Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE, September 24, 2003
Hello:
This is the third issue of “Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE,” the Land Stewardship Project's new e-mail update. We will be sending this out periodically to provide an update on activities and information related to LSP’s work. We hope you enjoy this service, and are looking for feedback. Please send your comments to Brian DeVore at bdevore@landstewardshipproject.org. If you prefer not to receive this newsletter, please e-mail lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org and write “remove LIVE-WIRE” in the subject line.
IN THIS ISSUE
* Join Us for a Potluck Sept. 27
* Farming with the Wild Oct. 8
* Farm Beginnings™ Class Deadline Oct. 7
* Chili Cook-Off Oct. 11
* Solar Home Tour Oct. 4
* Sign up for Mexico Trip by Oct. 15
* Packer Concentration Must be Stopped
* Fall Heating up on the Policy Front
* A Windfall for Mega-Farms
* New LSP-West Director
* Help Promote Local Food this Fall
* LSP in the News
* Worth Repeating
* Photo Finish
JOIN US FOR A POTLUCK SEPT. 27
It’s not too late to register for the LSP Local Foods Potluck Benefit Sept. 27 at Gale Woods Farm Park west of the Twin Cities. This is a great opportunity to eat good food, catch up on LSP’s activities, visit with friends and get a close-up view of an exciting new park that features sustainable farming systems. The farm is very child-friendly. Just let us know what you’re bringing to share and show up for an evening of fun and food. Go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/resources-events.html#potluck for more information.
FARMING WITH THE WILD OCT. 8
What do the co-founder of Earth First! and a Midwestern crop and livestock farmer have in common? Find out at "Farming with the Wild" Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at the Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis. This event, which is sponsored by the Land Stewardship Project, the Wild Farm Alliance, Ruminator Books and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, is free and open to the public. For details, go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/03/newsr_030912.html.
FARM BEGINNIGS CLASS DEADLINE OCT. 7
The Land Stewardship Project’s nationally recognized Farm Beginnings™ program is taking applications for its 2003-2004 session. The deadline for registration is Oct. 7. Farm Beginnings™ programs now exist in southeast and western Minnesota. Details are available at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/programs_farmbeginnings.html.
CHILI COOK-OFF OCT. 11
"Picture if you will 10 cooks serving up their best chili in the crisp autumn air," says Patrick Moore, owner of Java River Café and former LSP organizer. "The winner not only receives a cash prize, but a coveted handmade chili necklace." What he’s describing is the 4th Annual Western Minnesota Chili Cook-Off, which will be held Saturday, Oct 11, from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the Main Street of the western Minnesota community of Montevideo. There will be great music, delicious chili and a Harvest Market during the event, which, among other things, has become a popular venue for showcasing locally produced food from the Upper Minnesota River Valley. Go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/03/newsr_030920.html for details.
SOLAR HOME TOUR OCT. 4
On Oct. 4, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society will hold its 7th Annual Solar Home Tour from10- a.m. to 4 p.m. at various sites in the Twin Cities area. To attend the
tour, you must pick up a guidebook beforehand. Log onto http://www.mres-solar.org or contact Dan Moring at 612-298-7909; tcsolartour@hotmail.com for more information.
SIGN UP FOR MEXICO TRIP BY OCT. 15
Agriculture is truly a global issue, which is why the Land Stewardship Project is co-sponsoring "People, Plants, and Profits: The Culture and Political Economy of Corn
in Mexico" Jan. 2 to Jan. 12, 2004. The registration deadline is Oct. 15. Interested? Go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/03/newsr_030702.html.
PACKER CONCENTRATION MUST BE STOPPED
If the world's largest pork producer and processor is to be prevented from extending its hold on a key portion of the nation's hog market, action must be taken on the
national level, said Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch at a Land Stewardship Project "Taking on Corporate Meatpackers" meeting earlier this month. For details on LSP’s efforts to control concentration in the livestock industry, go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/03/newsr_030909.html.
FALL HEATING UP ON THE POLICY FRONT
Fall is shaping up to be a hot time in Congress in terms of agricultural policy issues. The Conservation Security Program (CSP), corporate consolidation and factory farm subsidies will all be on the agenda in our nation’s capitol during the next several weeks. For more details, see page 10 of the July/August/September Land Stewardship Letter. Go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/news-pr.html for the latest press releases and action alerts related to these issues. Calls to Congress and letters to the editors of local newspapers would be particularly helpful right now. It only takes a few minutes to make your voice heard. Contact LSP’s Policy Program Office at 612-722-6377 or marks@landstewardshipproject.org for more information.
A WINDFALL FOR MEGA-FARMS
Speaking of policy, the federal agricultural subsidy program is paying more money to fewer farms than ever before, according to an analysis conducted by the Environmental Working Group. In 1995, the top 10 percent of recipients collected 55 percent of total subsidy payments, or $3.98 billion. By 2002, the top 10 percent raked in 65 percent of total subsidies, a share worth $7.8 billion. Over an eight-year period between 1995 and 2002, the largest 10 percent of recipients collected on average $278,932 each year. Half of all farmers who get subsidies receive only 2 percent of total payments. These farmers averaged $256 per year in subsidy payments from 1995 to 2002. About 80 percent of all payments went to crop and (to a much lesser extent) livestock farmers. Only 12.5 percent went to farmers and ranchers for conservation. The Environmental Working Group concludes that these numbers show the need for farm policy that makes payments based more on what conservation benefits a farm can produce. Such a payment system would help get money in the pockets of more farmers of all types and sizes, not just a few large operations growing wheat, corn, barley, cotton, rice and soybeans. Go to http://www.ewg.org/farm for more information on the analysis, including a searchable database of who received how much in your home county.
NEW LSP-WEST DIRECTOR
Cathy Twohig began duties earlier this month as the new Director of LSP’s western Minnesota office. Twohig takes the reins from Audrey Arner, who recently left LSP after 15 years of service. Cathy has an extensive background in education and rural development, and recently did an evaluation of LSP’s Farm Beginnings™ program. She can be contacted at 320-269-2105 or cathyt@landstewardshipproject.org.
HELP PROMOTE LOCAL FOOD THIS FALL
The Midwest Food Alliance (MWFA), a joint project of LSP and Cooperative Development Services, needs volunteers to help provide samples of food that’s been raised using sustainable methods. This fall, MWFA is planning food demos in several grocery stores throughout the Upper Midwest, and one of them might be in your neighborhood. In the past, these demos have proven extremely effective at getting the word out on local food raised by family farmers using sustainable methods. You can find a complete listing of MWFA volunteer opportunities, including locations and times, at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/programs_mwfa.html#mwfa_vol.
A volunteer calendar is located at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/programs_mwfa.html#demos.
LSP IN THE NEWS
Recently, the Land Stewardship Project’s members and work have been featured in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Seed Savers. Check out these stories and more at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/news-itn.html.
WORTH REPEATING
“I guess the day I decide the University of Minnesota is just a funding arm of Monsanto or Cargill, then I’ll give up. But I haven’t given up yet, and I guess it’s because of the things I see at the West Central Research and Outreach Center.” --Mary Jo Forbord, quoted in the July/August/September 2003 Land Stewardship Letter (http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/news-lsl.html).
PHOTO FINISH
What happens when the person clicking the camera tries to cheat technology and get in on the annual LSP staff photo? Go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/03/newsr_030915.html and find out.
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