**New items noted in RED**
Note: Southern SARE Producer and On-Farm Research Grants Calls for Proposals have been released! Scroll down to “Funding” for more information.
Coming Soon: A Better Tasting Tomato!
UF/IFAS scientists Harry Klee and Linda Bartoshuk are developing a better tasting tomato. Please see in the attached file all that is involved in this exciting research at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Strawberry Producer Survey
Dr. Emily Hoover's National Strawberry Sustainability Initiative project team from the University of Minnesota is looking for current and potential growers to participate in an online survey. Their project is funded in part by a grant from the Walmart Foundation and administered by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability. They believe that the feedback from current and potential strawberry growers will help to develop a comprehensive e-learning tool that will teach sustainable methods and marketing and growing technologies for new strawberry growers.
If you are currently a farmer growing strawberries or you are considering becoming a strawberry grower, please take 5 minutes to complete this survey at http://z.umn.edu/strawberryetool. Your help is very valuable to us. If you have questions regarding the survey, please contact Echo Martin, the project coordinator. His Email is mart1794@umn.edu.
Webinars
Small-Scale Micro-Irrigation Design and Components
Tuesday, September 10, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, EST
Description: Small-scale micro-irrigation is on the rise in the East region and producers are taking advantage of NRCS' programs to install micro-irrigation systems to enhance resource conservation, food security, produce quality, and rural livelihoods. Small-scale micro-irrigation systems are generally a fraction of an acre or a few acres in size that also include the smaller systems in high tunnels, gravity-fed irrigation, and community gardens. Regardless of how small the micro-irrigation system is, it must be planned, designed, installed, and maintained properly or the system will perform poorly or even fail. Increasing small-scale irrigation activities and the difficulty in securing a design from third-party designers have created a challenge for NRCS, necessitating significant in-house design and training. Viewers of this webinar will be introduced to the basics of micro-irrigation and its components, and they will learn about the critical design factors for a system. A list of available micro-irrigation information resources and tools with a brief introduction to an NRCS design spreadsheet tool will be provided, along with many other useful handouts and factsheets.
Presenters: Hamid Farahani, Ph.D., Water Management Engineer, USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center, & Clare Prestwich, P.E., Irrigation Engineer, USDA NRCS National Water Quality and Quantity Team, West National Technology Support Center
Connection information: You do not need to pre-register for this webinar. Space is NOT limited however, please plan to join the Webinar no more than 15 minutes early so that you can register and successfully join the presentation interface. Aproximately 15 minutes before this webinar's start time, the 'Join' button will be activated on this page: http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/small-scale-micro-irrigation-design-and-components
Local Food and Local Government: What You Need to Know
Wednesday, September 11, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM, EST
Description: Walk into a grocery store or a restaurant and you're likely to see the word "local" displayed on shelves and menus. Consumers are more interested than ever in healthy eating, knowing the origins of their food, and providing support for the local economy and nearby farmers. Local governments influence positive community health outcomes and encourage community engagement by facilitating this growing segment of the economy.
In this webinar, local food and government experts will discuss the following topics:
- How food connects much of what we do in leading, governing, engaging, and supporting our communities
- Our complex food system and the forces that influence it
- Food-related health and economic issues important to local governments
The September 11 webinar is the first in a series of webinars about local food systems. Future webinars will address local food councils, land use policies, food entrepreneurs, and more.
Presenters: Rick Morse, Associate Professor, School of Government; Nancy Creamer, Director, NC State University Center for Environmental Farming Systems; Christy Shi, Program Coordinator, NC State University Center for Environmental Farming Systems; Charlie Jackson, Director, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) and the ASAP Local Food Research Center; Alice Ammerman, Director, UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Connection information: To register online and for more program details, visit www.sog.unc.edu/node/3676.
State of the Food Hub –National Survey Resulats
Thursday, September 19, 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM, EST
Description: The National Good Food Network Food Hub Collaboration, including Michigan State University and the Wallace Center, surveyed over 100 food hubs across the country to understand their businesses, impacts, challenges, and innovations. This webinar accompanies the release of the full report on the state of food hubs in the U.S. today.
Connection information: Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/333510970
Partnering with Cooperative Extension to Support Farm to School
Wednesday, September 25, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, EST
Description: Emily Jackson, with Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and SE Regional Lead for the National Farm to School Network, will share the results of a three-state project that focused on identifying the roles Cooperative Extension can play in farm to school (http://growing-minds.org/farm-to-school-resources-for-cooperative-extension). ASAP also partners with North Carolina Cooperative Extension to strengthen farm to school in Western North Carolina. Teresa Wiemerslage from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will share how she is supporting local food procurement, school wellness, and youth engagement in 16 school districts in Northeast Iowa.
Presenters: Emily Jackson, Program Director, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, & Teresa Wiemerslage, Program Coordinator, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach
Connection information: Audio: Call the toll-free number (from your telephone, audio is not available over the computer): 1-800-988-0278. When prompted, provide the operator with the participant pass code: 91613#. Computer: Click on (or copy and paste) this link to join the meeting: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=SJ9CSP&role=attend. You will be prompted to type in your name, email, and organization. Once you hit “continue” you will be joined with the meeting. Please plan to connect 5-15 minutes early to ensure you are connected on time, the meeting will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Partnering with Cooperative Extension to Support Farm to School –Part 2
Wednesday, October 9, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, EST
Description: Julia Govis from University of Illinois Extension will share information about how she is leading farm to school in Illinois through the development of educational resources and curriculum to support Extension work in its diverse program areas. Morgan Taggart from Ohio State University Extension will describe how OSU Extension has prioritized involvement in farm to school and how other Extension professionals in urban and suburban areas can be involved with farm to school related activities. Morgan will also share how she is currently involved with farm to school across the Cleveland area through school gardens, local food procurement, and local food and agriculture curriculum development/ instruction.
Presenters: Julia Govis, Program Coordinator, University of Illinois Extension and Morgan Taggart, Program Specialist, Ohio State University Extension
Connection information: Audio: Call the toll-free number (from your telephone, audio is not available over the computer): 1-800-988-0278. When prompted, provide the operator with the participant pass code: 91613#. Computer: Click on (or copy and paste) this link to join the meeting: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/usda/join?id=SJ9CSP&role=attend. You will be prompted to type in your name, email, and organization. Once you hit “continue” you will be joined with the meeting. Please plan to connect 5-15 minutes early to ensure you are connected on time, the meeting will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Food Hubs and Farm to School
Thursday, October 17, 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM, EST
Description: Farm to school programs have been very successful at getting good, healthy, local, whole foods to our nation’s students. Food hubs hold great promise for filling a gap some programs have found. It is difficult to add aggregation logistics on top of already-taxed school food service professionals. Food hubs hold great promise for bridging that gap. Join us for some inspiring examples of successful food hub-assisted farm to school programs.
Connection information: Register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/747966202
Resources
Food Hubs: A Producer Guide
A new food hub publication geared toward producers that supply food hubs, Food Hubs: A Producer Guide is available from the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Small and medium-sized farms are often challenged with finding new markets that support their ability to increase production and that help meet increasing demands for fresh and locally raised food. Local and regional food hubs are improving market access for farmers and ranchers by operating aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing services for local producers. The publication focuses on providing producers with information, resources, and case studies specific to understanding how food hubs can provide new marketing outlets.
Field Guide to the New American Foodshed
The Field Guide to the New American Foodshed site is designed to help entrepreneurs and their advisors find and use relevant business development information and strategies for local and regional food markets. In addition to a decision tree framework to understand the key pieces of creating a solid business plan, the site contains several case studies of farms, ranches, and related businesses that have been successful in foodshed markets.
Loans and Grants Search Tool
To help you identify what government financing programs may be available to help you start or expand your business, use this “Loans and Grants Search Tool” presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This search tool searches all public (and some private) funding opportunities available (not just funding through SBA) based on criteria you input. Note: Although SBA does not provide grants to start or grow a business, certain grants do exist for very specific groups, organizations, or activities –such as businesses involved in scientific research and development.
http://www.sba.gov/content/search-business-loans-grants-and-financing
U-Scout: An excellent resource for vegetable disease diagnosis
The ample rain and persistent humidity throughout northwest Florida during the last two months have increased disease incidences in summer vegetable crops. Scouting fields with an eagle eye for potential disease outbreaks is essential this season. The U-scout tool, developed by UF/IFAS Plant Pathologist Dr. Mathews Paret and other extension faculty, is a valuable resource for both producers and extension personnel.
Although U-scout is primarily a resource used by UF/IFAS Extension agents to diagnose disease in fruit and vegetable crops, it is also useful for growers. It provides detailed images of vegetable and fruit diseases from across northwest Florida, aiding in swift diagnosis and treatment of infected crops. Currently, the following crop groups are support in the U-Scout system: tomato, cucurbit, pepper, and brassica. Each link will provide you a list of common diseases with pictures for each type of crop. Click on the disease for more detailed information.
USDA Geographic Preference Resources
One of the best tools for schools looking to buy local food is the geographic preference option, which allows purchasers to include language in solicitations so that vendors who can supply local products have an edge. Schools get to decide for themselves how to define local, how much preference to give to local items, and how exactly to structure their solicitations. Now, two new resources are available to help schools incorporate geographic preference correctly and successfully!
The USDA farm to school team recently developed a fact sheet titled Geographic Preference: What it is and how to use it, which gives a quick overview of the law and associated regulations and then walks through three ways to use the geographic preference option. In addition, School Food FOCUS has just released Geographic Preference: A primer on purchasing fresh local food for schools, which provides step-by-step guidance on how to implement a geographic preference policy, starting with articulating the legal authority and rationale for buying local foods. For more helpful procurement links, check out our resources page.
Conferences & Workshops
Invasive Exotic Species ID and Control Workshop
September 19
Many invasive weeds and exotic animals have become a problem for land managers. This program will describe some of the more common and troublesome invasive exotic plants and animals in this region and current strategies to control them. The program will run from 9 AM to 3 PM at the UF/IFAS Jackson County Extension Office. For an agenda and registration information visit the website.
The Local Food System: Drivers, Players and the Role of Extension Professionals
September 27
This training is for county Extension faculty. At the end of this session participants will be able to explain the local food system, understand consumers perceptions of local food, understand consumer purchasing of local food, identify the economic impact of local food, explain to producers how to improve marketing and sales of local food, explain to clientele different marketing opportunities and how to navigate the procurement process for each, and help producers sell to schools through the Florida Farm to School Program. Funds are available to subsidize attendance, up to $125 per day per person for travel and per diem. Register at http://pdec.ifas.ufl.edu/ist/list.pl.
Who is Food Insecure and How Do We Help Them? Using Existing Resources to Serve Food Insecure Populations
October 17, 2013; 9:00am – 11:00am
This training is limited to county extension agents and will be offered online. The purpose of this training is to provide county faculty members with the expertise needed to use public data sources to identify at-risk communities, develop programs and partnerships to address food security in those communities, and document the impacts of Extension programs. After completing this session, participants will be able to:
1. Use public data sources to identify food insecure communities
2. Assess the specific needs of individual communities
3. Identify potential public and private collaborators in addressing those needs
4. Develop programmatic solutions that draw on Extension`s strengths and expertise
5. Identify and use existing indicators to assess the impact of these programs
Register for PDEC training number 30761.
Florida Agricultural Financial Management Conference
October 21-22, 2013
Orlando, FL
The FAFMC is taking place on October 21 – 22, 2013 at the beautiful Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate. This year we’re pleased to announce our partner with with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to bring this conference to the region. The conference will highlight agriculture risk management from a strategic perspective, agribusiness finance for non-finance managers, latest banking regulatory and lending trends, agricultural economic forecast, affordable care act and planning strategies for ag producers, and succession planning for the next generation. For more information and to register visit www.fafmc.org.
Local Food Systems Urban Farming Conference
October 22, 2013
Orlando, FL
In Florida, today’s rural county is tomorrow’s urban county. Slowly, over the last 20 years, Orange County has become a net importer of food. This conference is a forum for local producers, businesses and residents to invest in their community’s food and economic security. The conference will be held at the UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Extension Education Center from 9:30 Am to 3:00 PM. See the attached flyer for an agenda and registration information.
Water, Food, Energy, & Innovation for a Sustainable World
November 3-6, 2013
Tampa, FL
The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America will host their 2013 International Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida with the Canadian Society of Agronomy and the International Society of Terrain-Vehicle Systems. The Call for Papers is now open! Share your research with scientists from around the world at our multidisciplinary meetings. Early abstract rates through April 30, Final Submission deadline is May 14. Submit your abstract at : www.acsmeetings.org. New for 2013 remote presentations!
National Black Farmers Association Conference
November 8-9, 2013
Columbia, South Carolina
The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) Conference 2013, “Moving Forward While Honoring the Past”, is an interactive two day program giving participants practical knowledge and techniques to enhance their skills, networking, and financial resource capabilities for small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and landowners. Farmers will have the opportunity to share and connect with government agencies as well as other resources from around the country. For more information, contact Kara D. Jones, Event Coordinator, (910) 316-1118, email: HIYLII@yahoo.com.
7th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
April 15-18, 2014
Save the date for the 7th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Powering Up, which will be held in Austin, April 15-18, 2014! The conference will convene a diver group of stakeholders from across the farm to cafeteria movement –more than 1,000 food serve professionals, farmers, educators, youth leaders, policy makers, advocates, state/federal agency professionals, entrepreneurs, public health professionals and others –working to source local food for institutional cafeterias and foster a culture of food and agricultural literacy across America. Explore the new conference website to preview the event and to learn more about the host city and other travel details. Registration will open in January 2014, and a request for workshop proposals will be released in September 2013.
Funding Opportunities
Southern SARE Producer Grants are now open!
Calls for Proposals for the 2013 Producer Grants, intended for farmers/ranchers and farmer/rancher organizations throughout the Southern region, are now available from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program. Proposal submission deadline is November 18, 2013. Announcement of funded grants will take place in late February 2014. Producer Grants are used to conduct sustainable agriculture research projects that solve agricultural production challenges farmers face and to develop information on what works and what doesn’t so that other farmers and ranchers facing those same challenges can benefit from the results of the funded project.
Producer grants are not designed to pay a farmer to farm; buy livestock, equipment, or land; make permanent farm improvements or support private enterprises through capital investments. Southern SARE Producer Grants are research grants, designed to take some of the financial risk away from trying a solution. Projects may be funded for up to two years for a project maximum of $10,000 for an individual producer or $15,000 for a producer organization. Producer organizations should be comprised primarily of farmers/ranchers and must have a majority farmer representation on their governing board. For detailed information on how to apply for a Producer Grant, download the current Producer Grant Call for Proposals.
Southern SARE On-Farm Research Grants are now open!
The Calls for Proposals for the 2013 On-Farm Research Grants, intended for agricultural professionals throughout the Southern region, have been released by the Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program. Proposal submission deadline is November 18, 2013. Announcement of funded grants will take place in late February 2014. Agriculture professionals in Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, universities, NGOs, and government and non-government organizations who regularly work with farmers/ranchers are invited to apply for a grant that affords them the opportunity to conduct on-farm research in sustainable agriculture. Applicants must work with at least one farmer/rancher on the project to conduct on-farm research in sustainable agriculture.
The On-Farm Research Grants are not intended for farmers/ranchers. On-Farm Research Grants may be funded up to two years for a project maximum of $15,000. For detailed information about how to apply for an On-Farm Research Grant, download the Call for Proposals.
Innovative Uses of Health Data
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation presents the Knight News Challenge: Innovative Uses of Health Data. The challenge is an unprecedented collaboration between Knight Foundation, a leading funder of news and media innovation, and four major players in the health arena: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the California HealthCare Foundation, the Clinton Foundation and the Health Data Consortium. The collaborating organizations will be active during the opening “inspiration” phase of the challenge from Aug. 19, when anyone can identify needs, share success stories, post data sets, contribute ideas and more at newschallenge.org. The challenge will be open for entries Sept. 3 through 17. For more information visit the blog, at http://knightfoundation.org/blogs/knightblog/2013/7/30/announcing-key-collaborators-details-knight-news-challenge-health/, and the FAQ’s, at https://www.newschallenge.org/faq .
Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $40 million to provide housing for farmworkers and their families. Under the Farm Labor Housing Program, loans and grants are provided to farmers, farmers associations, family farm corporations, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and farmworkers associations to develop or improve multi-family housing facilities for farmworkers and their families. Applications for Farm Labor Housing assistance are due by September 13, 2013. More information about how to apply is available in the August 14, 2013 Federal Register announcement, or by contacting any USDA Rural Development state office.
NIFA Grant Opportunities
Information about all of the grants listed below can be found by visiting www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm.
1994 Land Grant Research Leadership Development Initiative, Due 9/16/13
Biofuels and Biobased Products, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Food Science and Nutrition, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Forests and Related Resources, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Plant Production and Protection –Biology, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Plant Production and Protection –Engineering, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Rural and Community Development, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Small Business Innovation Research, Due 9/26/13
Small Business Innovation Research Program: Phase I, Due 9/26/13
Small and Mid-Size Farms, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Air, Water and Soils, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Animal Production and Protection, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Aquaculture, SBIR, Due 9/26/13
Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases, Due 11/20/13
League of Environmental Educators in Florida Grants List
This website gives a great list of grants available for various types of community and classroom projects. Really worth perusing. Due dates vary by grant.
http://leef-florida.org/core/item/topic.aspx?s=0.0.110.37432&tid=85010
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Kelly Monaghan
Program Assistant
Florida SARE Program, UF/IFAS & FAMU
Center for Sustainable and Organic Food Systems
3031 Mc Carty Hall D, PO Box 110310, Gainesville, FL 32611
Ph:(352)273-3508; Fax: (352)392-8196
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