violation.Ingulsrud said the union's direct contact with growers differs from the company's attempt to clarify its position to workers."All negotiations should take place at the negotiating table," Ingulsrud said. "It's unfortunate that the union wasn't really willing to negotiate at the negotiating table."No progress was reached during the lone negotiating session held by a federal mediator more than a month ago.Ingulsrud said the company's final offer, which was rejected by 96 percent of voting union members before the lockout, still stands. The offer does not include a $2,000 signing bonus the company had offered if the contract had been approved by Aug. 1, he said.Union representatives have indicated they are willing to resume negotiations. Ingulsrud said the company would return to the table if the mediator asked.__Information from: Grand Forks Herald,http://www.grandforksherald.com/___Information from: Grand Forks Herald, http://www.grandforksherald.com Share this on Facebook Tweet Tags: Iowa

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