 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE, November 20, 2006 Hello: This is the 41st issue of "Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE," the Land Stewardship Project's e-mail newsletter. 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) ONLINE STEWARDSHIP AUCTION A SUCCESS A huge "thank you" goes out to all of the many people who donated and participated in Land Stewardship Project's first online auction earlier this fall. The auction raised over $4,200 for LSP's work. Please visit www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_061117.htm for a complete list of the many individuals and businesses that donated items to the auction. Because this first effort exceeded our goals, we are strongly considering doing something like this again next year. We welcome your suggestions for improvement and ideas for future donations. Contact Cathy Eberhart at cathye@landstewardshipproject.org or 651-653-0618 with your thoughts. 2) TAX HELP NOV. 28 IN LEWISTON LSP's southeast Minnesota office in Lewiston (180 E. Main Street) is sponsoring a workshop on the federal Tax Schedule F, Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $10. Please register by calling 507-523-3366. 3) MARKETING MEETING NOV. 30 IN LEWISTON An ad hoc group in southeast Minnesota is researching how many farmers are interested in producing sustainable food for area hospitals. This meeting is in response to market opportunities and is meant to gauge the interest and capacity of area producers. The group is also seeking farmer input on the challenges and barriers related to marketing to hospitals. There will be a meeting on this initiative Thursday, Nov. 20, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at LSP's Lewiston office (180 E. Main Street). This meeting is free but please call 507-523-3366 if you plant to attend. 4) FARMER D.C. FLY-IN NOV. 28-30 With reauthorization of the Farm Bill expected in 2007, LSP and other members of the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment (CFFE) are leading a delegation of 15 farmers representing five states to Washington, D.C., Nov. 28 to Nov. 30 to call for reform. During the 30 scheduled visits with members of Congress, the farmers will attempt to meet with Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Collin Peterson, who are likely to be the Agriculture Committee chairs in the 110th Congress. For more information, contact LSP's Adam Warthesen at 612-722-6377 or adamw@landstewardshipproject.org. For a detailed description of LSP's priorities for the 2007 Farm Bill, see www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_060722.htm. 5) DAIRY FINANCIAL ANALYSIS WORKSHOP DEC. 7 IN LEWISTON Standard farm analysis tools don't accurately reflect the real cost of sustainable farming. On Thursday, Dec. 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., come to LSP's Lewiston, Minn., office (180 E. Main Street) to troubleshoot the changes we're making to the FINPAK program for grass-based and/or organic dairies. Suggestions will be incorporated and would-be dairy producers will be able to run the numbers on a one-on-one basis this winter. This workshop is free, but please call 507-523-3366 if you plan to attend. 6) LSP OPEN HOUSES DEC. 14 in MONTEVIDEO & TWIN CITIES LSP's western Minnesota and Twin Cities offices will be hosting holiday open houses on Thursday, Dec. 14. LSP members as well as the general public are invited. LSP's western Minnesota office will hold its holiday open house/silent auction fundraiser from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Our Montevideo office is housed in the Depot Museum at the south end of Main Street in Montevideo (301 State Rd., Suite 2). The open house is a good chance to visit this historic museum and to look at the many railroad items that are on display. You can also visit with the Milwaukee Road Heritage Museum board members, LSP Board members and your friendly western LSP staff. We will have a small silent auction of local and handmade items -- perfect for that hard to shop for person on your Christmas list. And, of course, we will have homemade Christmas treats to share. Refreshments will be provided. For details, contact Michele Skogrand at 320-269-2105 or lspwest@landstewardshipproject.org. The Twin Cities Holiday Open House will be from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in our White Bear Lake office at 2200 4th Street (above Sherburne Jewelers on the corner of 4th and Banning) Come meet LSP's staff and Board members, chat awhile and enjoy refreshments produced by local farmers. For details, contact Louise Arbuckle at 651-653-0618 or lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org. 7) TWIN CITIES MEETING ON FARM BILL IN MID-DECEMBER LSP's Policy and Organizing Program will be sponsoring a meeting in the Twin Cities on either Dec. 12 or Dec. 13 to discuss the 2007 Farm Bill. For details, contact LSP's Adam Warthesen at 612-722-6377 or adamw@landstewardshipproject.org. For a detailed description of LSP's priorities for the 2007 Farm Bill, see LSP organizer Paul Sobocinski's Congressional testimony at www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_060722.htm. 8) MINN. LEGISLATURE CONVENES JAN. 3 The 85th Minnesota Legislature will begin meeting Jan. 3 in Saint Paul. Contact LSP's Policy and Organizing Program at 612-722-6377 or bking@landstewardshipproject.org for details on legislation related to family farming, sustainable agriculture and local food. 9) MEP LEGISLATIVE FORUM JAN. 8 The Minnesota Environmental Partnership will hold a legislative forum in Saint Paul Jan. 8. LSP is a member of MEP. For more information, contact LSP's Bobby King at 612-722-6377 or bking@landstewardshipproject.org. More on MEP is at www.mepartnership.org. 10) LSP FAMILY FARM BREAKFAST IN JAN. LSP will be holding its second annual Family Farm Breakfast near the Minnesota Capitol in January. If you'd like to volunteer or help with planning, contact LSP's Rachel Long at 612-722-6377 or Rachel@landstewardshipproject.org. 11) VALUE ADDED AG CONFERENCE IN RED WING THIS JAN. The 9th Annual Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference will be held in Red Wing, Minn., in January. See www.rivercountryrcd.org/valad.htm for more details. 12) CHECK THE CALENDAR See www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-calendar.html for the latest happenings. Details on events can also be found on our "Events of Interest" page at www.landstewardshipproject.org/resources-events.html, or at our "Press Releases" page at www.landstewardshipproject.org/news-pr.html. 13) JUDGE: USING CHECKOFF TO FINANCE 'SAFE HARBOR' WRONG An Administrative Law Judge has ordered the National Pork Board not to use mandatory pork checkoff funds to pay for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Consent Agreement providing factory farms with safe harbor from prosecution for certain air pollution violations. The ruling came as a result of a petition filed by the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment (CFFE) in 2005 urging USDA to immediately halt the use of checkoff dollars for the program. LSP is a founding member of CFFE. For details on this ruling, see www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_061111.htm. 14) POP FOOD GUIDE AVAILABLE The new Pride of the Prairie Local Food Guide is being distributed via area businesses and through LSP's Montevideo office at 301 State Rd., Suite 2. It is also available on the Internet at www.prideoftheprairie.org or from any of the Pride of the Prairie partners. The Local Food Guide is published and distributed by Pride of the Prairie (POP), a collaborative initiative in the upper Minnesota River watershed that is working to develop a local, sustainable food system, educate consumers about their food choices, and create a brand that easily identifies food from the region. LSP is a part of the POP initiative. 15) LSP AVAILBLE FOR TALKS ON FARM POLICY LSP's Policy and Organizing Program is interested in talking with church groups and communities of faith this fall, winter and spring about the environmental stewardship and social/economic justice impacts of U.S. farm policy as well as state policy. If you are involved in a congregation or parish in Minnesota or western Wisconsin, and would like to invite LSP to present on these issues, please contact the Policy Office at 612-722-6377, or e-mail Policy Program Director Mark Schultz at marks@landstewardshipproject.org. Whether the talk would be with an adult education group in the church, a social justice committee, the entire congregation, or another grouping within the congregation, we'd be interested in hearing from you. 16) WHEN A FACTORY FARM COMES TO TOWN LSP has recently published an updated version of its popular township manual, "When a Factory Farm Comes to Town: Protecting Your Township From Unwanted Development." First published in 1997, this resource has proven to be an invaluable guide for Minnesota townships that want to use planning and zoning to protect their communities. To learn how you can get a copy, see www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_060921.htm. 17) LSP LAUNCHES BLOG LSP has entered the "blogosphere." We are writing a weekly "food and sustainable agriculture" web blog for the Minnesota Environmental Partnership at http://looncommons.org/category/food-and-sustainable-agriculture. Check out our well-reasoned rants and give us your equally well-reasoned feedback. 18) REFRIGERATOR & MICROWAVE NEEDED LSP's Policy and Organizing Program needs a microwave oven and small refrigerator for its South Minneapolis office. The refrigerator can be no wider than 24 inches, and no taller than 32 inches. If you have a microwave or refrigerator to donate, call 612-722-6377, or e-mail marks@landstewardshipproject.org. 19) DROUGHT ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE On Nov. 1, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture announced financial assistance for beef cattle and sheep producers in specified counties affected by severe drought in 2006. This represents Minnesota's use of the block grant from the Livestock Assistance Grant Program announced by USDA on August 29. The program is targeted toward forage production losses caused by exceptional or extreme drought. The application deadline for assistance is Dec. 30. For more information, see www.mda.state.mn.us/hottopics/lvstkassist.htm, or call David Weinand at 651-201-6646. Farmers' Legal Action Group also has information available at 651-223-5400. 20) WORTH REPEATING "There's a place for corn. There's a place for corn-soybeans. But there are too many hillsides planted to just row crops. CSP shows we can improve the environment on actively farmed land." -- Farmer & LSP Board member Bonnie Haugen, quoted in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/novdec06/farmhabitat.html) 21) WORTH REPEATING II "I really wanted to make sure that what we were doing was ecologically sound and would provide a long-term future for our kids." -- Farmer & LSP member Dave Varney, speaking on Ear to the Ground No. 26 (http://www.thepodlounge.com/listfeed.php?feed=34810) 22) 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, see www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-joinus.html. If you have questions about membership, contact cathye@landstewardshipproject.org. LSP_LIVE-WIRE is the Land Stewardship Project's e-mail newsletter. To change your options or password, visit http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/lsp_live-wire.
|
|
||||
|
©Land Stewardship Project, 2001 |
||||||
