by Olivia Hanlon, FFED education extension specialist The pandemic provided opportunity for specialty producers in Iowa to expand production and sales. However, managing risk for specialty production is critical to capitalizing on new market opportunities. The Small Farms team of FFED sponsored a series of webinars for specialty crop producers in January, February and March … Continue reading Specialty crops risk management webinars available online
by Teresa Wiemerslage, FFED field specialist Consumer demand for locally grown fruit and vegetables is on the rise. So is the expectation that all farms will follow agricultural best practices. Education and outreach efforts are critical. Growers need to know how to operate a farm under good agricultural and management practices. Producers also recognize that … Continue reading Keeping up with food safety requirements on the farm
by Natalie Schneiter and Teresa Wiemerslage For several years now, Turkey Valley schools in northeast Iowa have participated in a farm to school cross-age teaching program. Teams of high school students lead lessons for elementary students featuring foods from local farms and businesses. Thanks to generous donations from the Turkey Valley Education Foundation, this program has … Continue reading Cross-age farm to school lessons continued at Turkey Valley despite pandemic
Reprinted from the blog of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. On May 5, 2021, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the availability of $76.9 million in funding for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP). FMLFPP has two subprograms – the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) … Continue reading $76.9 million in local and regional food project grants now available