May, 2022

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Membership Spotlight: Black Urban Farmers Association (BUFA)

Caff

As summer approaches farmers throughout the state are entering their busiest season. They are working hard to bring our communities all the wonders that the summer season has to offer. Reatha Hardy-Jordan from Black Urban Farmers Association (BUFA) is one of those busy, hard-working people. BUFA is a member of CAFF because, according to Reatha, “I heard a lot of good things about the organization and how CAFF was helping small farmers.” Who is BUFA?

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Late May Midway

The Gleaning Project of South Central PA

May 21st is International Tea Day! This day aims to raise awareness of the long history and the deep cultural and economic significance of tea around the world! It’s supposed to promote and foster collective actions to implement activities in favor of sustainable production and consumption of tea and raise awareness of it’s importance in fighting hunger and poverty worldwide!

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Will Interest Rate Increase Equal Lower Land Values?

Agribusiness Blog

The KC Federal Reserve puts out a periodic review of the Farm Economy and in the latest release they gave an update on the increase in farmland values for most of the corn belt They showed the percent change in farmland values from the previous year for the Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City and Minneapolis Federal Reserve districts which includes most of the corn belt plus Texas and Mountain states.

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Is California giving its methane digesters too much credit?

The Counter

California is treating factory farm gas systems at dairy farms like they are devices that suck carbon from the air. This story was published in partnership with Grist. Every year, California dairy farms emit hundreds of thousands of tons of the potent greenhouse gas methane, which gets released when livestock operations pool manure in open-air lagoons.

Manure 52
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Mean Storms and the Frustration of Resilience

Hartwood Farm

Tomorrow is the first mean storm of the season. I alternately think of them as smashy storms, Russian roulette storms, or staring-down-the-barrel-of-a-gun storms, but whatever you want to call them, we are kind of over them. They are not over us. Here in upstate NY, our latitude and water access insulates us from the worst parts of climate change. Sure, we can get flooding and drought and an occasional brush fire, but nothing in the apocalyptic realm of what much of the world might see on that f

Farming 52
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Supporting Strong, Independent Families with SHI-Panama

Sustainable Harvest International

Original story written in Spanish by Dayra Julio , SHI-Panama’s Logistics + Partnerships Coordinator María Balbina Rodríguez standing within her multi-story agroforestry parcel which includes crops like plantains, yuca, and pigeon peas. September 2021. Photo taken by Dayra Julio. Aguas Claras, Penonomé, Panama: María Balbina Rodríguez, 47, shows me the work she’s been doing on her farm with great pride and emotion.

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Grazing Sheep in Vineyards case study with Pennyroyal Farm

Caff

photo credit Joslyn Thoresen As part of our work in Ecological Farming and more broadly as an organization, CAFF aims to share stories of California growers and ranchers and the incredible work they do as land stewards. Pennyroyal Farm in Boonville provides one example of how livestock and vineyards can be integrated to achieve land management goals while cutting labor costs.

Farming 52

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ERP Updates

Agribusiness Blog

As expected we are already receiving some questions on the new FSA Emergency Relief Program (ERP). This post will go over some of those questions and provide some additional updates. First, based on the FAQ on the FSA ERP website , you will not qualify for Phase 1 if you did not receive an indemnity payment from crop insurance or NAP in 2020 or 2021.

Farming 52
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Your car is killing coho salmon

The Counter

Pacific Northwest rains wash the toxic chemical that weatherizes your car tires into the watershed—a death sentence for salmon. The Nisqually Tribe and researchers are trying to find a solution. Highway 7 runs north-south through western Washington, carving its way through a landscape sparsely dotted with residences, farms, and a general store. The flush of late winter rain characteristic of the Pacific Northwest gives way to a green April, complete with blossoming trees and chirping birds.

Compost 52
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FarmQA Partners with Planet for High Resolution Daily Satellite Imagery

Farm QA

FarmQA today announced a partnership with Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery, to deliver real-time data and further equip agronomists, crop consultants, and growers with the field-specific imagery they need to diagnose problems and more effectively plan for seeding, treatment, and harvest activities.

Seeding 52
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INTESTINES FOR VEGANS

The Lunatic Farmer

By now you’ve no doubt heard about the two children in France killed and many sickened by E. coli in pizza made from Nestle wheat dough. According to the Wall Street Journal , France has “launched a criminal investigation into Nestle for involuntary manslaughter, deceitful practices and endangering others.” The humorous part of this story to me is the holier-than-thou position of vegans who can’t escape rodent intestines in wheat.

Grain 40
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Sherman Produce Podcast Episode

Caff

In this episode we visit Donald Sherman at his farm in Kerman, California. Donald owns and operates Sherman Produce, a year-round diversified vegetable farm and produce market distributing throughout Fresno County. Donald has been involved in agriculture his entire life and knows about managing on-farm food safety risks. We talk to Donald about his family business and involvement with the African American Farmers of California.

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Stop Food Waste Day

The Gleaning Project of South Central PA

Hello AGAIN Gleaners! We are back for another special today that is near and dear to our hearts at the Gleaning Project: Stop Food Waste Day! Here are some stats that can help you understand how Food Waste impacts you and your family as well as the globe and why it’s so important to take steps towards minimizing and eventually eliminating it! 33% of all produced food globally is lost or wasted every year 45% of all root crops, fruit and veggies produced globally is lost or wasted per year 1866$-

Food 52
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Finally – Some Details on Emergency Relief Program (Old WHIP+)

Agribusiness Blog

After almost 8 months, USDA has finally announced some details on relief for growers that have been affected by various weather and related events. Instead of calling it the old Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (WHIP+), it is now called the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and is much broader based. Today, FSA released their fact sheet and other documentation on Phase 1 of the program.

Acre 52
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The pandemic has transformed America’s dining landscape into an oligopoly dominated by chains 

The Counter

Big, sit-down restaurant brands are winning on a local level by offering dining experiences that appeal to the broadest audience possible. Familiarity is their secret sauce. One of the greatest pleasures I had as a child growing up in the Chicago suburbs in the mid-1980s was delving into an unctuous slice of French Silk pie at Bakers Square. I couldn’t tell you how many Bakers Square locations existed back then, there were a lot.

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Agronomist Insights From Anywhere

Farm QA

Field reporting is more than just scouting. FarmQA provides agronomists anywhere the ability to report accurate field data in real time.

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Solar Installations on the Farm June 1st, 2022

RR2CS

It’s well-known that Alberta has some of the best potential for solar power in all of Canada. It’s also common knowledge that installing solar panels on your property can drastically reduce electricity bills. In addition to these benefits, a solar installation can also be an upgrade that pays for itself, protects your farm from rising energy costs, increases your property value, all while protecting the environment for future generations.

Farming 52
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Meet CAFF’s 2020-22 Partner Farm Cohort, Part 2

Caff

From 2020-2022 CAFF partnered with fifteen farms across California to develop and update their food safety practices. Farms who participated in the partnership wanted to ensure their food was safe for their communities, comply with the new Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule and be able to respond to buyer questions about food safety practices.

Farming 52
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Early May Showers…

The Gleaning Project of South Central PA

Happy May Gleaners! We’re back to kick off another month of food holidays and education with you! May is Asian and Pacific Islander Month! Here are some ways to celebrate and learn about the history, culture and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). As of 2017 there are 22.2 million Asian Americans in the US which is up 18% from 2010—the fastest growing ethnic community in the country!

Food 52
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IRS Destroys about 30 Million Information Returns

Agribusiness Blog

Many of you have received notices from the IRS regarding not receiving Form 943 or other returns, etc. We just found out that the IRS destroyed about 30 million information returns during the height of the pandemic. An information return is typically some type of 1099. A Form 943 is likely not an information return, however, who knows if they destroyed these or not since most of these returns are filed manually and it is paper returns that were destroyed.

Farming 52
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Babka, borscht … and pumpkin spice? Two writers talk about Jewish identity through contemporary cookbooks.

The Counter

How do today’s culinary guides reflect—and reframe—ideas about Jewishness? Writer Charlotte Druckman and editor Rebecca Flint Marx are both Jewish journalists living in New York City. And they both love cookbooks. So they convened to have a conversation about recent-ish Jewish cookbooks—and ultimately, what it means for a cookbook to make a claim about its very Jewishness.

Food 52
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FSMA Inspection Case Study: New Natives Farm

Caff

Key Details: Location: California Central Coast Main Crop(s): Microgreens FSMA PSR Inspection: 1/7/2020 3rd Party Audit(s): USDA Harmonized GAP/GMP Certified Organic by National Organic Program: Yes Owners: Ken and Sandra Kimes New Natives Farm was started in 1980. Today their main crop is various types of microgreens that they grow in greenhouses and sell at Farmers Markets and to retailers around the Bay Area and across northern California.

Farming 52
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Urban Tilth Podcast Episode

Caff

In this episode we visit Urban Tilth, a community-based organization in Richmond, California. We learn about the organization’s mission and programs to cultivate agriculture and build a more sustainable, healthy and just food system in West Contra Costa County. One of the farm managers, Debora Supinski, describes their year-long journey to formalize food safety practices through writing a food safety plan and SOPs.

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Family farmers praise drought relief, call for continued investments in food system

Caff

For Immediate Release: May 13, 2022 Sacramento, CA – Earlier today, Governor Gavin Newsom released a revised proposed state budget that includes significant investments in drought relief for small farms. Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), a group that represents small and mid-sized farmers in California, praised these immediate investments while calling for longer-term investments as well: “California’s family farmers face significant uncertainty in the face of a mega-drought,

Food 52
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Sysourath Farms Podcast Episode

Caff

In this episode we visit Sysourath Farms in Fresno, California. Veomany Sysourath, a second generation farmer, shares about her family’s history emigrating to the United States, working in agriculture and eventually starting their farm. Sysourath Farms grows a variety of Southeast Asian specialty crops on leased land, which presents infrastructure challenges.

Farming 52
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Versailles and The Louvre

Agribusiness Blog

On Tuesday we had walked over 17,000 steps according to my IPhone and I knew that Wednesday was going to be close to that number since we were doing both Versailles and The Louvre. The hotel ordered us a taxi and off to Versailles we went and that might have been the highlight of the trip for me. The Arc de Triomphe is located just north of the Eiffel Tower inside of a roundabout.

Lodging 52
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Right-Sized Sanitation Practices and Post-Harvest Tools for Small Farms Video

Caff

Post-harvest processing presents both risks and opportunities for food safety, especially on small farms who process much of their produce before market. In this video from the 2022 California Small Farm Conference, CAFF’s food safety team demonstrates right-sized sanitation methods and farmers share their favorite post-harvest tools. Expect to learn about innovative tips and tricks, like repurposing equipment and worthwhile investments.

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Budapest and First Full Day in Paris

Agribusiness Blog

My son and spent two days in Budapest. The Danube river splits the city in two. On the west side is Buda which fairly hilly with lots of castles and churches. On the east side is Pest which is flat but has more area and contains the airport, train station, and the sports stadiums. We spent our full day in Budapest taking a river tour on the Danube. We got off on an island which is about mile and half long that is a city park and walked it.

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Food Safety Plan Resources – English

Caff

You can find our English food safety plan template and corresponding resources on this webpage. Resources are available in free word documents to download or as google docs that you can copy to your google drive. FOOD SAFETY PLANS ENGLISH The post Food Safety Plan Resources – English appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers.

Food 52
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How some big grocery chains help ensure that food deserts stay barren

The Counter

Supermarket chains can keep low-income communities from easy access to food, with a dastardly (but legal) provision they write into lease agreements. Last fall, first-year law student Karissa Kang arrived at Yale University and quickly set out to find a supermarket within walking distance. “I like cooking,” she explained, and she didn’t have a car. Her hometown of Atlanta was loaded with shopping options like Publix and Kroger so she was surprised to discover that the only full-service grocery c

Food 52
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Member Spotlight: Windy River Farm

Caff

Each month our goal is to share the inspiring stories of our CAFF members. This month we asked Patrick Mitchell from Windy River Farms to be a part of this series. When we asked why he joined CAFF, Patrick said “ I am a small farmer. I work about one and half acres that I rent. I never felt like the larger agriculture organizations really cared about farms at my scale.

Farming 52
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First Week in Europe

Agribusiness Blog

As most know I am in Europe with youngest son. I flew out last Friday to Denver and spent the day with my number two son playing golf and just hanging out. On Saturday I drove up to the Denver airport to fly non-stop to Frankfurt on United. I was a little bummed out that it was a Dreamliner 787 instead of a 777 since business class is in a 2 2 2 arrangement on the seats instead of the 1 2 1 on the updated Polaris class.

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Steve Fukagawa Farms Podcast Episode

Caff

In this episode we visit Steve Fukagawa Farms in Kingsburg, California. Steve Fukagawa is a third generation Japanese farmer, growing organically in the San Joaquin Valley. We learn about Steve’s family history farming in California, his production of organic tree fruit and raisin grapes, and use of compost tea. We also discuss how the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) can impact the way growers use and apply soil amendments such as compost tea.

Compost 40
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Local Produce Processing in the Oakland Unified School District Central Kitchen

Caff

A Comprehensive Assessment of Local Fruit and Vegetable Sourcing, Processing and Vending at the Oakland Unified School District Central Kitchen. To view online, click the “expand” symbol on the toolbar at the bottom. Or click the download or print buttons. The post Local Produce Processing in the Oakland Unified School District Central Kitchen appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers.

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Good Agricultural Practices (GAPS) Workshop Presentation

Caff

GAPs-CG-030822 Download the pdf here. The post Good Agricultural Practices (GAPS) Workshop Presentation appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers.

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Meet CAFF’s 2020-22 Partner Farm Cohort, Part 1

Caff

From 2020-2022 CAFF partnered with fifteen farms across California to develop and update their food safety practices. Farms who participated in the partnership wanted to ensure their food was safe for their communities, comply with the new Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule and be able to respond to buyer questions about food safety practices.

Farming 52
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California is moving toward food assistance for all populations—including undocumented immigrants?

The Counter

Lawmakers and advocates are urging Gavin Newsom to remove immigration and age restrictions from the state’s food assistance program. Undocumented immigrants experience food insecurity at much higher rates than other populations, yet they are largely unable to access government food assistance programs. This may soon change in California. Advocates and lawmakers are taking a two-pronged approach, pushing the state to make a long-term investment in food access for undocumented communities.

Food 52