Blog entry written by Michael Boland, professor at Kansas State University and director of the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center. There are a number of climate change studies which makes it difficult to sort through the information. Over the past year, a graduate student, Betty Canales, and I decided to look...

Blog entry written by Don Hofstrand, agricultural economist, dhof@iastate.edu. The food versus fuel debate has raged over recent years due to the concerns that increasing agriculturally produced renewable fuels will decrease the sectors ability to produce food. This will result in a decrease in the food supply and negatively impact...

According to data released by the Economic Research Service, most U.S. farms98 percent in 2007are family operations, and even the largest farms are predominantly family run. Large-scale family farms and nonfamily farms account for 12 percent of U.S farms but 84 percent of the value of production. In contrast, small...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that a general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will begin on August 2, 2010 and continue through August 27, 2010. During the sign-up period, farmers and ranchers may offer eligible land for CRP's competitive general sign-up at their county Farm Service Agency (FSA)...

I stumbled upon a national experience in local foods recentlyy. Outstanding in the Field is exposing hundreds of people to local foods through a unique dining atmosphere. According to their web site, Outstanding in the Fields mission is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food,...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched a new feature on the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' website to highlight local and regional food systems and the multitude of connections being made between farmers and consumers. The new online resource advances a national conversation about food and agriculture and highlights the...

Chemical engineers at Purdue University have developed a new method to process agricultural waste and other biomass into biofuels, and they are proposing the creation of mobile processing plants that would rove the Midwest to produce the fuels. What's important is that you can process all kinds of available biomass...

President Barack Obama and nearly all of Americas governors have proclaimed June as Great Outdoors Month, dedicated to inviting visitors to public lands and especially first-timers to take advantage of the fun and healthy activities that public lands have to offer. Enthusiasm for encouraging participation in outdoor fun is exploding...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Small Business (SBA) Administrator Karen G. Mills announced that the two agencies have signed an agreement to encourage sustainable growth and development of rural small businesses. The announcement was made during the National Summit of Rural America, which gathered agricultural leaders, farmers, ranchers, community...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced during the National Summit of Rural America that USDA has selected recipients in 45 states and Puerto Rico to receive business development assistance and pursue marketing opportunities for agricultural commodities. Funding is made available through USDA Rural Development assistance under the Value-Added Producer Grant program,...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released a preliminary study revealing existing gaps in the regional food systems regarding the availability of slaughter facilities to small meat and poultry producers. The study by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is a first attempt to identify areas in the U.S....

Organic agriculture has established a foothold in many U.S. farm sectors, particularly among horticultural specialties, but the overall use of organic practices lags behind that of many other countries. Recent data from several producer surveys illustrate notable differences and similarities between organic and conventional farmers. Emerging issues in the organic...

Are you considering expanding your existing dairy operation to include on-farm processing? A new Small Dairy Resource Book from Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) can help. The guide is a thorough collection of resources for farm families interested in capitalizing on value-added dairy products and is available free online...

Farmers markets are an integral part of the urban/farm linkage and have continued to rise in popularity, due to the growing consumer trend in obtaining fresh products directly from the farm and building a relationship with the grower. Farmers markets allow consumers to have access to locally grown, farm fresh...

Blog entry written by Michael Boland, professor at Kansas State University and director of the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center. I just finished reviewing my stack of Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) grants this year. This is a time consuming process. I have served as reviewer since 2002 and try to use...

America's ethanol supporters launched the industry's first national TV ad campaign today to promote the only renewable, domestic fuel that is an alternative to imported oil, which makes up nearly 60 percent of the nation's fuel supply. Ethanol is America's fuel: it's made here in the U.S., it creates U.S....

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations Environment Jackalyne Pfannenstiel today kicked off the first of several energy forums to look at ways to increase biofuels production and meet the Navy's renewable energy needs. The forum comes as a result of the Memorandum...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the opening of its new small plant help-desk, which will provide for operators of small and very small meat, poultry and processed egg products establishments seeking help with agency requirements with direct access to knowledgeable staff specialists. The...

A growing opportunity for agricultural producers is agritourism. Agritourism includes visiting a working farm or any agricultural, horticultural or agribusiness operation to enjoy, be educated or be involved in what is happening at that locale. The rural United States is a popular tourist destination. According to the 2007 U.S. Census...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 funding is available again through three USDA programs to promote increased production of biofuel and bioenergy. The programs are authorized under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (The Farm Bill). Applications for remaining FY 2009 funding under the...

Seventy-six million cases of foodborne illness occur annually in the United States, resulting in375,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. Recent national outbreaks and recalls include the following: 2003 - green onions served at Chi Chi's restaurants 2004 - sliced tomatoes served at Sheet's stores 2006 - California bagged spinach 2006 -...

Need a grant or loan to get a jumpstart? Check out Building Sustainable Farms, Ranches and Communities, a guide to federal programs that provide financial and technical support for sustainable agriculture. Download the publication for free at http://www.sare.org/publications/ruralplaces.htm. Written for anyone fostering innovative enterprises in agriculture and forestry in the...

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., announced a new initiative to cut 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the retailers global supply chain over the next five years. The worlds biggest retailer is partnering with the Environmental Defense Fund to work with Wal-Mart suppliers on identifying ways to reduce pollution...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced details of the final regulation regarding access to pasture for organic livestock operations. This rule amends the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to clarify the use of pasture in raising organic ruminants. The final rule provides certainty to consumers that organic livestock production is...

Your Food Environment Atlas, a new ERS online tool, allows users to map and compare counties across the United States on the ability of their residents to access healthful food. The tool covers numerous indicators that include health, demographic, and food access characteristics (e.g., proximity and concentration of grocery stores)....