Farmers Doing More With Less Water

Posted on August 28, 2013 by tanya brown

Some farmers are investing in irrigation systems to help find the “sweet spot” between too much water and not enough water for their crops. “What we’re trying to figure out is how to continue to get good yields with less water,” said USDA Researcher Tom Trout. That’s the top question for farmers who rely on irrigation. By giving crops the right amount of water at the right time will save water. By using a drip irrigation system that cost about $4,000 per acre, one Colorado farmer now uses 30 percent less water than he did with a sprinkler system. Read more (KCUR).

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Study: Stroke Risk Could Possibly be Linked to Soil Characteristics

Posted on August 22, 2013 by tanya brown

USDA researchers may have found a link between soil characteristics and stroke risk. A study in several South Carolina counties with the 10 highest stroke rates showed that people living in an area with a soil depth to water table from 20-59 inches had a higher stroke mortality rate. The same held true for moderately well-drained to poorly drained soils and strongly acidic soils found in the region’s Coastal Plains. By contrast, the stroke rate was lower in areas of well-drained soils and soils with a depth to water table below 79 inches. Scientists believe microbes in the soil, or a lack thereof, could be contributing to these incidents and affecting human health. Learn more.

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FSA Bolsters Couple to Receive TN Farmer of the Year Award

Posted on August 22, 2013 by tanya brown

The Koop family. Pictured (from left top) Creyo and Milly Koop; (bottom) Chad, Maddy, and Marty Koop.

(Reprinted from Marshal County Tribune)

A Cornersville farm family received the prestigious Tennessee Small Farmer of the Year Award last week in Nashville, rewarding their hard work and dedication on the family farm.

On July 18 at Tennessee State University, Marty and Chad Koop also received the Innovative Marketing Award. To win they competed against other small farmers in the state who were nominated by local, state, and federal agricultural agencies as outstanding producers in their area. The awards were presented at the Tennessee Small Farm Expo. Continue reading →

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Super Storm Sandy Whips Up Super Recovery Satisfaction

Posted on August 22, 2013 by tanya brown

New Jersey farmer Liang Shao Hua listens to NRCS technical advisor Frank Wu provide advice in Chinese Mandarin, Liang’s native language. His limited English proficiency restricted his exposure to USDA farm programs until Tropical Storm Sandy made it necessary for Liang to connect with the department for assistance. He is now an FSA loan recipient and appreciates the cost-share benefits of the Emergency Conservation Program funds that assisted his family’s clean-up efforts.

By Kent Politsch, Chief, FSA Public Affairs

Disasters create pain.  And recovery from disasters creates partnerships and opportunity.

That is the lesson Liang Shao Hua learned in the past year after Tropical Storm Sandy, also known as Super Storm Sandy, destroyed his New Jersey high-tunnel farming operation and left him wondering how to manage his loss.

Liang, a Chinese American with very limited English proficiency, relied first on his American-born son, Peter, a 21-year-old college student studying at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York. Peter obtained USDA paperwork from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) that helped his father apply for Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funds.  He, his brother, David, 19, and mother, Pei Yin, joined Liang in the clean-up efforts. Continue reading →

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Unmanned Helicopter Could Help Protect Crops

Posted on August 22, 2013 by tanya brown

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Millennial Generation Breaking the Bank Before Hitting the Farm

Posted on August 22, 2013 by tanya brown

The organic generation wants to farm but not the traditional way. They are more interested in small-scale operations, but access to land and capital are shocking many of them into reality. Many have opted to work in large agribusinesses but others who want to work the field are taking on loans and working multiple jobs just to get started. Listen to more (NPR).

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Nebraska’s FFA Youth Leaders Impressed and Impressive

Posted on August 21, 2013 by tanya brown

Spencer Hartman, Nebraska FFA Association president, and Bryce Doeschot, the association’s secretary, joined FSA Administrator Juan M. Garcia and Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Program Chris Beyerhelm in a lighter moment during a visit in Garcia’s office.

By Kent Politsch, Chief, FSA Public Affairs

It’s a big deal when you’ve just graduated from a small town high school in Western Nebraska to make a trip to Washington, D.C.  It’s especially a big deal when you get to sit in the office of the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency while in D.C. and share your thoughts.

Spencer Hartman made the trip recently.  He sat with FSA Administrator Juan M. Garcia and Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Programs Chris Beyerhelm.  He was joined by colleague Bryce Doeschot, also a Nebraska native but from the opposite side of the state.  They talked about farming. Continue reading →

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One Car’s Mission to Raise Awareness of the Asian Longhorned Beetle

Posted on August 16, 2013 by tanya brown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making good use out of a Volkswagen Beetle to warn people about the dangers of the Asian Longhorned Beetle. The destructive bug has hit trees in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Toronto and Massachusetts. With a black body covered in white spots, the VW Beetle was designed to encourage people to visit the website and learn more about the harmful effects of the Asian Longhorned Beetle. “It feed heavily on maple. New England is covered with maple. If it was left unchecked, it can drastically change the landscape and the economy of New England,” said USDA spokesperson Ryan Vazquez. Read more (ABC40 News) or visit the website.

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Incubator Farm Helps Beginning Farmers Grow

Posted on August 16, 2013 by tanya brown

Experimental land in New York is helping immigrants grow farms of their own. Sponsored by the Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming, the Ithaca, N.Y.-based farmland provides beginning farmers access to land, help with production and professional advice. The program hopes to grow the next generation of farmers that will provide food to Central New York residents. Read more (Syracuse.com)

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Retiring to the Farm

Posted on August 16, 2013 by tanya brown

Sandy beaches, tropical islands and no alarm clock may seem like the ideal retirement, but for some, getting up with the roosters is their idea of living happily ever after. Tom Thomas is one of the 12 percent of people over 65 who is considered a beginning farmer. After 35 years of teaching, Thomas retired to 300-acres of corn, soybeans and other crops. His 67-year-old brother-in-law did the same, purchasing 450 acres. Read more (Iowa Public Radio).

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