Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/tag/agriculture/page/25/)
Was it just two weeks ago that I set out packets of pepper seeds and wondered if I wasn’t jumping the gun? I mean, there were 5 inches of fresh snow on the driveway, and the cows were happy in their thick fur. Those grass-fed beef cattle are hardy animals!
This week’s interview: how are Minnesota’s immigrant farmers, particularly those from the tropics, faring? [Audio below] Continue Reading
Finally! It’s finally time to start next summer’s tomato sauces, salsas, steamed greens, and jellies. True, the first tomatoes won’t be ripe until late July, but now’s the time to get those plants started.
Starting your vegetable plants from seeds is not rocket science, but it does take a little bit of planning. Fortunately, all you need for that are pen and paper.
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) are in the fifth day of a 6-day fast to draw attention to the unfair treatment of farmworkers in Florida tomato fields. The target of the fast, supermarket retailer Publix, has refused to join the Fair Food Program. Continue Reading
Movie Night at the Eastside Food Coop this month features “Our Daily Bread”, a look into the little-known world of high-tech agriculture. It’s Thursday, March 15, 7:00 p.m.
Interestingly enough, Sam Fromartz and I entered the world of journalism at similar places – the bottom. In the early 70’s I was one of several newly-minted college graduates who shared a single desk at the CBS Network Radio newsroom in downtown Manhattan. We ran for coffee and answered phones. Continue Reading
A few amendments are expected to be added to an omnibus bill before the House Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance Committee takes action later this week.The Department of Agriculture is seeking to add provisions to expand mental health aid for farmers in disaster zones and to add a section regarding food safety policy.HF2398, sponsored by Rep. Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck), would reform grain licensing regulations and extend the department’s inspection and enforcement powers to include its Wholesale Produce Dealer, Grain Buyer/Grain Storage and Warehouse oversight responsibilities.The bill also would establish a new Dairy Research, Teaching and Consumer Education Authority as a public corporation. The authority would be governed by a board of nine directors who would serve four-year terms. Four members would be appointed by the governor; others would include a representative from the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, a milk producer representative, a Minnesota Division of the Midwest Dairy Council representative, an agricultural education teacher, as well as the commissioner of agriculture.Ed Davis, an environmental advocate and urban planner, requested that one more board member be added from outside the dairy industry who would represent ecological sustainability.Some of the other bill provisions would:require firewood packaging to list the county where the wood was harvested;allow a consortium of counties to contract for disposal of waste pesticides and indemnify them while hauling to the disposal site;enable seed packet manufacturers to list the quantity of seeds in lieu of the package’s net weight; andrequire “nonhardy” labels of nursery stock sold that is not suited for state growing zones.Committee Chairman Rep. Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) said action is expected to be taken on the bill March 1. Sen. Doug Magnus (R-Slayton) sponsors the Senate companion, SF2061, which awaits action by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Economics Committee. Continue Reading
February 24: Wanna farm? Maybe start with chickens!
Dream of walking out to your chicken coop and gathering baskets of fresh eggs – smooth, white, or brown? Maybe selling them to neighbors, or the local food market?
A pilot project that would provide small business loans to immigrant and minority farmers could be available beginning Aug. 1, 2012, under a bill approved by the House Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance Committee.HF2159, sponsored by Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent), would grant loans up to $10,000 to qualified borrowers. Initial funding for the revolving loan program would come from a transfer of $225,000 in unused money in the Rural Finance Authority’s Agroforestry Loan Program.The pilot project stipulates that the funds can only be used for purchasing materials for the growing of specialty crops and livestock and may not be used for the subsequent “value-added” costs of bringing those crops and livestock products to market, such as processing and storage.Eligible borrowers would need to be a legal state resident; demonstrate the ability to repay the loan, which may include business training through an intermediary; and fall into one of two classifications, a protected group or a qualified noncitizen.Because some religions do not allow for loan interest payments, an alternative fee payment could be established. Hmong, Latino and Somali farmers are some of the anticipated cultural groups who would seek the loans, according to Jim Boerboom, Department of Agriculture deputy commissioner.The committee referred the bill to the House Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee. Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont) sponsors SF1713, a companion that was approved by the Senate Finance Committee Feb. Continue Reading