Is it Time to Diversify?
 Why don’t we grow our own food here in the American Heartland?  Most food items found in our grocery stores in Northeast Iowa travel an average of 1500 miles before they reach our plates.  In the spring of 2006, the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm coalition (NIFF) was formed. It brings together food consumers, business people, area, and county extension staff and farmers of all kinds. NIFF began to address the question by conducting a survey of all businesses and institutions in a 5 county area. The results showed that the majority would buy more locally raised food –if it was available.  As far as NE Iowa Corn and Soybean farmers go, a change to non-traditional crops would only take a small number of acres.  An acre of vegetable or fruit crops has a potential return many times higher than corn of soybeans-even at current record prices. As far as locally grown livestock, changes in production and marketing strategies can be used to meet demand for locally grown livestock and livestock products. NIFF has begun to implement their strategic plan designed to build a stronger local food  and farm economy in NE Iowa. If you are interested in finding out more about NIFF and locally grown food, contact Charlie Baier at the Howard County Extension Office, 563-547-3001.                                                                                                                                                                                             

Transitioning to Organic Course” offered at Extension Office
Inadequate domestic supply of organic food and feed grains (e.g., corn and soybeans) - illustrated by rapidly growing imports from China and South America to meet escalating U.S. demand - presents a viable economic opportunity to U.S. row crop farmers. However, transitioning to successful organic production requires rapid acquisition of production, marketing and financial management skills. A new course to help producers transition to organic agriculture is being offered from January 8 to April 29, 2008, from the ISU Extension Organic Ag Program. This course, titled “Risk Management Tools for Transitioning into Organic Production,” will be run as an Adobe Connect™ system; shown locally at the Howard County Extension Office every Tuesday from 6 to 9 PM. Attendance at all 16 sessions is not  required. A nominal fee of $10 per session will be charged to attendees to cover costs of technology and managing the program. Please contact Charlie Baier at 563-547-3001 for more information.

Farmers Market Nutrition Program
The vendor certification training for the 2008 Iowa WIC/Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program has been scheduled.  Growers seeking certification in the WIC/Senior Farmer Nutrition Program, who have not had training or whose training has expired, must attend a training session prior to accepting WIC or Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks.  There is no cost for the training, which will be effective through the 2010 farmer market season. To register or for more information please call Barbara Hendrickson at 515-281-3632 or you can email her at Hendrickson@idals.state.ia.us .                                  

 

                                  

 

skb 1/28/2008