Madison County Agriculture Weekly E-Newsletter

o Wind or Solar – Which Renewable Energy System is Right for Me

* Renewable Energy Beyond the Classroom
* In The News

o Budget cuts will affect agriculture

o Buckle Your Seatbelt: The Roundup Ready Patent Expires in 4 more years

o Carlucci: Give Restaurants Tax Credit For Buying Food From Local Farms

o Land Price Bump Strains Family Buyouts



o Support Madison County Agriculture, become a “member” of a farm today!



UPCOMING EVENTS



Wind or Solar – Which Renewable Energy System is Right for Me?

This workshop will assist homeowners, farmers, and small business owners determine what renewable energy system (wind, solar photovoltaic, or solar hot water) is most practical and economically feasible for their location. RETC staff will guide participants through a preliminary site assessment for their property, including energy efficiency upgrades. This will be an intensive workshop that will include a quantitative analysis, the use of Microsoft Excel and free online resources.







Instructors: Ben Ballard and Phil Hofmeyer



Price: $300 reduced to $15 with scholarship provided through DOL CBJTG funding (eligibility verification required)

Location: RETC, 104 B Shannon Hall, Morrisville State College

Date: Saturday, June 25th, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Visit http://retc.morrisville.edu/ for more information and scholarship details.

The RETC is funded by a grant awarded under the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants, as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Federal scholarships funds are available to any U.S. citizen or individuals otherwise authorized to work in the United States, with a Social Security number. Morrisville is an equal opportunity institution.



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Renewable Energy Beyond the Classroom

For Science and Technology Teachers

The RETC invites science and technology teachers to join us for a two day hands on workshop exploring renewable energy and assembling real systems. Each session includes an introduction of concepts and use of the full-size systems and components in our labs and throughout campus. You will also be provided with curriculum and supplies to bring these modules back to your students.

· Electricity Basics

· Biodiesel

· Microhydro Installation

· Residential-scale Wind Energy

· Anaerobic Digestion

· Wood Gasification

Instructors: Ben Ballard and Phil Hofmeyer

Price: $450 reduced to $25 with scholarship provided through DOL CBJTG funding (eligibility verification required)

Location: RETC, 104B Shannon Hall, Morrisville State College

Date: Monday and Tuesday, June 27-28th, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Visit http://retc.morrisville.edu/ for more information and scholarship details.

IN THE NEWS

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Budget cuts will affect agriculture

Daniel Looker / Agriculture.com

04/12/2011

Secretary Tom Vilsack said that the compromise agreement to trim 2011 federal spending will speed up some cuts that the administration had already proposed for 2012 and will give his agency about six months to determine exactly how to put them into effect before the federal fiscal year ends in September.

Vilsack told North American Agricultural Journalists Tuesday morning that more than $3 billion of the cuts to this year budget will come from USDA. They include about $800 billion in conservation programs, he said, as well as cuts to the Forest Service for fire suppression.

Vilsack expressed frustration that some of the same members of the House who want to cut USDA spending had also asked for more money to deal with the pine beetle infestations in western forests, which are creating an even greater danger of fires.

Vilsack doesn’t disagree with the need to reduce federal spending, but said Congress isn’t asking the question of how important services need to be met by the private sector.

“Who’s going to do that work? Because it still needs to be done,” he said.

To continue reading visit: http://www.agriculture.com/news/policy/budget-cuts-will-affect-agriculture_4-ar15997



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Buckle Your Seatbelt: The Roundup Ready Patent Expires in 4 more years

Farmgateblog.com

April 13, 2011

Mark your calendar for the fall of 2014, and prepare to sit back and watch what happens to the market for seed that carries the Roundup Ready gene. Monsanto’s patent on Roundup Ready genetics expires at that time, and the spring of 2015 could be an interesting time to see what happens to one of the most important developments in 20th Century agriculture.

Current federal law provides patent protection to Monsanto for Roundup Ready genetics for 20 years, but when that expires it could be “Katie bar the door” on what happens with the technology. RR beans and corn will be passé. Someone may try to create RR livestock and farmyard pets. Undoubtedly there will be a lot of seed companies offering their own brands because they did not want to sign Monsanto’s licensing agreements. Iowa State University law and tax specialist Roger McEowen says that will mean farmers will not have to pay the technology fee that has been charged for many years for products that are Roundup resistant.

But what about the RR2Y genetics? Those were released to the market and appear in 70 different varieties according to McEowen, who says there is not much difference in yield between the two, and if farmers have access to both, they would opt for the older technology because of the lower costs. But for some, or maybe many farmers, the big issue will be the ability to save soybeans for seed, and be able to plant their own Roundup Ready beans. Brown bag seed has been a rarity for quite few years because of Monsanto’s agreements for using their genetics. There could be a sea change, then again, maybe not. Time will tell.

What McEowen is concerned about is the big picture regarding sales of such soybeans overseas in markets that have controlled the importation of genetically modified seed. Those importation rules currently are strict, and because of the limited acceptance of RR seed, the genetic tests have to show purity. Will shipments of soybeans, some planted with brownbag seed, meet the genetic purity standards? If not, what happens to the cargo? Does it come back to the US for the crushing market? What will happen at the outbound port if testing shows increasing levels of something other than what European or Chinese inspectors will accept? So many questions, and 2015 provides so little time to get them answered. Fortunately, Monsanto has indicated it will continue its RR genetic registrations through 2021 to allow soybeans with pure RR genetics to enter foreign ports.

To continue reading this blog visit: http://www.farmgateblog.com/article/buckle-your-seatbelt-the-roundup-ready-patent-expires-in-4-more-years



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Carlucci: Give Restaurants Tax Credit For Buying Food From Local Farms

Lawmakers says proposal would help support small, family-owned farms throughout New York.

By William Demarest | April 16, 2011

A new tax credit for restaurants could help New York’s small, family-owned farms survive, according to state Sen. David Carlucci, D-New City.

Gathering with other lawmakers and advocates of local farms at Dr. Davies Farm on Route 304 in Congers on Friday morning, Carlucci proposed that restaurants in New York be given a $100 tax break for every $1,000 of produce they buy from small farms within 100 miles in New York State.

“Preserving New York’s farmland and promoting our fine agricultural products is a top priority,” Carlucci said. “While New York farmers have risen to meet the many challenges they face in a globalized agricultural economy, they can still use the help that New York State can provide. The package of bills I have introduced will preserve farmland, promote the importance of locally grown produce and grow local farms throughout the State.”

Carlucci on Friday got the support of Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, for his proposal, along with support from well-known chef and restaurant owner Peter Kelly, members of the Rockland Farm Alliance and Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell.

To continue reading visit: http://nanuet.patch.com/articles/carlucci-give-restaurants-tax-credit-for-buying-food-from-local-farms



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Land Price Bump Strains Family Buyouts

By Marcia Zarely Taylor

April 21, 2011

ELMER, N.J. (DTN) — Runaway farmland values are making it harder for young farmers to buy into the business. Just ask Mike Brooks, 29, an eighth-generation farmer who has purchased 300 acres from his parents in a state with the priciest land in the country.

Around Brooks’ home in Salem County, N.J. — about 45 minutes south of Philadelphia — bulldozers are running, and raw land still sprouts housing developments with $300,000 houses. Unable to compete with urbanites, Brooks needed his parents, Bill and Diane, to sell development rights to a state agency before transferring real estate titles to him. Typically, that knocks pure farmland values down to about $4,000 to $6,000 per acre.

Even with the discount, Brooks had to rely on an understanding lender and high-value crops such as processing tomatoes, potatoes and double-crop spinach to help service his Mount Everest-sized debts. On the 300 acres remaining in Bill and Diane’s estate, “I’ve told my parents, if I can rent land from my sisters, it’s cheaper than me owning it,” Brooks said.

LAND MAY NOT CASH-FLOW

Hyper-inflation hasn’t just priced farmland out of reach in the East. Farmland now commands $11,500 per acre in some parts of central Illinois with no peak in sight. Since last fall, Farm Credit Services of Illinois offices have plugged increases of 4% per month into their appraisals.

Corn and soybean operators can generate about $400 an acre to service principal and interest payments on land, said Gary Streit, an estate tax attorney with Shuttleworth & Ingersoll in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

“The problem is $400 doesn’t go very far when cropland is selling for $8,000 to $10,000 an acre, as it is in east-central Iowa today. There’s a lot of tension in family discussions when trying to match the younger generation’s desires to purchase their parents’ land, and parents are trying to be fair to their other children,” Streit said.

Even with a 20-year installment sale at 3% interest, operators would need $538 per acre to buy out partners at the moment. Payments on a 10-year note would run $670. “It’s hard to structure a reasonable cash flow that an operator can handle when farm income is so unpredictable,” Streit said. As Congress threatens to revamp farm programs, and with commodity prices prone to booms and busts, this only complicates matters as parents attempt to design fair transitions.

Kevin Mills, a CPA with Kennedy and Coe in Garden City, Kan., agreed.





“If you don’t plan well, and heirs have to buy ground at today’s escalated prices, the cash-flow just doesn’t work. There’s a good chance the land will end up getting sold or the farm just ends up as a smaller operation,” Mills said.

“In an ideal world, operators would own all the farm assets, and off-farm heirs would receive an equivalent in non-farm property, such as stocks or the family home.

“But many times, land values have appreciated so fast that ag assets are worth far more than personal property. With some of the bigger farms we work with, the personal assets might be worth $1 million and farm assets $10 million. It’s just not possible to buy enough life insurance on a 60- or 70-year-old to equalize the estate.”

To continue reading this article visit: http://www.dtnprogressivefarmer.com/dtnag/common/link.do;jsessionid=10DED68704251C7DA4916398DDAA0DA8.agfreejvm2?symbolicName=/free/news/template1&product=/ag/news/topstories&vendorReference=4377d365-60ef-42c6-b468-f07bce00071b&paneContentId=3030&paneParentId=0



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Support Madison County Agriculture, become a “member” of a farm today!

Spring has officially arrived and many Madison County farmers are already hard at work. Over the past decade, Madison County has witnessed a growth in farms that market their products throughout the community through farm membership, also known as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). By participating in a CSA, the consumer pays a membership fee at the beginning of the season in exchange for a weekly share of the farm’s harvest. Madison County now has 8 CSAs from which to choose!

Each CSA works a little differently – some include fruit, meat, bread and other locally-grown and processed products – others include pick your own crops, and feature on-farm events for the whole family. At Common Thread Community Farm you get a variety of heirloom vegetables from their Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) pledge farm for pick up at their barn or at drop off locations throughout Central New York. Stone Brothers Farm & Greenhouse is launching their CSA this year and will provide members with hydroponically grown fresh vegetables during the colder season – including the earliest strawberries of the season. Sommer’s Harvest provides its members with stunning floral bouquets and Alambria Springs Farm has its own wood fired bread oven.

Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program recently interviewed one of Madison County’s newest CSA farm: Greyrock Farm. When asked what separates this CSA from others in the county, owner Matt Voltz replied, “Most CSAs in this area offer vegetables and sometimes eggs for the growing season, which typically means June to October or November. The Greyrock Farm CSA is year-round and includes grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured pork and chicken, eggs from pastured laying hens, and raw milk as well as seasonal vegetables and storage crops. Also, instead of giving members a box of food each week, members of the Greyrock Farm CSA get to pick and choose what they want to take and how much. In other words, CSA members get to customize their shares to fit their tastes.”

Being part of a CSA is a fun-filled experience for the whole family. Children can learn about how healthy fruits and vegetables are grown and work with their parents to cook and taste new recipes. To learn more about a CSA near you, please contact the farms below:

Farm Name

Address

Phone Number

Website

Alambria Springs Farm

834 Musician Road, Earlville

315-837-4769

www.alambriafarm.com

Common Thread Community Farm

3424 Lake Moraine Road,

Madison

315-893-7767

www.commonthreadcsa.com

Greyrock Farm

6100 East Lake Road, Cazenovia

484-888-6254

www.greyrockfarmcsa.com

Lucky Moon Farm

4976 Lincklaen Road, Cazenovia

315-655-2283

http://www.luckymoonfarm.blogspot.com/

Smitty’s Market Farm

4761 Old State Road, Morrisville

315-684-7779

Sommer’s Harvest

7 University Ave., Hamilton

315-527-3429

www.somersharvestfarm.com

Stone Brothers Farm & Greenhouse

3652 Milestrip Road, Canastota

315-655-3213

If you are interested in other ways to support local farms, Madison County has several farmers’ markets. The Village of Hamilton Farmers’ Market opens for the season on Saturday, May 7th. The hours of operation are from 8am-1pm. Cazenovia Farmers’ Market commences the same day and is open from 9am-5pm. The Town of Lenox Famers’ Market begins later in the season on July 9th and is open from 9am-2pm. More information on where to find locally-grown products can be found at www.madisoncountyagriculture.com.











OPPORTUNITIES & CLASSIFIEDS



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Rural Energy for America Program (REAP): Grant and Loan Information for New York Applicants



USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) administers grants, guaranteed loans, and combination grant/guaranteed loans to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Originally established in Section 9006 of the 2002 Farm Bill, the program was re-authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill under Section 9007. For information on the Farm Bill, go to http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/farmbill2008?navid=FARMBILL2008.

** FY 2011 Updates **

- Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grant and guaranteed loan applications are due by June 15, 2011

- Renewable energy feasibility study and energy audit & renewable energy development assistance grant applications are due by June 30, 2011

Who is eligible to apply for REAP funding?

The program supports agricultural producers and rural small businesses. An agricultural producer is an individual or entity directly engaged in the production of agricultural products that obtains at least 50 percent or greater of their gross income from their agriculture business. A small business is entity considered a small business in accordance with the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) small business size standards (using NAICS codes). SBA standards can be found at http://www.sba.gov/size/index.html. If a farm operation does not meet the program definition of an agricultural producer, it may apply as a rural small business, provided that it meets the applicable SBA standard.

· A private entity including a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation and a cooperative (including a cooperative qualified under section 501 (c) (12) of the Internal Revenue Code.)

An electrical utility, including a Tribal or governmental electric utility that provides service to rural consumers on a cost-of-service basis without support from public funds or subsidy form the Government authority establishing the district, provided such utilities meet SBA’s definition of small business. These entities must operate independent of direct government control. With the exception of the entities described above, non-profit organizations and public entities are excluded.

Determining rural areas

To determine if a small business is located in a rural area, go to the Rural Business Service property eligibility web site at http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do?pageAction=RBSmenu&NavKey=property@13



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Beginning Farmer Institute

A Partnership between New England Farmers Union and National Farmers Union

New England Farmers Union is providing a unique opportunity for individuals who are contemplating starting a farm operation to receive valuable training through the Beginning Farmer Institute. The program is also open to those in our region who have been farming for less than ten years.

Beginning farmers face a seemingly unlimited number of decisions to make, from drawing up a business plan and arranging financing to learning what programs are available to make it easier to start up and sustain a successful operation. This program is designed to answer the questions new farmers have, and more importantly, to share expertise and address questions that people do not always think of asking when they begin farming.

Applicants accepted into the 2011 program will attend two separate education sessions, one to be held this summer, the other in September in Washington, D.C. The program will include topics such as business planning, understanding USDA programs, tax and record keeping, and marketing, and will blend classroom time with hands-on experience and tours to farms employing successful, innovative approaches.

Cost: There is no cost to apply. A $25 registration fee will be required of those who are accepted. The actual costs of the Institute will be covered by National Farmers Union (NFU) in partnership with New England Farmers Union (NEFU), with support from Farm Credit and SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education). Covered costs include materials, transportation, lodging and meals. Our intent is to provide each participant with educational experiences and materials that will prove to be invaluable.

Schedule: Will meet two times this year: Summer of 2011 (probably in the Midwest) and September of 2011 (Washington, DC). Each session will be 3 to 4 days.

Who can apply: Open to beginning farmers residing in any of the six New England states. The program is designed to provide opportunities for up to 10 participants who will come from New England and other parts of the US. The final number will be determined through the application process.

Who is a beginning farmer? Unlike other programs, we do not have set criteria for a beginning farmer but rather have an application process where the applicant can answer questions and tell us why he or she feels they are a beginning farmer. It could be a business person in Indiana who has the chance to change careers and establish a family farmers market. It could be a young man from Massachusetts whose grandparents are transitioning a farm to him. It could be a woman farmer from Vermont who has just completed an apprenticeship program on a CSA and is starting one of her own.

Is Farmers Union membership required? It is desired, but not required. Our goal is to provide educational training to those who want to farm. We all know that the number of farmers in the US is rapidly decreasing, and the average age continues to increase. NEFU and NFU believe agriculture is a great career and we want to support farmers who are starting out.

NFU/NEFU expectations: NEFU/NFU’s expectation is to have each New England graduate become an inspiration to and actively mentor similar individuals in New England, and/or to become engaged in their local boards and other community opportunities. NEFU/NFU plans to provide ongoing support to participants after they return to their farms.

Locations: Summer event location to be determined based on applications; The session on September 10-13 will be in Washington, DC.

Selection process: Those interested can download the application form fill it out, and return it. Applications will be reviewed by a panel with hands-on farming experience. Individuals and couples may apply.

Purpose: Specific course topics will vary according to participant identified needs. Overall, the institute will provide participants with a working knowledge of business planning, marketing, USDA programs, farm finances (I.e., How to sit down with your banker and ask for an operating loan), taxes and even training on how to be effective on a board of directors, such as at a local cooperative. Before the first session starts, we will survey our participants and tailor the agenda topics to their needs. This program will also include outside-the-classroom experiences such as tours of farms that set an example or found a niche and tours of cooperatives.

Deadline to apply: April 30, 2011.

For more information: contact John Ferris at (413) 548-6930 or john@newenglandfarmersunion.org


Filed Under: Agriculture, Madison County Agencies and Organizations

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The case for organic over synthetic fertilizers

Natural selections: The case for organic over synthetic fertilizers

When it comes to using fertilizer, I have generally used synthetic chemical-based products over the years.

By The Vancouver Sun August 12, 2008 Be the first to post a comment

When it comes to using fertilizer, I have generally used synthetic chemical-based products over the years.

My habit has been to sprinkle slow-release 14-14-14 around shrubs in spring and to use 20-20-20 liquid feed to nourish plants in containers and hanging baskets in summer.

Then I got talking to Simon Hart, of Grotek, an Aldergrove-based company that supplies organic fertilizers -- mostly to farmers but also to home gardeners -- in 17 countries.

Hart set me straight on all sorts of fertilizing misinformation.

For instance, I always thought that a high NPK number (ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) was an indication of effectiveness and value for money.

I assumed 20-20-20 was giving me a bigger bang for my buck than, say, 2-1-3 organic fertilizer. Not so, says Hart.

"An organic ingredient will never have a very high number, so don't be deceived by low numbers," he says.

"In most synthetic fertilizers, impurities are not included in the N-P-K ratio, but they are hidden in the product nevertheless. And some nutrients 'lock out' (become unavailable to a plant) because of chemicals already present in the soil.

"In fact, I would put our 2-1-3 all-purpose fermented liquid against any number any day."

Hart also agrees with the reason California has banned the use of liquid lawn fertilizers with a high nitrogen content.

"Lawn fertilizers can wash into storm drains, ditches and dikes and out into streams, rivers and into the ocean.

"You are basically providing a nutrient-rich formula for algae as well as increasing the amount of mercury, lead and arsenic running into the system"

Some fertilizer sales people, he says, pooh-pooh the idea of using fish fertilizer because it contains trace elements of heavy metals like mercury.

"It is a ridiculous argument," says Hart, "because the reason some fish fertilizer is not as pure as it should be is partly because of all the synthetic fertilizers we are using elsewhere that are washing into the ocean."

The use of high-nitrogen chemical fertilizer by commercial farmers in other countries has resulted in dead streams in which algae blooms have taken away oxygen for fish and destroyed the natural ecological balance.

"Over-fertilizing with synthetic chemicals disinfects or kills most of the beneficial fungi and organisms in soil. What you need to do is build up the beneficial organisms, not destroy them," he says.

Hart wants more gardeners to discover the effectiveness of organic "fermented fertilizers."

Imagine running water through a well-rotted compost heap, he says. The brew that you end up with would be organic liquid fertilizer.

At Grotek, they take this concept further and have huge brewing tanks for making concentrated fermented organic fertilizers.

"I like these because they are safer to use around the garden, especially if you have pets and children," he says.

Grotek also does an organic powder fertilizer. Hart recommends using a powdered organic in the spring and late fall ("it is your best choice for economy") and then a fermented organic to encourage flower production in late spring through summer.

Grotek has two products in its Life series that Hart recommends: Total Nourish Liquid Plant Food (2-1-3) for vegetables, flowers, shrubs and trees. And Total Nourish Powder Plant Food (3-1-2) for all types of plants.

"It is virtually impossible to overfertilize with an organic product. Synthetic fertilizers can burn plants and poison soil. Organics make soil healthier, enrich it with natural organisms, and make nutrients available to plants as they need them."

Over the three years he has been using organics in his own garden, Hart says he has seen amazing growth and improved healthiness in his plants.

"If you are using synthetic fertilizer you are fighting nature rather than using the little guys nature has invented over thousands of years to help you."

Hart is also a big believer in coconut fibre, a natural material that he says not only helps to retain moisture but also has the ability to retain air.

"It holds 10 times more water than peat and 10 times more air," says Hart.

"A combination of coconut fibre and organic fertilizer mixed into soil around roses will give you 25 to 30 per cent more blooms," Hart says.

Coconut fibre is most beneficial mixed into soil in containers, window boxes and hanging baskets, he says.

"Organic fertilizers cost more, sometimes double, less if you use powders. But you have to consider the long-term benefits."

swhysall@png.canwest.com

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YOUR GUIDE TO ORGANICS

Organic fertilizers are derived from three main sources: minerals (glacial rock dust, rock sulphate), animal byproducts (blood and bone meal, worm castings, bat and seabird guano), and vegetative matter (alfalfa, flax, kelp, cotton meal).

In Canada, "organic-based" means any product that has at least 15 per cent organic content. In the U.S., the standards are more stringent, requiring at least 50 per cent.

A lot of products come with an OMRI label. This mean the ingredients have been approved by the non-profit Organic Materials Review Institute.

Here's a look at organic ingredients:

- Green sand: A salt-water seashore deposit, it contains seven per cent potassium, 20 per cent iron oxide and as many as 30 other elements. Use: Green sand loosens hard soils, binds sandy soils, regulates moisture and helps release other elements.

- Kelp meal: Seaweed that is sun dried, cleaned, de-salted and ground into granular form. Use: A natural, enriching soil supplement.

- Alfalfa meal: With a fertilizer value of 3-2-2, it also contains other trace elements and is considered an alternative source of nitrogen to blood meal. Use: Good for adding to compost to increase its nutritional value or can be made into a tea and used as a foliar feed.

- Worm castings: A natural manure produced by earthworms, it is high in beneficial bacteria and organic matter. Use: A topdressing for lawns as well as shrubs, flower and vegetable beds or for adding to soil of potted houseplants.

- Steamed bone meal: Derived from animal bones, this is a natural form of calcium (23 per cent) and phosphorus (13 per cent). Use: It can be added into a hole at time of planting to promote root growth.

- Glacial rock dust: A mineral formed by glacial action thousands of years ago containing a broad spectrum of trace minerals.Use: It improves soil structure, replaces missing elements, encourages bacterial activity and makes nutrients more available to plants.

- Bat dung: There are two types: guano (droppings) from fruit eating bats (high in phosphorous) and guano from insect eating bats (high nitrogen.) Use: High in phosphorus, bat guano promotes fruit and flower production and adds calcium and magnesium to the soil. Made into a manure tea, it can be used as a foliar feed.

- Blood meal: Made from the blood of animals, which is steamed to sterilize it and then dried to a powder. It is high in protein and nitrogen. Use: Experts argue that the most natural place for animal blood to go is into the soil. Blood meal has a very beneficial effect on plant growth.
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