Extension launches 2014
Farm Bill crops education seminars
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (Nov. 11, 2014)—In December, University of Minnesota Extension and the Farm Service Agency will begin a series of 73 free education seminars to help crop producers understand decisions necessitated by the 2014 Farm Bill.
Crop producers have until March 31, 2015 to make decisions required by the farm bill, including the choice among three new risk management programs. They will be locked into a decision that lasts five years.
The seminars are offered in 72 counties and will be led by Extension educators and FSA; no registration is required. Details are available here or by going to http://z.umn.edu/qjv. The farm bill repeals several previous programs, including direct payments for most crops. It covers the following crops grown in Minnesota: corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, canola, sunflowers, oats, sorghum, lentils, dry peas, garbanzo beans and flax.
“The new farm program is significantly different from the previous one and offers producers the choice of approaches to managing risk,” said Kevin Klair, University of Minnesota Extension economist and program leader at the University’s Center for Farm Financial Management. “This farm program is complex and making selections from the options will be challenging. We encourage producers to attend an educational meeting, where we’ll cover national decision aid tools to run scenarios for their farm.”
Producers and landowners will need to work closely on program decisions, Klair added. For instance, yield updates and base acre reallocations are landowner decisions, he noted, while other program decisions are made by the farm operator.
The farm bill designates the extension arm of land-grant universities nationwide as the education provider for producers. More farm bill information is available by going to http://z.umn.edu/qpn.
Funds available to plant
community and school orchards
BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says $50,000 is available to help North Dakota communities and schools plant an orchard in 2015.
Communities and schools can apply for grants of $500 to $10,000. The grants are available on a competitive basis.
“To further enhance the program, we’re able to more than double the amount available this round. This is the third year of funding for these grants with 13 past recipients,” Goehring said. “Now, even more groups will have the opportunity to enhance the beauty of their local communities and schools and increases awareness of specialty crops.”
Goehring said grant funds can be used for plants, trees, planting supplies, soil amendments, irrigation and fencing supplies, but not permanent structures or purchase of land.
“The Community Orchard Project provides funds to North Dakota communities and schools to raise locally grown fruit, while fostering community spirit that builds local service opportunities by bringing together people to plan, plant and tend to the orchard,” he added.
The North Dakota State University Extension Service has developed a guide, Starting a Community Orchard in North Dakota, to help applicants in preparing grant applications. It can be found on the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) website at www.nd.gov/ndda/files/Marketing/OrchardManualFinal.pdf.
Application forms for the grants are available on the NDDA website at www.nd.gov/ndda/program-info/local-foods-initiative/community-orchard-project.
Grant applications must be received by January 2, 2015.
Goehring said questions about the grant program should be directed to Jamie Good, local foods marketing specialist at (701) 328-2659 or jgood@nd.gov.
The North Dakota Community Orchard Project is part of NDDA’s Local Foods Initiative, funded through the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.