Ag Opportunities Volume 21, Number 1 January 2010 Grow Your Farm Program is Growing As part of the three-year Beginning Farmer Grant the University of Missouri, Lincoln University and the Jefferson Agricultural Institute will be able to expand a training program for beginning farmers. Offered in various parts of the state in 2008-2009, MU Extension's Grow Your Farm program is a series of eight weekly seminars and three farm tours designed for new and beginning farmers as well as established farmers interested in alternative methods. Grow Your Farm is designed for prospective farmers, beginners with some experience and seasoned farmers who want to make a "new beginning" with alternative farming methods. MU Extension specialists and experienced, innovative farmers teach the sessions. Information on production techniques is relatively easy to find and use, but what many landowners need is help to develop the farm as a profitable business. With this in mind, Grow Your Farm is designed to assist the producer in creating and planning the farm as a business. This course will help you: *Identify and prioritize personal and family values and use them as the foundation for the farm mission statement and goals. *Learn how to "walk the farm" to assess the land and its facilities. *Learn to evaluate the feasibility of particular farm opportunities. *Understand the components of a business plan and create one of your own. *Understand financial aspects of a business plan and review popular tools to manage financial records. *Consider different types of agricultural marketing and draft a marketing plan. *Become familiar with a variety of legal issues that pertain to farming enterprises. *Network with other farmers. The Grow Your Farm course will be held in 4 locations starting in Feb. Classes are limited to 20 farms with 2 participants from each farm. East Central Missouri St. Louis County To be held at the Schlafly Bottle Works in Maplewood Dates: Feb. 16, 23, March 2, 3, 9, 13 (farm tour), 16, 23, 27 (farm tour) 30 April 6 Contact: Dean Wilson, 636-797-5057, wilsond@missouri.edu Perry County To be held at the Perry County Extension Center in Perryville Dates: Feb 4, 11, 13 (farm tour), 18, 25, March 4, 11, 13 (farm tour) Contact: Kate Kammler, 573-883-3548, kammlerk@missouri.edu Warren County To be held at the Warren County Extension Center in Warrenton Dates: Feb. 18, 25, March 4, 6 (farm tour), 11, 18, 25, 27 (farm tour), April 1, 8 Contact: Shelley Bush, 636-456-3444, bushs@missouri.edu Southeast Missouri Butler County To be held at the Poplar Bluff Telecommunication Community Resource Center Dates: February 1, 8, 15, 22 and March 1, 8, 15, 22 Contact: Sarah Denkler, 573-686-8064, denklers@missouri.edu Madison County To be held in Fredericktown, MO Dates: Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, Farm tour date to be determined. Contact: Kendra Graham, 573-224-5600 ext. 8, grahamkk@missouri.edu West Central Missouri Lafayette/Johnson County To be held alternately between the Lafayette (Higginsville) and Johnson (Warrensburg) County Extension Centers Dates: Jan. 27, Feb. 3,10,17,24, March 3, 6 (farm tour), 10, 17, 24, 27 (farm tour), 31 Contact: Katie Nixon, 816-809-5074, nixonk@linconu.edu ************************************************************************* Ag Opportunities Volume 21, Number 1 January 2010 ***Grants and Assistance*** Beginning Farmer Program The purpose of the Beginning Farmer Program is to help beginning farmers and the part-time farmers who now want to farm full-time. The program provides loans for the purchase of agricultural land, farm buildings, new and used farm equipment, livestock and working capital. Eligibility *Borrower must be a permanent Missouri resident and at least 18 years of age. *The proposed project is located in Missouri. *Borrower has adequate working capital and experience in the type of farming operation for which the loan is sought. *The project shall be used only for farming by the borrower or by the borrower's immediate family. *In previous five years, the applicant has not owned acreage in excess of 50% of the average size farm in the county they are farming in or own farmland with an appraised value over $450,000. *Projected farm income (not including spouse's income) must be greater than non-farm income. For more information on this loan go to http://www.treasurer.mo.gov/LDBeginningFarmer.asp --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Whole Foods Local Producer Loan Program Whole Foods Market is committed to the concept of fresh, healthy, local foods. Since the beginning, we have remained committed to supporting local products and the people who supply them. In addition to featuring local products in our stores, we’re putting our money where our mouths are by providing up to $10 million in low-interest loans to independent local farmers and food artisans. We’re proud to support small producers who need a hand, not a handout, to help them make their dreams reality. The Program *Strengthens the partnerships between Whole Foods Market and local producers *Works with producers to expand the availability of high-quality local products for our customers *Supports the communities where Whole Foods Market does business *Reinforces Whole Foods Market’s commitment to environmental stewardship The Producers *Must meet Whole Foods Market’s Quality Standards and standards for animal welfare *Use funds for expansion and capital expenditures (e.g., buy more animals, invest in new equipment and infrastructure, or expand crops), not operating expenses *Have a viable business plan and adequate cash flow to service debt The Process *Streamlined process with fees, interest rates, and paperwork minimized *Targeted loan amounts between $1,000 and $100,000 (maximum $25,000 for start-ups) *Loan amount not to exceed 80% of total project cost *Low, fixed interest rates (currently between 5% and 9%) *Monthly payments required after termination of grace period *No penalty for early repayment *Collateral required *One-time minimal processing fee covers administrative expenses, including credit report *Approval and terms dependent on product characteristics, risk assessments, and use of proceeds *Opportunity to apply for additional financing if initial loan is in good standing after one year *Existing vendor relationship with Whole Foods Market preferred *Applications accepted on a rolling basis For more information go to http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/local-producer-details.php --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award will help families grow memories together. Recognizing the power of gardens to connect individuals of all ages socially, culturally, and emotionally, the H. J. Heinz Company is proud to sponsor the Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award, designed to foster family-focused garden efforts in communities across the country. The award will provide 57 families with the tools needed to embark on a successful gardening adventure that will foster lasting intergenerational memories while growing wholesome food. Proposals are due January 10, 2010. http://www.kidsgardening.org/grants/heinz.asp --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Building Sustainable Places Guide* This 108-page guide - recently released by Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), and several USDA agencies - covers 64 grant, loan, and other resources from USDA and other federal agencies. The guide aims to help farmers, landowners, consumers, small businesses and others who are interested in sustainable agriculture in both rural and urban areas identify federal programs that could advance their interests. The guide is available in hard copy and also at http://www.attra.ncat.org/guide/. To obtain a free hard copy of the guide, please contact ATTRA at (800) 346-9140 or e-mail Debbie at debbier@ncat.org. ************************************************************************* Ag Opportunities Volume 21, Number 1 January 2010 *** In Print/On-Line/In The News *** Independence Regional Ennovation Center will offer small food service businesses a full service commercial kitchen facility. Conveniently located east of I-435 on Truman Road in Independence MO, the facility is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2010. Space will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on long or short term leases. The center is comprised of seven kitchens, all of which provide the user with state-of-the-art, commercial grade ovens, refrigerator and freezers, as well as a variety of other commercial culinary items including various size mixers, work tables, pots and pans, utensils, cold/dry and locked storage. Go to http://www.ennovationcenter.com for additional information. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Integrated Pest Management in Greenhouses and Herbaceous Nurseries* This publication from the University of Missouri is designed to assist greenhouse and nursery managers in selecting the appropriate pesticides to control or regulate the multitude of arthropod pests encountered in greenhouses and nurseries. The primary arthropod pests encountered in greenhouses and herbaceous nurseries in both Missouri and Kansas are aphids, thrips, fungus gnats, shore flies, spider mites, mealybugs, plant bugs, whiteflies, leafhoppers, leafminers, leaf-feeding beetles and caterpillars. Available online at http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=IPM1026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Food Defense: Protecting the Food Supply from Intentional Harm* Food defense means protecting the food supply from intentional contamination. Food defense is not the same as food safety or biosecurity, which both mean protecting the food supply from unintentional contamination. To learn how to create a food defense plan for your farm or farming enterprise go to http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=MP914 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Breaking Down Market Barriers for Small and Mid-Sized Organic Growers* Organic farms and land in organic production have not kept up with overall growth in the organic sector. Previous California Institute for Rural Studies research has identified marketing challenges as a key factor limiting the growth of the organic sector. Through a cooperative agreement with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service the study, this publication explores the principal marketing barriers facing small and medium organic growers in California. http://cirsinc.org/Documents/Pub1109.1.PDF --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A newly upgraded Farmers' Market Coalition (FMC) website made its online debut in December, strengthening the Coalition's power to serve as a national hub for the exchange of farmers' market best practices. Of particular note, the new design of the Farmers' Market Resource Library http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/resources/ includes a robust assortment of features: users can rate and comment on entries, customize their searches, and submit their own documents, links, and videos to share with fellow market practitioners. FMC invites market managers, state associations, service providers, and producers to take advantage of these usability improvements by submitting resources to share with their peers, inspiring innovation and excellence within the farmers' market community. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Researchers from Iowa State University have published the results of a study on the costs of continuous and seasonal (both winter and summer) organic pork production. The cost of production per hundred pounds was $63.88 for pigs from the continuous system compared with $59.45 for the seasonal system, a difference of $4.43 per hundred pounds or $11.09 per market pig. Seasonal systems costs are broken down further. See: http://www.ipic.iastate.edu/reports/01swinereports/asl-1784B.pdf --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A new organization called the "Small Farms Conservancy" has formed with the mission of supporting small farms. Formed in partnership with the Small Farmer's Journal, the Small Farms Conservancy mission is to educate, advocate, protect, sustain and inspire small farming worldwide; it is a broad-based non-profit public benefit corporation. It is based in Sisters, Oregon. Learn more: http://www.smallfarmsconservancy.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Strategic Farm/Ranch Planning and Marketing* A free online course to help people make better business planning and marketing decisions was produced by SARE and is a self-directed course focused on keeping ag operations sustainable and profitable. The course covers: 1. critically assess their future; 2. set goals; 3. find resources to evaluate new ideas; 4. develop business and marketing plans; 5. think critically and manage risk; 6. prepare to meet with lenders and seek financing alternatives; 7. transfer farms and understand retirement options. Course is online at http://www.sare.org/coreinfo/ceprogram.htm. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the opening of a new help desk for operators of small meat, poultry and egg processing plants. The toll-free line will be staffed by specialists who can answer producers' questions about agency requirements. The new service will support USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative by helping small processors save time and money. To speak to a staff specialist, call 1-877-FSISHelp (1-877-374-7435). Customers may also contact the help-desk by email at InfoSource@fsis.usda.gov. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Crop Rotation on Organic Farms* is most applicable for the Northeast but will also be useful in other regions. Published by the Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service (NRAES) and funded in part by SARE, the 154-page book includes instructions for making rotation planning maps and discusses the transition to organic farming. Other features include: *Problems and opportunities for more than 500 crop sequences *Characteristics of more than 60 crops and 70 weeds *Crop diseases hosted by more than 80 weed species *Modes of transmission for 250 diseases found in 24 crops *Thirteen sample four- and five-year vegetable and grain crop rotations *Step-by-step procedure for determining crop rotation plans Download Crop Rotation on Organic Farms for free at http://www.sare.org/publications/croprotation.htm. To order print copies ($24.00 plus $5.95 s/h) visit http://www.sare.org/WebStore, call 301/374-9696 or send check or money order to SARE Outreach, PO Box 753, Waldorf, Maryland 20604-0753. (Please specify title requested when ordering by mail.) Discounts are available on orders of 10 or more. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. Call 301/374-9696 for more information on bulk, rush or international shipments. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Succession Planning for Woodland Owners* and *Understanding Casualty Loss of Timber* are new publications from the University of Missouri’s Center for Agroforestry. To download these publications go to http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/pubs/index.asp#pubs ************************************************************************* Ag Opportunities Volume 21, Number 1 January 2010 *** On the Calendar *** Jan 12-14 - MidAmerica Fruit Growers Conference, Nebraska City, NE. Call 402-209-1748 or pres@midamericafruit.org Jan 13 - Food Defense Workshop for Meat Processors, Columbia, MO. Call 573-882-4042, savageclarkek@missouri.edu Jan 16 - Missouri Christmas Tree Association Winter Meeting, Jefferson City, MO. Call 573-243-5501 Jan 12-13 - Missouri Aquaculture Association Meeting, Jefferson City, MO. Call 573-526-6666 or bart.hawcroft@mda.mo.gov Jan 21 - Direct Marketing Your Farm Products: The Basics Before You Start, Maryville, MO. Call 660-744-6231 Jan 24-26 - Coolwater Fish Culture Workshop, Rend Lake Resort, Whittington, IL. Call 618-536-7761 or saluski@siu.edu Jan 28 - Direct Marketing Your Farm Products: Customer Service, Public Relations and Advertising, Maryville, MO. Call 660-744-6231 Jan 29-30 - Grow Native! Landscape Design with Missouri in Mind, Rolla, MO. Call 866-466-8283 or http://www.grownative.org Feb 2 - Tools for Marketing and Pricing Your Ag Products, DeSoto, MO. Call 636-797-5391. Feb 4 - Direct Marketing Your Farm Products: How to Set a Price and Make a Profit, Maryville, MO. Call 660-744-6231 Feb 5 - 6 - Missouri Organic Association’s Annual Conference, Columbia, MO. Feb 5 - 6 - Missouri Nut Growers Association Annual Nut Show Evaluation and Annual Meeting, Nevada, MO. Call 417-436-2351. Feb 5 - 12 - North American Farmers Direct Marketing Conference, Lancaster, PA. Feb 6-7 - Missouri Young Farmers/Young Farm Wives State Convention, Lake Ozark, MO. Call 573-751-8467 Feb 6-9 - Midwest Grape and Wine Conference, Osage Beach, MO Feb 8 - High Tunnel Workshop: High Tunnel Equipment and Installation, Mt. Vernon, MO. Call 417 483-8139 or eileennichols@sbcglobal.net February 8-10 - Mid-Continent Fish Culture Workshop, Independence, MO. Call 660-335-4531 or Brenda.Wulff@mdc.mo.gov Feb 11 - Direct Marketing Your Farm Products: Regulations You Need to Know, Maryville, MO. Call 660-744-6231 Feb 12-14 - Missouri Farm Bureau Young Farmer Conference, Osage Beach, MO. Feb 15-17 - Missouri Agritourism Conference and the 30th Annual Small Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Lake Ozark, MO. Go to http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/commercial/Conference2010.htm Feb 19-21 - Western Farm Show, Kansas City, MO. Call 816-561-5323 Feb 20 - Vegetable and Flower Production for Home Consumption and Additional Income, Blue Springs, MO. Call 816-252-5051 or kumarl@missouri.edu Feb 25 - 26 - 21st Annual Organic Farming Conference and Organic University, La Crosse, WI. Go to http://www.mosesorganic.org/conference.html Feb 26-28 - Grow Native! Landscape Design with Missouri in Mind, Warrensburg, MO. Call 866-466-8283 or http://www.grownative.org Feb 27 - Food Safety from Field to Market, Neosho, MO. Call 417 483-8139 Feb 27 - Forestry Tree Workshop: Pruning, Stand Improvement Add Value to Logs, Linneus, MO. Call 660-895-5121. March 2 - Weights and Measures - Learn Regulations for Selling at Farmers’ Markets, DeSoto, MO. Call 636-797-5391. March 8 - Small Farm Conference: Silvopasture, Marketing, Resources/Finances and Grants, Fredericktown, MO. Call 573-783-3303. March 12-13 - Missouri State Beekeepers Association Annual Spring Meeting, Hannibal, MO. Email sgibbons314@att.net March 15 - Small Farm Conference: Organics, High Tunnels, Grass-fed Beef, and Composting, Fredericktown, MO. Call 573-783-3303. March 17 - Sheep Shearing School, Jefferson City, MO. Call March 23 - Chestnut Workshop: Site Selection, Planting, Graft Planning and Pruning, New Franklin, MO. Call 573-882-3234 or rhoadsj@missouri.edu April 7 - High Tunnel Workshop: Spring High Tunnel Management, Mt. Vernon, MO. Call 417 483-8139 or eileennichols@sbcglobal.net April 10 - From Recipe to Reality, Lincoln NE. Call 402-472-2819. May 4 - Chestnut Workshop: Grafting, New Franklin, MO. Call 573-882-3234 or rhoadsj@missouri.edu. June 4 - From Recipe to Reality, Lincoln NE. Call 402-472-2819. Aug 1-2 - Missouri Young Farmers/Young Farm Wives Summer Tour, Bolivar, MO. Aug 13-23 - Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO Aug. 17 - Chestnut Workshop: Orchard Maintenance, Weed Control, Insect Scouting, Pest Management and Disease Control, New Franklin, MO. Call 573-882-3234 or rhoadsj@missouri.edu Aug 20 - From Recipe to Reality, Lincoln NE. Call 402-472-2819. Sept 14 - Chestnut Workshop: Harvest, Marketing and Sales, New Franklin, MO. Call 573-882-3234 or rhoadsj@missouri.edu *************************************************************************