[SARE-FL]

Southern SARE Common Ground Newsletter

The January 2013 issue of Common Ground is now available at http://eepurl.com/t60S5. This issue provides a list of upcoming events in the Southern region, highlights research from the University of Florida on IPM strategies to control Spotted Wing Drosophila, and information on weed suppressants for organic wheat production. There’s also a link to educational materials on cover crops you may find useful.

 

 

USDA Microloan Program

Microloans up to $35,000 aim to assist small farmers, veterans, and disadvantaged producers. Producers interested in applying for a microloan may contact their local Farm Service Agency office. See the attached fact sheet and read the press release for more information: USDA Finalizes New Microloan Program.

 

 

Pastured Poultry Webinar

The webinar, “Pastured Poultry Production and Profitability,” will cover the basics of pastured poultry production as well as common advantages and pitfalls of getting started in the business and keys to keeping operations profitable.

 

Terrell "Spence" Spencer of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will present the webinar, which is being offered by NCAT, Montana Mission Mountain Food and Cooperative Development Center, and Salish Kootenai College as part of the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) education and community outreach program.

 

The free, hour long webinar will begin at 11 a.m. MST on February 7. The attached press release has further details and a registration link. In case you are receiving a copy of this message without the attachments, the link is https://attra.ncat.org/poultry

 

 

Annual Gathering of the Women’s Farm and Forestry Alliance

This is an important gathering of leaders in women in agriculture and forestry, and it provides an opportunity to build new relationships. In addition, we will be looking for your input for the WFFA online training curriculum that is designed to address advanced financial and business management skills development that will benefit all women who own and operate agricultural businesses. The Annual Gathering of the Women's Farm and Forestry Alliance will be held March 11-12, 2013 at the Saint Paul Hotel in St. Paul, MN. The link to register is www.wffalliance.org . Registrations are due by March 5. The early registration fee is $100. Hotel reservations must be made by February 9 in order to take advantage of the special room rates.

Seven New Reports Now Available from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Credit, crop insurance and sustainable agriculture

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/p2009-07  

 

Defining the grazing season of restored natural grasslands

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/e2010-19  

 

Developing production, processing and marketing of aronia berries on small family farms in southeast Iowa

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/m2009-05  

 

Evaluating denitrifying bioreactors for edge-of-field nitrogen management in Iowa’s tile-drained landscapes

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/e2009-11  

 

Meeting on-farm energy needs through conservation, efficiency and renewable energy
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/xp2009-01  

 

Optimizing buffer strips for improved ecosystem services

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/e2009-09  

 

Soil moisture dynamics and plant transpiration under contrasting annual-perennial cover types

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/e2008-17  

 

 

Agritunity Conference & Trade Show

AGRItunity 2013 Conference and Trade Show is right around the corner –January 25-26, 2013! This conference is a great way to reach network with other farmers and ranchers in Central Florida. To top it off, it’s affordable and held in a convenient central location at the UF/IFAS . This conference is sponsored by the University of Florida Extension Service in five counties.  Sessions cover a wide range of topics and exhibitors are there to answer your questions! Register online at http://agritunity2013reg.eventbrite.com/#.

 

 

 

 

Kelly Monaghan

Center for Sustainable and Organic Food Systems

Program Assistant, Florida SARE Program, UF/FAMU

3031 Mc Carty Hall D, PO Box 110310, Gainesville, FL 32611

Ph:(352)273-3508; Fax: (352)392-8196

kmon913@ufl.edu; www.southernsare.org/florida

 

Please note: My schedule is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

I will respond to phone calls and emails during this time only.