Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Food System Positions open with UF/IFAS Extension, Family Nutrition Program

Three district-wide food systems positions have been posted on the UF/IFAS Jobs website. These are regional positions working with the Family Nutrition Program, Florida's SNAP-Ed implementation agency. Majority of duties are focused around Farm to School & Community. Please circulate widely through your networks.  

 

Brevard/Martin County (closes 12/19) - http://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/job/500599/educationtraining-spec-ii-brevardmartin

 

Miami (closes 12/23) - http://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/job/500680/miami-dade-food-systems-coordinator

 

Gainesville (closes 12/27) - http://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/job/500714/district-procurement-coordinator

 

 

Please share my contact information with anyone who has questions. Thank you for passing along!

 

 

Caitlyn Glatting
District Food Systems Coordinator
Family Nutrition Program
UF/IFAS Extension

6021 S. Conway Rd.
Orlando, FL 32812
P: 407-254-9226

 

 

Monday, December 19, 2016

Spring Course - Introduction to Fishery Science

Learn all about Fisheries while exploring Florida lakes this spring in FAS4305C Intro to Fishery Science!

 

Credits: 3  Principles of fish management in freshwater and marine systems. Includes field and laboratory techniques for aquatic habitat and fishery resource assessment, aquaculture practices and consideration of contemporary issues pertinent to sport and commercial uses of renewable fisheries resources.

 

New Job Opening at USDA - Local/Regional Supply Chain Specialist

AMS has announced a new local/regional supply chain specialist – there's a short time window (Dec 21 deadline) so please circulate to your networks.  If you have any questions, you should contact Ken Keck ken.keck@ams.usda.gov


Cheers,


Jim

 

Announcement for MSD's Agricultural Marketing Specialist (Research), GS-114-9/11/12 position in DC opens 12/15 and closes on 12/21, 11:59PM EST. Please consider your contacts and send this link below around to those you might think are interested.

 

Local/ Regional Supply Chain Ag Marketing Specialist

 

Farm Manager Job Position, SFU- Wayne County

Dear Colleagues:

 

We are accepting applicants through January 16, 2017 for the Farm Manager in Goldsboro, NC. Click on the below link for more information.

Please share the announcement with your networks.

 

https://jobs.ncat.edu/postings/11798

 

Best,

Kathleen Liang

 

W. K. Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture

Director, Center for Environmental Farming Systems

North Carolina A&T State University

College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Coltrane Hall, Room 105-B

1601 East Market Street

Greensboro, NC 27411

 

Office 336 285 4683   Fax 336 334 7432

cliang@ncat.edu

 

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

CORRECTION: USDA Notice of Relocation Office - Davenport Area Office

United States Department of Agriculture

 

Greetings,

 

The purpose of this notification is to inform you of the relocation of the Rural Development Davenport Area Office from the current location at 2629 Waverly Barn Road, Suite 129, Davenport, FL 33897 to 8390 Champions Gate Boulevard, Suite 210, Davenport, FL  33896.

 

Effective December 19, 2016, all Rural Development Davenport Area Office personnel and operations will relocate to the new location.  There will be no change in telephone and fax numbers, nor in Rural Development jurisdictional areas within the state.  Rural Development personnel in the Davenport Area Office will continue servicing Brevard, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk counties.

 

Please let me assure you that the Davenport Area Office will continue to provide the same high quality service as in the past.  New contact information, effective

December 19, 2016, is as follows:

 

Address:     USDA/Rural Development

8390 Champions Gate Boulevard, Suite 210

Champions Gate, FL 33896

Phone:        863.420.4833 (unchanged)

Fax:            855.474.8230 (unchanged)

 

Rural Development provides a variety of loan and grant programs through our area offices, including Community Facilities, Rural Utilities, Multi-Family Housing, and Business Programs, as well as Single Family Housing.  Again, please be assured that Rural Development is committed to the highest levels of service to all customers in our rural service areas.

 

We trust this information is helpful to you and we will be pleased to provide you with any additional information you require.  We do apologize for any confusion, thank your patience.

 

Sincerely,

 

LaTasha Thomas Pace|Area Specialist

Rural Development

United States Department of Agriculture

2629 Waverly Barn Road, Suite 129 | Davenport, Fl 33897

Phone: (863) 420-4833; ext. 3736| Fax: (855) 474-8230

www.rd.usda.gov/fl | “Committed to the future of rural communities”

 

Stay Connected with USDA:

     

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

 



Weekly Harvest, December 14, 2016

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ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture

Weekly Harvest Newsletter
Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - December 14, 2016

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture website. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online.

News & Resources

  • Organic Certifier Survey Results Released
  • Midwest Vegetable Production Guide Available Online
  • National Water Quality Initiative Invests in High-Priority Watersheds
  • Food Sustainability Index Ranks Countries' Food Systems
  • Report Identifies Energy-Efficiency Opportunities in Irrigation
  • 3D Ocean Farming Promises Food Production

Funding Opportunities

  • Conservation Stewardship Program
  • Multi-State Rural Development Research or Extension Projects
  • Kaiser Conservation Endowment

Coming Events

  • Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms
  • EcoFarm Conference
  • NPSAS Winter Conference

News & Resources

Organic Certifier Survey Results Released
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released the results of its 2014 and 2015 Organic Certifier Survey. NASS collected data on acreage and livestock from USDA-accredited organic certifying agents in the United States. The report shows 14,861 certified organic crop operations in 2015, with a total of more than 5.3 million acres. Meanwhile, there were 2,001 certified livestock operations that year, with more than 22.3 million animals (of which 20.8 million were chickens).

Midwest Vegetable Production Guide Available Online
The 2017 Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers is now available for purchase or free download from Purdue Extension. The guide is an annual summary of state-specific information on vegetable varieties, fertility, seeding rates, fertilizer rates, weed control, insect control, and disease management. The new edition covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Michigan.
Related ATTRA Publication: Resource Guide to Organic and Sustainable Vegetable Production

National Water Quality Initiative Invests in High-Priority Watersheds
USDA will invest more than $33 million in 197 high-priority watersheds through the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) to help landowners improve water quality. The NWQI helps farmers and ranchers implement voluntary conservation practices, such as nutrient management, cover crops, conservation cropping systems, filter strips, terraces and buffers. This year, NRCS added 42 new watersheds to the NWQI and selected 21 watersheds for new assessment projects.

Food Sustainability Index Ranks Countries' Food Systems
Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation has released The Food Sustainability Index (FSI). The index is a ranking of food-system sustainability for countries around the world, based on 58 criteria across three pillars: sustainable agriculture, nutritional challenges, and food waste. The objectives of the FSI are to highlight the performance of various countries, establish comparable measurement criteria, provide examples of best practice, and measure progress over time.

Report Identifies Energy-Efficiency Opportunities in Irrigation
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has released a report that identifies the top opportunities to improve irrigation energy efficiency in Pacific Northwest. BPA is holding a series of webinars to introduce some of the new efficiency opportunities they have identified. The full 161-page report is available online in PDF.
Related ATTRA Publication: Energy Saving Tips for Irrigators

3D Ocean Farming Promises Food Production
3D ocean farming could feed the world with an area the size of Washington state, according to Bren Smith, whose pioneering efforts are featured in Popular Science. In the vertical underwater farms, seaweed and shellfish grow suspended from a horizontal line. Growing kelp helps scrub nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon from seawater, counteracts ocean acidification, and creates habitat. Smith founded the non-profit GreenWave to train ocean farmers and help them access grants, seed, and equipment.

>>More Breaking News

Back to top


Funding Opportunities

Conservation Stewardship Program
USDA is accepting initial applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which rewards farmers for protecting and enhancing natural resources on their working lands. The newly revised CSP includes expanded options for conservation activities and an increased minimum payment to help smaller-scale producers. Farmers should visit their local NRCS office to begin the application process.
The next application deadline for funding consideration is February 3, 2017.

Multi-State Rural Development Research or Extension Projects
The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development announced a competition for seed grants to enhance the ability of Land Grant institutions to positively influence the quality of life in rural areas of the twelve-state North Central region. Priority areas include the following: innovation diffusion for rural development, sustainable communities, leadership development, and entrepreneurial communities. Grant awards range from $5,000 to $25,000.
Proposals are due February 2, 2017.

Kaiser Conservation Endowment
Washington State University and University of Idaho are soliciting proposals up to $5,000 for promotion and demonstration of conservation practices targeting soil erosion. Funds are open to Washington State University, University of Idaho, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Conservation Districts, and colleges in Washington and Idaho. Funds are limited to the area east of the Washington Cascades and north of the Salmon River in Idaho.
Proposals are due January 16, 2017.

>>More Funding Opportunities

Back to top


Coming Events

Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms
January 25-28, 2017
Lexington, Kentucky

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group's Annual Conference offers outstanding "field-tested" presenters, a full slate of hot-topic conference sessions and pre-conference courses, the Organic Agriculture Research Symposium, several field trips, a poster display, and a trade show.

EcoFarm Conference
January 25-28, 2017
Pacific Grove, California

The 37th EcoFarm Conference features nearly 70 workshops, four pre-conference events, an exhibitor marketplace, seed swap, and more. EcoFarm will inspire and frame the shared mission to grow and shape a healthy, safe, and just food and farming system.

NPSAS Winter Conference
January 26-28, 2017
Aberdeen, South Dakota

The Winter Conference of the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society features keynote speakers Sheri Salatin and Dr. Thierry Vrain. Pre-conference, half-day workshops are followed by a range of conference sessions and more than 50 exhibitors.

>>More Events

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Digital versions of recent and archived Weekly Harvest newsletters are available online.

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Visit the NCAT website for more information on our other sustainable agriculture and energy projects.

© 2016 NCAT

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New ATTRA Publication
Direct Marketing Lamb: A Pathway

Question of the Week
Can I use livestock manure for methane-electric generation on my farm?

Ask an Agriculture Expert
Submit questions to our professional staff online or by calling 1-800-346-9140

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Find a list of scheduled workshops and presentations by ATTRA staff across the country.

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Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (Monthly Harvest), ATTRA's Spanish-language e-newsletter

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Florida Bull Test Sale Info

Attached is a press release with information on the University of Florida’s Bull Test Sale that will take place on January 21, 2017.  Please share this information with beef and dairy producers in your county.

 

Doug Mayo

County Extension Director

Jackson County Extension

2741 Pennsylvania Ave. Ste 3, Marianna, FL 32448

demayo@ufl.edu; 850-482-9620; http://jackson.ifas.ufl.edu

 

Soil Microbiology: Applications and Analyses of Mycorrhizal Associations

Only eight spaces remain - Register today!

 

 

July 10-12, 2017

McCarty Hall B, Room 3108 | University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

 

Gathering Samples

Register Today!

 

Soil Microbiology: Applications and Analyses of Mycorrhizal Associations Training Course

 

 

 

Course Overview

 

Participants will gain hands-on experience with recognizing, culturing and using mycorrhizae. By the end of the course, attendees will be able to work with mycorrhizal associations and will be familiar with their use as bio-fertilizers, and when those associations will not be of benefit. Attendees will also be able to determine the efficiency at which mycorrhizae make associations with plant roots.

 

During the three-day course, practical laboratory sessions are blended with lectures and discussions, providing an active learning environment. 

 

This course provides 21 hours of training and instruction and completing the course will give attendees both knowledge and credibility. Upon the conclusion of the training, each participant will receive a Certificate of Completion. 

 

 

 

About

 

Hosted by the UF/IFAS Soil and Water Science, this successful training course is designed for scientists, farmers interested in organic farming, ecologists, biologists, consultants, soil amendment industry representatives, and any others interested in the practical and theoretical aspects of using mycorrhizal associations to enhance plant growth and nutrient cycling.

 

Typical fields of interest include studies in plant biology and ecology, soil and plant interactions in agriculture and horticulture, ecosystem carbon flux, and symbiosis research. 

 

 

 

Registration

 

The training class is limited to 12 participants and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Early Reduced Registration -  

on or before June 2, 2017 or class fills

$500.00

Regular Registration - after June 2, 2017 if available. 

$600.00

presented in US dollars(s)

 

 

 

Contact

Program Organizer: Dr. Abid Al Agely | Email

 

Registration Information: Kim Brand | Email

 

 

Photos

Provided courtesy of the UF/IFAS Soil & Water Science Department, all photos are of a past Soil Microbiology: Applications and Analyses of Mycorrhizal Associations Training Course.

 

 

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Local Food Supply Chain Internships with NC Growing Together

The CEFSlist is a listserv for CEFS associates and affiliates used to communicate within the organization. Please contact amber_polk@ncsu.edu to change your settings.

 

 

 

Applications are being accepted through February 5, 2017 for NC Growing Together Local Food Supply Chain

Summer

Apprenticeships.  Be part of the food system change happening in North Carolina and around the country!

 

Through an exciting 8-week

program, apprentices will have the opportunity to work with local food hubs, businesses and organizations and gain hands-on training related to local food systems and value chains work.

 

Questions?  Contact Eliot Lee: elee17@ncsu.edu

**Please circulate widely -- more information at 

https://www.ncgrowingtogether.org/summer-apprenticeship/

**

 

North Carolina Growing Together is a five year USDA-funded project

. It aims to bring more locally-produced foods into mainstream markets, strengthening the economics of small to mid-size farm and fishing operations and their communities.

 

 

--

Eliot Lee

Center for Environmental Farming Systems

North Carolina State University

Campus Box 7609/NCSU

Raleigh, NC 27695

office: 919-513-3924

fax: 919-515-2505