PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA ANNOUNCES 2007 FIELD DAYS
By Practical Farmers of Iowa
(Iowa Farmers Union is sponsoring the Aug. 4 field day.)
颅Summertime is here and so is the season for Practical Farmers of Iowa Field Days. Whether you聮re 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:
路 David and Susan Gossman and managing trees and row crops for wildlife and profit (Zwingle)
路 Laura Krouse and the importance of local foods (Mt. Vernon)
路 Tom Frantzen and Conservation Security Program and grazing (New Hampton)
路 Dan and Lorna Wilson and feed costs and grains (Paullina)
路 Norm McCoy and goat browsing for weed management (Maxwell)
路 And many more!
Practical Farmers of Iowa field days, a 21-year tradition, showcase the innovation and vision of Iowa聮s sustainable farmers. Field days were originally started to demonstrate members聮 pioneering work in on-farm research颅where farmers conduct research on their own farms to answer their own questions. Today, the field days include much more.
聯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,聰 said Joyce Lock, a Des Moines consumer.
Field Days oriented directly for consumers include Lonnie Gamble聮s workshop on artisan foods (Fairfield) and a Buy Fresh, Buy Local tour in Davenport.
聯There truly is something for everyone. There聮s good food, hands-on demonstrations and plenty to learn颅whether 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 didn聮t even know I had,聰 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.
Here聮s 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
Wednesday, May 30
Rev. James Lawson to give keynote address at 32nd Annual Iowa CCI Convention
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 30 May 2007 08:23 AM CDT
Rev. James Lawson to give keynote address at 32nd Annual Iowa CCI Convention
By ICCI Reverend James Lawson will share his experiences as a civil rights activist at the 32nd Annual Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Convention, July 13th at 8:00 pm at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, 10th and Walnut. He will present the keynote address and is expected to draw five hundred Iowans to the event. The theme for this year's event is "Stand Up, Stand Together." Lawson was one of the original Freedom Riders and a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and continues to be an advocate of using non-violent struggle to promote human rights. In 2004, Lawson received the Community of Christ International Peace Award for his work. Earlier this year, several Iowa CCI members had the opportunity to hear Lawson speak at a conference for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement in Washington, DC. "He's very dynamic. He got people on their feet," said CCI member Erica Palmer. "It was interesting to hear how he was comparing the struggles of the civil rights movement to struggles that the immigrant rights movement is having." Iowa CCI member Julia Rendon said, "The Rev. James Lawson offers a valuable point of view. Grounded in the church and in the civil rights movement, he has continued his work for justice as the world has changed. When a few of us heard him in Washington, DC in January, it was like breathing pure oxygen after living near a factory farm." Following the speech, attendees will have the chance to meet Lawson and purchase books describing his involvement in the civil rights movement. Tickets for the event can be purchased for $15 in advance or for $20 at the door. To purchase tickets, call Iowa CCI at 515-255-0800 or visit their website at www.iowacci.org. This year's CCI convention will also feature several Saturday morning workshops on issues of importance to everyday Iowans, including making Iowa voter-owned, setting a new direction in farm policy, cleaning up Iowa's water, and using the 2008 presidential caucuses to make a difference. Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement is an organization of thousands of people from all walks of life who talk, act, and get things done on issues that matter most. From factory farms moving in next door to predatory lenders taking advantage of families, CCI has been tackling tough issues for over 30 years. 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. 鈥 which will kill and process 16,000 hogs a day at full capacity 鈥 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鈥檛 talk about 鈥 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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, 鈥渙ne 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 鈥︹ 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鈥檚 most endangered rivers. A leading factor listed as a source of that pollution was CAFOs. If all this weren鈥檛 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鈥檒l 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 鈥淭he CAFO Dilemma鈥. Sunday, May 27
Wal-Mart聮s Surprising Role in the Food Safety Crisis
by
Sam Garchik
on Sun 27 May 2007 07:50 AM CDT
Wal-Mart聮s Surprising Role in the Food Safety Crisis: An Editorial Comment on the Nation聮s Largest Grocer
By Larry Mitchell, Chief Executive, American Corn Growers Association With an ongoing food safety crisis involving everything from the recall of melamine-infused pet food to the quarantine of contaminated livestock to the tainting of frozen catfish fillets, glaring inadequacies are being found in America聮s import and food system 聳 inadequacies that are putting the health of consumers, the safety of the American food system and the vitality of America聮s heartland at risk. As a system severely altered by the global economy, it has grown farther removed not only from our heartland, but from USDA and FDA food safety standards. Surprisingly, it聮s also a system that is heavily influenced by Wal-Mart, the world聮s largest company and the nation聮s number one grocer. Through the years, Wal-Mart has quietly but forcefully opposed additional food safety regulations and port inspections, as well as country of origin labeling (COOL). It has put corporate profits over its customers聮 safety time and time again -- a dangerous combination not only to the direction of the American food system, but to the health and safety of the American consumer. Most people are not aware of the massive effect that the world聮s largest company has on the American food supply. As noted by Charles Fishman in his book The Wal-Mart Effect, Wal-Mart is China聮s eighth largest trading partner. In 2004, almost 10 percent of everything imported to the United States from China was imported by Wal-Mart. With the way Wal-Mart pushes their suppliers to do business at the lowest possible cost, systems are poorly regulated and done on the cheap. The role of China in American products extends beyond pet food and non-perishable goods. The precedent that such imports set can be felt system-wide. According to the Washington Post, 聯China聮s agriculture exports to the United States surged to $2.26 billion last year, according to U.S. figures - - more than 20 times the $133 million of 1980聰 [聯China Food Fears go from Pets to People,聰 Washington Post, 4/25/07]. Both the problem and the solution are complex, which is what elicits the well-known metaphor of the 3-legged stool. In this case once again the three legs are government, business and consumers. First, concerning government, the FDA and USDA must address questions of priorities, resources and budget to improve and enforce stricter import standards and inspections. Congress has a significant role to play in applying pressure to these organizations and addressing the bigger issue of foreign trade standards. Second, the critical role of business, especially retailers cannot be overlooked. As the world聮s largest retailer, it distributes massive quantities of imported goods. Wal-Mart should use its significant clout with China and other importers to demand higher quality standards and more product testing. On the home front, Wal-Mart should stop fighting additional inspections and country of origin labeling, which would allow customers to know whether they are buying beef from Iowa or China. Wal-Mart should also consider returning to its abandoned 聯Buy American聰 campaign and support U.S. manufacturers and local farmers rather than shifting jobs and purchases overseas. Third, as American consumers we can use our purchasing power to influence how business responds to the challenge. Without assurances that imported goods are subject to rigorous inspections to ensure their safety, we can opt to buy locally grown and American-made products when we shop for groceries and other items each week. We can also decide that if we don聮t know where a product comes from, maybe we don聮t need it. Purchasing in such a manner not only supports local farmers and U.S. manufacturers, it protects consumers. It also provides the opportunity to strengthen our farm economy while protecting our food supply. Wal-Mart is uniquely positioned to restore confidence in our food supply and make lasting changes. Other companies are usually quick to follow Wal-Mart聮s lead. With $11 billion in profits last year, maybe Wal-Mart will fulfill its obligation to do what is right by its customers and help the country move toward a meaningful solution. Saturday, May 26
ISU Looking for Local Foods
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 26 May 2007 09:10 PM CDT
ISU Looking for Local Foods
By IFU Hello, ISU Catering is interested in purchasing single-serving, packaged, shelf-stable Iowa products to add to a catering package. They聮re particularly interested in foods that are perceived as healthy, such as nuts, dried fruit, meat jerky, etc. If you are selling a product that meets this description or if you have further questions you should contact Sue DeBlieck, Sustainable Coordinator with ISU Dining, at 515-294-2892 or susandeb@iastate.edu or Gina Lloyd with the Iowa Farmers Union at 800-775-5227 or glloyd.iafu@gmail.com. Iowa Farmers Union Friday, May 25
Check out 60 Mins Show on IANG 133rd Infantry
by
Sam Garchik
on Fri 25 May 2007 07:23 AM CDT
Check out 60 Mins Show on IANG 133rd Infantry
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 Wednesday, May 23
Impeach Gonzales!
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 23 May 2007 07:24 AM CDT
Impeach Gonzales!
By Jim Dean, DFA Since Monday, over 41,000 people have called for the impeachment of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Please join us by signing the petition right now: http://www.ImpeachGonzales.org Here is some of the buzz: The Nation1: This is a classic "it's-about-time" development. Democracy for America and Greenwald are giving the American people an opportunity to demand that Congress get serious about holding an errant executive branch to account. The Boston Globe2: It's time for an impeachment, not just to oust Gonzales, but as a salutary warning to his superiors. DailyKos3: Making those Republicans squirm on this vote makes it worth it in and of itself. Add in the political pressure of the just announced Impeach Gonzales by DFA and BraveNewFilms, this is one issue that's not going to go away for Gonzo, for Bush, or for the GOP. And in her front page post today, Arianna Huffington4 restates her belief that "the impeachment of Gonzalez is richly deserved." The movement to impeach Gonzales is growing. Please sign the petition now: http://www.ImpeachGonzales.org When asked about the Senate's push for a possible no-confidence vote against Gonzales to take place in a few weeks, President Bush accused critics of engaging in "pure political theater." He added, "I stand by Al Gonzales." President Bush has no intention to fire Gonzales. To restore integrity to the Justice Department, Congress has only one option. If the President thinks this is political theater, it is up to us to make sure impeachment is Alberto Gonzales' curtain call. Please sign the petition right now and then pass it on. Thank you for moving America forward, Jim Dean (1) The Call to Impeach Gonzales By John Nichols - The Nation, May 21, 2007
(4) Congress Needs to Find Out: Did Bush Order Gonzales and Card to Put the Squeeze on Ashcroft? By Arianna Huffington - Huffington Post, May 23, 2007 |
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