Making Armed to Farm Trainings Accessible to More Farmer Veterans

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and Ranchin’ Vets have teamed up to offer a new level of support for military veterans interested in sustainable agriculture training opportunities. Ranchin’ Vets will fund a one-time transportation stipend directly to veterans selected to participate in NCAT’s Armed to Farm training program.

Armed to Farm is a sustainable agriculture training program for military veterans. NCAT manages the program with support from a variety of funding sources, including a cooperative agreement with USDA-Rural Development. Since launching in 2013, Armed to Farm has supported more than 800 farmer veterans from 45 states with hands-on and classroom learning opportunities. Farmer veterans learn how to make a business plan and market their products, how to access USDA programs, set business goals, and develop mentorships with seasoned farmers. 

Armed to Farm has always been free for veterans and their spouses or farm partners to attend. NCAT covers the cost of lodging, most meals, and local transportation during the training. However, attendees have always been responsible for getting themselves to the training site, which could require long drives across several states or even airfare. 

“We want everyone who is accepted into the Armed to Farm program to be able to participate, so we are excited to partner with Ranchin’ Vets to open this opportunity to even more farmer veterans,” said Margo Hale, Armed to Farm Program Director. “Although the training itself is free, the cost of traveling to the training can be substantial and has been a barrier to veterans attending Armed to Farm in the past. We’re very thankful for this opportunity to offer another level of support to the farmer veterans who attend Armed to Farm.”

Ranchin’ Vets, a California based 501 c (3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014, serves veterans on a national level, with a mission to assist in the reintegration of veterans from military to civilian life through a variety of programs offered within the ranching and agricultural industry. 

The Ranchin’ Vets Operation Hire A Vet Program connects veterans with opportunities within the agricultural industry. Veterans in the program who need additional support receive a temporary stipend towards transportation, housing and clothing as they pursue agricultural opportunities. 

"Through our Operation Hire A Vet Program, we recognized the need for a training program that will equip veterans with the tools they need to be successful in their agricultural endeavors. This partnership with Armed to Farm is an incredible opportunity to work together to assure that all veterans who are interested in pursuing this path will have access to resources that will help them thrive,” said Corey Downs, Ranchin’ Vets Program Director. “Our programs go hand-in-hand, providing veterans with fully funded access to professional agricultural training, as well as assistance in seeking and obtaining agricultural employment. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to work with Armed to Farm.”  

The travel stipends will be available starting with the next Armed to Farm training, scheduled for Dec. 1-3, 2021, in Athens, Georgia. For Armed to Farm participants to receive a transportation stipend, they must successfully register with Ranchin’ Vets. 

For more information about Ranchin’ Vets, visit ranchinvets.org. See ARMEDTOFARM.ORG for more about NCAT’s Armed to Farm program.

 

2021’s Best States to Start a Farm or Ranch

 

The time couldn’t be more ripe to start a farm or ranch — the agriculture industry faces a massive shortage of farmers and ranchers who are more critical than ever to maintaining our food supply.  But where do you have the highest chance of successfully starting a Green Acres life?  Ahead of Farmer's Day, Oct. 12, LawnStarter compared the 50 states across 42 key metrics to rank 2021’s Best States to Start a Farm or Ranch.  We looked for states with existing farm communities to indicate viability, good infrastructure, and a suitable climate. We also compared the states based on overhead and ROI potential. How did the states fare? See the top five and bottom five performers below, followed by some highlights and lowlights from our report.

2021’s Best States to Start a Farm or Ranch   Rank State 1 Montana 2 Kansas 3 North Dakota 4 Texas 5 Oklahoma 2021’s Worst States to Start a Farm or Ranch   Rank State 46 Maine 47 New Jersey 48 Connecticut 49 Rhode Island 50 Alaska

Highlights and Lowlights: Montana: Ahead of the Herd: The Big Sky State earns the top spot in our ranking of 2021’s Best States to Start a Farm or Ranch. With agriculture its biggest industry, Montana’s victory comes as little surprise.  The state placed in the top 10 in five out of seven categories and No. 15 in ROI Potential. Montana trails only Wyoming in farm size, averaging a whopping 2,156 acres, and the average cost of an acre in the Treasure State is lowest in the U.S. Although ranching is woven into the state’s cultural fabric, farming also contributes significantly to the state’s economy. Montana is a top supplier of beef, and it leads the nation’s production of organic certified wheat, dry peas, lentils, flax, and honey.  If you want the best of both worlds, Montana hits the sweet spot. Great Plains: Great for Agriculture: Nine of our top 10 states are in the Great Plains, including several in the Corn Belt. Those regional names alone give away these states’ suitable farming qualities. Coming in at No. 2 is Kansas, while Texas clocks in at No. 4, Oklahoma at No. 5, and Iowa in seventh place. Both Dakotas made it, too, at Nos. 3 and 6. Colorado (No. 9) and Wyoming (No. 10) round out the Plains states at the top.  But how specifically did this broad, sweeping landscape dominate the top of our ranking? Most of these states, such as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, boast cheap land, large established farming communities for support, and highly developed infrastructure.  Move to the Great Plains, and you’ll be chasing cattle in no time. The Last Frontier: Last in Farming: Alaska not only ranked at the very bottom of our ranking of top agricultural states, but it also finished last in two out of seven categories, Viability and Climate; third to last in Personnel; and in the worst 10 of Infrastructure and ROI Potential. These results are hardly a shock. Although Alaska is the biggest state by land area, less than a quarter of a percent of the state’s 365 million acres is available for farming. Much of this can be attributed to the state’s generally unsuitable farming climate, brief growing season, and infertile soils.  In other words, you won’t grow many crops here — but you can grow some of the world’s biggest. Because of Alaska’s long daylight hours during summer, some vegetables grow to monstrous sizes: a 19-pound carrot, 76-pound rutabaga, and 172-pound cabbage. Our full ranking and analysis can be found here: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-states-to-start-a-farm/ More from LawnStarter:  2021's Best and Worst States for Living Off the Grid 2021's Best Cities for Outdoor Jobs 2021's Best Cities for Urban Gardening 2021's Best Cities for Locavores 2021's Most Sustainable Cities 2021's Best California Wine Counties 2021's Best Wine Counties Outside California 2021's Best Cities for Country Music Fans

Veterinary College Common Application Service Deadline Extended by Natural Disasters

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 10, 2021 -- The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) has extended the 2022 Veterinary Medical College Application Service(VMCAS) deadline about two weeks because of the impact of natural disasters on the process. The new VMCAS 2022 application deadline is Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time for all applicants.

 

The decision to extend the deadline was made because the destruction and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida in the south and the northeast has posed significant obstacles for some VMCAS applicants, according to AAVMC Director for Admissions and Recruitment Affairs Ms. Diana Dabdub. Many applicants have been forced to evacuate their homes and may still be without electricity, she said, and some colleges and universities were closed and are just returning to normal operations.

 

“We hope that all applicants and their families are safe and that those who are facing natural disaster-related issues can recover quickly,” said Dabdub.

 

Because the deadline extension shortens the amount of time schools will have to review applications, applicants in non-affected areas are encouraged to complete and submit their VMCAS applications as soon as possible, despite the deadline extension. There will be no additional deadline extensions this cycle.

 

Dabdub said applicants should submit their VMCAS applications as soon as they are completed regardless of whether VMCAS has received academic transcripts or electronic letters of reference (eLOR). 

 

Other provisions and caveats associated with the deadline extension include:

 

• There is no extension related to GRE scores, which must be received by 9/15/21.
• Applicants must reach out directly to schools that require the Casper test for deadline clarification.
• WES evaluations must be received by the extended application deadline of 9/29/21.
• All academic transcripts must be received (or postmarked) by the extended application deadline of 9/29/21.

Applicants with questions about the deadline extension should contact the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) at 617-612-2884 or email: vmcasinfo@vmcas.org.

About the AAVMC:

 

The member institutions of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) promote and protect the health and wellbeing of people, animals and the environment by advancing the profession of veterinary medicine and preparing new generations of veterinarians to meet the evolving needs of a changing world. Founded in 1966, the AAVMC represents more than 40,000 faculty, staff and students across the global academic veterinary medical community. Our member institutions include Council on Education (COE) accredited veterinary medical colleges and schools in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand as well as departments of veterinary science and departments of comparative medicine in the U.S.

 

USDA Expands Assistance to Cover Feed Transportation Costs for Drought-Impacted Ranchers

09/08/2021 02:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON, September 8, 2021— In response to the severe drought conditions in the West and Great Plains, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today its plans to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing. USDA is updating the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) to immediately cover feed transportation costs for drought impacted ranchers. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide more details and tools to help ranchers get ready to apply at their local USDA Service Center later this month at fsa.usda.gov/elap.

USDA Assists Farmers, Ranchers, and Communities Affected by Recent Flooding in Tennessee

 

WASHINGTON, August 27, 2021 - To help residents, farmers, and ranchers affected by the recent flooding in Tennessee, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid recovery efforts. USDA staff in the regional, state, and county offices are responding and providing a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to residents, agricultural producers and impacted communities. Food safety guidance: USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is helping affected residents take steps to reduce their risk of foodborne illness as they return to their homes after severe weather and flooding. Drink only bottled water that has not been in contact with flood water. Screw caps are not waterproof, so discard any bottled water that may have come in contact with flood water. If you don’t have bottled water, learn how to safely boil or disinfect water at FSIS Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes webpage. Discard any food or beverage that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance it may have been in contact with flood water. Containers with screw caps, snap lids, pull tops and crimped caps are not waterproof. Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches such as flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches, can be saved by following the steps at the FSIS Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes webpage. Thoroughly wash all metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water. Rinse, then sanitize, by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of one of tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have come in contact with flood water – they cannot be saved after contact with flood water. Risk management and disaster assistance for agricultural operations: USDA offers several risk management and disaster assistance options to help producers recover after disasters. Producers who suffer losses and whose crops are covered for the 2021 crop year by the Federal Crop Insurance Program, a partnership between USDA’s Risk Management Agency and private companies and agents, or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), are asked to report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or local FSA office, respectively, within 72 hours of discovering damage and to follow up in writing within 15 days. Livestock and perennial crop producers often have more limited risk management options available, so there are several disaster programs for them. Key programs offered by FSA include: The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee and Farm-raised Fish Program reimburses producers for a portion of the value of livestock, poultry and other animals that were killed or severely injured by a natural disaster or loss of feed and grazing acres. The Tree Assistance Program provides cost share assistance to rehabilitate or replant orchards and vineyards when storms kill or damage the trees, vines or bushes. NAP or Federal Crop Insurance often only covers the crop and not the plant. The Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore damaged farmland or forests. FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs. It is also critical that producers keep accurate records to document damage or loss and to report losses to their local USDA Service Center as soon as possible. Additionally, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can provide financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. USDA can also assist local government sponsors with the cost of recovery efforts like debris removal and streambank stabilization to address natural resource concerns and hazards through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet (PDF, 4.6 MB) and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center. Other USDA assistance: USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has information about Protecting Livestock During a Disaster and is also helping to meet the emergency needs of pets and their owners. Inspectors are coordinating closely with zoos, breeders, and other licensed facilities in the region to ensure the safety of animals in their care. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is standing by to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as requesting states and local authorities, to provide emergency nutrition assistance and other nutrition program flexibilities to assist people in need. USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

NCLA Asks 10th Cir. to Declare USDA’s Livestock RFID Federal Advisory Committees Violated FACA

R-CALF USA, et al. v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, et al.

 

Washington, DC (August 26, 2021) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its subagency, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), continue to violate federal law in their efforts to mandate “radio frequency identification” (RFID) eartags on livestock. The New Civil Liberties Alliance, a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group, has filed an opening brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit over these agencies’ violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The brief asks the Court to declare that USDA and APHIS established and utilized the “Cattle Traceability Working Group” (CTWG) and “Producer Traceability Council” (PTC) in violation of FACA.

 

In 2017, USDA began efforts to eliminate the use of most of the tried-and-true traceability and identification techniques approved previously as being acceptable for the interstate movement of livestock. In particular, USDA and APHIS concluded that the livestock industry should phase out the use of metal eartags, brands, backtags, and similar low-cost forms of identification, and convert to the exclusive use of expensive RFID eartags, with such a mandate to become effective as of January 1, 2023. These agencies arranged for the creation of the CTWG—and later the PTC—to assist them with that transition effort. FACA, adopted by Congress to further the goals of transparency and fairness, requires any such advisory committees “established” or “utilized” by a federal agency to comply with a wide range of procedural requirements, such as having balanced viewpoints and keeping certain records and making them publicly available.

 

On May 13, 2021, District Judge Freudenthal erred by ruling in favor of USDA and APHIS and dismissing R-CALF’s FACA claims. NCLA also believes the district court abused its discretion in applying a Local Rule to deny our clients’ repeated requests for discovery. NCLA has requested that the Tenth Circuit enter judgment in favor of R-CALF USA and the four independent ranchers, Donna and Tracy Hunt and Kenny and Roxy Fox, on their claims that the CTWG and PTC are federal advisory committees covered by FACA. To deter future FACA abuse, NCLA also seeks an order from the Tenth Circuit prohibiting the agencies from using any of the work product generated by the CTWG and PTC in future endeavors to force RFID requirements on livestock producers. 

 

NCLA released the following statement: 

 

“USDA and APHIS are well aware that the livestock industry opposes their efforts to mandate the use of high-cost RFID eartags. They created the CTWG and PTC as part of their strategy to circumvent that opposition and to make their astroturf efforts appear to be grassroots. Those efforts violated FACA, and the agencies should be held accountable. We are confident that the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals will recognize these agencies’ actions for what they were, enjoin them from engaging in such behavior, and prohibit them from using the unlawfully obtained committee work product in their future regulatory activities.”  

— Harriet Hageman, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA

 

For more information visit the case page here.

 

ABOUT NCLA

 

NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLA’s public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans’ fundamental rights. 

Annual Texas Sheep and Goat Expo set Aug. 20-21

Texas A&M AgriLife event draws nationwide audience to San Angelo

 

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has announced the dates and theme for the seventh annual Texas Sheep and Goat Expo. The event is set for Aug. 20-21 at the 1st Community Federal Credit Union Spur Arena at the San Angelo Fairgrounds.

“Feeding and Nutrition” will be the theme of this year’s event, with a focus on sheep and goat market prices. 

“We are excited to be planning the return of the industry’s preeminent expo event,” said Robert Pritz, event coordinator and AgriLife Extension regional program leader in San Angelo. “We were thrilled by how well last year’s event went after we had to go to an online, virtual format for the first time due to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, but we’re thrilled about the prospect of getting to meet face-to-face once more and fellowshipping with each other.”

Texas Sheep and Goat Expo

The event draws producers from across Texas, out of state, and as far away as Australia. It is the largest event of its type in Texas and one of the largest sheep and goat industry educational programs in the world, said Pritz. 

The expo will feature guest speakers, educational seminars and numerous live sessions for participants to choose from. The event covers a range of industry topics, including addressing the concerns and challenges facing today’s producer in light of recent events, as well as the exciting changes happening in the industry involving technological advances and new services.

“New this year are concurrent sessions dedicated to novice sheep and goat producers, our Sheep 101 Series,” Pritz said.

Sheep and Goat Field Day

The 48th Sheep and Goat Field Day will also be held in conjunction with the expo. The event will be held the morning of Aug. 20 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo. The free field day allows participants to hear from experts and observe firsthand the center’s sheep and goats, livestock guardian dog program and the recently expanded services of the Bill Sims wool lab. 

For more information, contact Pritz at 325-653-4576 or check the official website, https://agrilife.org/agrilifesheepandgoat/, which will be updated as more plans are made.

KFGC Annual Field Day August 17

Lincoln county producer Bill Holtzclaw will be hosting the KFGC Annual Field day. 4610 HWY 590, Stanford KY. The program begins at 4:30 pm and includes Grazing Summer Annuals, Chris Teutsch, Alfalfa Weed Control, JD Green, Establishing Alfalfa, Ray Smith, and Making High Quality Baleage: Summary of Baleage Farm Sampling, Jimmy Henning. Register by calling 606-365-2447, this event will be a CAIP qualified educational meeting. Find more details here. 

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New podcast celebrates the working dogs

 

For millennia, humans have leveraged relationships with canine partners to make a living from the land with greater efficiency, safety and productivity. Whether herding livestock, guarding flocks, or eliminating pests and warning of unseen dangers, these unsung heroes of agriculture have been critical to our survival and success.

Now, a new podcast gives working farm dogs the credit they deserve.

Farm Dog explores the fascinating history and current practice of humans working with dogs to make a living from the land. Its biweekly interview format lets the audience listen in to chats with experts covering individual breed descriptions, dog training advice, real world farm and ranch experiences, and more. Herding dogs and livestock guardian dogs (LGD's) are frequent topics, but terriers, hunting dogs, and good ol' all-around farm dogs are up for discussion, too. “If it’s a dog, and it produces, protects, or provides for our rural lives, we'll talk about it!” says Aaron Steele, the creator and host of Farm Dog.

Steele, who is also the founder of Goats On The Go®, a national brand of targeted goat grazing (AKA “goat rental” or “goatscaping”) operations, says the motivation for creating the podcast was a bit self-serving. “As the number of livestock on our farm has kept growing, and my three sons have kept getting older, I’ve come to realize that I’m going to need some canine help when the boys are all out of the house. I was considering getting my first herding dog puppy and realized I didn’t know anything about how to find a good one, much less train it. Off I went to do the research, which was eventually going to lead to phone calls and conversations with experts anyway, so I thought, ‘Why not bring an audience along for the ride?’”

So why not a podcast exclusively about herding dogs? “Because the rest of the working farm dog world is just too fascinating to ignore!” Steele points to the ancient history of livestock guardian breeds and the practical virtues of terriers and “earthdogs” as reasons to broaden the show’s scope. “These dogs are nearly as old as agriculture itself in some cases, and it’s impossible to untangle their traits and heritage from history and culture. There’s just so much good stuff to talk about,” says Steele.

Listeners can find Farm Dog at anchor.fm/farmdog or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and most other podcast apps.

For more information, contact: Aaron Steele, Goats On The Go, LC 515-257-6846, aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com

Western Drought Forces Farmers to Make Tough Decisions

As water sources dry up, farmers are culling herds, stripping trees of fruit and forgoing planting crops this year.

By Shelby Vittek, Modern Farmer

Due to the worsening drought sweeping across the West, Sonoma County farmers David and Kayta Plescia were forced to cancel their vegetable CSA program. The couple, who run Green Valley Community Farm in Sebastopol, says they simply didn’t have enough water to plant the necessary vegetables this year.

“We got a third of the usual rainfall [during the rainy season] and that was after last year, which was also very low,” says David. “The two combined did a number on people’s water sources.”

The farm’s catchment pond, their irrigation source, didn’t fill with water this year. “That’s the first time it’s ever happened,” he says. “We have one-twentieth of the water we usually have.”

Farmers of all kinds are being forced to make similarly tough decisions as water supplies dwindle. Ranchers are trying to stay ahead of the curve by culling their herds. Apple growers are dropping fruit on young trees in an attempt to keep them alive. Almond and peach growers are doing the same.

According to the most recent US Drought Monitor report, 96 percent of the West is suffering from at least some level of drought. California and Nevada are now 100 percent in drought after two years of exceptionally dry conditions. Reservoir levels in both states are dismally low, intensifying the concern for wildfire season, which runs between May and October. Already, there have been more fires and acres burned in California than this time last year.

Farmers in other states are affected too. In January, New Mexico officials warned farmers and ranchers who rely on water from the Rio Grande and other rivers to prepare to go without it this year, recommending “that farmers along the Rio Chama and in the Middle Valley that don’t absolutely need to farm this year, do not farm.” Utah irrigation water providers are implementing increased fines for overuse. And in Idaho, which isn’t faring as badly as other states, farmers in central and southern counties are preparing for crop disaster losses.

Conditions are especially dire in California, where 41 of 58 counties are under a drought state of emergency. This year’s drought is similar to years past, with one caveat, says Dan Sumner, UC Davis professor of agricultural and resource economics and director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center. “Sonoma County has been hit more this time,” he says, “and that is less common.”

It’s also affecting the farm counties of the Central Valley, home to some of California’s richest agricultural land, where farmers have long relied on water from the US Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project (CVP) for irrigation. Last week, the bureau cut allocations for some farmers to zero.

“Water is very hard to come by,” says Vincent Ricchiuti, chief operations officer for P-R Farms and Enzo Olive Oil in Fresno, California. “This year is drastically worse [than last year].”

The persistent droughts led Ricchiuti to install a new system called AgMonitor in 2015. The technology takes into account the weather, age of tree and type of soil, and uses additional data from probes that measure soil moisture to determine how much water to distribute. “The goal is not to overwater or underwater,” he says. “It’s to really zero in on irrigation.” That helps a limited water supply last longer.

Ricchiuti says the droughts mean farmers have to be more conscious about what they’re planting and where they’re planting it. At Green Valley Community Farm, the Plescias have applied for a cannabis permit, which would allow them to grow a crop that requires much less water. They’re also considering moving their vegetable farm.

“The site that we’re on is untenable for a vegetable farm business, we’ve realized,” says David, who says he’s eyeing another location that has a more reliable water supply. As renters, the Plescias have more flexibility than landowners, some of whom operate on family farms that have run on the same land for several generations.

California’s recurring drought and wildfire conditions led fiber artist and farmer Leslie Adkins to relocate her Heartfelt Fiber Farm. Last year, as the wildfires ravaged Sonoma and Napa counties, she made the difficult decision to move her small flock of sheep, goats and alpaca from California to Illinois. 

“We were originally thinking of Oregon or Washington, but the writing on the wall in the West, with the megadrought, has been there for a while,” says Adkins, who has a graduate degree in environmental studies. “My family decided we needed to go somewhere, somewhere where we could start over, maybe on a smaller scale, that would be less affected farming-wise by this climate change that’s everywhere.”

Adkins believes we’ll continue to see more farmers become climate refugees as droughts and rising temperatures persist. “I just reached my own personal conclusion, and I’m an optimist by nature, but I have concluded that there’s not a future for farming in California,” she says.

UC Davis’ Sumner says it’s not time to worry just yet. “It could become more severe, but that is a few years away,” he says. “Droughts in California have been part of agriculture for a very long time…California is a wonderful place for many crops and that has not changed at all.”

10 Tips for Resource Stewardship Planning on Your Farm

By Nate Birt

Vice President

Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative

 

Jun 03, 2021

American farmers are conservationists at heart, but it can be a challenge to know where to start when it comes to conservation planning. Finding the right technical assistance and determining whether a conservation practice actually works for your land isn’t always easy.

The new Resource Stewardship Planning Guide, backed by NRCS science and developed by the editors at Farm Journal, is now available to help. This free workbook is the first in a three-part series published as part of America’s Conservation Ag Movement, a public-private partnership that helps producers use profitable and conservation-minded practices. The Soil Health Guide is currently available, and a Water Quality Guide will be available soon.

Here are 10 tips from this new interactive workbook—available in digital format to download for free.

Tip 1: See what other farmers are doing

Learning from other producers’ conservation experiences is a great way to evaluate what might work in for you. In this workbook, you’ll find plenty of stories from farmers across the U.S., including row crop producers from the Midwest, cattle ranchers from the Plains, and more.

Tip 2: Make a plan and write it down

Check out pages 4-7 for a primer on the process of conservation planning. Then fill out workbook pages 8-10 to see where your own farm stands and to identify some practical next steps you might take. There’s a cheat sheet on page 11 with some examples to get those gears turning!

Tip 3: Same farm, different land types

A farm is rarely composed of a single giant parcel. Instead, it often spans soil types, terrains, and counties. That’s why it’s important to know where you are and what type of land within a field you’re dealing with. Page 12 breaks down four common categories: cropland; associated agricultural lands; grazing, pastureland, and rangeland; and animal feeding operations.

Tip 4: Scout for conservation opportunities with cropland

If you raise crops such as corn or soybeans, pages 13-16 are for you. Starting with a soil loss assessment, you can begin to identify where conservation in your fields can deliver the strongest ROI. This section will also help you take stock of unique attributes of individual fields, such as proximity to adjacent bodies of water. The flow chart on page 15 can help you determine what you need and who can help.

Tip 5: Reduce costs through associated ag lands

Some spots in fields have notorious problems like ponding, erosion, or poor productivity. In these places, it might make sense to consider how you might save a precious resource—capital. Pages 17-21 provide insights on associated ag lands and illustrate how farmers are reimaging them for better lands and a better bottom line.

Tip 6: Grazing opportunities

Fencing is an infrastructure investment that NRCS programs can use to help livestock producers. From pages 23-27, you’ll discover that conservation planning isn’t just for  row crop—it applies to every farm or ranch, albeit with its own specific toolbox of best management practices.

Tip 7: Stewardship spans feed, manure, and more

If you raise livestock, then feed handling, waste management, and other activities have a central role in conservation planning. Learn how to integrate stewardship into these staples of farm life from pages 28-36. Then meet hog producers from South Dakota who are putting these principles to work.

Tip 8: Rent land? Engage the owner

Conservation might seem like a big investment of time and money, but in many cases, stewardship begins with an evaluation of what you—and your landlord—care most about when it comes to the farm. Pages 37-40 illustrate practical ways to start a conservation about rented land to ensure both parties benefit.

Tip 9: Pencil it out

If you’re skeptical about whether conservation can have positive financial benefits, check out page 41. There is a step-by-step example of how stewardship can be a win-win for your business and the natural resources you manage.

Tip 10: Find a trusted adviser

Now that you’ve explored the many ways in which conservation planning can make a difference for farms like yours, it’s time to ask: Who can help me do that? From pages 43-46, you’ll find practical tips for locating the right kind of technical service provider in your local area. There are plenty of links so that you can do your own research online.

Interested in learning more about how conservation can help your farm? Click here to get your free guide to explore what the next step of your own conservation journey might be.

More Information

America’s Conservation Ag Movement is organized by Trust In Food, a Farm Journalinitiative, in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation. Financial and technical support is provided by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and leading agribusinesses, food companies and nonprofit organizations.

Natural Resources Conservation Service