The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 29, 2022
Suddenly I’m getting requests about whether or not to get an NRCS grant for farm development infrastructure. Yesterday a lady emailed me in a quandary because she pursued one of these grants for a hoophouse and now she’s embroiled in a zoning and building permitting problem with her local regulators. Entering the bureaucracy malaise normally doesn’t end well.
Agribusiness Blog
JULY 28, 2022
High commodity prices, extreme input costs, continued inflation in the used equipment market combined with supply chain issues on new equipment will again make planning for income tax an adventure this year. The traditional “levers” that can be pulled to manage farm incomes are, to say the least, a bit out of sorts. Expectation in the grain belt is that 2022 farms incomes will be extremely good, assuming inputs were bought “right” last fall.
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Caff
JULY 28, 2022
This week, the United States Department of Food and Agriculture announced California’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) at the Yolo Food Bank – a member of the California Association of Food Banks. Read USDA’s announcement here. As a grant recipient of this new program, California Association of Food Banks will be working in collaboration with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers and Fresh Approach to source, secure, and deliver locally grown produce prioritizing
iFarm
JULY 26, 2022
I’ve long espoused the skills needed for a successful entrepreneurial (farm or otherwise) business: financial acumen: you need to know your numbers and what they mean operational proficiencies: you need to be able to produce a high-quality product efficiently marketing expertise: you need to know your customers and how to communicate with them to buy your product.
RR2CS
JULY 19, 2022
Most of us are familiar with the Canadian Agricultural Partnership or CAP. It is the funding agreement between the federal government and provinces and territories supporting many programs and services for the agriculture sector. CAP is coming to an end this year and right now a new Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) is being negotiated. In fact, federal, provincial and territorial ministers are meeting on July 20th, 2022 to hammer out the next five year APF.
Sustainable Harvest International
JULY 19, 2022
By: Florence Reed , Founder + Director of Sustainable Harvest International With the war in Ukraine, the global food crisis looms large, given that Ukraine is a major global exporter of both wheat and chemical fertilizers. The FAO is now warning that nearly 200 million will face acute hunger due to the conflict compounded by other factors such as climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 28, 2022
By now you know that Monsanto (Bayer Corp.) has been denied its appeal in the multi-billion dollar Roundup (glyphosate) damages case. It has set aside a massive war chest to pay out settlements all while keeping the product on the shelves. Most of us reading this blog get our news about these kinds of things from media friendly to the plaintiffs (the folks making allegations of health damages).
Agriculture Informer brings together the best content for Agriculture professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Caff
JULY 28, 2022
Farmers face increasing fire frequency, size and severity due to several factors, including climate change, the spread of invasive grasses and by changing farming practices. If you live and farm in California, wildfire is not an “if” but a “when”. Make sure you are informed and that your family and farm are prepared prior to an event that requires you to evacuate.
Farm QA
JULY 13, 2022
Farming and agriculture is one industry that has not lost significance or importance through the decades. As the population continues to grow, the demands within the agricultural industry are only becoming more important. At FarmQA, we understand the importance that innovative and productive technologies have in agriculture. FarmQA provides nuts-n-bolts digital tools for agronomists and other agribusiness to optimize farming processes and cultivate more productivity.
RR2CS
JULY 12, 2022
Norma Wolfchild of Kainai First Nation, Treaty 7, Southern Alberta. By Trina Moyles When Norma Wolfchild was growing up on Kainai First Nation, or the Blood Tribe Reservation, in southern Alberta, she always remembered being fascinated with her aunt’s husband’s garden. “I enjoyed watching him work in the garden and harvest what he grew,” recalls Wolfchild.
The Gleaning Project of South Central PA
JULY 7, 2022
Welcome back Gleaners!! July is a month full of produce, fun food holidays and celebrations. Hopefully you and your friends and family have been getting out, enjoying good weather and exploring around both outside and in your kitchen! Happy Independence Day! Celebrate this year with friends and family and maybe enjoying the fruits of the season as we hit some mid-summer harvests!
The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 20, 2022
Are you interested in how to have a more ecologically and economically enriching grass farming experience? Do you struggle with when to move cows, what kind of cows to keep or cull, and whether to add sheep or other enterprises? My mentor Allan Nation used to say that information is one of the best investments anyone can ever make. Thomas Jefferson said “knowledge is power.
Agribusiness Blog
JULY 24, 2022
Farmers have various retirement accounts that they can use to help fund retirement. A SEP, 401(K) plan, profit sharing plans and related types allow a farmer to fully deduct the contributons and have tax-free deferral on the earnings. However, when the farmer takes funds out of the plan (or the heirs after death of the owner) tax will be owed on the distribution.
Caff
JULY 25, 2022
In continuing to promote the Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) project, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) held its third field day event hosted at Unruh Farms located in Princeton, CA., on June 16th. The event focused primarily around beneficial insects in orchard systems, and how the incorporation of diversified species of cover crop plays a critical role.
iFarm
JULY 4, 2022
This was the feedback I got from one of my culinary school instructors. I recall the specific drawing that prompted this: I had sketched out the plate presentation of a trout dish with green beans and risotto. I submitted the drawing as part of my notebook: a required assignment submission. The instructor gave me an “A” in the class despite the disparaging note about my sketches.
RR2CS
JULY 6, 2022
In our first two episodes of this series, we looked at farming and ranching at the Kainai First Nation, located in Southern Alberta. If you’ve had a chance to listen, you may have noticed a theme – the importance of the Iinnii (buffalo). In this episode, knowledge holder Dr. Leroy Little Bear shares his work to restore the Iinnii. Little Bear sheds light on why this work is important, not only for the land but for the people and their connection with songs, ceremonies and stories centred a
Caff
JULY 25, 2022
Summer is at its peak and all the farmers are working hard to harvest all the delicious veggies from their fields, like the three amazing farmers at Brisa Ranch. We had the pleasure to speak to Cole who took the time to answer a few questions for this month’s Membership Spotlight! We asked Cole why they decided to become CAFF members, and he said, “I find that for farming to become more viable, it is critical that farmers band together in a number of ways.
Caff
JULY 20, 2022
It’s not always obvious that some of the ecological farming practices used frequently by farmers, also provide wildfire protection and recovery benefits. Check out the infographic below which was developed by our cross team at CAFF to learn more! Click on the buttons below to view links to the peer reviewed articles and papers used to develop this resource.
Agribusiness Blog
JULY 19, 2022
Most every farmer has likely filed their FSA-520 Application for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) by now. However, if you have not filed it, make sure to file by this Friday July 22. This is the deadline for filing the application. The FSA-510 Form is required to be filed with FSA within 60 days of July 22 or approximately September 20. This is the form that indicates to FSA that farm income exceeds 75% of overall AGI that allows for an increased payment.
Caff
JULY 19, 2022
Dear listeners, click here to listen to our last episode of the season. We hope you enjoy this special episode in Spanish hosted by our podcast producer, Jaime Roque. In this episode we visit Luna’s Farm, a multi-generational Latinx family farm growing organic vegetables in Hollister, California. Antonio Luna shares about his family’s farm and their agricultural history in the United States, dating back over three decades.
Caff
JULY 13, 2022
This assessment outlines the farm to school program, summarizes procurement, menu and operational analysis, and highlights accomplishments and recommendations for increasing the impact of farm to school programs at TRUSDNS to maximize implementation, student experience and economic support of local farmers. The assessment focuses on procurement of local produce with an emphasis on small- to mid-scale family farms and was conducted by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers with support by TRU
Agribusiness Blog
JULY 12, 2022
When a farmer passes away with some unused lifetime exemption remaining, most surviving spouses should consider filing a Form 706 to elect portability. The election “ports” the remaining exemption amount over to the surviving spouse. The surviving spouse can either use this amount to make lifetime gifts or it is allowed to be used at their estate.
The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 12, 2022
The last couple of weeks I’ve been working on a project that will pay no income in my lifetime, but I’ve found it extremely enjoyable and satisfying. One of the biggest problems in a cash-based society like ours is that we want to see a return on investment sooner rather than later. This need for speed in financial payback prejudices all our decisions; it keeps us on a treadmill of immediacy rather than long-term benefit.
Agribusiness Blog
JULY 11, 2022
I am doing a four-hour seminar this summer on estate tax planning for various CPA societies. This seminar will review the current estate tax planning options and then do a more thorough review of one option that may be of interest to farmers – a SLAT. We have blogged before on Spousal Limited Access Trusts, but this seminar will review how a SLAT works, why it can help save on estate taxes and other provisions that can be included with the SLAT to help achieve other goals of the farmer.
Caff
JULY 6, 2022
CAFF’s Small Farm Tech Hub created basic templates for you to use for your email marketing. Please note that you need a MailChimp account to access these templates and add them to your account. If you don’t have one, you can sign up for free. FARM NEWSLETTER TEMPLATE CSA NEWSLETTER TEMPLATE The post MailChimp Templates for your Farm Business appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers.
The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 6, 2022
Kellogg’s is spinning off some if not all of its breakfast cereal lines in a move that mature businesses take sometimes to streamline lagging sectors. Sugar Frosted Flakes with their iconic mascot Tony the Tiger and the counterpart Toucan Sam are the two most well-known brands in this division, with annual sales totaling $2.4 billion. The first and obvious question is why would anyone buy any of this junk?
Caff
JULY 5, 2022
PG&E will implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff, also called a PSPS, in response to severe weather as a public safety measure. After the catastrophic fires of 2017 and 2018, they now turn off power in a proactive attempt to reduce risk of wildfires and keep communities safe. Multiple factors influence the decision to shut off power in a region, including high winds and low humidity.
The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 2, 2022
At the Homestead Festival in Columbia, Tennessee hosted by Rory Feek I had the unprecedented privilege of spending 90 minutes on stage, one-on-one, with Dr. Temple Grandin, a true American icon if ever there was one. This grand lady warmed up like I’ve never seen her and I think this interchange was magical. I hope you do too. Click HERE to enjoy!
Caff
JULY 1, 2022
This week, the California State Legislature passed and Governor Gavin Newsom signed a series of budget bills that include significant investments in drought relief for small farms. After spending months listening to farmers and relaying their concerns to state leaders, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) praised these immediate investments.
Caff
JULY 18, 2022
The post 5 Key Wildfire Resilience Practices Bibliography appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers.
Caff
JULY 18, 2022
The post Glossary of Terms-5 Key Wildfire Resilience Practices appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers.
Agribusiness Blog
JULY 13, 2022
President Biden had proposed his Build Back Better Act last year that would raise at least $2 trillion of new taxes. That plan essentially died due to Senator Manchin and Senator Sinema. However, Senator Manchin was not opposed to some parts of the Act and it appears that we may end up with a slimmed down version of the Act and it may affect some farmers.
The Lunatic Farmer
JULY 15, 2022
You know things are interesting when the front page of the Wall Street Journal carries a story about people cutting up whole chickens. Under a catchy headline “Consumers Are Giving Inflation The Bird—With A Whole Chicken,” the article explains how people are saving money buying whole chickens and cutting them up themselves in their own kitchens. I’ve been advocating this as a food-cost saving strategy for decades and now we’ve arrived, culturally, to where this advice finds listening ears.
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