PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA ANNOUNCES 2007 FIELD DAYS
By Practical Farmers of Iowa
(Iowa Farmers Union is sponsoring the Aug. 4 field day.)
Summertime is here and so is the season for Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Days. Whether youre a farmer interested in controlling disease in your swine herd or a consumer wanting to find sources of fresh, locally produced food, you can find a Field Day for you in 2007.
Among the Practical Farmers of Iowa members who will be featured this summer are:
· David and Susan Gossman and managing trees and row crops for wildlife and profit (Zwingle)
· Laura Krouse and the importance of local foods (Mt. Vernon)
· Tom Frantzen and Conservation Security Program and grazing (New Hampton)
· Dan and Lorna Wilson and feed costs and grains (Paullina)
· Norm McCoy and goat browsing for weed management (Maxwell)
· And many more!
Practical Farmers of Iowa field days, a 21-year tradition, showcase the innovation and vision of Iowas sustainable farmers. Field days were originally started to demonstrate members pioneering work in on-farm researchwhere farmers conduct research on their own farms to answer their own questions. Today, the field days include much more.
PFI field days have grown to include much more than just production-based field days. Now they also have a focus on our sustainable food systems that nourish our cities with healthy and delicious locally grown food. They really provide a great opportunity for consumers to meet the farmers that grow their food and see how their food is produced, said Joyce Lock, a Des Moines consumer.
Field Days oriented directly for consumers include Lonnie Gambles workshop on artisan foods (Fairfield) and a Buy Fresh, Buy Local tour in Davenport.
There truly is something for everyone. Theres good food, hands-on demonstrations and plenty to learnwhether it be how to grow something better or how to control unwanted pests. As a producer, when I attend field days I get answers to questions I didnt even know I had, claims Angela Tedesco, a Johnston farmer. Angela is hosting a field day July 21 on heirloom foods, tree plantings, and community agriculture.
Last year more than 1,000 people attended field days held across the state. For complete details call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661 or visit www.practicalfarmers.org . Field day guides are available while they last. The Field Days are free, and everyone is invited.
Major sponsors for the 2007 Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Days are: the Animal Welfare Institute, Frontier Natural Products Co-op, Iowa State University Extension, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Valley.
Heres a complete list:
2007 PFI Field Days
June 12, Floyd Boulevard Market Tour, Sioux City
June 20, Managed Grazing on Marginal Land, Corning
June 23, Organic Farming and Flax, Carroll
June 30, Managing Trees and Row Crops for Profit, Soil Quality and Wildlife, Zwingle
July 1, Artisan Foods Workshop, Fairfield
July 7, Small Production Flocks: Breeding, Processing and Preparing for Avian Influenza, Bondurant
July 10, Leopold Center 20th Anniversary Tours, Location varies
July 14, Buy Fresh, Buy Local Tour, Quad Cities Area
July 21, Heirloom Foods, Tree Plantings and Community Agriculture, Johnston
July 23, Biodiesel, Breeding Corn for Quality and Community Gardens for New Americans, Ankeny
July 27, Wild Country Ranching, Lovilia
Aug. 4, Enterprises on a Few Acres, Direct-to-consumer and the Algona Food Cooperative, Algona
Aug. 5, The Importance of Local Foods, Mt. Vernon
Aug. 5, Getting to Know Henry A. Wallace Day, Orient
Aug. 7, Nature Mapping, Hampton
Aug. 9, Swine Herd Health, Conservation Security Program, and Grazing, New Hampton
Aug. 11, Organic No-till Tomatoes, Earlham
Aug. 13, High Tunnel Fruit and Vegetable Production Workshop and Tour, Lewis & Griswold
Aug. 16, Feed Costs, Grazing and Grains, Paullina
Aug. 18, Breeding Corn for Quality, Cover Crops, Paullina
Aug. 22, Sustainable Row Crops, Livestock and Gardens, Greenfield
Aug. 25, Leopold Center Recognition, Flax, Triticale, and Natural History, Sutherland
Aug. 29, A Discussion on Farm Policy, Organic Weed Management and Tree Plantings, Harlan
Sept. 9, Goat Browsing for Weed Management, Illinois Bundleflower, Maxwell
Sept. 15, Hybrids, Flame Cultivation and Grazing for Wildlife, Creston
Sept. 22, Community based Agriculture, Kanawha
Oct. 6, Heirloom Garlic Tasting, Farm Tour and Dinner, Minburn & Perry
Oct. 7, Farm Crawl, Marion and Lucas Counties
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Thursday, May 31
PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA ANNOUNCES 2007 FIELD DAYS
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 31 May 2007 10:33 AM CDT
Tuesday, May 29
Food for Thought: Beware the CAFOs.
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 29 May 2007 08:10 AM CDT
Food for Thought: Beware the CAFOs
Originally Published In Radish Magazine By Dave Murphy Printed and digital copies of this image are available for purchase. Digital delivery within minutes. Click here for details. Submitted The future construction of a new Triumph Foods slaughterhouse in East Moline, Ill. — which will kill and process 16,000 hogs a day at full capacity — has led many Quad-Citians and neighbors from surrounding communities to voice their concerns. Proponents have billed the plant as the biggest economic development project to land in the Quad-Cities in 30 years. They talk about an increase in jobs, an influx of workers and an increased tax base. The problem is what they don’t talk about — confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), to which Triumph will turn to meet its demand for 5.84 million live pigs each year at full capacity. An average CAFO holds 2,400 pigs. If the stock is turned over twice a year it would take 1,217 CAFOs to meet Triumph’s needs. If each plant turned over its stock three times a year (the maximum), 811 CAFOs could do the job. And to maximize returns and diminish transportation costs, these 811 to 1,217 CAFOs would need to be within a 50- to 75-mile radius of the plant, says Chris Petersen, president of the Iowa Farmer’s Union. This many CAFOs in one compact area will radically alter the economy, environment and quality of life for residents in Scott, Clinton, Cedar, Muscatine and Jackson counties in Iowa and Henry, Mercer and Rock Island counties in Illinois. It will be the end of economic development. Contrary to what Triumph has promised and what local officials have been led to believe, the density of this many CAFOs in an area will only lead to economic ruin for the towns and residents near them. Numerous studies have found that the arrival of large CAFOs in an area can severely undermine a community’s opportunity to expand its economic base and will contribute to the decline of communities as jobs grow scarce and neighbors are forced to move. One study by Colorado State University found that proximity to hog confinements can decimate property values. According to the report, “one county in Iowa has decreased the assessed value of homes within a half mile of a hog operation by 40 percent, within 1 mile by 30 percent, 1.5 miles by 20 percent and 2 miles by 10 percent …” It will be the end of fresh air. Residents will be inundated with the stench of over 200 bacteria, chemicals and toxic gases that are emitted from hog confinements on an hourly basis. Two of the most insidious gases that residents near CAFOs will be exposed to are hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, which can produce a variety of symptoms including breathing difficulties, burning sensations in the nose and throat, nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness and sleep problems. It will be the end of clean water. In Iowa alone more than 2.6 million fish were killed in a 10-year period from 329 documented manure spills, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. A report by American Rivers declared the Iowa River to be No. 3 on the list of the nation’s most endangered rivers. A leading factor listed as a source of that pollution was CAFOs. If all this weren’t bad enough, residents of eastern Iowa and western Illinois also will have to worry about the proven negative health impacts that CAFOs impose. Proximity to hog confinements has been linked to respiratory illnesses, asthma and increased rates of depression, anxiety and fatigue, among other illnesses. A recent study by the University of Iowa found that nearly 20 percent of children who attended a school within a half mile of a CAFO had been diagnosed with asthma. Even more alarming are reports of antibiotic-resistant diseases that have been found in the waters and air near hog confinements due to overuse of antibiotics, which are used to stimulate growth and control the spread of disease within the confinements. The situation in the Quad-Cities area is nothing new. In state after state, from North Carolina to Utah, Minnesota to Indiana, the fight against giant corporate hog confinements has been fought for nearly 20 years. If the East Moline Triumph plant and inevitable CAFOs are built, many residents of eastern Iowa and western Illinois will have to shut their windows for good to keep out the smell. Children will no longer be able to play out in their yards. There’ll be no more wading in streams or eating fish from local rivers. Recreation and outdoor activity will become next to impossible in the hot summer months. Like the buffalo and the wide open prairie, these will become things of the past. For more information on CAFOs and how to mobilize to improve the agricultural landscape, read “The CAFO Dilemma”. Thursday, May 24
Center for Sustainable Ag 20th Anniversary on July 10 - 11
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 24 May 2007 07:30 AM CDT
Center for Sustainable Ag 20th Anniversary on July 10 - 11
By the IFU You are invited to help the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture mark its 20th anniversary at a special celebration in Ames on July 10-11. Choose from five fantastic pre-conference tours on Tuesday, July 10 that highlight some of the Center's work throughout Iowa. On Wednesday, July 11, Iowa native and Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will open a day-long conference with his keynote address, "Sustaining Agriculture: Sustaining Democracy." Discussions will continue throughout the day in more than 20 breakout sessions and a midday outdoor festival with demonstrations, interactive displays and a locally-sourced meal. Register on-line Attached is a printable version of the conference brochure -- feel free to pass along. If you have questions about the sessions, contact conference co-chairs Malcolm Robertson, malcolmr@iastate.edu, or Laura Miller, lwmiller@iastate.edu. If you have questions about on-line registration, contact Haley Cook, ucs-info@iastate.edu. ########### Iowa Farmers Union PO Box 8988 528 Billy Sunday Rd Ames, IA 50014 800-775-5227 iafu@isunet.net www.iafu.org Thursday, May 17
Take the Bus to the US Social Forum Jun 27th
by
Caroline Vernon
on Thu 17 May 2007 10:25 AM CDT
Take the Bus to the US Social Forum June 27th
Mark Your Calendars for the Progressive Event of the Year! By Caroline Vernon PACG is working on securing a bus (or two) to take a large Iowa contingent to Atlanta, Georgia from June 27th thru July 1st to attend the US Social Forum (USSF). Please mark your calendars and spread the word far and wide. Details about the cost of the bus trip and available lodging will be forthcoming... stay tuned... Excerpt from the site: The US Social Forum is more than a conference, more than a networking bonanza, more than a reaction to war and repression. The USSF will provide space to build relationships, learn from each other's experiences, share our analysis of the problems our communities face, and bring renewed insight and inspiration. It will help develop leadership and develop consciousness, vision, and strategy needed to realize another world. The USSF sends a message to other people's movements around the world that there is an active movement in the US opposing US Policies at home and abroad. We must declare what we want our world to look like and begin planning the path to get there. A global movement is rising. The USSF is our opportunity to demonstrate to the world Another World is Possible! Check out the following link to see some of the many workshops that will be available... http://www.ussf2007.org/en Wednesday, May 16
Establishing Our Progressive Iowa Network (PIN) - Mark the Date!
by
Caroline Vernon
on Wed 16 May 2007 11:25 AM CDT
Establishing our Progressive Iowa Network (PIN) – Mark the Date! By Caroline Vernon On Saturday, June 9th, progressive leaders, activists and legislators from across the state will converge on Iowa City for our first 2007 Democracy for Iowa Organizing Summit. We are still working out the details on the venue (forthcoming) but we will be meeting from 9am to 3pm (the last hour will be reserved for DFA-IA members to discuss administrative business so it will not be necessary for everyone to stay for that segment). The purpose of this gathering is to establish the Progressive Iowa Network (PIN). This network will serve to better unite progressive organizations, legislators, and leaders across the state so we can support each other’s efforts around progressive issues in Iowa. Currently, we have an unprecedented opportunity to get progressive legislation passed in our state. However, in order to achieve legislative victories on the issues that we care about, we must establish an effective framework that allows us to better organize our efforts, clarify our message, mobilize our base, educate the public and influence our state officials. We have identified the following 5 issues as requiring urgent action: 1. VOICE (Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections) Please note: we want ALL progressive organizations to attend this meeting and become part of this network even if we may not be focusing on your specific issues at this time. The Summit Agenda will cover the following: I. Why is PIN important? The first part of this summit will discuss why PIN is important. Groups/Individuals will be asked to introduce themselves and identify their main areas and issues of focus: • Policy/Research II. Update & Evaluation of the recent Iowa Legislative Session • What went well? III. Break-Out Sessions by Issue • Strategize with other progressives around the state that are working on the same issue. Lunch IV. Report back to larger group identifying specific needs • What do you need from PIN? We will not have time to hear specific plans but rather will want to hear your list of needs on how other organizations/leaders can help you make progress around your issue. V. Where does PIN go from here? We will discuss logistics, network structure and set a date and time for our next meeting(s). VI. DFA-Iowa Administrative Planning Session (for DFA-IA members) This last segment will be for DFA-IA members to discuss by-laws, how we can better support Blog for Iowa, and other administrative details. Outreach around this summit has been underway for awhile -- many progressive organizations/individuals in Iowa have already been notified. However, if you have not yet heard from us directly, please email Caroline Vernon ASAP: carolina1961@gmail.com. We need every progressive organization, leader and legislator in Iowa to participate in order to achieve maximum effectiveness as a network. |
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