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Meeting dates announced: The Iowa Meat Processors Association and ISU have scheduled dates for the Meat Processor regional meetings. Click here [PDF] to view them. (Posted 3/8/10)
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Grant application guides: Farmer's Market Promotion Program grants vary in size from $2,500 to $100,000 and do not require a match. Two new tools are available this year, the FMPP Pre-Application Guide for 2010 [PDF] and a FMPP grant-writing PowerPoint presentation. Proposals are due on April 15. Download your application packet here [PDF]. (Posted 3/5/10)
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New guide: How many millions of dollars do Linn County consumers spend on food each year? What are the major food issues in this county? Find out in this new guide [PDF], written by food system planner Jason Grimm. (Posted 2/26/10)
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Detroit conference: Registration is now open for the Fifth National Farm to Cafeteria Conference from May 17–19 in Detroit. View the web site to register and get more information. (Posted 2/22/10)
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Save the date: View the flyer [PDF], or brochure [PDF], or agenda [PDF] for the April 1 Marketing & Food Systems Initiative and Value Chain Partnerships Workshop. (Updated 2/22/10)
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Bilingual farming class: The "Start Your Diversified Farm" class will focus on budgeting, marketing, crop planning, and more. View the flyer [Word] for details. (Posted 1/20/10)
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Livestock training series: Sign up for the Holistic Management Training Series, a course that includes financial planning, grazing planning, and working towards a "holisticgoal." View the event flyer [PDF]. (Posted 1/15/10)
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Read a business plan: The Common Market, a local-food distributor in the Philadelphia area, has recently published a business plan [PDF]. The Common Market is also associated with Buy Fresh Buy Local of Southern Pennsylvania. (Posted 1/22/10)
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Tomato-grafting webinar: In the webinar "Grafting Tomatoes for Organic Open Field and High Tunnel Production," David Francis of Ohio State University will share research findings from an integrated organic program that has addressed the use of grafting for organic systems. View the web site for more information and to reserve your seat. (Posted 1/27/10)
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Online farming seminars: Practical Farmers of Iowa is holding a Winter Farminar series every Tuesday between January 26 and February 16. The "farminars" are online, interactive seminars available here. (Posted 1/15/10)
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Virtual niche pork farm tours: Connect with niche pork producers and see how they manage their operations in a niche pork farm tour and discussion. View the web site or brochure [PDF] for dates and information on how to connect. Contact: Gary Huber, (515) 450-6812, gary@practicalfarmers.org; or Dave Stender, (712) 261-0225, dstender@iastate.edu. (Updated 1/11/10)
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New pork production report: A new report that summarizes the results of a PNMWG-sponsored project on pork production costs. View the report [PDF]. (Updated 1/11/10)
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End childhood hunger: Mark January 30 in your planner for "Hope for the Hungry: Feeding Greater Des Moines," a workshop series that aims to end childhood hunger by 2015 through community gardens and beyond. View the web site for more information. (Posted 1/4/10)
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Local food workshop: Becoming a Successful Local Food Producer, a workshop held January 23 at the Linn County ISU Extension Office in Marion, will share strategies and give demonstrations on how to inventory resources and improve sales. The morning workshop is 8:30 a.m.–noon, and the afternoon workshop is 1:30–4:30 p.m.; come to one or both. Contact: Linda E. Fishcer, 319-350-1046, lefisch@iastate.edu. View the flyer [PDF] or web site for more information. (Posted 1/4/10)
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Farmers' market workshop: The 2010 Iowa Farmers' Market Workshop will be held February 20 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at First Christian Church, 2500 University Ave., Des Moines. The workshop provides training and information for farmers' market managers and vendors. Topics include food safety practices for growers and marketing advice for vendors. Contact: Ginny Gieseke, (515) 277-6951, vrgieseke@q.com. (Posted 12/21/09)
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Call for proposals: The National Farm to School Network seeks proposals for workshops and a poster session at its 5th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit, Michigan, May 17–19, 2010. Proposals are due January 15. View the web site for details and to submit proposals. (Posted 12/17/09)
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Apple-growing workshop: The Midwest School for Beginning Apple Growers, a three-day workshop from February 5–7 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, is ideal for those wanting to start an orchard business. The event features orchard owners from around the Midwest and will emphasize organic and sustainable production methods. View the brochure and registration form [PDF] for details. (Posted 12/15/09)
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Going local: Local food expenditures in Black Hawk County have more than quintupled in the last decade. View the chart [PDF]. (Posted 11/24/09)
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Fruit-Vegetable Symposium: The Iowa-Illinois Fruit and Vegetable Symposium is from 1–5 p.m. on December 11 in Bettendorf. This year the vegetable focus is on tomato production. View the web site for details. (Posted 11/22/09)
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Project ideas needed: The Grass-Based Livestock Working Group is looking for ideas for projects in 2010. Details here. (Posted 11/11/09)
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Video: Take a tour of the Sioux City Farmers Market by Regional Food Systems Working Group member Julie Hlas from ISU Extension. (Posted 10/14/09)
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Handle with Care: The Fruit and Vegetable Working Group was featured on the Rodale Institute’s New Farm web site. Read article by group co-leader Malcolm Robertson. (Posted 10/12/09)
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Local food, local jobs: ISU economist David Swenson worked with Hometown Harvest in southeast Iowa to show how the region could benefit from increased production of local foods. Read more. (Posted 09/30/09)
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USDA grant: The USDA Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program due date for proposals is November 30. Visit the VAPG web site for information. (Updated 9/16/09)
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USDA grant: The UDSA NCR-SARE 2009 Farmer Rancher Grant deadline for proposals is December 3. See the web site to view the call for proposals. (Posted 9/16/09) |