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General Contact: NEWS
RELEASE - March 8, 2010 WORKSHOP IN TONGANOXIE HIGHLIGHTS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR WINTER FEEDING AREAS Tonganoxie, Kansas—“Are you raising cattle for pleasure or profit…or both?” Dale Kirkham, Field Organizer with the Kansas Rural Center’s Clean Water Farms Project, posed this question to those attending a “Best Management Practices for Winter Feeding Areas” workshop in Tonganoxie in mid-February. “If you are in it for pleasure—you are not going to be in it for long,” he said. “Feed prices have gone up and it is more and more important to have efficient cows,” he said. Kirkham urges farmers to “select for cattle that will do well on a grass or forage diet.” One way Kirkham said he increases the profit of his herd is selecting for cow size and feed efficiency. An optimal cow in Kirkham’s herd will wean a calf at 50 percent of her body weight while utilizing forages. “You don’t have to babysit those cows,” Kirkham said. “You want mother nature to help you select those cattle that will live on forage.” He explained he checks the heifers and the ones who are not pregnant are sold. He said if he sells at that time, he is able to receive a good price for them instead of waiting to sell them later as a cull. Kirkham also provided a few management tips including: supplementing with a protein source two to three times per week; feeding at different times of the day and entering through a different gate (cattle are creatures of habit and this will keep them out grazing instead of waiting on you at the gate, he explained), and feed in least used sites in pasture to encourage grazing in that area. Kirkham explained that having cattle on pasture through out the winter instead of in a confined area spreads manure out across the landscape and creates a positive impact on water quality. Feeding a small amount of cracked corn or corn to the cows encourages birds to break down manure piles and spread the nutrients out even further, he said. The workshop, organized through the Lower Kansas WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy) by the Leavenworth County Conservation District and the Kansas Rural Center, featured topics related to implementing best management practices (BMPs) that allow farmers and ranchers to reduce input costs and protect water quality. Another topic of discussion included reducing hay feeding waste. Jody Holthaus, Livestock/Natural Resources District Agent with K-State Research and Extension’s Meadowlark District, spoke on the importance of reducing hay loss. According to Holthaus, 50 percent of hay is lost through storage or wasted during feeding. She said hay is a large expense. “Haying requires a large investment in equipment, plus the time and labor to put up,” she said. Holthaus said loss can be reduced by using proper storage techniques, which allow moisture to drain out and away from the bales as quickly as possible. She suggests north to south rows (with at least six feet in between rows) on a sloped site, away from tree lines or buildings. Carol Blocksome, Kansas State University, explained the results of a recent grazed riparian buffer demonstration project. Riparian buffer strips filter runoff and decrease runoff velocity reducing erosion. According to Blocksome, the implementation of the buffers encountered some resistance from producers. This resistance was partially attributed to the exclusion of grazing corn residue adjacent to the buffers. She said the Jackson County Conservation District relayed this concern and she in turn conducted the study on one Jackson County farm and two Nemaha County farms. Blocksome concluded that the riparian buffers are unaffected if the cattle are provided an alternative shelter away from the buffer (all buffers in the study had existing alternative water sources away from the creeks in question). Will Boyer, Watershed Specialist, K-State Research and Extension, said, “Everyone contributes to water pollution.” Specific causes of pollution include: failing septic systems; runoff from crop, grazing and feedlots; storm water runoff, and wildlife. The key is to reduce the amount of pollution in streams and creeks. Boyer explained there are three things cattle need—feed, water and shelter. He showed the producers a photograph of a farm with all of these necessities along a creek. “Move one or more of these things away from the creek,” Boyer said. This encourages the animals to spend some of their time away from the creek instead of being by it 100 percent of the time, he said. Mud is a concern related to confined feeding operation. Boyer stressed that mud is detrimental to a calf’s performance. “Your bottom line is affected by having animals down in wet, mucky mud,” he said. He said there is a huge loss cattle gain when they are attempting to move around in mud. Other benefits of an alternative feeding site include: animal well-being and a reduction in stable-fly production. An alternative feeding site—one that is away from creeks and ditches—can also include a windbreak. A man-made windbreak with four inches between the tin or boards is shown to be most effective, Boyer said. “This makes a better windbreak as a solid windbreak causes a back wind toward the cattle,” he said. Boyer suggests a managed “sacrifice area” to feed your cattle during the winter to protect other areas of the pasture. This might include a hard surface such as geo-textile fabric below a lime and rock base. Boyer said this is often installed for one-third the cost of concrete. In addition, Boyer said it is important to provide an alternative watering source as well— an alternate to unmanaged access to streams and ponds. “Cattle perform better with an abundant and reliable livestock water source,” he said. Boyer also said an alternative water source reduces chopping ice in the winter and provides the herd with a clean, reliable source of fresh water. He said studies show cattle prefer a water temperature of 60 to 80 degrees. According to Boyer, there is technical assistance available for many of these management practices and encouraged livestock producers to seek out assistance for these projects. “Not only did the producers ask questions of the presenters, but several conversations and discussions were generated among the audience,” Jerry Wooley, Leavenworth County Conservation District Buffer Coordinator, said. “There were a number that resulted in ideas and information exchanges through out the day.” Residents of the Stranger Creek Watershed were eligible for “door prizes” to help the producers implement BMPs on their own farm. Those prizes awarded included: 150 feet of geo-textile fabric plus gravel; 150 feet of geo-textile fabric; an alternative watering site tank with fabric, and two $500 credits to be used toward implementing an approved BMP. “It appeared that many left with a greater knowledge of the programs that are available and a desire to become more informed,” Wooley said. Sponsors of the workshop are Frontier Farm Credit; Leavenworth County Beef Improvement Association (BIA); Leavenworth County Fair Board; Leavenworth County Cooperative Association; Leavenworth County Farm Bureau; K-State Research and Extension; Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS); State Conservation Commission (SCC); Kansas Department of Health and Environment(KDHE); Leavenworth County Conservation District and the Kansas Rural Center.
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RELEASE - March 1, 2010 The 4M’s of Market Management Shared at Farmers’ Market Conference Topeka - Keeping an eye on the 4Ms of market management–mission, management, marketing and measurement–allows farmers markets to grow and thrive in a sustainable fashion. Demand for local foods and for markets has rapidly increased in the past four years, so much so that farmers and markets are challenged to keep up with requests to expand. With few resources, both in terms of finances and staff time, markets should approach each new venture with a critical eye. This was the message shared by Darlene Wolnik, Director of Marketshare at marketumbrella.org, in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the 2010 Kansas Farmers Market Conference for Organizers. Darlene was a Crescent City Farmers Market shopper and volunteer before joining the organization in 2002. She provides technical assistance to markets in the New Orleans region and beyond and helps create new tools to build and maintain successful markets. To illustrate the 4Ms approach, Wolnik walked organizers through the process of evaluating a potential opportunity: adding a new market day using the 4 M’s:
More than twenty markets from across Kansas were represented by forty attendees at the day-long event on February 1. The morning was devoted to exchanging information and developing relationships among markets. Key areas of discussion included issues of risk management and liability reduction, expansion and promotion of farmers market EBT programs as well as launching a new market. Wolnik also provided organizers the opportunity to develop Market Portraits, a short survey of operational attributes of a market. A follow-up report will be distributed to each market enabling organizers to discover peers across the state and nation. The Kansas Farmers Market Conference was presented by the Kansas Rural Center’s Farmers Market Project with support from a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant. Additional sponsors included the Kansas Department of Commerce, Rural Development; the Farmers Market Coalition; the Downtown Lawrence Farmers’ Market; and the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops. For more information contact Mercedes Taylor-Puckett at 785-840-6202, or Mercedes.taylorpuckett@gmail.com
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RELEASE - February 17, 2010 Emporia, Kansas - Cultivating a growing opportunity for farmers requires the cooperation of communities, policy makers and the growers themselves, according to a national authority on farmers markets. Speaking to producers at the recent Kansas Farmers Markets Conference in Emporia, Don Wambles, past president of the nationwide grassroots organization, the Farmers Market Coalition, called farmers markets “a bright spot for American agriculture.” As a mechanism for bringing wholesome, locally grown food to the public, farmers markets benefit consumers and communities as well as the folks who grow the food, he said. “The number of farmers markets across the country continues to grow because they benefit everyone,” said Wambles who is the director of the Alabama Farmers Market Authority. “We need to raise awareness about where to find and how to identify locally grown food and remove obstacles to buying locally.” Wambles outlined state and federal programs that facilitate farmers markets, noting that full funding is needed for efforts such as the Farmers Market Nutrition Program that provides coupons that seniors and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants can use to purchase fresh produce from farmers or farmers markets. Although successful farmers markets require the efforts of legislators and community leaders, they begin in the fields and gardens of growers. For the grower portion of the recipe, Wambles had some advice based on his experiences in Alabama where, with his leadership over the past decade, the number of farmers markets has increased from 17 to 114 with more than 1,500 small family farmers benefiting. First of all, Wambles emphasized, freshness and quality are the main reasons consumers shop at farmers markets. In addition to filling that need, he advised, growers should find out what consumers visiting farmers markets actually want. Preferred fruits, vegetables and other products may differ from one region to the next, according to local demographics and local preferences, he said. Additionally, growers may have opportunities to profit from meeting needs that aren’t being met. “Pay attention to ethnic groups in your community,” he said. “Find out what they want and they’ll come to you.” Determining what the community wants, he added, goes beyond what growers bring to market, “it determines what you plant,” he said. Regarding the actual merchandising of products at the farmers market, Wambles stressed that a grower’s goal should not be to sell-out quickly. “Strive for steady selling all day,” he recommended. “If it’s a four-hour market and everything’s gone in two hours, people are going to go away disappointed and they might not come back.” Wamble’s other tips for growers wanting to make the most of farmers markets included:
“Consumers love buying direct from farmers,” Wambles observed. “That’s something Wal-Mart can’t do. (A lot of) stores have tried to mimic the farmers market concept but they don’t have the farmer there—that’s the key ingredient so make the most of it.” The Kansas Farmers Market Conference featured experts addressing a wide variety of topics focused on issues such as specialty crop management, marketing, food safety, legislation and licensing. The Kansas Farmers Market Conference was presented by the Kansas Rural Center’s Farmers Market Project with support from a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant. Additional sponsors included the Kansas Department of Commerce, Rural Development; the Farmers Market Coalition; the Downtown Lawrence Farmers’ Market; and the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops. A wealth of related information is available at www.ksfarmersmarkets.org and www.kansasruralcenter.org
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RELEASE - February 16, 2010 According to Carl Johnson, Missouri River Basin WRAPS coordinator, there are management techniques that make farming operations more profitable as well as efficient and are beneficial to the environment. “As producers, we need to look for wins in all three areas – profitability, efficiency and protecting our resources,” he said. Ed Reznicek, Clean Water Farms Project (CWFP) Field Organizer, explained the Kansas Rural Center’s CWFP and the River Friendly Farm (RFFP) environmental self assessment that field organizers assist producers in completing. Reznicek explained how the RFFP assists farmers in calculating the animal units on the farm and how that correlates to the available acres for manure application. He then gave examples of pollution prevention practices such as removing the manure from sites where build-up occurs to be applied on crop fields or pasture at the appropriate time. Will Boyer, Watershed Specialist with K-State Research and Extension, answered farmers’ questions regarding water quality regulation. Although Boyer planned to present a slideshow program on livestock management, an hour-long power outage provided the opportunity for a less formal program. Boyer explained that “State and Federal statutes and rules regarding livestock and water quality vary a lot depending on the type of livestock operation and its location.” He said it seems fairly common for small and medium sized livestock operations to be unaware of their specific responsibilities or to have some misunderstanding. “The power outage may have been a blessing in disguise—it gave people an opportunity to discuss issues that were foremost on their minds such as regulatory intervention,” Johnson said. Although many events such as
flooding and heavy rainfall events occur, Reznicek said producers
should still implement best management practices (BMPs) to reduce
impacts on the water quality. “Just because we can’t have 100
percent control, 100 percent of the time, doesn’t mean we
shouldn’t do anything,” Reznicek explained. One practice that can be implemented to protect water quality is planting grass buffer strips along streams. Doniphan County Conservation District Buffer Coordinator, John Meisenheimer explained the benefits of installing buffer strips. He said the buffer strips “filter out soil, chemicals and fertilizers” as well as provide a wildlife benefit. Although the benefits are numerous, he said he understands that the farmer must ask “How is it going to help me?” Admittedly, Meisenheimer said he was skeptical when the buffer strips were first introduced. He asked rhetorically, “Why are we going to spend money on a grass filter strip?” Those results are evident when looking at fields with buffer strips in place. Meisenheimer said at the point where field gullies entered the buffer strip the grass was twice as tall as it was elsewhere—proof enough for him that the grass was benefiting from the deposited soil and nutrients that otherwise would enter the creek. In addition, Meisenheimer explained the payments available for implementing buffer strips and various other practices. Often farmers want to implement BMPs on their farm or ranch, but lack funding to do so. Funding is available for such projects as verified by Mechelle Foos, District Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Don Jones, Water Quality Program Manager, State Conservation Commission (SCC). Foos elaborated on funding programs through NRCS such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), while Jones provided information on cost-share eligibility for livestock waste management through SCC programs. Another aspect affecting a livestock operation’s bottom-line is often animal health. Therefore, Dr. Larry Hollis, Extension Beef Veterinarian, Kansas State University, was on hand to discuss the occurrence of dystocia in a livestock operation—dystocia is an abnormal or difficult birth. Hollis stressed the importance of delivering a live calf as well as allowing the cow the best opportunity to breed back again. Hollis recommends watching for these signs as indicators of when to intervene in the birthing process: abnormal presentation; the calf in trouble; the cow quits trying, and the birth is taking too long. In the instance of a breech birth, Hollis said to pull fast as the umbilical cord can be pinched causing lack of oxygen to the calf. In order to increase the likelihood of the cow breeding back after delivery, Hollis emphasized the importance in cleanliness. He recommends carrying repurposed 1-gallon milk jugs of water on the floor board of your pickup. “The heater in your truck can do a lot to warm that water up,” he said. Then it can be used for hand washing—along with soap—as well as rinsing off the cow before she delivers a calf. “The presenters at the workshop discussed management practices that are both good for our bottom-line and good for our watershed. I think that is what all of the citizens want,” Johnson said. “I hope there was a message that keeping the animal waste and fertilizers out of the streams in the watershed as well as reducing erosion is not just an environmental issue but it is a waste of valuable resources we that need on our farms.” The workshop was sponsored by Missouri River Basin WRAPS; Troy State Bank; John Haupt, Troy Insurance Services, Inc.; Bruna Implement; State Conservation Commission, Kansas State University Research and Extension; Brown, Doniphan, Leavenworth, Nemaha and Wyandotte County Conservation Districts, and Kansas Rural Center.
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RELEASE - February 9, 2010 FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR KANSAS FARMERS FOR ORGANIC TRANSITION PRACTICES; INCLUDES HOOP HOUSE COST-SHARE FUNDS Whiting, Ks.- March 12, 2010 is the deadline for signing up for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 2010 Organic and Transition to Organic Special Initiative under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Kansas has received $1,416,186 for this initiative in 2010. The initiative can provide up to $20,000 per year for no more than $80,000 over a six year period to assist farmers and ranchers to transition to organic or to improve conservation benefits on existing organic farms. Funds not allocated in Kansas will be sent back to national headquarters for reallocation. Eligible farmers include: * Farmers just beginning or in
the process of transitioning to organic production; The Kansas State Conservationist and NRCS staff developed a list of conservation practices offered through the initiative. Kansas’ list is fairly inclusive of all possible practices currently used. Successful applications will receive a 75% payment rate for practices undertaken. For beginning, socially disadvantaged, or limited resource farmers, the payment rate will be 90% of practices undertaken. One new practice included in the 2010 program in Kansas is the Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops or Hoop houses. Funds are limited to $4,000 per agricultural operation. There was an earlier Kansas sign-up with a deadline of January 15, 2010 under the general Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). States have the option to include the Seasonal High Tunnel System practice under either the general EQIP or under the EQIP Organic Initiative. In Kansas, the State Conservationist made the decision to run the Seasonal High Tunnel System practice under the Organic Initiative, which extends the sign up date to March 12, 2010 for the EQIP Organic Initiative. To apply for the EQIP Organic Initiative, farmers and ranchers must contact their local NRCS office and submit the general EQIP application and a screening criteria worksheet for either “Transition to Organic” or for a “Certified Organic Operation”. Producers who have not participated in federal farm programs (such as some market garden operations) will need to sign up with their local Farm Services Administration Office to determine eligibility for federal farm programs. Forms are available at the local NRCS office or online. The important thing is to contact the local county NRCS office and sign up. Details of the application can be developed later. Farmers already certified organic who are applying must submit a copy of their current organic system plan (OSP) and maintain certification through the length of the EQIP contract. Transitioning organic farmers must certify that they are in the process of obtaining organic certification, and submit a self-certification letter stating that they agree to develop and implement conservation practices for certified organic production consistent with an organic system plan, and that they are working with an organic certifying agency. State NRCS officials have stated that applications submitted for hoop house funds before the earlier deadline will suffice for the Organic Initiative. Applicants for the high tunnel or hoop house practice however will need to pursue organic certification under the Organic Initiative. Applications can be submitted at anytime throughout the year, but those submitted before March 12, 2010, will be evaluated in a competitive ranking process this spring. According to the national NRCS guidance, applications will be treated as two separate ranking pools, one for transitioning farmers and ranchers without any current certified organic production and another for certified organic farmers who need additional conservation practices. Funding is not guaranteed, as EQIP is a competitive program. But the separate EQIP Organic Initiative allows applicants to be ranked against other organic or transitioning to organic farmers, and not against the much larger pool of all EQIP applicants. Additional information on the EQIP Organic Initiative and Seasonal High Tunnel Systems can be found at the Kansas Rural Center website at www.kansasruralcenter.org, at the national Alternative Technology Transfer for Rural Areas or ATTRA website at www.attra.ncat.org/eqip, and at www.hightunnels.org. General information about organic production practices and organic certification are available from ATTRA at www.attra.ncat.org/organic and at the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) at www.mosesorganic.org/news.html. For Kansas specific information, contact your local county NRCS office and/or the Kansas Rural Center at 785-873-3431 or ksrc@rainbowtel.net.
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RELEASE - February 3, 2010 WORKSHOP IN TONGANOXIE
HIGHLIGHTS BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Tonganoxie, Kansas—The Leavenworth County Conservation District and the Kansas Rural Center will host a “Best Management Practices for Winter Feeding Areas” workshop at 10 am on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds Administration Building, Tonganoxie. Registration begins at 9:30 am and the free workshop will conclude at approximately 2 pm. The workshop, organized through the Lower Kansas WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy), features topics related to implementing best management practices (BMPs) that allow farmers and ranchers to reduce input costs and protect water quality. “Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight into the needs of our watershed and to become a partner in the solutions to address these needs,” Jerry Wooley, Water Quality Coordinator, Leavenworth County Conservation District, said. Topics and speakers include:
A free lunch is included in the workshop. Door prizes include: 150 feet of geo-textile fabric plus gravel; 150 feet of geotextile fabric, and an alternative watering site tank. Sponsors of the workshop are Frontier Farm Credit; Leavenworth County Fair Board; Leavenworth Cooperative Association; Leavenworth County Farm Bureau; K-State Research and Extension; Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS); State Conservation Commission (SCC); Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE); Leavenworth County Conservation District and the Kansas Rural Center. For more information or to RSVP by February 12, please contact Jason Schmidt, with the Kansas Rural Center, at 864-417-0272 or the Leavenworth County Conservation office at 913-682-2133.
### - ANNOUNCEMENTS - Vendor opportunity: Merriam Farmers' Market The Merriam Farmers' Market is now taking applications for the summer season scheduled from May 1st - October 9th, 2010. Stall space is limited, and on a first come, first served basis. The Marketplace is a 10,000 square foot covered pavilion with 36 stalls and 120 parking stalls surrounding it for customer convenience. Restrooms are also at the facility. Stalls are $299 for the season. The marketplace is located just northwest of Johnson Drive and I-35 on Merriam Drive. Visit our website at www.merriam.org/park/Marketplace or call 913-322-5550. ### Loans available for Non-Organic Hoop Houses If organic production is not the strategy that you want to pursue for your farming operation, as is required by the USDA NRCS EQIP Organic Initiative, the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Agriculture Value Added Loan program is an excellent resource for expanding your operation. For those interested in greenhouses or hoop houses to extend their production season, the Value Added loan is available. This loan charges no interest for the first two years and then the rate is locked in at 1 percent over the prime rate for the remainder of the loan. There is no penalty for early payment. If you would like more information about the loan program, contact Mari Tucker at (785) 296-6080 or mtucker@kansascommerce.com
### New Book on Crop Rotation on Organic Farms "Crop Rotation on Organic Farms: A Planning Manual" helps farmers use rotations to build better soil; control pests, weeds and diseases; and develop profitable farms. Consulting with expert organic farmers, the authors share rotation strategies that can be applied under various field conditions and with a wide range of crops. "The purpose of this book is to help growers and farm advisors use crop rotations to build better soil, control pests, and develop profitable farms that support satisfied families," says editor Charles Mohler, a senior research associate at Cornell University. "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:
Download Crop Rotation on Organic Farms for free at www.sare.org/publications/croprotation.htm. To order print copies ($24.00 plus $5.95 s/h) visit 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. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) USDA. SARE's mission is to advance - to the whole of American agriculture - innovations that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life by investing in groundbreaking research and education. SARE Outreach operates under cooperative agreements with the University of Maryland and the University of Vermont to develop and disseminate information about sustainable agriculture. Visit www.sare.org for more information. Who We Are Projects Calendar & News Policy & Advocacy Publications Wind Projects Heartland Network Kansas Food Policy Council Clean Water Farms Project Links Home Page © Copyright
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