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USDA Announces Deadline for Second Round of Support for Organic Farmers

March 6th, 2012 @ 3:41 pm by Ann

Practical Farmers of Iowa encourages Iowa farmers who are interested in transitioning their farms to organic production or adding additional conservation practices to an existing certified-organic operation to sign up for a second round of Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative (EQIP OI). Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Research and Policy Director Sarah Carlson is available to answer farmers’ questions about the programs. Contact her at the PFI office, 515.232.5661 or via email, sarah@practicalfarmers.org.

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WE’VE MOVED! Come visit us at our new location: 600 5th Street in Ames!

March 1st, 2012 @ 5:05 pm by Ann

Today Practical Farmers of Iowa staff and a few fearless volunteers loaded up a U-haul and several large vehicles and made our way to our new digs at 600 5th Street in downtown Ames. We are so excited and appreciative of our new space! The new location will allow plenty of room for our growing staff, which now numbers 11, to be even more efficient and effective. It will also accommodate future additions to our hard-working group. With the help of volunteers Sean Skeehan, Mark Tjelmeland, Gary Guthrie, Julia Slocum and Derek Carney and the extra efforts by staffers Marc Strobbe and Patrick Burke, the lion’s share of the move was completed in fewer than four hours. Phones should be up and working Friday. Please, come visit us in downtown Ames soon.

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How far does your food travel?

February 22nd, 2012 @ 3:33 pm by Ann

According to a recent article by Derek Singleton, ERP Analyst, the typical food item travels roughly 5,000 miles before it reaches our plates. He looks at why an increased demand for locally-grown organic foods, a renewed interest in urban living and high gas prices may soon force U.S. food distributors to adopt a more local, regional approach. Ultimately, this would push the U.S. toward a new form of food distribution. Do you agree? Check out the article on his blog: http://blog.softwareadvice.com/articles/distribution/the-future-of-u-s-food-distribution-1022112/

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Maxwell Farmer Hosts Practical Farmers of Iowa Pasture Walk, December 3

December 1st, 2011 @ 5:58 pm by Ann

Farmers Bruce and Connie Carney, who use a rotational grazing system for their 125 cow-calf herd, invite you to check out their grazing system from 1–4 p.m., December 3 at a Practical Farmers of Iowa pasture walk to be held at their farm in Maxwell.

This pasture walk will showcase rotational grazing practices, how to manage fescue toxicity, overcoming winter grazing challenges and using stockpiled pasture for fall and winter grazing as well as provide networking opportunities for graziers.

For more details, follow this link:

 

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Practical Farmers of Iowa Receives $128,800 Grant for Beginning Farmer Program

November 3rd, 2011 @ 4:58 pm by Ann

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2011

Contact:
Ann Seuferer | Practical Farmers of Iowa | 515.232.5661 | ann@practicalfarmers.org
Sally Worley | Practical Farmers of Iowa | 515.232.5661 |sally@practicalfarmers.org

AMES, IOWA – Practical Farmers of Iowa has been awarded a $128,800 Assets for Independence (AFI) grant by the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services within the Department of Health and Human Services. With the addition of the AFI grant, Practical Farmers has now raised more than $290,000 from more than 100 individuals and businesses for the Savings Incentive Program, which is $40,000 above its goal of $250,000.

These funds will help the 27-year-old nonprofit, sustainable-agriculture organization to implement a program designed to assist beginning farmers to make a living on the land. The Savings Incentive Program works by encouraging beginning farmers to save approximately $100 each month for two years. After two years and completing all program requirements, beginning farmers’ savings will be matched by Practical Farmers of Iowa so that each beginner could have up to $4800 to put toward a farm asset such as land, machinery or livestock. During the two-year period, enrollees will create or fine tune a business plan and participate in programming to help them create a successful farm business.

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PFI Members invited to “Agriculture for Life,” November 3 in Des Moines

October 21st, 2011 @ 12:53 pm by Ann

Annual conference of the Iowa Environmental Council to feature keynote by Frances Moore Lappé

Practical Farmers of Iowa members and friends know how supporting local and responsibly produced foods brings diversity to our landscape, new tastes at our tables and richness to our lives. Across Iowa, more and more people are joining the movement to support sustainable agriculture.

And the Iowa Environmental Council knows that in a state where almost 90 percent of the land works in agricultural production, food choices matter for our air, water and soil. That’s why the Council will explore Iowa’s farm-to-table connection at Agriculture for Life, a daylong conference November 3, 2011, at Drake University in Des Moines.

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