Yesterday, at the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Trade Show and Convention, I had the opportunity to listen to Terry Gompert, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Educator with a speciality in grazing. His presentation was titled, “Money Saving Ideas Including Extending the Grazing Season,” and he offered up tips for producers to consider in cowherd management, improved grazing systems and evaluating calf performance.
One of his points was derived from a book he is currently reading titled, Dirt, by David R. Montgomery. He discussed how the book showed him the importance of good soil to societies. An interesting thought? Yes, but I think this book looks like it might be worth checking out. Here is a description of its contents:
“Dirt, soil, call it what you want—it’s everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it’s no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are—and have long been—using up Earth’s soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations.”
Will you be reading this book?
At this year’s Farm Progress Show Eric Hatling, Development and Communications Coordinator for the MOSES, the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service, visited with me about the organization. It sounds like their has continued to grow.
Eric says that since last year the organization continues to grow. He says they had almost 2,700 people attend their Annual Organic Farming Conference and Organic University. He says they exist to help farmers who want to grow organic become successful. The next annual conference is scheduled for Feb. 25-27 in Lacrosse, WI with over 60 workshops on all aspects of organic and sustainable farming.
You can listen to my interview with Eric here:
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Two U.S. organic beef producers are teaming up to expand the nation’s organic beef supply. CROPP Cooperative, North America’s largest farmer owned co-op, and Dakota Beef, the largest vertically integrated organic beef producer in the U.S., have partnered in a mutli-year agreement.
Consumer demand for high quality organic beef has been exceptional and this partnership will ensure supply to an increasingly savvy and discerning organic consumer.
While other beef companies are struggling to supply the market with increased demand as traditional retailers take organic beef “behind the counter” and offer more choice cuts, Dakota Beef is flush with cattle and prepared to meet demand. 
Innovative supply chain management and long term partnerships with certified organic beef producers make this possible. Looking forward, the partnership with Organic Prairie will ensure strong supply chain in the future, “We currently see more certified organic calves on feed than ever before and that bodes well for the demand that this consumer driven product is creating,” says David Wilcox, an organic cattle finisher from Madison, South Dakota. Ranchers are happy too, Mike Olson, a 1000 head organic rancher from Utah says, “The organic cattle industry seems likes it become streamlined and organized for the first time ever, which is great news for those of us who have stuck with it for so many years.”
Farming isn’t just a national need, it’s an international need. That’s why the U.S. Agency for International Development is helping Bolivians meet their farming needs, while helping American consumers meet their need for sweet onions, chili peppers, peanuts and more.
More than 150 tons of sweet onions are giving some Bolivian farmers a $340,000 harvest. The recent bountiful shipment to Los Angeles marked a three-year U.S. Agency for International Development effort to make Bolivian onion growers international competitors.
The onions are cultivated more than 12,000 feet above sea level on land once considered unsuitable for traditional agriculture, says USAID’s Jorge Calvo, the program’s manager who views the high elevation as an advantage. The onions, along with a dozen other crops, are part of a USAID training program to improve Bolivian agriculture.
Because the rarified atmosphere prevents pests and crop diseases from thriving, the onions are grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, earning a coveted organic label. Organic sweet onions are in big demand and command higher prices, he says.
The agricultural program strives to make farmers prosperous by matching niche crops such as chili peppers, grapes, peanuts, peaches, raspberries, garlic and fava beans to Bolivia’s diverse topography and climate. Growers also apply the latest farming methods such as soil management, irrigation and mechanization in achieving year-round harvests, says Calvo.
So far, it’s working. The agency’s $20 million investment in 2002 has generated more than $40 million in family earnings, boosting per capita income for the 40,000 participating households by almost 50 percent in a country where the average family exists on just $4,400 per year.
A handful of the nation’s largest grocery retailers have been accused of organic fraud. Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Safeway, and Wild Oats have been accused of selling organic milk that might not be so “organic.”
The legal filings in federal courts in Seattle, Denver, and in Minneapolis, against the retailers, come on the heels of class action lawsuits against Aurora Dairy Corporation, based in Boulder, Colorado. The suits against Aurora and the grocery chains allege consumer fraud, negligence, and unjust enrichment concerning the sale of organic milk. This past April, Aurora officials received a notice from the USDA detailing multiple and “willful” violations of federal organic law that were found by federal investigators.
“This is the largest scandal in the history of the organic industry,” said Mark Kastel of The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group. Cornucopia’s own investigations in 2005 first alerted USDA of Aurora’s improprieties.
Five lawsuits against the retailers have been filed so far. And law firms based in Seattle, St. Louis, New York and other cities have filed at least eight lawsuits against Aurora, representing plaintiffs in over 30 states.
Aurora, with $100 million in annual sales, provides milk that is sold as organic and packaged as store-brand products for many of the nation’s biggest chains. Besides Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, and Safeway, Aurora serves as supplier to 15 other national and regional chains. (more…)
Farming is hard, rewarding work and Growing Home Inc. is giving Chicagoans in search of a job a chance to reap the rewards of work in the field. But, this field will be farmed in the city.
Hoop houses are erected on the site and collards, kale, mustard greens, salad mix and spinach are a good example of the crops that will be grown year round. Graduates from the job training program are working on site.
Growing Home is a six-year old certified organic agricultural business with a social mission of providing transitional employment for homeless and low-income adults. Program participants are difficult-to-employ people, most of whom have criminal backgrounds. Growing Home also operates a 10-acre farm 75 miles southwest of Chicago at Marseilles, Illinois and a half-acre urban farm on the south side.
In 2007, Growing Home harvested fifty crops (130 varieties) and four animal products — honey, worms, worm castings, and eggs and had sales of over $70,000. Growing Home’s current customers include some of Chicago’s most well-known restaurants: Bistro Campagne, Lula Cafe, Blackbird, First Slice Cafe, Green Zebra, North Pond, Soundings, and Vie.
The U.S. organic sector is expected to grow from $13 billion in 2003 to over $25 billion in 2007. However, less than 3% of organic produce available in Chicago is grown locally.
The Futures Channel has produced a short movie on California agriculture. They’d love your feedback. Thanks to Jenna who’s in charge of their distribution for the alert to it. It’s meant to be an instructional video for classroom use.
Do your students know where their food comes from? There are more than 350 different commodities grown in California, including rice, dairy, avocados, meat, strawberries, grapes and lots and lots of almonds. In a state that provides approximately 15 percent of the United States agriculture, statistics are an important tool that agricultural economists use in California to keep up with its supply and demand.
It’s basically focused on the growth in “organic” acres.
It's time to thank our farmers and ranchers for all their hard work to feed us.
