**New items noted in RED**
Call for Submissions –Special Issue on "Organic Food"
Food and Nutrition Sciences, a peer-reviewed open-access journal, is seeking papers for the upcoming special issue on “Organic Food”. Submissions are due July 16, 2014. Find out more here.
Opportunity for Certifying Agencies
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and the National Organic Program have set aside funds this year to support projects that develop sound and sensible organic certification models, training, and outreach. These projects will support consumer confidence that organic products meet defined standards from farm to market, while also making sure that certification is accessible, attainable, and affordable, particularly for small and beginning farmers. An announcement about this opportunity is online at the link below. Certifiers and other organizations are encouraged to form teams to respond to the final solicitation once it is posted. To find other potential project team members, sign up as an “Interested Vendor” at the link below. View Draft Performance Work Statement.
2014 Southern SARE Graduate Student Grant Reviewers Needed
Southern SARE is seeking reviewers for the 2014 Graduate Student Grant Program. A reviewer of SSARE graduate student grant proposals should be a person who has conducted research (natural/physical sciences or social sciences) and/or guided graduate students in their research. The call for proposals which describes the Graduate Student Grant program can be found here. If you are interested in reviewing please contact Dr. John Mayne, jmayne@uga.edu. Include your name, email address, phone number, and the name of the organization/institution for which you work. If you have not reviewed SSARE graduate student grant proposals before, also include a short description of your field of study so that you can be assigned to appropriate proposals. Proposals will be ready to review the first week of May and reviewers will have four weeks to review the proposals assigned to them. A reviewer will be asked to review no more than 10 proposals. If you’d like to review SSARE graduate student proposals but can only commit to reviewing fewer, include that information in your email to Dr. Mayne.
We want your farm products!
Submission Deadline: May 20, 2014
The Florida Small Farm and Alternative Enterprise Conference wants to serve your products. The conference wants to offer as much local, Fresh Florida produced food as possible. This is an opportunity to showcase your products and expand your market. See more details.
Webinars
Using Economics to Impact Food Policy Decisions
May 20, 2014, 1pm EST
Description: Join The Food Institute and John Dunham & Associates in an informative webinar discussing a range of issues related to commissioning, conducting, interpreting and using economic impact studies. Learn how economic analysis can be used to impact food policy and regulation, and what that means for your organization or company. Register here.
American Public Health Association & Healthy Food Action Four-Part Series: “Food, Justice and Health Equity"
Various Dates
This 4-part series (1st part was April 10) co-sponsored by the National Medical Association, APHA and Healthy Food Action. Get webinar descriptions and register for all the webinars here.
May 28; 2-3 PM CDT: Transforming Community Food –Stories from the Ground Up
September 23; 12-1 PM CDT: Culture is Health –Sovereignty and Food Systems
October 15; 1-2 PM CDT: Building Healthy Food Systems, Overcoming Historical Trauma
USDA Farm to School Webinars
Various Dates
Description: The USDA Farm to School Program will host two webinars per month on various aspects of local procurement. The webinars will be held at 2pm EST on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, and will include guest speakers from state agencies and school districts. For more information and to register, please visit the webinar series website.
Using Geographic Preference May 8
Using USDA Foods as Resource to Purchase Local May 22
Using DoD Fresh to Purchase Local June 12
Tying It All Together and Digging In June 26
Soil Health Webinars
Various Dates
Description: The National Soil Health and Sustainability Team, located at the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center, is pleased to offer the following soil health webinars in 2014. Start time for the soil health webinars is 2pm Eastern.
| 2014 | Soil Health Webinar Topic |
| May 13 | Using RUSLE2 to Evaluate Soil Health Planning Principles |
| Jun 10 | Managing for Soil Health in the Piedmont Area of the Southeast - |
| Jul 08 | Managing for Soil Health when Raising Potatoes - A Farmer's Perspective |
| Aug 12 | Managing for Soil Health on an Organic Farm - A Farmer's Perspective |
Connection information: For the full list of webinars and information on how to connect, please visit http://conservationwebinars.net/.
Resources
New Reports Available from the Leopold Center
Summaries of six recently completed projects sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture are now available at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/results. The new research reports include:
- Blurring the lines between working and conservation lands: Bird use of prairie strips in row-cropped watersheds
- Fostering healthy diets in children through vibrant school gardens
- Increasing Iowa farmers’ resiliency through the Practical Farmers of Iowa Cooperators’ Program
- Local food in every pot: Growing farmers in northeastern Iowa through public and private partnerships
- Recordkeeping education and insurance benchmarking for Iowa fruit and vegetable producers
- The Long-Term Agro-ecological Research (LTAR) experiment: Ecological benefits of organic crop rotations in terms of crop yields, soil quality, economic performance and potential global climate change mitigation
ATTRA Publications Available on Amazon
NCAT has begun putting ATTRA-National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service publications on Amazon. Details can be found in the attachment.
Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems
USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) has recently introduced an online resource created to provide information for farmers, ranchers, ag professionals, community organizers and others who are striving to reconfigure the nation’s food system so more value stays in food-producing communities. Check out the new access portal here.
Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network
The Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network (NMPAN) is a peer learning community, a national information hub, and a source of targeted applied research and direct technical assistance. Their mission is long-term stability and profitability for both processors and the producers who depend on them to market sustainably raised meats. Their website has a wealth of information on starting and operating meat processing facilities, working effectively with your processor, food safety, mobile slaughter units, marketing local meats, and much more. They have a very active listerv with over 1,000 members where people ask all kinds of questions about meat processing and get answers. They hold about 6-8 webinars a year and also publish a monthly newsletter. Please visit their website and take advantage of this great resource!
Conferences & Workshops
Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises Events Calendar
Various Dates
The University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has a thriving Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises (SFAE) Extension Program. This program offers many different workshops at various locations around the state. Here’s a taste of a few events coming up:
· Encouraging Pollinators, Beneficial Insects and Other Good Guys, Live Oak, FL, May 17
Like what you see? There’s more! For a complete list of events, workshop details, and registration information, visit the SFAE Events Calendar. Check back frequently for updates on opportunities near you!
2014 Master Farmer Program
Various Dates
Florida A&M University will offer the 2014 Master Farmer Program on the following dates: May 9th, and June 7th. Educational sessions include: business basics, leadership development, farm management, risk management, livestock production, crop production, marketing, and computer technology. For more information and registration, please see the attached flyer.
Bringing Fair Trade Home on World Fair Trade Day: Film Screening of Hungry for Justice
May 10, 2014
Florida Organic Growers, the Agricultural Justice Project, and little Bean Productions are hosting a special screening of the documentary, Hungry for Justice – Spotlight on the South as part of the Feeding Justice screening campaign. The event will take place on Saturday, May 10 from 7 to 9 PM at The Wooly, 20 North Main Street in Gainesville. In addition to the screening, the event will host a panel of experts including Marty Mesh with Florida Organic Growers, Leah Cohen with the Agricultural Justice Project, Yolanda Gomez with the Farmworker Association of Florida, and Jordan Brown from The Family Garden. The film’s director, Shelley Rogers of Little Bean Productions, will facilitate the discussion.
Joint Conference: 16th Annual National Value-Added Agriculture Conference & The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development “What Works III” Conference
May 13-15, 2014
Consider attending the National Value Added Agriculture Conference and the Northeast Regional What Works Conference two for the price of one! The conference will be held in Baltimore, MD. The theme of this conference is “Enhancing food security and rural viability through innovative food system practices and opportunities”. Information is available on the event website. Registration, lodging information, agenda, and other details are available here.
Frontiers of Sustainable Agriculture: Sustainable Strategizing –A Glimpse Ahead
May 14-15, 2014
This two-day inservice training is supported by UF/IFAS Extension and the Florida Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) and is free and open to the public. The purpose of this training is to explore how emerging technologies can contribute to the sustainability of agricultural production systems in an era of constrained resources. Sessions will emphasize the future direction of UF/IFAS research programs and how they are addressing challenges facing Florida agriculture. Training participants will get a “sneak-peek” of what to expect down the road and will leave with an in-depth understanding of four innovative research programs. For a complete program and session descriptions, see the attached flyer (IST Announcement).
- UF/IFAS & FAMU Faculty: Travel support is available for those attending the entire training. Register for IST #30757 on PDEC or contact Kelly Monaghan, kmon913@ufl.edu.
- Non-UF/IFAS or FAMU Participants: Register online here.
UF/UGA Corn Silage and Forage Field Day
May 29, 2014
The corn silage and forage field day is an Extension and education program promoted by the University of Florida and the University of Georgia that offers the latest educational techniques and resources for forage producers to improve forage yield and quality, and methods of forage conservation. The program offers agronomic information on silage variety trials and extends knowledge on silage making, preservation, nutritive value, grazing management, and pest control of forages. It is a morning and early afternoon event and the 2014 field day will bring experts from Florida, Georgia, and Wisconsin. See the full agenda here. Register on Eventbrite.
WebCourse: Intro to Food Systems Finance
June 4-5, 2014
A new 2-day web-based course, Intro to Food Systems Finance held by the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), examines the development finance programs that sustain a local food system and how investments in that system can drive economic development on a broader scale. The training is specifically tailored for food hubs that work with development finance agencies, or are trying to start a partnership with one. This is fee-based and open to both members and non-members of CDFA. Register here.
FAMU Farm Fest 2014 Springtime Agri-Showcase
June 7, 2014
This annual event will be held at the FAMU Research and Extension Center in Quincy, Florida. Early registration available. Contact 850-599-3546 or email at extension@famu.edu.
Ag-DISCOVERY Summer Program for Teens
June 8-21, 2014
Save the date for the 2014 Ag-Discovery Summer Program for teens ages 14-17 hosted by FAMU College of Agriculture and Food Sciences Cooperative Extension Program. To apply visit: 1) http://www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery/, 2) www.famu.edu/herds. For more information, please contact:
Dr. Ray Mobley at 850-561-2546
Dr. Glen Wright at 850-875-8573
Or Carmen Lyttle N’Guessan at: 850-412-5363
Ag-TECH Summer Program for Teens
June 13-18, 2014
Save the date for the 2014 Ag-Tech Summer Program for teens ages 13-17 hosted by FAMU College of Agriculture and Food Sciences Cooperative Extension Program. Applications are currently being accepted. Please visit for forms: www.famu.edu/herds. Deadline to apply is May 2. For more information, please contact:
Carmen Lyttle N’Guessan at: 850-412-5363
Linda Sapp at: 850-412-5258
Or the Main Office: 850-599-3546
University of Vermont Food Systems Summit
June 17-18, 2014
Abstract Deadline: Feb. 15, 2014
The University of Vermont (UVM) Food Systems Summit is an annual event drawing scholars, practitioners, and food systems leaders to engage in dialogue around the pressing food systems issues facing our world.
· The Summit welcomes research papers related to local level responses to globalization in the food system. Research should show a connection between local level initiatives to the global context we face in a 21st century food system.
· Up to 9 competitively selected papers will be featured during panel presentations at the Summit.
· Authors whose papers are selected for presentation at the Summit will be eligible to submit their papers to a special issue of the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD)
The 2014 UVM Food Systems Summit will immediately precede the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (AFHVS) and the Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS) joint annual meeting June 18-22 at the UVM campus. The UVM Food Systems Summit is an independently organized event and may be attended either alone or in combination with the AFHVS/ASFS conference.Download the Call for Papers
Save the Date!! Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference
August 1-2, 2014
Save the date for this annual conference put on by UF/IFAS and FAMU/CAFS. The conference committee has worked hard to revise the conference this year based on your feedback so get ready for an exciting new format with many opportunity to learn and collaborate with fellow farmers around the state! The conference will include farm tours, exhibits, a hands-on “Learning Zone”, cutting-edge information, educational workshops, keynote address, Innovative Farmer Awards, and a celebration of local foods. To learn more, visit the UF/IFAS and FAMU/CAFS, Extension Services Small Farms Resource Website, connect with their Facebook page, visit the past conference website, or join the mailing list to receive Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference and educational related announcements.
Save the Date!! 6th Sustainable Agriculture Education Association Conference
August 3-6, 2014
Join us next summer for the 6th National Sustainable Agriculture Education Association (SAEA) conference, co-hosted by North Carolina State University (NCSU) and Central Carolina Community College (CCCC). The conference will be held in Raleigh and Pittsboro, NC on the campuses of NCSU and CCCC. Please consider joining other faculty, teachers, extension agents and students in the only national-level forum focused on the teaching and learning of sustainable agriculture! This year’s conference motto is “Celebrating our Diversity through Sustainable Agriculture Education”. Submit your abstract by April 1, 2014. Registration begins May 1. Conference schedule available June 15.
Funding Opportunities
USDA Microloans Available for Small Farmers
The Microloan Program, available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a relatively new option to help beginning farmers get started, or to assist existing small farms in expanding their operations. Farmers may borrow up to $35,000 with limited collateral requirements, and have up to seven years for repayment. Find our more information here.
USDA: Rural Business Investment Program
Due July 29, 2014
A USDA press release on April 21st announced the “creation of a new investment fund that will help propel the growth of small businesses across rural America”. The new Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) will now allow USDA to facilitate private equity investments in agriculture-elated businesses. “This new partnership will allow us to facilitate private investment in businesses working in bio-manufacturing, advanced energy production, local and regional food systems, improved farming technologies and other cutting-edge fields”. For more information about grant eligibility, check out the program’s website.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants
More information on any of the grant programs listed can be found at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm#.
| Grant Program | Due Date |
| Potato Breeding Research | 5-15-14 |
| AFRI: Childhood Obesity | 6-19-14 |
| AFRI: Critical Agricultural Research and Extension | 8-7-14 |
| AFRI: Water for Agriculture | 8-13-14 |
| AFRI: Exploratory | 9-30-14 |
Southern SARE Professional Development Program Grants
Due June 2, 2014
The Southern region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has released its Calls for Proposals for the 2014 Professional Development Program Grants (PDP). The PDP is a “train the trainer” program, providing funding to agricultural professionals to train Cooperative Extension agents, USDA field personnel, and other ag professionals and educators in areas of sustainable agriculture production practices. Training activities may include seminars, workshops, farm tours, on-farm demonstrations, or the marketing and distributing of training materials. Activities may take place in a single state, multiple states, or throughout the entire Southern region. The deadline for the Call for Pre-proposals is 11:59 PM EST on June 2, 2014.
The PDP Program is inviting pre-proposals focused on training trainers in each state/protectorate in the Southern SARE region to help limited resource farmers/ranchers understand how to apply for and participate in Federal and State sustainable agricultural programs available to them. More information can be found here.
Southern SARE Research & Education Grants
Due June 2, 2014
The Southern region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has released its Calls for Proposals for the 2014 Research & Education Grants program. The organization is accepting pre-proposals for projects that focus on sustainable agriculture based on systems approach to research that aims to understand how complex systems function as a whole, often beginning with a conceptual model. Download the Call for Proposal to follow the guidelines for writing and submitting the grant application. The deadline for submitting pre-proposals is 11:59 PM EST on June 2, 2014. If selected, applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal in August. Grants will be announced in February of 2015.
The objective of the SARE program is to enable farmers and ranchers to move profitably toward production systems compatible with the goal of sustainable agriculture, including promoting good land stewardship, protecting the health and safety of people and animals, enhancing quality of life, and strengthening rural communities. For more information on research and education projects, completed or ongoing, search the national SARE database.
Whole Foods Market Local Producer Loan Program
Whole Foods Market is providing up to $10 million in low-interest loans to independent local farmers and food artisans. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
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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