Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE, March 21, 2005
Hello:
This is the 21st issue of "Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE," the Land Stewardship Project's e-mail newsletter. We send 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
1) 2005 CSP Sign-up Begins March 28
2) LSP Outlines Priorities for Next Farm Bill
3) Boody Discussing Performance-Based Ag in D.C.
4) Bill Would Weaken Local Democracy
5) St. Cloud Times: Where are the Citizens?
6) 2005 CSA Directory Available
7) Swine Workshop March 24 in Redwood Falls
8) Volunteers Needed for April 2 Rally
9) 'Voices of MN Farm Women' on TV April 6
10) Jackson to Speak on Local Food April 6
11) Seward CSA Fair April 10
12) 'Day at the Farm' Petting Zoo April 23 in Winona
13) Community Food & Farm Festival April 30 & May 1
14) Farm Beginnings Field Day May 14
15) Garden Tour May 15
16) Check the Calendar
17) Abundant Harvest Art Show on Display
18) Worth Repeating
19) Worth Repeating II
20) Join LSP
1) 2005 CSP SIGN-UP BEGINS MARCH 28
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced on March 17 that farmer sign-up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) will begin for 220 watersheds across the country on March 28 and run until May 27. Five watersheds in Minnesota are included in the new watersheds named for sign-up. LSP has new fact sheets that can help farmers through the
sign-up process. For details, see http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/05/newsr_050319.htm.
2) LSP OUTLINES PRIORITIES FOR NEXT FARM BILL
CSP is a creative departure from traditional commodity programs. It and other innovative farm policy options were the topics of discussion during a special LSP fly-in to Washington, D.C., earlier this month. Fourteen farmers traveled there for three days of intensive meetings to push for federal farm policy reform. Ten of the farmers were LSP members, and they were accompanied by LSP Policy
Program Director Mark Schultz and LSP organizer Adam Warthesen. The farmers came from Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio. This group developed an impressive summary of farm policy reforms that they distributed to members of Congress, USDA officials, environmental organizations and religious groups.
To read the summary, "Prosperous Farms & a Healthy Land: Reforming U.S. Farm Policy," see
http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/opinions/05/opin_050307.htm. In addition, newfarm.org staff writer Laura Sayre followed the farmers around for a few days. Read her report at http://www.newfarm.org/features/2005/0305/DCpolicyreform/index.shtml.
And to get a quick insight into how creative and innovative farmers can be when it comes to agricultural policy, check out LSP member Dave Serfling's recent letter to the editor at
http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/opinions/05/opin_050305.htm.
3) BOODY DISCUSSING PERFORMANCE-BASED AG IN D.C.
LSP believes that a truly innovative ag policy must create a system that recognizes and rewards the public "goods" farming can produce beyond raw commodities. With that in mind, LSP Executive Director George Boody is in the nation's Capitol this week to participate in various meetings related to performance-based policies for agriculture. What if we rewarded farming for the environmental
and other benefits it can produce in a community? What would be the result? For a few answers, check out LSP's "Multiple Benefits of Agriculture & Pasture Raised Livestock" web page at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/programs_mba.html.
4) BILL WOULD WEAKEN LOCAL DEMOCRACY
Local democracy is under attack at the Minnesota Legislature. As expected, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's "Livestock Siting" bill has been introduced as House File 1732 and Senate File 1629. Among other things, the bill creates unnecessary roadblocks for townships and counties wanting to enact local ordinances, creates special notice requirements for enacting feedlot interim ordinances, and forces
townships to notify the Minnesota Department of Ag before they adopt a local ordinance. For details on how to fight this legislation, contact LSP's Bobby King at 507-523-3366 or king@landstewardshipproject.org.
5) ST. CLOUD TIMES: WHERE ARE THE CITIZENS?
A group calling itself the "Minnesota Farm and Food Coalition" recently launched a series of meetings with the stated intention of developing solutions to the state's ailing livestock industry. The group is presenting itself as "new," but judging by who was invited to its first
meeting in St. Cloud, it's basically a slightly tweaked version of Gov. Pawlenty's Livestock Task Force--big agribusiness, commodity groups and pro-factory farm interests dominated the forum. Soon after the meeting, the St. Cloud Times editorial board took the Coalition to task for not inviting members of the Citizen Task Force on Livestock Farming and
Rural Communities. Besides LSP, members on the Citizen Task Force include the Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota National Farmers Organization and the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota. Read what the Times had to say at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/itn/05/050315.htm. And you can check out the Citizen Task Force's innovative proposals
at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pdf/citiz_task_report.pdf.
6) 2005 CSA DIRECTORY AVAILABLE
The 2005 Twin Cities Area CSA Directory is now available. It lists two dozen CSA operations that deliver fresh, sustainably-raised vegetables to the Twin Cities on a weekly basis during the growing season. For a free copy, visit http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/05/newsr_050307.htm. For information on getting a free paper copy, call Louise Arbuckle
at 651-653-0618 or e-mail her at lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org.
7) SWINE WORKSHOP MARCH 24 IN REDWOOD FALLS
A free LSP workshop on producing hogs for premium markets using existing buildings will be held Thursday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Redwood Falls Community Center, 901 Cook Street. Details are at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/05/newsr_050318.htm.
8) VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR APRIL 2 RALLY
LSP will be on hand at the Minnesota Capitol Mall on Saturday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., to tell the story of how stewardship farming systems can help protect and improve the environment. We will have a tent display at the Mall as part of the "Rally for Ducks, Wetlands and Clean Water." We're looking for volunteers to help us out that day. See
http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/05/newsr_050315.htm for information on how you can help.
9) 'VOICES OF MN FARM WOMEN ON TV APRIL 6
Voices of Minnesota Farm Women will have its broadcast premiere Wednesday, April 6, at 8 p.m., on Pioneer Public Television. The movie, which LSP is helping present, tells the story of Minnesota's heritage and legacy through oral history interviews of contemporary women who are involved in farming and local sustainable food systems. The film will be rebroadcast on Pioneer later in April. For
times and dates, see http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/05/newsr_050317.htm.
10) JACKSON TO SPEAK ON LOCAL FOOD APRIL 6
LSP Associate Director Dana Jackson will be talking about local food systems on April 6, as the keynote speaker for the "Feeding Our Community: Local Food Production, Consumption & Community Building" conference at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. For
details, contact 1-800-782-9519 or visit http://www.uni.edu/contined/ces/localfood. Jackson will also keynote the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Kansas Rural Center on April 9. For details, see http:// www.kansasruralcenter.org. To read "Organic Farming
& Wild Nature: Setting a Higher Standard," the keynote Jackson gave at the 2005 Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, see http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/itn/05/050225.htm.
11) SEWARD CSA FAIR APRIL 10
Seward Co-op in Minneapolis will be holding a Consumer Supported Agriculture Fair from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, April 10. The co-op is at 2111 E. Franklin Ave. The co-op can be contacted at 612-338-2465 or http://www.seward.coop.
12) 'DAY AT THE FARM' PETTING ZOO APRIL 23 IN WINONA
An LSP "Day at the Farm" Earth Day Petting Zoo will be held Saturday, April 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Winona State University in Winona. For details, call 507-523-3366 or e-mail lspse@landstewardshipproject.org.
13) COMMUNITY FOOD & FARM FESTIVAL APRIL 30 & MAY 1
The Community Food and Farm Festival will be happening again this year in conjunction with the Living Green Expo. The expo will be held April 30 & May 1 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds, Grandstand Building. For more information, visit http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/foodfarm-main.html#links. This year's event will feature 20 farms and a Dine
Fresh Dine Local food court. Yum-does this mean the corn dog's reign as Food Fair King is nearing an end?
14) FARM BEGINNINGS FIELD DAY MAY 14
A public Farming Beginnings field day will be held May 14 at the Lamb Shoppe in Hutchinson, Minn. For details, contact: Laura Borgendale, at 320-269-2105 or
laurab@landstewardshipproject.org.
15) GARDEN TOUR MAY 15
LSP's southeast Minnesota office will be sponsoring a garden tour May 15 on pruning, planting and herbs. It will be hosted by Master Gardener Barb Nelson of Winona. For more information, contact Karen Benson at 507-523-3366 lspse@landstewardshipproject.org.
16) CHECK THE CALENDAR
There are many other great events on tap during the next several weeks. For the latest on meetings, field days and other activities, check out http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-calendar.html.
17) ABUNDANT HARVEST ART SHOW ON DISPLAY
The current "show" featured at LSP's Stewardship Art Gallery http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-gallery.html is "Abundant Harvest." Thanks to all who contributed to this particular show. We are now accepting entries for our spring 2005 show. The theme is "New Life on the Farm," and the deadline is June 1. Please submit
them to Louise Arbuckle at lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org. If your entry is chosen
to appear on our website, you will receive a free LSP membership for you or as a gift for someone else.
The entries should celebrate new life on the farm, whether it is plants, animals or humans. We will accept any kind of artwork: sculptures, paintings, illustrations, photos, etc. For photos, candid shots work well; black and white or color is fine. Tell us when and where you took the photo. Please provide a title for all entries.
Send entries as digitals or scanned files. Do not send originals. If you are using pictures from your digital camera, they will work just fine if they are JPEG files. If you are scanning the images yourself from photographs or artwork, it is better to save them in either TIFF or EPS format. When scanning, use a 150 PPI ("pixels per inch") setting.
If you have any questions, e-mail Louise or call her at 651-653-0618.
18) WORTH REPEATING
"A retired waterfowl biologist from the Great Plains says it is never a good sign when cattle trucks start leaving the prairie." -- outdoor personality Babe Winkelman, writing in the Walker (Minn.) Pilot-Independent http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/itn/05/050303.htm
19) WORTH REPEATING II
"I truly believe that customer loyalty can be built upon the faith that organic food is not only good for human health, but health of the land, especially the land near them in their region."-- LSP Associate Director Dana Jackson, speaking at the 2005 Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/itn/05/050225.htm
20) JOIN LSP
The work of LSP, including the LIVE-WIRE, is supported by the donations of people like you. To become a member, give a gift membership, or donate an extra gift above your membership, visit http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-joinus.html. If you have
questions about membership, contact cathye@landstewardshipproject.org.
LSP_LIVE-WIRE is Land Stewardship Project's e-mail newsletter. To unsubscribe or to change your options or password visit: http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/lsp_live-wire.
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