FOGInfo.org | Current Events

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2005-2006 NOP Organic Cost Share Applications Now Available
Posted on: 31 Jan 2006
Reimbursements Issued on First-Come First-Serve Basis
Funds Limited

W-9 Form
State of Florida Organic Cost Share Application

Dinner in Paradise!
Posted on: 03 Jan 2006
The once-a-month celebration of organic and locally grown bounty of South Florida ingredients will be hosted by Paradise Farms in Homestead and feature culinary creations from Miami’s top chefs. Proceeds will benefit Katrina-ravaged farmers in Louisana and Mississippi.

Miami, FL ─ A strong proponent of fresh ingredients, acclaimed chef Michael Schwartz practices what he believes at the dinner table with his family, and in the kitchen of afterglo, the Miami Beach restaurant where the executive chef prepares beauty cuisine, a concept that incorporates organic produce, herbs and spices, wild game and seafood.

Read the entire post HERE
Make a donation and schedule a dinner HERE

NAFDMA Sponsors Survey
Posted on: 11 Aug 2005

The North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA) is helping sponsor and strongly endorses the most comprehensive survey that has ever been commissioned relating to the continental farm direct marketing and agritourism industry. Please take the time to participate. The survey is designed to help the operators who are currently engaged in farm direct marketing and agritourism enterprises.

This can’t be accomplished successfully without your participation! We’re so serious about this we are providing an incentive. The first 777 COMPLETED surveys will be entered into a drawing to win your choice either of a $1900+ USD value to attend the NAFDMA Convention in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, or $1000 CASH. Feel free to contact me if you have questions about your eligibility for the drawing.

This email is being sent to over 2000 farm direct marketing and agritourism operations that have had some connection to NAFDMA or their local associations in the past five years.

To complete the survey, go to http://www.farmmarketresearch.com. You will need to register first by providing your email, zip/postal code and name of the ranch/farm.

For more information, click here.

The Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture
Posted on: 18 Jul 2005

The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems is offering a Practical Training / Farm & Garden Apprenticeship. The deadline for applications is November 1st, 2005.

The Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture is an educational program of the Center focusing on practical training in organic gardening and small-scale farming.

For more information:
zzyx.ucsc.edu/casfs/training/infoap.html

Fridays at the Grower's Market, Tallahassee
Posted on: 17 Jul 2005

Fridays at the Grower's Market
Friday and Wednesdays 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
229 Lake Ella Drive, Tallahassee.
Behind Black Dog Cafe.

Take a rest from the traffic and rediscover . . .
Fresh Local Produce, Organic, Natural, Sustainable.
Direct from your Local Small Farmers.

In collaboration with Local Small Farmers, The American Legion, Black Dog Cafe, and FAMU Small Farm Programs.

For more information contact: 412-5260/jennifer.taylor@famu.edu

FOG TO HOLD TWO SEMINARS: One for Organic Processing and One for Organic Inspectors
Posted on: 30 Jun 2005

Organic Processing Seminar: Converting from Conventional to Organic Processing
Friday, August 26, 2005, 9 AM to 5 PM
Renaissance Hotel International Plaza
Tampa, FL

Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. (FOG), a 501(3)C not-for-profit and parent organization of Quality Certification Services (QCS), will hold a one day seminar on Friday, August 26, 2005 on converting from conventional to organic processing. The seminar, titled, "CONVERTING FROM CONVENTIONAL TO ORGANIC PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING: Opportunities, Challenges, and Success", will be held in Florida at the Tampa Renaissance Hotel International Plaza from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, please see the following documents:
All documents Adobe PDF.

Inspectors Only Seminar: Inspecting the Organic Processing Facility
Saturday, August 27, 2005, 9 AM to 5 PM
Renaissance Hotel International Plaza
Tampa, FL

Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. (FOG), a 501(3)C not-for-profit and parent organization of Quality Certification Services (QCS), will hold a one day seminar on Saturday, August 27, 2005 for organic inspectors on conducting inspections of organic processing and handling operations for compliance with the National Organic Standards. The seminar is titled, "FOR INSPECTORS ONLY: Inspecting the Organic Processing Facility" , and will be held in Florida at the Tampa Renaissance Hotel International Plaza from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, please see the following documents:
All documents Adobe PDF.

Bella Via
Posted on: 07 Jun 2005
Bella Via: The Sustainable Community of the Future.
Bella Via is the prototype for a totally new type of intentional community; one that embodies the principles of sustainability, green building materials and techniques, environmentally-friendly products, certified organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices, renewable energy sources, social consciousness, holistic health and wellness of body, mind, spirit and planet.

More Info: www.bellaviacommunity.com

Whole Foods Market
Posted on: 07 Jun 2005
Contact them to let them know you want one in your town: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/contact/

From www.wholefoodsmarket.com:
"Founded in 1980 as one small store in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market® is now the world's leading retailer of natural and organic foods, with 170 stores in North America and the United Kingdom. To date Whole Foods Market remains uniquely mission driven: We're highly selective about what we sell, dedicated to stringent Quality Standards, and committed to sustainable agriculture."

Food Films!
Posted on: 02 Jun 2005

Two new animations, one about the real world of meat production, the other about grocery stores! Entertaining and highly educational, The Meatrix won the 2005 Webby Award in the Charitable Orgs/Non Profit category.

Organic Brassica Seed Production Guide released
Posted on: 01 Jun 2005
The Save Our Seed Project announces the publication of the Organic Brassica Seed Production Guide. This is number five in a series of seed production manuals that Save Our Seed created in response to the limited availability of organic and open pollinated heirloom seed.
More: Resources

Organic Consumer Trends Report Now Available!
Posted on: 24 May 2005
The Natural Marketing Institute’s 2005 Organic Consumer Trends Report™ can now be purchased by the chapter.

For more information: Press Release

Choosing Your Market: A Direct Marketing Decision Tool for Small Farmers
Posted on: 17 May 2005
Help has arrived with a new direct marketing tool, "Choosing Your Market: A Direct Marketing Decision Tool for Small Farmers", developed by Georgia Organics, a non-profit organization promoting sustainable and organic farming and foods.
For more information:
Link: www.georgiaorganics.org/markettool/

Suppliers of Organic Fertilizers & Pesticides
Posted on: 05 May 2005
see: Resources Suppliers of Organic Fertilizers & Pesticides Compiled by Dana Venrick, Extension Agent II - Dec 2003

2005 Survey of Certified Organic Agriculture in Florida
Posted on: 31 Mar 2005
Organic agriculture in Florida is a rapidly growing industry that is characterized by many diverse types of certified organic operators, including certified organic growers, value-added growers, and processors. This report summarizes the data collected from the first survey ever conducted of Florida’s certified organic operators. This report describes the survey responses to questions about various aspects of certified organic operations in Florida, including: ownership types, acreage in production, products produced, sales, markets, labor usage and employment, and program and policy priorities. This survey and report were funded by a grant from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the United States Department of Agriculture.

To download this report in it's entirety, click here:
www.foginfo.org/docs/2002 SurveyofCertifiedOrganicAgriculture inFloridaPreface.doc

Asian Soybean Rust Study
Posted on: 30 Mar 2005
The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry is currently looking for plots of principal hosts other than soybean, i.e., Kudzu, snap beans/dry beans (Phaseolus spp.), yellow lupine (Lupinus luteus), cow peas/southern peas (Vigna spp.), etc., to survey on a weekly basis throughout Florida. Plots that receive little to no fungicides would be ideal, but not a requirement.

We would greatly appreciate growers willing to allow surveys of their plots to contact us. It is crucial that we promptly gain as much information on this disease as possible.

Asian Soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) (SBR) was first reported in the Southeastern US, including Florida, in November of 2004. Since the first finding, SBR has been detected in 18 Florida counties and so far only on kudzu, a noxious weed (Pueraria lobata) and soybean (Glycine max). SBR spreads rapidly via wind-borne spores causing severe damage to soybeans and other legumes. Because the pathogen is a recent immigrant, scientists have little understanding of the host range, over wintering abilities and general biology in Florida.

For more information:

spdn.ifas.ufl.edu/
Florida_Soybean_Rust.htm
www.doacs.state.fl.us/ pi/enpp/pathology/soybeanrust.html

-----------------------------------------------------------

Contact:

Adam J. Silagyi, DPM
State Survey Coordinator
Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS)
DPI-DOACS 1911 SW 34th St.
P.O. Box 147100 Gainesville, F.L. 32614-7100
Phone (352) 372-3505 x 452
Mobile: (352) 258-0806
Email: silagya@doacs.state.fl.us

USDA ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION FOR NEW SMALL-SCALE/LIMITED RESOURCE FARMERS INITIATIVE
Posted on: 29 Mar 2005
WASHINGTON, March 15, 2005-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide up to $6 million for a new Small-Scale/Limited Resource Farmers Initiative to help small farmers implement good conservation practices on their land.

for more information: foginfo.org/resources

The Grower's Market, Tallahassee
Posted on: 17 Mar 2005

Buy local, seasonal, farm fresh, from your local growers at the Grower's Market.

The Grower's Market is a new innovative participant-oriented market developed by FAMU Small Farm Program in collaboration with Local Organic Small Farmers, the American Legion, and Black Dog Cafe.

The Grower's Market is Tallahassee's only market featuring, each Wednesday, local growers (farmers and gardeners) selling their fresh from the farm produce.

Buying from the Grower's Market at Lake Ella benefits consumer awareness and appreciation of where their food actually comes from, supports earth-friendly farming, seasonal eating - And as important, the Grower's Market provides an atmosphere for communication between local growers and the community.

The Grower's Market
229 Lake Ella Drive/Behind Black Dog Cafe
Open every Wednesday evening - 3:00 - 6:00 pm in Tallahassee.

Rediscover and experience --buying local, seasonal, farm fresh produce-- from your local growers at the Grower's Market!

For additional information, about this or other sustainable development efforts, please contact:
Jennifer Taylor/FAMU StateWide Small Farm Programs/
850 599-3546;
jennifer.taylor@famu.edu.

Thank you.

Farmers Urged to Learn about GMOs Before Planting 2005 Crops
Posted on: 22 Dec 2004

Contact Information David Moeller
Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG)
651/223-5400;
www.flaginc.org.

Michael Sligh - Rural Advancement Foundation
International-USA (RAFI-USA)
919/542-1396;
www.rafiusa.org
Pittsboro, N.C.

November 19, 2004 – The commercial production of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, has created a legal minefield for American farmers and requires that farmers be particularly sure footed, says Farmers’ Guide to GMOs, just released by the Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG) and Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA).

Co-author and attorney David R. Moeller of FLAG says that whether farmers grow GMOs, conventional seeds, or are certified organic, the use of GMOs in commercial agriculture can affect operations and have costly legal ramifications.

“After almost a decade of commercial production, we have reached that point,” Moeller said, “where every farmer has a stake and has to be fully aware of the legal ramifications. No farmer should buy seed for next season without having a grasp of the information contained in this Guide.”

Read Entire Article

CONSUMERS SEARCHING WEB FOR LOCALLY-PRODUCED FARM PRODUCTS
Posted on: 01 Sep 2004

Every day nearly 5,000 consumers go to www.localharvest.org to search this electronic directory of family farmers selling directly to consumers. Consumers can search the directory by state, city, zip code, farm type, or farm product to learn where to buy farm products grown near them.

LocalHarvest.org is calling for more Southern Farmers to sign up on their list!

Click Here for more information.

FOG/QCS participating in Natural Products Expo East
Posted on: 13 Aug 2004

FOG/QCS will be participating in:
Natural Products Expo East
Oct 14-17, 2004
Washington Convention Center, Washington DC

Visit: www.expoeast.com

FOG-BBS Launced!
Posted on: 19 May 2004
FOG's multipurpose BBS is now up and running! There is an Organic Farming Q&A section, a Florida Food section for finding information on Farmers Markets and Places to get food. Help contribute to the first posts ever today!

BBS & Resources Pages Coming Soon!
Posted on: 07 May 2004

Check back soon for new features!

A topic based BBS, and Searchable Resources including links, Frequently Asked Questions, documents, forms, and more!

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