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The Kansas Rural Center publishes a newsletter, Rural Papers, five to six times a year. Contributors to KRC receive the newsletter at no cost. Subscriptions are available for $25/year. The newsletter offers practical information on sustainable agricultural practices and profiles of Kansas farmers. It includes timely coverage of farm policy and environmental issues from a state and a national perspective. The newsletter also offers analysis and commentary on developments in industrial agriculture, such as biotechnology and genetic engineering, corporate concentration, and factory livestock production. The editor is Mary Fund. Contact the KRC office for a complimentary copy or a subscription by email at ksrc@rainbowtel.net or call 785/873-3431. The Rural Papers became
available online in pdf format beginning Fall 2006. Back issues may be found here. April-June 2010 Rural Papers Highlights 1) So You Want to Put Up a
Hoophouse?
Click on the image to
download a pdf copy of this issue! **************************************** 1) So You Want to Put Up
a Hoophouse? By Harriet Behar and Angie Sullivan, Hoophouses are sprouting like mushrooms across the Upper Mid-west. Markets have opened for local foods, encouraging farmers to “extend” their season beyond what they could produce without this extra protection. The investment in this infrastructure can have fairly quick payback, from both the higher prices “out of season” production can claim, as well as the higher quality and volume of produce you can reap from inside these structures. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has recently offered cost share dollars for the construction of unheated hoop-houses or high tunnels (we will use the words hoophouse and high tunnel interchangeably). This support is in recognition of the controlled environment created within the structure, which can encourage more judicious use of fertility, pest and disease control inputs and result in the protection of water and soil quality, which is the key NRCS goal. There are many excellent sources of information on how to construct a high tunnel, where to purchase a kit or how to put one up using a variety of materials you can buy locally. Information on how to successfully grow a variety of crops within a hoophouse is also readily available and increasing every year. MOSES, in partnership with the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP recently launched the Midwest Season Extension website- www.midwestseasonextension.org . There you can find links to other great websites and listserves as well as many other helpful resources and the latest happenings in the hoop-house world. Here we would like to run through some basic questions that you should consider, along with some ‘learn from our mistakes’ examples, to help you build a hoophouse that will be relevant to your operation as well as highly productive and flexible enough to keep you producing crops for years to come A Perfect Site is Key One of the main decisions before putting up a hoophouse is site selection. This decision should be based on soil type, soil fertility, full sun, good drainage and low weed pressure. The more time you take to consider this decision, the more time you’ll save fixing problems later. Hand-in-hand with site selection comes placement of your hoophouse. Remember to place the hightunnel fairly close to your home. If you are planning to work in this structure during the cold months, the less distance you have to walk, carry your tools, equipment and your harvests, the better. Level ground is a very important factor in building a hoophouse. You want your ground to be as level as possible, with no more than a 30% slope. If you live on a hilly farm, like we do, this can be difficult. When we were considering site selection, we had it in our heads that we didn’t want to take up any ‘good’ ground we were currently using. Then the light bulb went on! If you are already planting successfully in a field, you will be just covering it and extending the use of that field with a hightunnel. Like any field where you would plant, you will need your hightunnel site to have good drainage. This is one of the most important aspects, second to site selection. The last thing you want in the spring, when you are excited about working outside and getting your seedlings in the ground early, is to be dealing with standing water from melting snow and ice. Water and snow running off the high tunnel, unless managed properly along the sides through either buried trenches with stone and drain tile or other mechanisms, could result in some very soggy areas within your structure. This can cut into your growing area, lead to disease, and damage your profits. If you plan to move the tunnel from location to location every few years, how much do you want to invest in this runoff management, and how can you design your structure site so it can be used as a regular field in the future? Having buried rock and drain tile would not be disc-, field cultivator- or rototiller-friendly. Landscape cloth or heavy mil black plastic might be one solution, perhaps even laid in a shallow ditch with a slight slope to carry away water from the sides of the hoophouse. This would still take some work to remove when you dismantle your high tunnel in the future, but would be less work than taking out rock and drain tile. Still, if you plan to have the tunnel in the same place for many years, the better you plan for this water the less trouble you will have. Ultimately, selecting an ideal site with land that slopes away from your structure will be much easier and much less costly in labor and materials than a highly engineered drainage ditch. Equally important are the decisions about orientation and ventilation of the hoophouse. The standard orientation is to have the center purlin run east/west. This way you get the best light in the winter when the sun is low and you can have the long side of the hightunnel facing south to collect as much of the heat as possible. But, you also need to consider your prevailing wind direction. You would rather have the wind hitting a stronger endwall than hitting the side of your hightunnel directly. You will also need to think about ventilation of your hightunnel. The NRCS cost share does not allow for electricity (or supplemental heat for that matter) in your structure. Hand crank roll-up sides are common. Most plans come with instructions for how to make roll-up sides. Another factor to consider when deciding what type of hoophouse to build is personal comfort while you are working. This is one of those things that many of us do not consider until we can’t stand up straight because we have been stooped over for too many hours working in our hoophouse. If you are building a hoop with straight sides, you will have more room to stand up and work in the outside rows. If you build a hoophouse with curved sidewalls, you will not have much head clearance on the edges. Also, think of bed size and walking path spacing. Our first year we wanted to use as much space as possible for growing so we could make the most money out of every square foot. So we made our walking aisles about 12” wide. This was a disaster, and made working in our hoop uncomfortable. Not to mention the lost produce when we lost our balance and stepped into our bed of $7/lb. salad greens. So make sure you give yourself enough space to walk and work comfortably. Get the Soil Right As in any situation where you are growing plants, proper soil preparation is a must. Preparing the soil with cover crops and compost before you close it in gets you far ahead in fertility and soil tilth, and is much easier before you have the end wall up. There will be some compaction of the soil while you are building the hoophouse, so consider how you are going to perform tillage to loosen things up once you have the structure “skinned.” Some growers make it possible to remove an end wall so they can still get in to the structure with their tractor and tillage equipment. Others simply use a walk-behind, rear-tine tiller to accomplish their tillage needs. If you plan to use motorized equipment make sure you always use it during the time of year when you can ventilate properly. How will you go about constructing your hightunnel? Will you have the company you bought it from do the construction? If so, you will just get to sit back and watch. But, if you are like most people, you will either be buying a kit in a box, or you will be pulling together your own materials list and building the hightunnel yourself. Just be sure to get the base of the structure square. Planning the Hoop to Fit Your Production Another decision you will be making is what you want to grow in this structure. Most likely you will be growing a variety of vegetables or small fruit crops to take to farmer’s market, put in a farm stand or for your CSA shares. Perhaps you want to grow berries and tomatoes: think this through, since they each need a different type of environment throughout the year. Or you might want to produce a crop that requires you to remove the plastic through the winter and put back on in the spring. Tree fruits or brambles may require freezing in order to maintain healthy production since moisture and fertility can be better controlled in the tunnel as well as the added protection against sunscald, wind, and frost damage. (Yes, stone fruits such as cherries and apricots are grown commercially in high tunnels as well as blackberries, raspberries, etc.) If you are planting tomatoes or cucumbers, will the high tunnel be constructed strongly enough so that you can tie your plant trellises to the greenhouse? Or will you plan to build trellises that are free standing? There are many options for trellising depending on what you are growing. This is where talking to other growers can be helpful. Remember that for annual crops you cannot, under organic regulations, grow the same annual crops year after year in the same “field.” This regulation is in place for a good reason, and the hoophouse is just like any other field on your farm. Soil fertility and management are the foundations for healthy crop yields as well as pest, disease, and weed control. Crop rotation is critical, so you need to consider what your rotations will be within that greenhouse, to both meet your market needs as well as promoting healthy soil and nutrient cycling. Keeping the Hoop Productive Maintaining soil fertility from year to year can be accomplished by adding compost to your beds along with any organic fertilizers and micronutrients. If you are growing many succession crops, you will need to keep amending and fertilizing your soil. Amending your soil can happen in spring or fall, and in many cases is done throughout the growing season. Most of the work in the plant beds can be done with a tiller and different hand tools. Adding at least 2 inches of compost to your beds in the fall or spring will add organic matter to your soil. During the growing season you can till in the crop that is done being harvested and add more compost. Adding to the organic matter in your beds will go a long way in preventing problems with salt build-up from watering and diseases that can be a problem in a hoophouse environment. Consider short season cover crops such as oats or buckwheat in your rotation. Do you plan that this hoophouse will remain in the same location for 10 or more years, or do you anticipate moving it (taking it down completely, not the moveable high tunnels on skids) to a different location? If you are not planning to move it, you will need to consider how you will deal with salt build up and compaction of the soil. How you lay out your rows from year to year and the type of watering you do will affect this. Drip tape will not compact the soil as much as overhead watering from a wand or sprinkler will. By having permanent beds and walking paths, the risk of compaction is lessened and makes amending the soil easier. Water Issues Are Critical Whether you are growing many varieties of greens in early spring or late fall, single crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries, or a combination of all of the above, you will need to decide how you will water your crops. Drip tape, sprinklers, a hose? The most common watering method, it seems, is drip tape, which is also the most efficient way to get the water you need to your plants with little waste. With drip irrigation, generally one main hose runs the width of the hoophouse with lines of drip tape running down the rows of each bed. If you decide to use drip tape, it’s a good idea to get a timer on your hose spigot. If you have a timer it eliminates any worry about leaving the water on too long and lets your bad memory off the hook. On our farm, we do not use any landscape fabric or ground covering on our beds, so we do not bury our drip tape below the landscape fabric like some folks do. Because of this, we found we were constantly straightening and pulling our drip tape to keep it next to our plants. The easy fix for this is to use some landscape stakes and push them down over the ends of the drip tape to hold it in place in the beds. The other big advantage of drip irrigation is how clean it keeps your produce. You don’t get sand and dirt splashed up on your produce like in an outside environment, which translates to easier post-harvest handling. Sprinklers can work, however, you will need to be careful about the time of day you water. Try not to leave too much moisture on the leaves of your plants, as this will tend to lead to disease and fungus problems. Water early enough in the day to give your plants plenty of time to dry off and you should be fine. If you are only growing from late spring to late fall, you can probably get by with running a hose. But if you plan to water in the hoop through the cold, snowy days of winter, what is your water source plan? A large tank that serves your drip tape system with a stock tank heater might be one solution. You would still need to fill the tank, but not as often during the winter. Unless we have a lot of sunny days, you will probably only need to water once every 10 days or so. Overwatering can be a problem too, since cold wet soil and plant leaves can lead to fungal problems. Planning for Cold Many hoophouses use no supplemental heat and are simply used for season extension. However, there have been studies that suggest that keeping temperatures slightly above freezing can double production of winter salad greens, from two crops per year to four crops. This is a decision you will need to make based on your own operation. There are many options for heating hightunnels. The NRCS cost share will not allow supplemental heat, so if you want to grow through the coldest part of the winter, planning for a secondary blanket of plastic or spun row cover over your crops would be a good solution. Having purlins or anchors strategically set in place when you build your hoophouse will give you the flexibility to add this extra protection. Remember too that the side walls will be colder than the center of the greenhouse, and it might be better use of your inside space to have your paths along the side edges (unless it is too short to walk there). Stacking hay along the side edges may not be the best idea, since this offers great habitat for rodents, with fresh salad dinners inside your high tunnel. We hope you give some thought to the above questions and that they help you develop the answers for your own situation and farm plans. Take the time to attend field days or visit folks who have high tunnels and see how they have dealt with these various issues. You can learn a lot from what other farmers have developed and what they have decided was not satisfactory. If you have an NRCS cost shared hoophouse, you must track how this is lessening your use of pest control products and protecting ground and surface waters from soil fertility product leeching. Tracking these items will help you learn how best to use your high tunnel, both for fun and profit! *Harriet Behar is the MOSES Organic Specialist, and Angie Sullivan is the MOSES Resource and Events Coordinator. Both have diversified vegetable farms. All hoophouse photos courtesy of Dan Nagengast and the hoophouses on his family’s farm. Return to this issue's
Index Seneca, Kansas- Nearly forty ranchers interested in grazing management met on April 22 in Seneca, Ks. to organize a grazing cluster designed to share information and education, tour area operations, and host speakers. One of the group’s goals is to learn how to maintain growing or stockpiled vegetation that livestock can graze longer into the season, and thus cut down on fed hay. The group plans to meet once every other month. For information contact Mary Howell at 785-562-8726 (cell), or 785-292-4955. 3) Relationships
Important to Direct Marketing Lawrence, Kansas- “Direct marketing eliminates the middle man and allows the consumer to meet and get to know the producer,” stated Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, Local Foods and Farmers Market Coordinator for the Kansas Rural Center. Taylor-Puckett, who presented an introduction to direct marketing at a recent workshop in Lawrence, is the Local Foods and Farmers Market Project Coordinator for the Kansas Rural Center. “It is the relationship aspect that makes direct marketing a unique business opportunity for producers,” she emphasized. The workshop—Farm Direct Marketing 101: Exploring Opportunities for Small Farms in Kansas— was one of five held across Kansas in April and May and drew producers from all across Eastern Kansas. Taylor-Puckett elaborated on the different methods of direct marketing—specifically farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), on-farm or roadside stands, and internet. She highlighted benefits, challenges, required resources, and tips for each of these venues as well as how multiple venues work together. Farmers markets can be a great launching ground for any direct marketing business, according to Taylor-Puckett. “I recommend putting a couple years in at farmers markets.” She said farmers markets allow the customers to interact with the producer one-on-one. “This is a good way of establishing trust with the customer,” she said. Will Katz, Regional director for the University of Kansas Small Business Development Center, stressed the importance of writing a business plan. “You need to write a business plan—and it is not as intimidating as you think,” he said. “A business plan helps you feel rooted—I guarantee it will help your business,” he said. According to Katz, information for a business plan is “stuff you already know—it’s in your head!” He said a business plan is typically less than ten pages in length and is invaluable. “You can use it as a tool for personal accountability…and use it to get money as any investor will expect a business plan,” he said. Steve Moris, Food Safety Director for the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA), stressed the importance of keeping “cold foods cold and hot foods hot”. He said the “main concern is potentially hazardous foods (PHF)—which are foods that carry food borne illnesses”. Prohibiting items at a farmers market protects consumers from PHF, he said. “Things not allowed at farmers markets without a processor’s license include items such as raw meat, cut fruits, and cream pies,” Moris said. “For products allowed at farmers market you can use your own kitchen, but as a processor—you must follow guidelines,” he said. Moris suggests contacting KDA prior to building and a representative can conduct a plan review before construction or remodeling of kitchens. Moris clarified differences between a farmers market vendor and a food processor. “You can sell a strawberry pie at a farmers market, but if you sell to a grocery store—you are a food processor,” he said. He said those wishing to sell frozen meat and poultry at a farmers market should contact KDA’s meat and poultry program for more information and to register. According to Moris, sampling is allowed six times per year in one location. He said KDA guidelines must be followed—with the cut fruit or vegetable kept at 41 degrees or below and a clean knife used each time cutting occurs (with clean knives bagged and kept separate from dirty knives). For more information on food safety as well as licensing, contact KDA at 785-296-5600 or www.ksda.gov. Becki Rhoades, Kansas Department of Commerce (KDOC), provided tips for marketing on a shoestring. When developing a marketing plan she said to consider the person who will buy the product. “They may not be just like you,” she said. “The more you know about your customers—the less money you have to spend to reach them!” Additionally, Rhoades said it costs less to keep a customer than attract a new one. “Give them a reason to come back—not just a great product, but also a great experience,” she said. She highlighted a few tactics every business should have including: a business name; logo; business cards; an “elevator speech”; apparel (with business name and/or logo); website, and signage or banner. She said farmers should highlight what makes them special. “You have a story to tell—use it!” “Your customers want to learn about your farm and what you do,” she said. Jan Jantzen, Director of Rural Tourism Development for Flint Hills Resource Conservation Development (RC&D) elaborated on opportunities for agritourism in rural Kansas. According to Jantzen—who also hosts trail rides and prairie burns in the Flint Hills—the industry is “an entertainment and education type of business.” “They want to experience; they want to learn; they want to participate,” he said. Jantzen said entrepreneurs should not only think about the attraction, but also the actual experience. “You have to be able to move your audience emotionally. It is about moving emotions and making memories,” he said. Based on increased urbanization, Jantzen said the agritourism trend will continue to expand. “As our separation continues, the mystique—the curiosity —builds between city folks and rural people.” He said agritourism should be community based. “Agritourism can be vital to rural communities as it brings in new money and diversifies the economy,” he said. He said another key to successful agritourism is clustering activities in close proximity. “We need more agritourism clusters—options attract,” he said. This workshop—as well as others in Marysville, Newton, Dodge City, Independence—were developed by the Kansas Rural Center in coordination with the Kansas Department of Commerce, Rural Development; Kansas Department of Agriculture; Kansas State Research and Extension; and are funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency. Please see the Kansas Farmers Markets website for resources and contacts from these workshops at www.ksfarmersmarkets.org 4) Small Farmer
Commentary: Sustaining the Food System: What Will It Take? In this issue you’ll find information on hoophouse production (a way to extend the growing season for fruits and vegetables), mention of a newly formed grazing cluster interested in extending the season as a way of reducing input costs and increasing profits with livestock, a story on options for expiring CRP land, and advice on how to care for riparian areas and how to direct market your farm production. Plus you will find a guest commentary from Dr. Darrel Ray, University of Tennessee, on whether increasing agricultural production alone is enough to feed the world. What do all these things have in common? They all assume that there is more than one set of answers to the questions that challenge agriculture and our food future. They realize that local or regional food production will be a vital part of sustaining our food system and security, and that caring for natural resources is a significant part of that system. And they assume that keeping an open mind—when we don’t agree on the problems and solutions – is critical. This past year or two has seen the release of several books and films (including the widely viewed “Food Inc”) which criticize modern industrial agriculture and question how best to provide our food and fiber. These efforts have been received by some as bald faced lies and propaganda about modern agriculture, and by others as a long overdue critique laying out the problems and challenges facing agriculture and the food system. At a time when the majority of the population is one, two or more generations removed from the farm, you’d think any attention to food and farming would be good. But apparently not. One example came back in April, when Kansas Senator Pat Roberts along with Senators John McCain (Arizona) and Saxby Chambliss (Georgia) wrote a letter to USDA Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack expressing serious misgivings about USDA’s new initiative “Know your farmer, know your food”. They felt the program is “aimed at small, hobbyist, and organic producers whose customers generally consist of affluent patrons at urban farmers markets.” Their big concern was that USDA should not spend federal funds on “feel-good measures which are completely detached from the realities of production agriculture.” They claimed that at a time of tight federal budget the initiative was irresponsible. Never mind that USDA’s budget includes billions in federal crop subsidies to production agriculture and only a few million to the broad range of programs under the initiative. The senators could not be more wrong about the intention and significance of the initiative. “Know your farmer, know your food” ((KYF2) is USDA’s attempt to create new economic opportunities in food production by better connecting consumers with producers. It is not a program with a budget but a strategy to better utilize existing programs to “grow smaller farms into enterprises that support families and significantly contribute to feeding America.” Some of the programs involved include the Value Added Grant Program, Community Facilities Program, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, Farmers Market Promotion Program, Specialty Crop Block Grants, Rural Business Enterprise grants and loans, EQIP Organic Initiative, Farm to Cafeteria, and more. Unlike what the senators believe, the initiative clearly does not focus on “hobby farms” growing veggies for affluent patrons. According to Deputy Secretary Merrigan who oversees the initiative, it is “focused on finding ways to address the disappearing middle within the ranks of America’s farmers and ranchers” by offering assistance to grow their enterprises in new and creative ways. It also addresses the paradox between hunger and obesity in America, and the lack of access to healthy food for many, by encouraging the production of local foods. It is basically USDA’s recognition that these small to mid-size farms can offer not only significant contributions to our food future and to the health of Americans by providing fresh, local foods, but also can provide economic opportunities that benefit communities, states and regions of the country-- and maybe bring hope and opportunity to a new generation of farmers and ranchers . The stories in this issue of Rural Papers attest to the farmer and rancher interest here in Kansas to finding new production and management practices, economic opportunities, and marketing niches to establish profitable farm operations. Those of us who work for a more sustainable food system know that local food production alone will not feed the world, which is increasingly the criticism of the local food movement. But we also know that expanding local or regional food production across this nation --and around the globe --offers us all another option for feeding ourselves-- at a time when economic and environmental uncertainties and change dominate our world. Production agriculture or modern industrial agriculture (pick your term) has some very real problems and challenges. These range from growing weed and pest resistance to herbicides, impact of pesticides on soil and water quality, sky rocketing seed and input costs, and the sobering question of who can afford to be the next generation of farmers and ranchers? And like the rest of the economy, fossil fuel dependency presents an uncertain energy future for our food system. Feeding the world under the cloud of these questions becomes a pretty tall order-- one that requires creativity and a diversity of solutions. Production agriculture and food imports and exports will always be part of the food system. But maybe, local or regional food production – in a new infrastructure hardly envisioned at this time and built on an increased number of local or regional processors and food companies-- will allow local communities and regions of the country to feed ourselves. At KRC, we don’t claim to have all the answers, but we hope that we are asking the right questions. 5) Rural Grocery Initiative at KSU Wins Award The Rural Grocery Initiative has been awarded the 2010 Outstanding Program Award by the International Community Development Society. The Initiative is a project of the Center for Engagement and Community Development at Kansas State. According to CECD: "Local grocery stores represent a critical infrastructure for our rural communities. These stores are an important part of the economic engine that sustains rural communities, providing essential jobs and taxes. They are a vital source for nutrition and health, providing a supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and protein. These groceries are especially critical for the rural young, poor, and elderly. Grocery stores are where we meet friends, catch up on the latest news, build relationships and network with others. Grocery stores, like schools, restaurants, and post offices are community assets used to recruit and retain citizens, providing a symbol of community health..... In Kansas alone, 82 grocery stores in communities of fewer than 2,500 people have closed since 2007. " Because the loss of a rural grocery store threatens the health of local citizens and the existence of that community, KSU and a broad range of partners, (including KRC), have been working to assist rural communities and their grocery stores. The project has been collecting data on rural grocery stores by surveying store owners and rural grocery consumers, identifying and archiving the latest research, and talking with store owners, policy makers, and funders about grocery store challenges and their best practices." For more information about the Rural Grocery Initiative, and to obtain their toolbox of best practices, visit: http://www.ruralgrocery.org/ As part of his service on the CECD Board of Directors, Dan Nagengast, Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Center, has been on the Rural Grocery Store committee, and the Rural Grocery Store Summit planning committee. He also works with Pete Garfinkel, KSU, on a project designed to increase the enrollment of eligible food assistance clients (SNAP/Food Stamps) in rural communities, as a strategy to increase sales for rural groceries. 6) Battling World Hunger
by Increasing Global Production? For some time now, we have focused our attention on the twin issues of production and exports of major crops as a way of examining the export oriented policies that began in the US in the mid-1980s when US exports began to fall after nearly a decade of constant increases. Beginning with the 1972 crop, increasing exports began to create the expectation of an era of export-led prosperity for US farmers. US farmers began to believe that they had a responsibility to increase production and exports so that the hungry of the world could be fed. At the time of the World Food Conference in 1974, over 800 million people out of a world population of 4.2 billion people were classified as chronically hungry. The participants of the World Food Conference pledged to eradicate hunger within a decade. Over 20 years later, the 1996 World Food Summit pledged to reduce the number of hungry by half by 2015. At the time the number of hungry still exceeded 800 million out of a world population of 5.8 billion people. Today the world population is 6.8 billion people and the number classified as chronically hungry has risen to over 1.1 billion and 2015 is just five years away. The effort to reduce the number of hungry has gone backwards. Once again, there are efforts to significantly reduce this number. To help us understand what is going on, we took some time to look at changes in both world population and the world production of major grains and oilseeds. Over the last 30 years (1980-2009), the world population has increased by 51.7 percent from 4.45 billion in 1980 to 6.76 billion in 2009. During this time period the production of 8 major grains (barley, corn, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, and wheat) has increased by 54.6 percent, just slightly more than the population increase. The production of seven oilseeds, on the other hand, has increased by 188.7 percent over this period. Together the 15 crops have increased by 67.4 percent over the 1980-2009 period. During this period we have seen extended times when the price of these 15 crops was well below the cost of production for US farmers and many other farmers around the world. Despite the low prices, the level of hunger did not decrease because even with a low price 800 million people lacked the ability to buy the low-priced grain in adequate quantities to reduce chronic hunger. In looking at hunger, we face two interlinking issues. The first is the adequacy of production. Do we produce enough of the basic grains and oilseeds to provide an adequate diet that also included fruits, vegetables, and animal products? The data from the last 30 years suggests that while we need to continue to increase agricultural productivity, we have been producing enough calories to meet the needs of the world, albeit there may be a need to adjust the production mix. The second issue involves the ability of people to afford to buy food that has been produced by others or the ability and wherewithal to produce it themselves. The answer to this issue is much more problematic as evidenced by constant presence of 800 million to 1.1 billion chronically hungry people in the world. In looking at some of the activity that surrounds the cause of “feeding the world’s 9.2-9.5 billion people in 2050,” we have some concerns because the activity only focuses on the first problem. We have no doubt that the world’s farmers will be able to increase the 15 crop production at a rate faster than the increase in population over the next forty years. The question is will those who need the food be able to afford to purchase it or will some of it have to be diverted to other uses to cover the cost of production. Looking at a number of historical and contemporary models, we have come to believe that a significant part of reducing hunger in the world depends upon taking small-holder agriculture seriously, providing small producers with the level of public research and extension that will enable them to feed themselves and their family. The exporting of crops will always have its place in balancing out the variability of local production, but exports alone have not brought prosperity to farmers in the developed world or freedom from hunger among the world’s poor. Daryll E. Ray holds the Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee, and is the Director of UT’s Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (APAC). (865) 974-7407; Fax: (865) 974-7298 dray@utk.edu or see www.agpolicy.org Daryll Ray’s column is written with the research and assistance of Harwood D. Schaffer, Research Associate with APAC. 7) Farmers Urged to Talk
Over Options for Expiring CRP Ground Holton, Kansas—Speakers at the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) informational meetings held in Holton and Seneca Kansas in early March agreed on one thing: farmers with expiring CRP ground need to talk over their options with FSA and County Conservation District offices before they make decisions. “We want to talk to you” was the message from FSA speakers, county conservation district staff, fish and wildlife specialists, and watershed representatives. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program designed to reduce erosion, protect water quality, and benefit wildlife. Through CRP, the landowner is compensated with a payment for establishing an approved cover on the land instead of farming it. But contracts for large chunks of CRP land across the state are expiring soon. That means landowners have some big decisions to make—decisions that will impact farm profitability, soil erosion, water quality, and wildlife habitat. FSA personnel are concerned that producers may break out CRP ground before the contracts expire, which leaves them open to fines. Conservation district representatives want producers to understand all their options for reenrollment and for proper management practices if taken out of CRP. The Meadowlark Extension District, Delaware WRAPS, Jackson and Nemaha County Conservation Districts, USDA FSA and NRCS, Kansas Rural Center, Pheasants Forever, and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks organized the informational meetings. “We wanted to address producer questions as they relate to expiring or potentially expiring CRP contracts,” stated David Hallauer, Meadowlark Extension District spokesman. At the Holton meeting, David McAfee, Jackson County Director of FSA, said there are currently 555 contracts for CRP in Jackson County—totaling 18,500 acres. Over the next two years, contracts for more than 8,000 of those acres will expire. “We’re going to have to make some decisions pretty soon,” he said. “Farmers and landowners need to explore options available as CRP contracts expire.” McAfee said there will be no notice sent to farmers or landowners in regard to their contracts expiring and that they need to take the initiative to inquire with FSA. “Don’t tear up brome or CRP without talking to the FSA office,” he stressed, explaining that fines can occur if a field is broken out or planted before the contract expires. Reenrolling expiring acreages in CRP is a possibility. McAfee expects a signup in June of this year totaling 3 million acres nationwide. He said those acres will be rated based on an erodibility index with the highest eroding land being ranked the highest for re-enrollment in CRP. Bruce Yonke, Jackson County NRCS District Conservationist, said, “We want to talk to you before your CRP expires.” There are environmental practices that may work even if the farmer or landowner wishes to not renew their CRP contract. “I would encourage you to look at other programs.” CRP practices for continuous signup include CP 21-Filter Strips; CP 22-Riparian Buffer; CP 33-Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds; CP 38E SAFE-State Acres For Wildlife Enhancement. Yonke said a person should consider soil conservation plans, and then determine if these practices are applicable to each farm. “A filter strip is ideal if it is along a hedge row,” he said. Field Coordinator for the Kansas Rural Center’s Clean Water Farms Project, Ed Reznicek, said allowing land to come out of CRP is a set back for water quality. Grassland, he stated, retains and stores water, filtering run-off. “Don’t forget the investment of time and money in establishing a good stand of grass. Take it out, and that investment goes away,” he said. “In most cases, the right thing to do is leave it in grass.” Reznicek discussed the options available for keeping expiring CRP in grass including re-enrolling in CRP; using native grass for hay production; grazing, and other uses such as lease hunting. Marlene Bosworth, Delaware Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) Coordinator, explained some of the cost-share programs the Delaware WRAPS offers. She said the focus of the WRAPS project includes environmentally friendly and income-producing options such as CRP. According to Bosworth, programs like CRP provide a “reliable, stable source of income.” She said it is important to think about farm income. Typically, she said, the areas enrolled in CRP are the least productive areas on the farm. “If the land is enrolled in CRP, you don’t have to worry about yields.” Randy Whiteaker, District Biologist with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, discussed income opportunities through wildlife lease programs such as walk-in hunting areas (WIHA) and/or fishing areas; special hunts on private lands. “Some people look at CRP from a wildlife angle,” he said. “If you have CRP coming out and are planning to crop it, don’t go back to farming fence-row to fence-row,” Whiteaker said. “Leave borders or corners for wildlife, or contoured buffer strips,” he said. He also encouraged producers to “take advantage of continuous sign-up programs”. “The bottom-line is: if you have CRP coming out, take the time to come in and talk to FSA,” Whiteaker said. “Don’t break all that grass out—there are things to do that fit your situation.” David Hallauer of Meadowlark Extension District said CRP has benefits including an economic component, both water quality and wildlife benefits, and an intrinsic benefit. “It is impossible to put a dollar figure on protecting highly erodible land,” he said. According to Hallauer, there are pros and cons to converting former CRP to cropland that each landowner should consider. “The answers don't tend to be one size fits all,” he said. He said he wanted landowners and operators attending the meeting to know “that there are numerous options and a number of considerations within each option that will need to be evaluated as a decision is made.” In order to answer additional questions, a resource notebook was made available from the sponsoring organizations at the meetings. The notebook contained CRP considerations; CRP Benefits & Options; as well as other publications geared toward managing CRP and its conversion to grazing or cropland. The Meadowlark Extension District is making the notebook and information available at the County Conservation District and County Extension offices in Nemaha, Jackson and Jefferson counties. Information can also be found on their website at www.meadowlark.ksu.edu Click on Crops and Soils menu. 8) Proper Management of
Riparian Areas Provides Multiple Functions Eskridge, Kansas – About 33 landowners and ranchers attended the riparian workshop organized by the Flint Hills RC&D and Wabaunsee County Extension, in late March to learn how to better manage ponds, creeks and woodlands. Themes for the evening included introducing basic concepts of riparian areas and stream hydrology, forestry management, rangeland riparian management, streambank stabilization, and funding opportunities for rangeland improvement. Paul Ingle with the Flint Hills RC&D kicked off the evening explaining the WRAPS (Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy) process and describing riparian areas. A riparian area is defined as the distinct ecosystem located around free and unbound water. Ingle stressed that riparian areas, “Are not wastelands!” They have multiple functions including removal of pollutants, trapping of sediment and moisture, stabilization of banks and reducing the energy of streams, along with provide wildlife habitat. Ryan Neis, watershed forester with the Lake Region RC&D and the Ecotone Forestry Program, explained the importance of trees in riparian areas, forestry management practices, and reforestation strategies. Carol Blocksome, Kansas State University, followed this discussion with range-land riparian area management. Blocksome overviewed how different topography and management practices affect how cattle influence riparian areas. She stressed the importance of good rangeland management for positively impacting riparian areas. “Good management can make about any system work,” Blocksome said. Removing cattle entirely from riparian areas is not always the best solution, Rather, Blocksome suggested, manage riparian areas as special paddocks (when possible) by incorporating flash grazing where animals are only in the riparian areas for short periods of time. Also, Blocksome suggested maximizing what is attractive about the uplands (high quality pasture, alternative water, and mineral feeding) to minimize livestock from “camping” in the riparian areas. Workshop attendees also learned of services available for managing riparian areas. Brandon Wilson with Osage County FSA introduced various CRP options including the newly available Marginal Pastureland program which pays livestock owners to fence out riparian areas and provide an alternative water source along with the addition of an annual per acre incentive payment. This is the first CRP program that does not require a cropping history. Other services include the Kansas Rural Center’s Clean Water Farms project, the local WRAPS programs, and local Conservation Districts. Contact your local Conservation District office, or Paul Ingle of the Flint Hills RC&D at 785-640-2645 or KRC at 785-873-3431 for more information. The workshop was made possible through funding and efforts by Wabaunsee County Extension, Wabaunsee County Conservation District, Flint Hills RC&D, Kansas Rural Center, Melvern Lake WRAPS, Pomona Lake WRAPS, USDA-NRCS, Kansas Alliance for Wetlands & Streams, Flint Hill’s Bank of Eskridge, Flint Hill’s Insurance, Wabaunsee County Farm Bureau, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment/ U.S. EPA Nonpoint Source Funds. 9) Increasing Herd
Performance and Health Helps Bottom Line and Environment Frankfort, Kansas—“Here in Eastern Kansas, we’re blessed with the amount of forages we can grow—and we have to work to select the forages we can use,” explained Gary Kilgore, Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University, at a recent “Improving Livestock Production” Workshop in Frankfort. “Match the system to the animal,” he said. “Your goal as a livestock person is to match the requirements of the animal to the available forage.” Kilgore suggested selecting forages “best adapted to your farm’s soil and climate.” He said an effectively managed forage-based system is cheaper than putting up hay. “Grazing is less-costly if the nutritional needs of your animal are met.” He said a producer should utilize both warm and cool season grasses as well as the method of stockpiling forages to meet the animals’ requirements year-round. The result, he explained, is good animal performance and improved water quality due to adequate ground cover to control erosion and trap nutrients. “Think about the water quality aspect—there is no better protection than growing grass,” Kilgore said. Over 50 people attended the “Improving Livestock Production Workshop” on April 13, which was sponsored by Middle Kansas Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS); Tuttle Creek WRAPS; Kansas State University Research and Extension; Jackson and Pottawatomie County Conservation Districts, and the Kansas Rural Center. Dale Kirkham, field organizer with the Kansas Rural Center’s Clean Water Farms Project (CWFP) referred to the evening’s catered meal and asked if cows were being catered. “Are we going to cater to their needs?” he asked. “Let four legs and a rumen do the harvesting,” Kirkham suggested. He said the cow’s rumen is designed to graze and break down fibrous materials. Kirkham said a producer should think of ways to make a positive impact on the landscape while improving herd production and health. Allowing the animals to graze year-round improves herd health by avoiding reduced gain due to mud; reduces occurrence of scours, and reduced stable fly population. It also improves water quality by controlling erosion and compaction, and distributing minerals across the landscape, he said. Jason Schmidt, CWFP field organizer, explained the services available through the Kansas Rural Center in connection with WRAPS. He said the components of the CWFP include: the River Friendly Farm Plan (RFFP) Environmental Assessment; limited cost-share funding, and grazing information and education. According to Schmidt, the RFFP, which is voluntary and confidential, helps a farmer establish priorities on the farm. “It helps you decide what to tackle first,” he said. He said the CWFP can also connect producers with technical and financial assistance to implement best management practices (BMPs) which improve water quality. Barbara Donovan, Coordinator of the Tuttle Creek WRAPS, explained that the WRAPS program is a volunteer program that works with residents “to protect our water and soil.” She said a cost-share program is currently available to residents of the watershed. For more information on the cost-share program, please contact Donovan at 651-247-8292 or email her at donovanmn@aol.com Will Boyer, Watershed Specialist with Kansas University Research and Extension, said it is important to the bottom line of an operation to have an adequate supply of clean drinking water. “Reduced water consumption equals reduced feed consumption,” he said. “I’m not telling you to fence your streams out; instead look at developing another water source,” he said. He said, if possible, one should develop a water source in an underutilized portion of the pasture. Boyer also urged graziers to think about ways to improve grazing distribution in a pasture by strategic placement of mineral feeders, fly rub or gates. Dr. Larry Hollis, Extension Beef Veterinarian with Kansas State University, presented a spring health calendar for cattle herds—included are pre-breeding shots that build immunity to prevent Lepto-Vibrio, abortions and non-bred cows, as well as protection from scours in newborn calves. Hollis prefers modified vaccine over killed for improved immunity; as long as the cows are not pregnant when the vaccine is administered. Calves should be vaccinated, dehorned, and castrated prior to being sent to grass. He also recommended checking herd bulls and having semen evaluated. After such a harsh winter, Hollis said the occurrence of frost-bite on a bull’s scrotum can lead to the inability to breed. He also suggested marking cows that are in poor body condition, weaning their calves early and culling them from the herd. “This saves bull power,” he said. Hollis said to use caution when buying used bulls due to trichomoniasis or “trich”. Trich is a venereal disease in cattle that causes infertility and may cause cows to abort. He said many states require testing for trich when importing an out-of-state bull, however Kansas does not. Hollis suggested talking to a veterinarian about the history of the bull to see if testing for the disease is necessary. Hollis also provided suggestions for marketing “value-added” cattle. Hollis said to start with the end in mind. He said to ask: “What do customers want to buy?” He suggested adding value to your calves by using better genetics; a uniform breed type, and a shorter breeding season to develop a group of calves that are uniform in color, size and build. He said cattle buyers are willing to pay a premium for calves that look like “peas in a pod.” Hollis also suggested maintaining health records and weaning calves well ahead of the sale date as he said buyers are willing to pay a premium for healthy, weaned cattle that are broke to a waterer and bunk. According to KRC’s Mary Howell, CWFP field organizer, who organized the program, producers from seven Kansas watersheds and two other states were in attendance. “Extending the grazing season improves water quality—which results in increased herd performance and health. In the end, it all translates into improved livestock production and ties directly into the producer’s bottom line,” Howell said. Financial support for the program came from the Kansas Rural Center via the Kansas Department of Health and Environment with U.S. EPA 319 Funds, with other support from the Jackson and Pottawatomie County Conservation Districts, and Middle Kansas and Tuttle Creek WRAPS. January-March 2010
Rural Papers Highlights
1) USDA EQIP Organic
Initiative: Funds Available for Kansas Farmers for Organic
Transition Practices
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Rural Papers Highlights
1) N.C. Kansas Farm Tour
Showcases Diversity & Business Options
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Rural Papers Highlights
1) Intensive Management
Techniques Can Benefit Livestock Operations
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Rural Papers Highlights
1) EQIP Initiative Offers
Opportunities For Organic Farming
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Rural Papers Highlights
1) Focus on the Fourth “F”:
Feed, Fuel, Fertilizer... and Forages
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Rural Papers Highlights
1) Sustainable Grazing
Systems Benefit Environment and Producer Profits
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2008 Rural Papers Highlights:
1) KRC Sustainable
Agriculture Conference: Fundamental Shift from Industrial to
Ecological Economy Needed to Meet Future Challenges
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2008 Rural Papers Highlights:
1) KRC Sustainable
Agriculture Conference: Meeting Agriculture's Challenges in A
Rapidly Changing World
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July/August/September 2008 Rural Papers Highlights
1) Wind Energy Added to KRC
Website
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April/May/June 2008 Rural Papers Highlights 1) Local Food Future
Discussed
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2008 Rural Papers Highlights:
1) Energy Bills Drop
Renewable Pretenses: More Coal Plants
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1) Pharma Crops:
Agricultural Salvation or Pandora's Box?
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1) Passion for the Prairie
Drives Flint Hills Ranchers
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June/July 2007 Rural Papers Highlights
1) Farm Bill Draft Misses Opportunity
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March/April/May 2007 Rural Papers Highlights
1) Drugs in Rice Not Approved by FDA; Food
Contamination Likely
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Farm and Food Policy
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November/December 2006
Rural Papers Highlights
1) Coalition Calls for
Reform in 2007 Farm Bill
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*********************************** August-October 2006 Rural
Papers Highlights 1) Community Wind Energy
Spotlight of October 31 Workshop
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