Ag Opportunities
Volume 14, Number 3
November - December 2003

Direct Marketing of Meat--Is it an Option for You?
(part 2)
By Anastasia Becker, Community Food Systems and Sustainable
Agriculture Program, University of Missouri
You have a consistent and quality product, have developed a business
plan, found an excellent processor, gotten labels, developed a great
looking logo and other business materials, and attended to a thousand
little details. Dreams of dollars filling your wallet as meat cuts fly
out from your farm’s freezer makes you want to quit your traditional
job.

But where can you get a realistic idea of what all is involved in the
marketing end of the business? Good places to get information are
workshops, seminars, from the web, and visiting with direct marketers.
Meeting other marketers and sharing experiences and tips is a valuable
part of learning the business. Typical advice is to "start small and
build slowly." While this may seem to be painfully slow, it allows you
to learn while making mistakes on a small enough scale that you don’t
jeopardize your business or farm. Starting out with markets close to
home and gradually expanding outward allows you to capitalize on
word-of-mouth advertising, the most effective kind. Patience and
persistence will be valuable assets as you build your business.
Numerous ideas presented here were gleaned from a number of
Extension-sponsored workshops and interviews with farmers who are
marketing their meat products directly to their customers.

Many direct meat marketers start their business by putting in a lot of
time at one or more farmer’s markets. You can get a sense of a
market’s clientele by going there on different days and visiting with
vendors and customers. Contact the market manager to see if they need
more vendors and what the market rules are. Although some of the most
popular markets may be full, more markets are being established each
year. Also, don’t overlook some of the smaller markets; you could
provide some important product diversity for them. Farmers’ markets
are great places to start your meat business because it is a low-cost
way to meet consumers who want locally produced products. Patience can
really pay off because typically market goers will pass by your stall
for several weeks before they venture over. One marketer in the
Springfield area noted that it took him about two seasons to get well
established at the market but it was worth it. After a couple seasons
a Kansas City marketer found that it was advantageous to pay extra for
an assigned stall because customers know where to find them each week.

A big challenge encountered at a farmers' market is that your displays
are "invisible" because your product is in a freezer compared to the
eye-catching vegetable or fruit displays, or fragrant flowers offered
by other vendors. Some innovative farmers have overcome the invisible
product problem by making an attractive tabletop display featuring
frozen cryovac packages (vacuum sealed, clear packaging) in a
Plexiglas case with dry ice or in styrofoam display boxes with clear
cold packs that can be refrozen. (Local health department regulations
will govern whether these types of displays are allowed.)

Attract customers to your market stall with an attention-getting
"BEEF" or "PORK" sign on your canopy. Contact the appropriate
Check-Off programs and inquire about the possibility of getting a sign
and other promotional materials, such as educational items on various
cuts, preparation tips, and marketing ideas. If your products need
special cooking techniques, be sure you give that information to your
customers so they can cook the meat properly and avoid disappointment.
Consumer education can play a big part of your marketing efforts.

"Brag books" or display boards with photos of your animals and farm
can be used to strike up conversations with shoppers when they stop
and visit your market stall, giving you the chance to explain how you
raise your animals, an important consideration for many consumers. An
attractive display of ready-to-eat jerky or snack sticks on your table
is another way to catch the attention of consumers and entice them to
stop. One vendor found that offering farm-fresh eggs was a great way
to attract customers and let them know about their other products;
many of the egg buyers then started purchasing their beef and poultry.
Another marketer put a small sticker inside their egg cartons saying
"If you like our eggs, and want healthy meat – call us" and found that
this simple, low-cost strategy brought them many inquiries (and
customers).

When you are at the market, wearing your logo is a way to get free
advertising. Have it on your apron, shirt, jacket, hat, truck,
trailer, in short just about everywhere. You’d be surprised how often
it is a conversation starter. Have business cards and brochures handy
so shoppers can pick them up for future reference. At home, a
business-like message on your answering machine will give customers a
good impression when they call.

Many marketers mentioned they were reluctant at first to give out
samples but they repeatedly said that giving away samples proved to be
a useful educational and marketing tool, especially when they were
just starting business or were trying to get a new account such as a
local bed-and-breakfast or independently owned restaurant. Giving away
small sample packages of less familiar cuts along with recipes can
introduce consumers to new cuts. When your regular customers refer new
customers to you, acknowledge it when they visit next and reward their
loyalty with a different cut than they usually buy. This not only
shows your appreciation but it also lets them try something new.

Promotions such as "buy two roasts and get some hamburger free" or
"buy $50 of meat and get a pound of hamburger free" are a good way to
maintain your prices and move an overabundance of certain cuts. Many
marketers hesitated to reduce their prices because they didn’t want to
give the impression that their meat was of lesser quality. Recipes,
especially easy ones, can help move some of your stock.

Another way to expand your customer base and increase your sales is to
offer additional products, such as farm-fresh eggs, pork, lamb, or
goat. A good example of this was given by one of the marketers who
offers five products at his farmers’ market stall but only raises two
of them. He takes items from neighboring farmers to the market and
simultaneously provides them a service and gives his customers more
choices. Market rules will govern whether this practice is allowed.
This tactic can also be used if you have an on-farm market. (Double
check your insurance policy to see if this is covered.) Alternately,
if you know of someone who sells farm-processed poultry, see if you
could set up your freezer at their farm on pick-up days as a way to
offer their customers more choices. If there is a CSA (Community
Supported Agriculture) in your area that does not offer meat products,
check about the possibility of setting up your freezer at their farm
on the day their customers come to pick up their produce bags.

A big challenge is staying in contact with your customers during the
off-season. Direct mailings, including electronic, to your customers
have proven helpful for more than one marketer. If your products are
available in a store or on-farm, remind them of that. Provide
suggestions for using meat that is in their freezer (so they will need
more). If you have meat available seasonally, keep in touch with your
customers and remind them of the timing so they can plan in advance.

One ingenious off-season solution was offered by a successful marketer
whose farm is located near an urban center. They host a monthly farm
market at their farm during the months when the farmers’ market is
closed. Other farmers can bring items over for sale during this time,
thus expanding choices for the customers. This also provides a way to
stay in contact with customers during the off season.

Establishing a customer base solely through on-farm sales can take a
concerted marketing effort. In the past, sales of sides or partial
sides were common but many families are smaller today and have limited
freezer space. Alternatives suggested by marketers is to offer
50-pound boxes with a variety of cuts, a BBQ package during grilling
season, and packages with a mixture of beef and pork.

An exception in on-farm sales seems to be pasture-raised or free-range
poultry. A huge drawback (and opportunity) for those raising birds is
the lack of processing facilities that serve small-scale producers.
There is a much greater demand for farm-raised poultry than there is
available supply; many producers get orders from customers and then
base the number of birds they grow on that. If you are willing to
learn how to do the processing, this could be a great business. Visit
some farmers who do on-farm poultry processing to judge if this is
something you and your family want to tackle. Labor requirements were
mentioned several times as a downside to processing poultry on-farm.

One farmer started his poultry business with a U-pick strawberry
patch. His customers had been coming to his farm for several years to
pick strawberries and he started asking them if they were interested
in purchasing some chicken. Many of his customers did indeed want
some. He found it advantageous to have his chickens in a pen that was
visible to strawberry customers, as a reminder. He feels that the
family atmosphere at his farm is what drew his customers back
repeatedly. Family involvement in the business has proven to be a good
advertising tool for many direct marketers.

Whenever we have farmer panels at direct marketing workshops, a
frequently asked question is "What mistakes do you wish you could have
avoided?" The most common answer was that they underestimated the time
it would take to get a profitable volume. "Don't quit your day job,"
advised one, "until you're sure that meat sales will meet your
expectations." Starting out with inadequate capital was another
situation that most would like to avoid. One marketer advised others
to "not plunge into the market like we did." Although it ultimately
worked out for them, you are exposed to much greater financial risks.
Others warned against extending credit because it is too hard to
collect after the meat has been consumed. Another marketer said that a
mistake they made was they did not know what their product was worth;
it is a lot harder to raise prices later.

Answers such as these illustrate the need for sound business planning
before jumping into a new enterprise. If you’re not familiar with
writing a business plan, your local Extension office can point you to
some resources to get you started. It’s cheaper to make mistakes on
paper than with real dollars.

While direct marketing meat is not for everyone, for many it has been
a good way to increase their farm's income by adding an enterprise.
Some starting places for resources for direct marketing can be found
at:
Missouri Alternatives Center at agebb.missouri.edu/mac under
"Extension Information on Alternatives" then select "M" for marketing.
MO Dept of Ag’s AgInnovation Center at
www.aginnovationcenter.org/resources.shtml then select "New Uses, New
Opportunities."
ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas) at
attra.ncat.org/ under "Marketing & Business."
A recent Univ of Nebraska survey found that Missourians eat meat six
to seven days a week. Households were asked if they had ever purchased
meat directly from a farmer or farmers’ market and half replied "yes."
The two most common reasons for not making these purchases were that
it was not available in their general region (34%) or at the farmers’
market (14%). For those willing to put the effort into building a
direct marketed meat business, these figures represent an opportunity.
Customer service and providing a locally raised and processed product
is where direct meat marketers can really differentiate themselves
from their big store competition.






Marketing Meat

Coming soon to a grocery store near you: ready to eat ground beef in a
can. This product is the brainchild of 39 MO livestock producers who
have teamed up to can the meat at a new facility in Montgomery City,
MO. Members of the new generation cooperative, Farm Foods Coop Inc,
joined with community leaders to break ground for the beef canning
plant.

The producers are spread across five counties. They established Farm
Foods Coop in Dec 2001, to develop a beef manufacturing plant that
would create a consistent market for their beef, add value to their
livestock production, and meet the need for quality, convenient,
precooked meat.

Adam Blaue, a 5th generation beef farmer from Wellsville and chairman
of the coop’s board of directors said, "Our goal is to provide a
convenient, quality beef product to meet market demand and make some
additional profit on the livestock we raise."

Farm Foods Coop will produce fully cooked, canned ground beef and beef
chunks from cattle raised without steroid and hormone additives or
routine antibiotics, said Mark Uthlaut, the company’s operations
manager.

"Our tender and juicy product will be ready to serve straight from the
can for use in a variety of dishes, from beef stew to enchiladas,"
Uthlaut said. "Local folks have sampled our product at several farm
meetings held in nearby counties and we’re hoping that stores will be
carrying the product by the end of the year."

Dave Johnson is the general contractor for the 4,480 square foot
facility. At full operation, the manufacturing facility will process
1,000 head of cattle a year. The plant is expected to employ more than
a dozen people and generate $2 million in gross sales.

Farm Foods Coop Inc has contracted with Brown’s Processing, a USDA
inspected operation, to process the cattle. The meat will then be
trucked to Farm Foods Coop for further processing and canning.

The Univ of MO’s Outreach and Extension Program provided business
assistance throughout the project’s development. The MO Agricultural
and Small Business Development Authority, housed within the MO Dept of
Ag, provided grant money to the coop to help with feasibility and
marketing costs. Farm Foods Coop also received grant money from USDA’s
Value Added Agricultural Product Market Development Grant Program to
help with first year operational costs. (Small Farm Today, Sept 2003)





Consumer Preferences for Organic/Free Range Chicken

A paper with good background information, including a comprehensive
summary of research that has been done on pastured poultry, includes
costs of production and profitability tables.

A survey sent to 100 consumers in the Kansas City are in Sept 2001
shows that

*There was a general lack of knowledge about the existence or
availability of free range chickens.
*These consumers were not price-sensitive (a $0.50/lb price difference
had no noticeable affect on customer buying)
*Consumers reported that taste, appearance and USDA approval were the
most important factors to them in purchasing chicken, in that order.
Purchasing a healthy product was seen as the greatest motivation in
seeking free-range chicken.
*Free-range chicken rated above regular chicken in all attributes
except value and overall taste was rated very favorably.

(For the purpose of this study, free-range was taken to be "access to
outdoor pens and allowed to roam and forage freely") The full paper
can be found at www.agmrc.org/poultry/info/ksufreeragnech.pdf






Eight Steps to Success with Missouri Sustainable Agriculture Grants

Are you looking for a way to make your farm more sustainable? If you
are a MO farmer, the MO Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Award
Program is a good way to get started. For 2004, this program will
provide 16 grants of up to $3,000 each to producers who want to
experiment with innovative farming methods that lower costs, increase
profits, build soil, improve air and water quality, and increase the
quality of life for farm families and rural communities. The 2004
grants consist of 11 general topic grants sponsored by the state of
MO, plus five targeted grants -- two on Crop Diversification and three
on Agroforestry -- sponsored by program partners.

MO farmers who received 2003 Demonstration Award grants are
experimenting with five-year crop rotations using specialty crops, a
solar pit greenhouse for organic seedling production, a rotational
grazing system for red wattle hogs, and much, much more. The
sustainable ag grants that support these projects and others are
administered by the MO Dept of Ag with support from the Community Food
Systems/Sustainable Agriculture Extension Program of the Univ of MO
and Lincoln Univ.

"These are competitive grants," says Demonstration Award coordinator,
Joan Benjamin. "You can increase your chances of getting funded by
paying close attention to the criteria the selection committee uses to
evaluate the grant proposals."


Grant Criteria:
*A well-identified problem and a specific plan to test possible
solutions,
*Potential to reduce reliance on non-renewable resources such as
minerals and petroleum,
*Projects that are repeatable, useful beyond one year and not specific
to only one farm,
*Potential profitability of project,
*Environmental benefits project provides,
*Positive affects within local community,
*Involvement of others in the community who could contribute to the
project,
*Ability to share findings with others via field days, publications,
workshops etc.

"Answer every question in the grant application as clearly and
thoroughly as you can," recommends Benjamin. "The selection committee
is looking for innovative ideas, and all they have to go on is what
you write on your application." Before turning your application in,
Benjamin suggests having someone review it who is not familiar with
the project you are proposing. "The questions your reviewer has will
probably be the same questions the selection committee has," she says.

Applications for 2004 grants are due by 5 pm on Dec 1, 2003. For
application forms or more info visit the sustainable agriculture
website at agebb.missouri.edu/sustain, your local extension agent, or
contact: Joan Benjamin, Sustainable Ag Program, MO Dept of Ag, 1616
Missouri Blvd, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 573-522-8616,
Joan_Benjamin@mail.mda.state.mo.us






Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program Welcomes New Partners

Since 1995, the MO Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Award program
has provided grants to MO farmers to help them test, evaluate, and
adopt sustainable agriculture practices on their farms. The program
also helps farmers share sustainable agriculture information with
others.

When state budget cuts reduced the number of grants available for
farmers in 2004, program supporters stepped forward to help out.
Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute will sponsor two awards that
focus on alternative crops such as amaranth, buckwheat, pearl millet
and sunflowers. The Univ of MO Center for Agroforestry will sponsor
three awards that feature one or more agroforestry practices
(silvopasture, alley cropping, riparian forest buffers, windbreaks,
and forest farming). These grants are reserved for farms near the
following University Farms and Centers:

*Greenley Memorial Center in Novelty (Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon,
Scotland, and Shelby counties)
*Horticulture and Agroforestry Center in New Franklin (Boone, Chariton,
Cooper, Howard, Randolph, and Saline counties)
*Southwest Center in Mount Vernon (Barry, Christian, Dade, Greene,
Jasper, Lawrence, Newton, and Stone counties)
*Wurdack Farm in Cook Station (Crawford, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade,
Iron, Phelps, and Washington counties)

For more info on crop diversification, Rob Myers, Jefferson Institute,
601 W Nifong Blvd, Suite 1D, Columbia, MO 65203, 573-449-3518,
info@jeffersoninstitute.org, www.jeffersoninstitute.org
For more info on agroforestry, Dusty Walter, UMCA, 203 ABNR Bldg,
Columbia, MO 65211, 573-884-7991, walterd@missouri.edu,
www.centerforagroforestry.org





Quail like to live on the edge, MU wildlife specialist says
by Forrest Rose, MU Ag News

Quail populations in North America peaked in the first half of the
20th century, when human activities promoted a landscape to the birds'
liking. Since then, the number of northern bobwhite quail has
plummeted - dropping nearly 5 percent a year for the past two decades.

"There are a lot of habitat changes over the years that have
contributed to the decline in quail populations," said Robert Pierce,
Univ of MO Extension wildlife specialist. "MO landowners have a
tremendous opportunity to improve habitats for bobwhite quail on their
farms. You can manage for quail and farm at the same time, but you
have to plan ahead."

Former farming practices, with small fields of row crops interspersed
with native grasslands and open woodlands, created the mix of food and
cover habitats quail require, Pierce said. "At one time, bobwhite
quail populations flourished simply as an accidental byproduct of
farming activity. More recent land-management practices have not been
so quail-friendly."

Crop fields have become larger, and many of the shrubby edge and
fence-row habitats have been removed. Mature trees have replaced many
shrubby areas, and increased planting of aggressive, sod-forming
grasses such as tall fescue have crowded out the native grass species.
The use of prescribed fires has fallen out of practice.

Lost in the modern management picture is what Pierce calls "edge
habitat" - the transition zone between woodland and field or pasture.
"To manage for quail, you need to create a mosaic of habitats to
increase the diversity on the farm. Landowners also need to recreate
those 'covey headquarters' that were once common on the farm. Plum
thickets, blackberry shrubs, dogwood thickets and similar environments
provide quail with escape cover. Often, these habitats have been mowed
or converted to other uses like pastures or row crops."

Prescribed fire and strip disking are two management techniques
landowners can use to improve quail habitat. "The judicious use of
prescribed fire, in many circumstances, is the more cost-effective and
best tool for creating favorable food and cover conditions for
bobwhite." Professional guidance and a written burn plan are necessary
steps, he added.

Strip disking is the practice of disking a section through a fallow
field, pasture or open woodland during the fall and spring. "It
changes the composition of the plant community," Pierce said.
"Removing dense grasses provides room for forbs and legumes to become
established."

Strips 30 to 50 feet wide, separated by undisked strips 60 to 100 feet
wide, "can be thought of as a rest-rotation system," he said. "After a
year, disk another swath next to the previously disked strip. This
develops a mosaic of vegetation that is 1 to 3 years old." Disking
also promotes open bare ground, which the birds like.

Other management tools can enhance habitat for bobwhite quail, Pierce
said. "Take some time to understand the habitat needs for bobwhite
quail, and identify the factors that may be limiting quail numbers on
your property. Then, you can take action."

For more information about how to manage land for quail, contact your
local Univ Outreach and Extension office, or contact the MO Dept of
Conservation Private Land Assistance at
www.conservation.state.mo.us/landown





Medicinal Herb Network

Founded in 1998, the MHN links small-scale medicinal herb growers with
practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine who are interested in
domestically produced herbs that are grown and processed in accord
with high quality standards. According to Dr Craig Hassel, an
associate professor and extension nutritionist at the Univ of MN,
"practitioners of Chinese medicine rely upon products imported from
Asia, South America, and Europe but remain suspicious of dubious
quality, including concerns of contamination and adulteration.
Practitioners have no way to verify authenticity or conditions under
which the product was produced or processed. The practitioners say
that locally grown herbs procured with specific attention to getting a
high quality product would provide added value to their practice...
current approaches used by the [medicinal herb] industry may only lead
to more uniform products that have little to do with effectiveness
from a clinical perspective."

The MHN is working on ways to characterize medicinal herb quality that
are based on Chinese medicinal theory as well as scientific analysis
procedures. The aim is to provide organically produced herbs that
reliably meet the quality criteria desired by practitioners of Chinese
medicine.

For more info Dr Hassel at 612-624-7288 or chassel@umn.edu (HortIdeas,
Aug 2003)






Women Farmers
By Mary Peabody, Community and Economic Development Specialist
Women’s Ag Network, Univ of Vermont
www.uvm.edu/~wagn/
This spring I started receiving a surprising number of calls from
journalists around the country interested in the phenomena of women
farmers. The most consistent question is "Do you expect this trend to
continue?" The short answer is "YES"! But explaining why this is true
becomes a bit more complicated.

While it is true that women are increasingly visible in agriculture,
there are several different trends contributing to this increase.

The first contributor to the increase in women-owned farms is the
aging of the farm population. Since women have a longer expectancy it
is expected that more and more women will inherit farms as widows.
This seems to be a significant trend primarily in the Midwestern
states.

The second trend involves who gets counted. Women have always been
farm partners but the way that the Ag Census has traditionally counted
farmers (one farmer per farm) you wouldn’t necessarily see women
reflected in those numbers. That will begin to change as the new
agriculture census numbers begin to trickle out this year.

The third trend contributing to the increase in women farmers has
roots back to the mid-20th Century. Women have been an increasing part
of the workforce for three generations now. As a result there are more
women who are able to retire from one career while still young enough
to begin another. Many new women farmers are career changers who are
leaving jobs to pursue their passion for growing things.

Finally, colleges and universities are graduation increasing numbers
of women in agricultural degrees. These women have the skills, the
knowledge and the passion to pursue farming as a livelihood.

Looks like a great time to be a women in agriculture!






Leaky Pond Solutions

Most ponds lose some water due to leaks, and it’s not uncommon for
water levels in ponds to fall in the summer or during times of
drought. But if your pond is always low, you might have a problem that
needs attention.

The most common cause of pond leaks is tree roots penetrating the dam.
Cutting large trees isn’t wise, since decaying roots leave fissures
through which water can escape. Instead, leave larger trees in place
and prevent the problem from getting worse by cutting all trees less
than 4 inches in diameter. Repeat the procedure periodically to
prevent new trees from growing.

Improper dam construction is the other major cause of leaks. Usually
the problem is too little clay in the dam, making it too porous. The
surest cure is rebuilding the dam. However, leaks sometimes can be
stopped by applying bentonite, a special clay that expands to 15 times
its dry volume when wet, sealing holes.

Bentonite is used in well drilling and is available from drilling
supply companies or farm co-ops. It can be sued several different
ways, which are outlined in "The Problem of Leaky Ponds." This and
other "Aquaguide" publications are available upon request from MO
Conservation Dept regional offices.

Information about designing and maintaining ponds to prevent leakage
can be found in the "Missouri Pond Handbook." Single copies are free
upon request from the MO Conservation Dept Distribution Center, PO Box
180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, 573-751-4115 or
pubstaff@mdc.state.mo.us (MO Conservationist, July 2003)






*** In Print ***


*Meats: From Farmer to You* a directory of farmers in southern MO who
market their meat products directly to you, the consumer. For a copy
of the directory, call Anastasia Becket at 417-466-4225,
beckera@missouri.edu.

*Sustainable Viticulture Proceedings Online*
www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/news/0309apr.htm The Univ of CA's Sustainable
Research and Education Program is making presentations available
online from a special session on "Science of Sustainable Viticulture"
held at the American Society of Enology and Viticulture's annual
meeting in June. Seventeen presentations, ranging from the influence
of sustainable practices on wine quality to vineyard habitat
management and energy efficiency, are available in PowerPoint format
through the SAREP website.

*Applying the Principles of Sustainable Farming*,
*Beekeeping/Apiculture*, *Considerations for Organic Herb Production*,
*Organic Alfalfa Production*, and *Sustainable Turf Care* are among
the new and updated publications at www.attra.ncat.org, free from
ATTRA, 1-800-346-9140.

*The Natural and Organic Pork Market: A Sustainable Niche for
Small-Scale Producers?* article in American Journal of Alternative
Agriculture (Vol. 18, No. 1, 2003),available from WP Wheatley, Dept of
Applied Economics, Univ of MN, 316 Classroom-Office Bldg, St Paul, MN
55108, whea0025@umn.edu.

*Proceeding of the Third National Small Farm Conference* sponsored by
USDA-CSREES Small Farm Program, held Sept 2002 in Albuquerque, NM,
www.cahe.nmsu.edu/smallfarm/SmallFarmProc.pdf; print copies will be
distributed by Sustainable Agriculture Science Ctr at Alcalde, NM
State Univ, 505-852-4241, or smallfarm@reeusda.gov.

*Approaching Foodservice Establishments with Locally Grown Products*
prepared for North Central Initiative for Small Farm Profitability,
available from Food Marketing and Processing (FoodMAP) clearinghouse,
www.farmprofitability.org, or contact UNL Food Processing Center,
402-472-2832.

*Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business
Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses* developed by Minnesota Institute
for Sustainable Agriculture and co-published by Sustainable
Agriculture Network, www.misa.umn.edu/publications/bizplan.html, copy
is $14 plus $3.95 S/H from MISA, 1-800-909-6472; misamail@umn.edu.

*Minnesota Food Systems: Forging the Links in the Value Chain*
www.mnproject.org/pdf/Food%20publication.pdf; Minnesota Project, 1885
University Ave, Suite 315, St Paul, MN 55104, 651- 645-6159.

*Organic Agriculture Information*—www.organicaginfo.org provides
current, accurate, scientifically based or practically validated
information about organic agriculture. The site contains information
on production, economic data, research results, farmer anecdotes,
certification information, transition strategies, as well as many
other subjects related to organic agriculture.

*Home Grown: The Case for Local Food in a Global Market* Discusses the
increasing trend of globalized food production and the environmental
and cultural issues associated with this system. Presents locally
grown food as an alternative means of food production and distribution
that is also compatible with economic growth and increased food
security. Includes examples of successful farming operations and
businesses that demonstrate the strength of the local food movement.
$5 for electronic or hardcopy. www.worldwatch.org/pubs/paper/167/
Worldwatch Institute, PO Box 188, Williamsport, PA 17703-9913,
888-544-2303, wwpub@worldwatch.org

*The New Farmer's Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers,
and Communities* Covers the logistics of starting or participating in
a farmer's market for backyard and small-scale farmers. Includes
information on choosing and marketing crops, setting prices,
advertising, keeping records, special events and more. Also provides
an index of ideas for further research including numerous Web sites.
$24.95. New World Publishing, 11543 Quartz Dr #1, Auburn, CA 95602,
530-823-3866, nwpub@nwpub.net; www.nwpub.net/

*Backyard Market Gardening: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Selling What
You Grow* Presents many avenues in marketing home-grown goods and
various methods to increase yields from small land plots without
resorting to pesticides. $19.95. Good Earth Publications, 1702
Mountain View Rd, Buena Vista, VA 24416, 540-261-8874,
goodearth@ntelos.net, www.goodearthpublications.com/

*Essentials of Producing Organic, Certified Seed* (30-minute video)
$20; *Raising Organic Seed: A Handbook for Growers* (handbook for
video) $10. Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society, 9824 79th St SE,
Fullerton, ND 58441, 701-883-4304, trhaigh@itctel.com.

*Funding Opportunities* (for education, research, demonstration, and
development initiatives) from private, state, and federal sources, a
comprehensive listing from ATTRA,
attra.ncat.org/management/financl.html or 1-800-346-9140.

*IPM Online Home Study Courses* on variety of integrated pest
management topics, including new offerings in pest identification,
www.hort.uconn.edu/IPM/homecourse/coursinfo.htm, or Univ of
Connecticut IPM Program, ipm@canr.cag.uconn.edu

*Reap New Profits: Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers* at
www.sare.org/ copies free from Sustainable Agriculture Network,
301-504-5236.

*Upper Midwest Organic Resource Directory* The directory includes
resource groups, certification agencies, suppliers, buyers, and more.
See www.mosesorganic.org or contact MOSES at info@mosesorganic.org or
715/772-3153.





*** IN THE NEWS ***


An important element of exploring or launching a new on-farm
enterprise is creating a business plan. Creating a business plan takes
some effort, but can shed much light on the feasibility of an
enterprise. The July-August issue of ATTRA News available on line at
attra.ncat.org/attra-digest/ATTRAnews_July-Aug03.pdf , gives a list of
good resources on how to create a business plan for a farm.

A discussion of strategies for tapping into high-value niche markets
for family farms and ranches is available in the March 2003 issue of
the Center For Rural Affairs newsletter at
www.cfra.org/newsletter/2003_03.htm#Feature. Niche markets are created
when groups of consumers are willing to pay premiums for unique
products with specific attributes. Examples of niche markets include
locally produced food, hormone and antibiotic free meat, humanely
produced beef and pork, and pesticide free produce. Finding an
appropriate niche and being successful within it takes effort and
care. To that end, this piece discusses some considerations and
concerns about entering a niche market, and provides information about
resources at the Center.

Affordable Opportunities for Precision Agriculture tells how to use
photocopies, maps, transparency sheets and colored markers to improve
farm management. Online at
http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/TN/TN_SA_1_A.pdf Get a
print copy from your local NRCS office.

Questions involving food preparation, food preservation, canning,
general food safety and hand washing should be made to 573-882-2427,
nutritionalsciencesextension@missouri.edu

The consensus among the speakers at this year’s Ninth Annual New &
Beginning Farmer Workshop in Grantville, PA was that beginning farmers
don’t need to grow corn, according to a May 17, 2003 article in
Lancaster Farming. In fact, the speakers encouraged beginning farmers
to explore a whole host of other crops, saying that flexibility and a
diverse mix of high-value crops are the key to success. Suggestions
for alternative crops included pastured poultry (both for meat and
eggs), controlled grazing of livestock, organic production,
vegetables, dairy goats, u-pick fruit, farmstead cheese and
agritourism. The speakers pointed out that land can be used to produce
more than just food. Speakers also offered a range of advice for
beginning farmers, including being sure to start small and proceed
slowly, doing careful research before launching any enterprise,
pursuing direct marketing opportunities, being careful not to take on
too much or try to do everything, being fiscally prudent, and looking
to others for help with knowledge, marketing, and even land, financing
and housing. (Lancaster Farming 5/17/03)

According to Dr Pesante at the Univ of Puerto Rico, honeybees reduce
their flight activity when wind speeds reach 9-12 mph, and they cease
flying when wind speeds reach 37 mph. Thus there is a strong case for
windbreaks around honeybee pollinated crops. In addition to reducing
wind speed, windbreaks an aid pollination in some cases by enhancing
humidity levels which helps to prolong pollen viability. (HortIdeas,
July 2003)

The total number of organic research acres in the nation's land grant
system has more than doubled between 2001 and 2003, according to a new
study by the Organic Farming Research Foundation. There is still a gap
between actual acres farmed organically and the proportion of research
acres dedicated to certified organic research. In 2003, organic
research occupies only 1,160 acres, or 0.13 percent of the available
research acres in the system, while 0.3 to 2.0 percent of all farmland
(depending on crop type) is certified organic. The five states with
the strongest organic programs in 2001--IA, OH, MN, NC, and
WV--continue to lead in 2003, and are joined by ambitious new programs
in WA and NY. A detailed profile of organic research, education, and
extension in the publicly funded land grant institutions in 37 states
is provided in "State of the States", at
www.ofrf.org/publications/SoS/SoS2.overview.page.html, or $10 from
OFRF, 831-426-6606.

Ecolabels that inform food buyers about the amount of fossil-fuel
energy expended as food items travel to grocery stores and other food
outlets are being explored by a team from ISU (Science News Online,
Aug 2, 2003). The prototype labels include a mileage reading, plus a
"transport environment impact" (or TEI) rating to show whether food
items move by more fuel-efficient ships or trains, or by fuel-guzzling
trucks or planes. Although 'buying local' (or regional) generally
suggests more energy efficiency, the TEI distinctions show that the
choice of transport influences overall energy use and the resulting
carbon dioxide emissions; thus lower--and more favorable--TEI ratings
may result even when foods have traveled farther. The team's most
recent study, "Checking the Food Odometer: Comparing Food Miles for
Local Versus Conventional Produce Sales to Iowa Institutions," online
at
www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubinfo/papersspeeches/food_travel072103.pdf;
more info, call Rich Pirog, Leopold Center for Sustainable
Agriculture, 515-294-1854; rspirog@iastate.edu.

Organizations across the US have been doing surveys and focus group
discussions to learn about farmer and consumer attitudes toward
sustainable agriculture. The Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working
Group put together a quiz to inform people of the results of those
surveys. Here are highlights:

The farm policy objective that was rated highest in consumer focus
groups was, "help farmers and ranchers meet public demand for safe,
fresh food."
In a survey of MN households, respondents indicated they would be
willing to pay $200 annually to farmers for agricultural practices
that yield multiple benefits to the environment (such as soil
conservation).
In a national survey, 71 percent of respondents said they would be
willing to pay more for food if it meant that it could be produced in
ways that protect the environment.
Freshness is the most important factor for consumers when they make
their food purchases.
Consumers asked to rate a list of environmental problems most often
chose pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers from farms entering
ground water as a "major" problem.
In a national survey, 92 percent of Americans said they would eat meat
from livestock produced in the US and 10 percent said they would eat
meat from livestock produced in European countries.
Fifty-five percent of Americans surveyed said they were "very
concerned" about our food supply following the Sept 11.
"Farm Crisis," "Rural Crisis," and "Save the Family Farm" were all
rated as ineffective in communicating about rural issues.
Rural advocates identified a future for their families as the most
important concern for those living in rural areas.
Sixty percent of large farmers and ranchers (average annual income
greater than $70,000) were aware of the term, "sustainable
agriculture."
Perception of lower productivity was the reason that most large
farmers and ranchers gave for not adopting sustainable practices.





*** ON THE CALENDAR ***


Nov. 6-8--National Small Farm Trade Show and Conference, Columbia, MO.
Call 800-633-2535.

Nov 14--Fall High Tunnel Vegetable Field Day, MU Bradford Farm,
Columbia, MO. Call 573-884-3287.

Nov 17--3rd Annual Iowa Organic Conference, Ames, IA. Call
515-294-7069; www.ucs.iastate.edu/1103/organic.htm.

Nov 17-18--Missouri Forage & Grassland Council Conference, Lake Ozark,
MO. Call 573-499-0886.

Nov 18--Agritourism Conference, Sedalia MO. Call 1-866-466-8283

Nov 23-25--MO Governor’s Conference on Agriculture, Tan-Tar-A.

December-January--Marketing Vegetables to Retailers, Part II and Food
Safety for Produce Growers. Call 573-884-3287 for details on dates,
locations and times.

Dec 5-6--MO Livestock Symposium, Kirksville, MO. Call 660-665-9866

Dec 4--Meat Goat Management, Savannah, MO. Call 816-324-3147.

Dec 6--MO Alpaca Owners & Breeders Assn Meeting, Columbia, MO. Call
913-884-5831, sondac@aol.com

Dec 11-12--Acres USA Eco-Farming Conference, Indianapolis, IN. Call
800-355-5315, info@acresusa.com

Jan 8--High Tunnel Workshop, St. Joseph, MO. Call 573-884-3287.

Jan 9-10--Great Plains Vegetable Conference, St Joseph, MO. Call
816-279-1691.

Jan 20-22--Mid-America Fruit Grower’s Conference, Excelsior Springs,
MO. Call 573-882-9632.

Jan 23-24--Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference, Ames, IA.
www.pfi.iastate.edu.

Jan 30-31--MO Farmers Union State Convention,
www.missourifarmersunion.org.

Feb 6--Annual Watermelon Grower’s Meeting, Kennett, MO. Call
573-888-4722.

Feb 6-7--MO/AR Watermelon Grower’s Assn Annual Meeting, Memphis, TN.
Call 314-835-0027.

Feb 16-18--MO Small Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Springfield, MO.
Call 417-926-4105.

Feb 21-23--Western Farm Show, Kansas City, MO

Feb 26--Organic Poultry on Pasture Workshop, La Crosse, WI. Call
715-722-3153.

Feb 26-28--Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, LaCrosse, WI.
www.mosesorganic.org


Green Hills Farm Project
Farm Tours
Oct 16--Jeff & Anita Reid Farm, Bosworth, MO, 660-534-7318 (cattle and
pasture)

Nov 20--David Schafer & Alice Dobbs Farm, Jamesport, MO 660-684-6035
(cattle, sheep & homesteading practices)