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A - Z index of Programs and Services Agricultural Industry Events / Workshops
Your link to Massachusetts grown |
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)Farm & Market ReportVol. 85, No. 6, December / January
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| For Western MA, December 17, 2008, 9AM – Noon, at US Fish & Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA (located behind the Staples at the intersection routes 116 & 9). A photo id is required to enter this federal facility. Contact Information Emily Boss Massachusetts Woodlands Institute 413-397-8800 emily@masswoodlands.coop |
For Southeastern MA, February 4, 2009, 10 AM – Noon at Cape Cod Cranberry Experiment Station Library, 1 State Bog Road, E. Wareham, MA. Contact Information: Anne Correia USDA - Rural Development 15 Cranberry Hwy West Wareham, MA 02576 508-295-5151 Ext 136 |
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For Central MA, Jan 27, 2009, 9 AM - Noon, Rutland Public Library, Rutland, MA Contact Information Jim Lavin USDA RD 508-829-4477 x126 james.lavin@ma.usda.gov |
For Northeast MA, tentative to be confirmed: Jan 28, 2009, 9 AM – Noon, West Newbury, MA Town Hall Contact Information Jim Lavin USDA RD 508-829-4477 x126 james.lavin@ma.usda.gov |
All farms are encouraged to attend, More information can be found at www.berkshirepioneerrcd.org/mfep/index/php.
The Department continues to set milestones in the implementation of the
various pieces of the Dairy Farm Preservation Act. Dairy farmers and other
interested parties have an opportunity to gain a critical update at one
of four information sessions planned throughout the state. The schedule
for these sessions is below. These sessions will include an update on each
of the major components of the Act. The main objective of these sessions
is to provide information on the Dairy Farmer Income Tax Credit Program.
The Dairy Farm Income Tax Program is on the fast track to implementation. The Department of Agricultural Resources, in consultation with the Department of Revenue, has nearly completed a set of draft regulations. These regulations set forth the procedures for the program. It is also developing procedures for this initial tax year of 2008. A full update on the progress to date will be presented.
In addition to the Tax Credit Program, the Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board met for the first time on November 17, 2008. Appointed members took their oaths of office and set right to work establishing a series of future meetings and filing the proper paperwork to become a "state qualified program" under the National Dairy Promotion and Research Order. The Board also requested information on other state programs to begin developing its own program.
The Department has also taken steps to inform local officials of the local mileage exemption and the exemption from local excise taxes on farm animals and equipment. Thus far, we have sent a memorandum to local municipalities on the change in the number of miles a tractor, trailer, or truck may travel without a registration. The Department of Revenue is working on a similar memorandum on the local exemption from excise taxes on farm animals and equipment.
The Act also requires the formation of a program to allow coupons in the sale of fluid milk. The deadline for implementation of this program is February 10, 2009. The work on these regulations continues with every expectation that they will be complete on time.
Schedule of information Sessions (All Sessions begin at 11:00 AM):
| Monday December 15, 2008 Foxborough Town Hall 40 South Street Foxborough, MA 02035 |
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Municipal Building 8 Conway Street South Deerfield, MA 01373 |
| Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Shrewsbury Town Hall 100 Maple Avenue Shrewsbury, MA 01545 |
Friday, December 19, 2008 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Church Street Center, Social Hall North Adams, Massachusetts 01247 |
Then come and gather with your peers for a few evenings in a friendly setting
with professional guidance to develop some measurable plans for your farm
enterprise! These courses are taught by folks who have seen what works
and what doesn’t on many farms. The peer group in each session is also
a valuable resource – farmers and/or hopeful farmers learn best from each
other when given the excuse. No pizza shop plug-in business plans here.
No online template you fill in mindlessly and regret later. This is YOUR
idea explored with others who speak the same language, and who will continue
to support your efforts beyond the end of the classes.
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
MDAR will offer three learning formats in 2009. Courses are sited around the state wherever enough participants let us know they want a course. We love to work with local/regional ag organizations - at no cost to them other than some help with recruiting and site logistics.
1) For Experienced Farmers – Sign up for the national farm entrepreneur course, NxLevel©’s “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity”, with our experienced Instructor and team of topic experts. This 10 session (one per week) course has been successfully completed by over 250 MA ag businesses in the last eight years. They found it very helpful when they were working through the sessions, and continue to tell us so years later. Limited to already-working farms with access to land, this course runs early January-early April, 2009 in Western/Central MA and possibly also in the SE region. Participant fee is state supported at $200 per business. More than one key decision maker may attend from the same enterprise if that helps the farm get on the same page. Signup is October-early December.
2) For New Farmers – Take “Exploring Your Small Farm Dream” (Explorer) for those contemplating or just beginning a new farm enterprise. MDAR partners with the New England Small Farm Institute (NESFI) to offer this very popular 4 session “litmus test” to see if you should start your farm now, wait a bit, keep your day job, or move on to a different idea. We expect to offer a session this year in late winter 2009 in Southeastern MA and another location to be announced. Fee is $125 per business. Sign-up is October through January.
3) For Those “In Between”, we offer a new guided workbook format called “The Small Farm Planner.
“ If you took Explorer and need some more input before you jump in – or
if you have recently moved from “hobby” to “intend to make a profit” over
the past year but you haven’t quite nailed down all the specifics that
give you full confidence – “Planner” is for you. We will meet for a kick-off
session and hand out the self-guided workbook. Additional meetings to share
progress and thoughts can be scheduled as needed, with a “wrap-up” session
about four months later. In the interim, the facilitator will be available
by email for ongoing support. This is a pilot year for us with Planner,
and we don’t know exactly how it will evolve. So we will offer it for the
cost of the materials plus a modest fee - $100 total. Since minimal travel
is needed for this guided-workbook format, we will offer the pilot only
in Western MA. This course will begin in Fall 2009, allowing time for those
interested to enroll in and complete Explorer, (see above) which is a pre-requisite.
If you are farther along and don’t need Explorer as a course, you can meet
the pre-requisite by obtaining the Explorer workbook from NESFI or DAR,
and complete it on your own before Planner begins.
If you are asking yourself “Why not sign up for something “free”, or that only takes an hour or two in a seminar?”, please consider that:
Our courses are not one-shot wonders or cursory overviews with fill-in-the-blanks “business plans”. They don’t provide one-size answers from a book. The software doesn’t think for you. Our Instructors and Facilitators put lots of extra time into each individual enterprise to help you clarify your goals and how you might reach them. You will get proportional return on your personal investment. We find that farm businesses that make a moderate investment of time and money in a significant course go on to demonstrate the commitment needed to get results.
Please call or email (preferred) to make your interest known and to get
questions answered. We will send you an application and additional information
as soon as you request it! Contact: Rick Chandler, MDAR, 25 West Experiment
Station, UMass, Amherst, MA 01003., Phone: 413-577-0459 Fax: 413-577-3820,
email: rchandler@umext.umass.edu.
Considering the value of the US dollar, the reputation of food quality
and safety, and the innovation of American food products; now is a good
time to explore and develop international business.
Please join us at this low cost, low risk opportunity to meet 24 buyers from countries including The Bahamas, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Turkey, Venezuela, and Vietnam, during the 2009 Northeast Buyers Mission to be held on February 13, 2009 in Boston, this year at the Hilton Hotel on 89 Broad Street. Prior to Boston, meetings will be held in New York City and Philadelphia.
Last year, Massachusetts companies developed new business during the Northeast Buyers Mission. They also received invaluable feedback on market prospects for their products in multiple countries.
You will meet with buyers in 20 – 30 minute meetings. Please review the attached buyer profile list, to identify those that have interest in your products.
If you register by December 22, 2008 the fee is $75. The Final Registration
Deadline is January 19th, 2009 and the fee is $125. If you register promptly,
you have a better chance of having meetings scheduled with the buyers that
you prefer. Click here for Registration link.
Several hundred thousand dollars in federal funding for produce will flow into Mass. schools over the next few years. Schools selected by the Mass. Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education have already begun to receive these supplementary funds to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, which must be served as uncooked snacks (unless cooking is required to make the food edible).
The Mass. Farm to School Project will host an informal meeting for farmers
and school food service directors on Wednesday, January 28. We will discuss
ways that farmers and school food service directors might work together
to best take advantage of this new funding. Topics to be discussed will
include possible season extension or product processing opportunities for
farmers, as well as ideas for meeting customer needs for consistent volume
and distribution.
Please contact Kaitlin Doherty at the Mass. Farm to School Project at 413-253-3844 or Kaitlin_Doherty@antiochne.edu if you would like to participate. Meeting location will be determined based on addresses of those who register by December 16.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is the enforcement
authority for the federal CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation)
regulations. While the federal CAFO regulations have been around for years,
it is only in the past year that the USEPA has started to directly inspect
farms in the state. While there are very few operations in MA that have
the number of animals needed to meet the regulatory definition of a large
or medium CAFO, the USEPA is nonetheless mandated to do a minimal number
of inspections in the New England states each year. It is therefore important
for farmers to understand the CAFO regulations, what to expect in the event
that the USEPA conducts an inspection, and the technical assistance and
funding options that are available to farmers.
The definition of a CAFO is based primarily on the size of the operation. However, there is a distinction between being defined as a CAFO and designated as such. To be defined as a large CAFO, an operation must have a specified amount of animals, and these animals must be confined without vegetation for 45 days or more in a year. For example, a dairy operation with 700 or more mature cows would meet the regulatory definition of a Large CAFO. However, a large operation would not require a permit unless it was having a direct impact on surface water. For smaller operations the USEPA looks at both animal numbers and impacts on water resources either through a pipe or through animals coming into direct contact with water that runs through the area where they are confined.
Any livestock operation, regardless of numbers, can be designated as a
CAFO by the USEPA if there is a significant impact on a water resource.
If the USEPA does an inspection on a farm, USEPA staff will call the farmer
in advance of the inspection. The farmer will be invited to accompany the
inspector during their inspection, and is encouraged to ask questions.
According to the USEPA, if the purpose of the inspection is to determine
if the farm meets the definition of a CAFO, basic information about the
operation will be required. This information includes:
To try to determine if the operation has a discharge, or has a potential to discharge in the future, then other questions may be asked. These questions will be formed around how manure, litter, and wastewater are handled and stored, if animals have direct access to surface waters, how dead animals are dealt with, how storm water is dealt with, record keeping, etc. These questions are asked because nutrients in manure, litter, wastewater, etc., can directly impact surface waters that are protected under the Clean Water Act.
The CAFO regulations apply to the production areas and the land application areas where manure, litter, process wastewater is applied. It is therefore also important for farmers who are applying manure to the land to ensure that they are following a nutrient management plan (NMP) from a certified planner such as a USDA planner. The NMP is intended to limit impacts on surface water and must describe how the operation will manage nutrients and waste in terms of storage, clean water management, excluding animals from water, runoff, testing, land application, and record keeping.
The easiest way to avoid CAFO regulations altogether is for farms to make
sure that the operation does not meet either of the discharge criteria
and to eliminate any possible impact on surface waters. DAR's Agricultural
Environmental Enhancement Program (AEEP) is a potential source of funding
for farmers to help address water quality issues on farms. Since 1999,
DAR has funded over 250 projects on farms statewide. Examples of funded
projects include the installation of animal manure waste systems, fencing
to keep livestock out of wetlands, barnyard management systems, and roof
run-off management systems. Farmers selected to participate are reimbursed
for the approved costs of materials up to $25,000. A minimum of a 5% match
is required of applicants. Most awards are in the $10,000 to $15,000 range,
though awards for manure management structures tend to be higher. For more
information go to http://www.mass.gov/agr/programs/aeep/ or contact Gerard
Kennedy at 617-626-1773.
USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is another funding opportunity. Frequently the state’s AEEP program can jointly fund projects with EQIP. For more information contact your local NRCS office or www.ma.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip.html
For more information about Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, you can go to our CAFO website at www.mass.gov/agr/cafo. Should you like to receive more information from the MDAR contact Laura
Maul at laura.maul@state.ma.us or Gerard Kennedy at gerard.kennedy@state.ma.us
More information can be found at:
Massachusetts town agricultural commission members, agricultural service providers, and anyone interested in protecting farming in communities across the Commonwealth are invited to the first statewide Massachusetts Agricultural Commissions Conference. This one and a half day conference, organized by the Pilgrim Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council, Inc., will be held Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24, 2009 at the Worcester Crowne Plaza.
Some 115 Massachusetts towns have organized agricultural commissions (AgComs) to raise visibility and provide a voice for agriculture at the local level. AgComs protect farmland and farm buisnesses, identify farmers needs and inventory farms and farmland, help manage conflict related to agricultural issues and more.
For more conference and registration information please visit www.massagcom.org/conference or contact Irene Winkler, Pilgrim RC&D Coordinator at 508-295-1317 x 130, irene.winkler@ma.usda.gov.
At the conference, AgCom members will learn about available resources, network with other town AgComs and attend workshops covering the following topics:
Friday's featured speakers include Douglas W. Petersen, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources; Kathryn Ruhf, Principal, Land for Good; and Daniel Ross, Executive Director, Nuestras Raices, Holyoke, MA. On Saturday, the program will include farmland protection and conflict management workshops as well as a facilitated session to discuss the benefits and opportunities of AgComs organizing statewide.
"The key to the success of AgComs are the numerous partner organizations dedicated to their efforts," said Cheryl Lekstrom, Director of Member Relations for the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation. "Current AgCom members and people considering forming an AgCom in their town should attend this conference to meet one-on-one with the resource providers for the greater benefit of the Commonwealth."
"The farming community needs a forum to meet and share ideas, projects, successes and advice on various issues ranging from conflict resolution to working with town boards," said Susan Guiducci of the Dartmouth Agricultural Commission. "Meeting with other AgComs and sharing ideas makes it easier for AgComs to perform and meet their goals, and recharges its members."
"AgComs give a voice to the agricultural community and work as a liaison between the agricultural community and state and federal agencies, often bringing issues to the forefront," said Laura Grabski of the Boxford Agricultural Commission.
This conference is made possible through generous sponsorships from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, American Farmland Trust and the Pilgrim Resource Conservation & Development Area Council, Inc.
CISA's (Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture) Women in Agriculture Network Wreath Making Workshop - Saturday, December 13th at 10:00am, join us at the Atherton Farm in Buckland for a hands-on balsam wreath making workshop. Lilian Jackman of Wilder Hill Gardens and Sue Atherton of The Atherton Farm will share techniques that can be applied to making wreaths out of balsam, dried herbs and flowers, and fresh flowers. This is a skill that can help farmers extend their season and expand their farm offerings, and participants are invited to stay for lunch and social time with other women in agriculture. Women who farm, are interested in agriculture, and others who support them are welcome to attend. The fee for the workshop is $10, which includes materials and lunch. Please remember to bring clippers and gloves. To RSVP for the event, contact Claire Morenon at (413) 665-7100 by Wednesday, December 10th.
Continuing The Legacy of Your Farm: Succession Planning for Retiring and Next-Generation Farmers - It's never too early -- or too late -- to plan for your farm transfer.
If you hope to pass your farm to the next generation or to someone outside
the family, this workshop is for you. In this introductory session, Dave
Gott and Kathy Ruhf will go over the basics of farm succession planning,
from goal setting to land use, retirement, estate and legal issues. Workshop
participants are eligible for follow-up small group or individual sessions
to get into more detail. Dave and Kathy have worked with farm families
around succession issues for many years and both live in western Massachusetts.
The workshop is sponsored by the Transferring the Farm Project and Land
For Good, with support from the USDA/Risk Management Education Program
to the University of Vermont. The workshop will be held Wednesday, January
21st at the CISA office (One Sugarloaf Street, South Deerfield, MA) from
6:00 to 8:30pm, cost is $15.00 for Local Hero Members (all participating
family members included) and $20 for non-Local Hero members/farms (all
participating family members included) and light refreshments are included.
To register for the event, or for more information, contact Devon Whitney-Deal
at CISA, devon@buylocalfood.com or 413-665-7100.
Marketing 101 - six-workshop series focused on developing marketing strategy. The workshops
will review different elements of a well-rounded marketing strategy that
will allow farmers to understand and maximize their use of each strategy
according to the needs of their business. Participants can sign up for
the whole series or just the workshops that meet their needs. Participants
that attend the whole series will be eligible for additional one-on-one
service to begin to implement marketing strategies. All sessions will be
held at the CISA office (One Sugarloaf Street, South Deerfield, MA) and
costs is $10.00 for Local Hero Members and $15.00 for non-Local Hero Members;
or attend all six for $40 Local Hero Members/$50 for non-Local Hero Members.
Dinner is included. To register for the event, or for more details, contact
Devon Whitney-Deal at CISA, devon@buylocalfood.com or 413-665-7100.
Creative CSA Practices - Come learn about creative, exciting directions that CSA farms in the Valley and beyond are exploring, including off-farm CSA deliveries, partnerships with local schools, winter CSA best practices, and more. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet and network with other CSA farmers! Organized in partnership with Hampshire College CSA, date TBD(Jan.). For more info., contact Claire at CISA, (413) 665-7100 or claire@buylocalfood.com. New Workplace CSA manual released. CISA is happy to announce the release of a new resource, "Community Supported Agriculture for the Workplace: A Guide for Developing Workplace Community Supported Agriculture Distributions." Since the launch of CISA's Workplace CSA program in 2005, we have worked with seven workplaces and nine farms to start up off-farm CSA distributions. This manual is designed to impart some of the key lessons we've learned over the years and to help other non-profits, farmers, and workplaces replicate the project. The guide can be downloaded for free here. To request a hard copy of the manual, or if you have any questions, contact Claire Morenon at (413) 665-7100, ext 16.
The 8th Annual Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Course in Organic Land Care will be held on January 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 2009 (snow dates Jan. 22 and 23) at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster, MA, a sustainably-constructed “green” building featuring bamboo and cork floors, composting toilets and an on-site recycling center.
Sponsored and organized by the NOFA Organic Land Care Program, this is a five-day, (accreditation optional) intensive course designed to provide professionals with the education needed for an understanding of organic land care from design to maintenance. The curriculum is based on Standards for Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and Maintenance of Ecological Landscapes, written by NOFA’s Organic Land Care Committee. These Standards, first published in 2001, are the first of their kind in the country.
Course faculty include respected scientists and experienced organic land care practitioners, who instruct the following classes: Principles and Procedures; Site Analysis, Design, and Maintenance; Rain Gardens/Storm Water Infiltration; Soil Health; the Soil Foodweb; Fertilizer and Soil Amendments; Composting; Lawns; Lawn Alternatives; Planting and Plant Care; Wetlands; Pest Management; Wildlife Management; Disease Control; Weeds; Mulches; Invasive Plants; Client Relations and Running a Business. Four hands-on case studies are also included in the course.
At the end of the course, attendees will be able to incorporate methods and materials that respect natural ecology and the long-term health of the environment into the care of their own landscapes or ones that they manage. Those who pass the optional exam offered at the conclusion of the course can become NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals, able to use the NOFA Organic Land Care Logo, be listed on the www.organiclandcare.net website, be published annually in the NOFA Guide to Organic Land Care and have the opportunity to represent NOFA at organic land care events.
Over 700 land care professionals from 17 states have taken NOFA’s course. These professionals include landscapers from large and small firms, landscape architects, garden center employees, municipal groundskeepers and property managers. Small business owners, entrepreneurs, homeowners, land trust and conservation organization staff and many others have also found the course extremely valuable.
For more information or to receive registration brochures, contact Kathy Litchfield, NOFA/Mass Organic Land Care Course Coordinator, at (413) 773-3830, kathylitch29@yahoo.com or visit www.organiclandcare.net and register online.
For many Massachusetts refugee populations, the act of growing food is
rooted deeply in their culture, heritage, and identity. Now, a Coalition
of grassroots based organizations will help them begin to garden and address
other social, economic, and health issues as they integrate into their
new neighborhoods.
The Mutual Assistance Association (MAA) Coalition of Massachusetts is building on a nine-month planning process to initiate the Gardening through Refugee Organization (GRO) Project in the Boston-area. The growing movement in locally and sustainably produced foods, especially in Massachusetts and the Boston area, can provide refugees who come from agrarian backgrounds with alternative pathways to success by connecting them with urban agriculture and food-systems organizations.
GRO received a three-year grant from an anonymous donor to target Haitian, Vietnamese, Congolese, Somali, Sudanese, Liberian and Sierra Leonean populations, and other refugees who are new to this country. The Project will provide training and support so families can produce vegetables at community gardens or home dwellings in Boston. Activities linking agriculture and family cohesion, youth leadership, and economic and skills development will enable refugee populations to socially integrate into their neighborhoods and maintain their cultural identity. Partners such as The Food Project and Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN) will assist in training and developing new gardens.
Founded in 2000 with support from the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (ORI), the MAA Coalition is a partnership of grassroots ethnic organizations working to promote adjustment, acculturation, and integration, and to strengthen the collective voice of immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts. The MAA Coalition serves as access point to over 246,000 refugees and immigrants from 20 different nationalities statewide.
Efforts are underway to begin the project so refugees can harvest by next growing season. For more information about GRO, contact Larry Dixon, Project Consultant, at ldixon02@gmail.com.
Access to farmland is one of the biggest challenges for new farmers. For
many, leasing may be an effective strategy. Leases can offer you affordable,
flexible and secure access to farms, land, and buildings. Find out about
leases and leasing -- what’s in a lease, types of leases and how to negotiate
a good lease. Here’s how to learn more. Land For Good is offering workshops
and an online tutorial on leasing for farmers.
->WORKSHOPS: Sessions will be held at conferences in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Register for one of the conferences listed below and take the leasing workshop.
-- OR --->ONLINE TUTORIAL: Four short, easy and informative modules
will give you basic information, lease examples and lots of linked resources.
Visit www.landforgood.org to take this free tutorial.
ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: For workshop participants and those completing the tutorial. Get details at workshops, at our website or email info@landforgood.org. For more information and resources, visit www.landforgood.org/leasing
Land For Good is a nonprofit organization specializing in working land.
We work with farmers, landowners and communities on farmland access, tenure
and succession. Funding for this project was provided by the Northeast
Center for Risk Management Education, the USDA Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service.
The 2009 UMass Extension Green Directory is a comprehensive guide to educational
resources for Massachusetts Agriculture industry professionals. This 40
page guide is used as a reference all year long!
The directory includes:
Available online at www.umass.edu/agland. Click on 'Green Directory'. For a hard copy, call (413) 545-0895, fax request to (413) 577-1620, or email eweeks@umext.umass.edu.
Mary Jordan, Director of Ag Development and her family have just received
the National Grange Family of the Year Award. The National Grange is the
nation’s oldest agricultural and rural community organization, and has
evolved to incorporate the interests of non-farm rural families and communities,
as well as the traditional interests of family farmers and ranchers. It
has nearly 3,000 state, local, and grassroots chapters across 40 states.
http://www.nationalgrange.org/PressRoom/pr/2008/pressrelease_17.htm
Click here for larger scale and names in photo.
Bob Ritchie, DAR General Counsel is receiving the Charles E. Downe Award, an annual recognition given to someone for contributions to the planning profession. The American Planning Association is the major organization of planners in the United States, and the North East region is the regional subset of that. The history of the award dates back to the 1950’s and 1060’s when Charles E. Downe was the premier planner in Massachusetts and authored most of the master plans adopted by cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth. The award is not given out every year and in fact since its inception, Bob Ritchie will be only the 8th recipient. Mr. Ritchie’s work in this area is extensive. He has participated in innumerable educational seminars for municipal and regional planners over the years and continues to do so. This award is in recognition for his efforts to keep members up-to-date on local government zoning and land use law.
Give a gift that will help ensure a vibrant agricultural future in the Commonwealth for generations to come. The Department of Agricultural Resources is now taking reservations for the Massachusetts agriculture specialty license plate (“Ag Tag”). Just print out this “Ag Tag” reservation form and fill out the required information; make out a check in the amount of $40 made payable to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Mail both the reservation form and check to: The Department of Agricultural
Resources, c/o Anna Waclawiczek, 251 Causeway St., Suite 500, Boston, MA
02144.
Proceeds from this tax-deductible gift will go to the Agricultural Trust Fund to provide innovative grants for energy and environmentally effective farming programs; preserve 520,000 acres of open space; shrink our carbon footprint by reducing the distance our food travels; and ensure fresher and better tasting food! Note: we are about 1/3 of the way to meeting our reservation goal of 1500! We will hold your check until we have reached our number. If you have further questions, please contact Anna Waclawiczek at 617.626.1703 or Anna.Waclawiczek@state.ma.us.
The 2009 "Celebrating the Seasons of Massachusetts Agriculture" Calendar.
Calendars can be purchased for $10 each ($5 wholesale cost ), proceeds
benefiting Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom, a nonprofit organization
that works with teachers to develop classroom materials. Send check payable
to Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom to PO Box 345, Seekonk, MA
02771. Retail Farms are encouraged to sell them on consignment. Contact Debi at
debi.hogan@earthlink.net.
Thanks to association sponsors; MA Maple Producers Assoc. (March), MA Flower
Growers Assoc.(April), MA State Grange(May), MA Farm Bureau(June), MA Af
Fairs Assoc.(July), MA Fruit Growers Assoc.(Sept.), and MA Christmas Tree
Assoc. (December). Special thanks to Diane Baedeker Petit and Catherine
Ulitsky with NRCS who assisted with the design of the Calendar.
Julie Viveiros, County Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency
for Middlesex and Essex Counties says that owners and operators of farms
with 10 or fewer base acres now have the opportunity to receive payments
for the 2008 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment Program (DCP).
10-Base Acre Limit Changes: As originally enacted under the 2008 Farm Bill, direct and counter cyclical
payments (DCP) could not be made with respect to farms with crop acreage
bases of 10 acres or less. The new law makes that provision inapplicable
for the 2008 crop year. Related to this, producers on a farm with 10 acres
or less of base may now, under the new law, enroll their farms until Nov.
26, 2008, in the 2008 DCP program. This extension of the original Sept.
30 deadline only applies to producers who were previously excluded because
of the minimum acreage requirement. USDA began issuing payments to producers
on farms with 10 base acres or less who had already enrolled in the DCP
program soon after the President signed the new law.
USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) will now resume allowing reconstitutions for farms with 10 acres of base or less according to normal reconstitution rules and policy. Eligible producers may sign up for DCP at any FSA office or enroll on the FSA website at: www.fsa.usda.gov/dcp click on Access eDCP Services.
Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) Changes: Under SURE in the 2008 Farm Bill, producers seeking disaster benefits
must generally have obtained crop insurance or coverage under the Non-insured
Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for all crops on all farms. Under
the new law (P.L. 110-398), producers with crops that had 2009 crop insurance
sales closing dates before Aug. 14, 2008, may pay a fee through Jan. 12,
2009, to participate in SURE. Producers may make their SURE participation
fee payments to their local FSA office at this time.
The SURE program fee is equal to the fee for catastrophic coverage. Payment of the SURE program fee will not make the producer eligible for insurance coverage. Producers also have a new minimum loss threshold under SURE. Under the new law, to qualify for payments, there must be a production loss of at least 10 percent for at least one crop of economic significance on the farm. Under the SURE program, the new law provides that when a second crop is planted after the first crop was prevented from being planted, or if such first crop failed, the second planting will not count toward the SURE program guarantee or total farm revenue. This is true except in areas where double-cropping is a normal practice. Producers also are not required to purchase crop insurance or a NAP policy for the second crop. By provision of the new statute, the purchase of insurance or a NAP policy for grazed acreage is no longer a requirement for the SURE program. However, such insurance is required as a condition for payment for the livestock feed program, tree assistance program and the emergency livestock, honeybees and farm-related fish programs. In addition, the new law amends SURE eligibility so that crop insurance or NAP coverage is no longer required for crops that are not of economic significance or those where the administrative fee required to buy NAP coverage exceeds 10 percent of the value of the coverage. Producers can contact their local FSA office or go to www.fsa.usda.gov for more information regarding SURE program implementation.
Assisted by the state-supported Massachusetts Farm Energy Program, USDA-funded
projects include six farm wind turbines and four solar power systems. With
grant writing assistance provided by the DAR-supported Farm Energy Program,
projects receiving USDA grants range from thermal blankets for greenhouses
to solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines to generate power for orchards,
dairy and vegetable farms, livestock operations, sawmills and aquaculture.
“The Department of Agricultural Resources was pleased to assist the Massachusetts Farm Energy Program’s efforts to secure these USDA energy grants for farms across the state,” DAR Commissioner Doug Petersen said. “Energy costs typically comprise 10 to 20 percent of the operating budgets of Massachusetts farms, with energy needs ranging from transportation fuels and heating to electricity for lighting, pumps and refrigeration. The Patrick Administration is committed to helping farmers reduce their reliance on costly and polluting fossil fuels and instead reap the benefits of clean energy technologies.”
A joint project of the DAR, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the non-profit Berkshire-Pioneer and Patriot Resource Conservation & Development Areas, the Massachusetts Farm Energy Program provided grant writing assistance for several of the successful awardees. It is among several initiatives embraced by DAR’s new energy program, created by the Patrick Administration last year to promote knowledge of energy issues and facilitate implementation of energy efficiency and conservation and renewable energy projects to reduce farms’ energy costs and environmental impacts.
The following Massachusetts farms and growers received 2008 USDA Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Grants for these projects:
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has launched an online resource to
aid farmers and ranchers in focusing on how to protect against down-side
risks, as well as how best to take advantage of up-side opportunities in
the market. The new resource, a sub-site of the RMA’s Web site called Farm-Risk-Plans.USDA.gov,
allows producers to complete a risk management checklist, identify their
enterprise’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and explore
a wealth of risk management information.
The new resource features four modules: Risk Management Planning, Better Marketing Planning, New Enterprise Planning, and Farm Planning Library. Each contains the best available information, consolidating resources from leading Land Grant Universities and government agencies.
Producers are able to complete two exercises online which give them a novel
look at their risk management situation. First is the Risk Management Checklist,
a three-page list of questions to stimulate conversation among the family
or leadership team of any farm or ranch operation. The second is a Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis, a commonly used
planning exercise in the business world, recognizing that small- to medium-sized
farms are serious businesses which must use the same tools as any other
modern business.
The team that developed this project together over the past year includes
farmers, Extension educators, and risk management education consultants,
as well as the head of the National Agricultural Law Center at the University
of Arkansas and RMA professionals. The Web site may be accessed at the
address http://Farm-Risk-Plans.USDA.gov or from the main RMA site: www.rma.usda.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a $209,000 Partnership Award to educate Massachusetts agricultural producers about Federal Crop Insurance Programs. The USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) administers the Federal Crop Insurance Program and will oversee the partnership award. The award provides funds to conduct crop insurance education events in locations throughout Massachusetts for producers of numerous insurable crops ranging from apples to nursery crops to tobacco. Crop insurance programs will also be promoted through mailings, articles, and through an advertising campaign.
The partnership will include 22 educational events to be coordinated with regional partners including the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association, the Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association, and the Massachusetts Future Farmers of America Association. A partnership website, www.MassAgRisk.com, will be provided to deliver educational information, tools, and a current schedule of educational events.
Federal risk management programs are available in Massachusetts to cover apples, clams, cranberries, field corn, nursery crops, peaches, potatoes, sweet corn, and tobacco. Two whole-farm revenue policies, Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) and Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite), are also available. Federal subsidies for crop insurance programs generally cover over 50 percent of a policy's premium. Key sales closing dates in Massachusetts occur in November and March for 2009 crop year participation in most programs.
The award is funded under RMA's Targeted States Program, which was established to deliver crop insurance education to producers in 15 historically underserved states, including Massachusetts. RMA's Raleigh, North Carolina, Regional Office will provide substantial oversight and expertise to the partnership. The educational sessions will be coordinated and delivered by Custom Ag Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in the development and delivery of risk management programs, tools, and educational programs.
Classified ads are accepted free-of charge on a first-come basis. Be sure to include a phone number. No display ads will be accepted. Only one ad per business/individual per issue, unless space permits. Ads may run in consecutive issues, space permitting. Ads must be of interest to Massachusetts farmers. The Massachusetts Dept. of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) reserves the right to refuse any listing it deems inappropriate for publication. E-mail, fax or mail ads to: Farm & Market Report, MDAR, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114, fax: 617-626-1850, Richard.LeBlanc@state.ma.us.
*** If you have events you would like listed to our Ag industry calendar
webpage, www.mass.gov/agr/events/coming_up, or
Consumer events at: www.mass.gov/agr/events, email Rick LeBlanc at richard.leblanc@state.ma.us.
Published bi-monthly by:
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, Governor
Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles, Secretary
Department of Agricultural Resources, Doug Petersen, Commissioner
251 Causeway St., Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114
617-626-1700, fax 617-626-1850
www.Mass.gov/AGR
Michael Cahill, Director of Animal Health, Michael.Cahill@state.ma.us
Next issue to be published for February / March.
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