This week, the full Senate will take up the Farm Bill and $4.1 billion in cuts to SNAP are included.
You can join advocates in opposing these cuts here:
http://www.phi.org/policy-advocacy/take-action-oppose-cuts-to-snap-and-snap-ed/
WW II Victory Garden poster
Why not adapt this style for current farmers market initiatives?
WW 2 Victory Garden poster
Quote I like
If the market only speaks with its supporters, then it runs the risk of arming its detractors.
Richard McCarthy, MarketUmbrella founder and its E.D. for 18 years, now Slow Food USA Executive Director
UC Berkeley Occupy Farm is plowed under by police but already replants
By Judith Scherr and Doug Oakley
ALBANY — About 50 Occupy the Farm activists returned to a piece of land Monday evening to replant vegetables plowed under earlier in the day after UC Berkeley police arrested four protesters.
At the same time, a group of Albany residents opposed to the Occupy group brought a contingent of their own to the parcel along San Pablo Avenue.
“We want a grocery store here,” said Sylvia Paull, one of the anti-Occupy protesters. “We spent five years working with UC and Albany trying to get one here.”
The Occupy group said it would return next weekend to tend to the most recent crop it planted Monday evening.
“We’re not giving up on this land,” said Occupy spokeswoman and UC Berkeley student Lesley Haddock. “It’s one of the best pieces of farmland in the East Bay and UC wants to make it a corporate development. We don’t want development.”
http://m.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/police-raid-albany-occupy-farm-compound/nXpxj/
A book recommendation for evaluation geeks (like me)
Accounting For Social Value
When organizations use social accounting practices, they are able to measure their performance in terms of benefits accrued to key stakeholders such as their communities, human resources, and those investing in the organization. This innovative change in accounting can lead to a fundamentally different perspective on the value of an organization. Through case studies of organizations that have implemented social accounting in the United States, Canada, India, and Scotland, Accounting for Social Value provides a unique perspective for understanding key issues in this growing field.
Slow week in New Orleans coming up
I hope all Slow Food leaders come visit us in May. If you do, let me know, I’ll be leading one of the tours.….
Slow Food USA National Leadership Conference
May 17 — May 19, 2013
New Orleans
Come to the French Quarter of New Orleans for a national gathering of Slow Food chapter leaders and volunteers. Connect with fellow leaders, experience the local culture and build your skills and knowledge in workshops designed just for you.
Who: Slow Food USA Chapter Leaders and Representatives
When: Friday, May 17 at 9:00am — Sunday, May 19 at 3:00pm
Where: Astor Crowne Hotel, 739 Canal Street (at Bourbon Street)
French Quarter, New Orleans
Highlights:
Town Hall Q&A with new Executive Director Richard McCarthy
Skills Building & Informational Workshops
Traditional Crawfish & Shrimp Boil Dinner (with Veg options!) at The Edible Schoolyard
Louisiana’s Ark of Taste Foods and Heritage Dishes
Slow Food Tent at the Bayou Boogaloo Festival
Cultural Tours & Side Trips
Live Jazz, fresh fish and fun in the heart of the French Quarter. Need we say more?
Jenga Mwendo
Jenga is the founder of Backyard Gardeners Network in Lower 9th Ward, raw food entrepreneur and in this video, is talking about her excellent work in the lower 9th ward section of New Orleans. Jenga’s garden will be on my Slow Food tour May 18th. If you believe in community food systems at their most collective and grassroots level, you may want to check her work out more and support her efforts:
This is one of my favorite pieces about New Orleans, written by Jenga as a response to a unworthy story by NYT about lower 9:
Jenga’s response to NYT
USDA report: Nutrition Assistance in Farmers Markets: Understanding Current Operations
I have begun to take notes on the 799 page report released by the USDA last week (authored by Westat) on nutrition assistance programs managed at markets/with direct marketing farmers.
This (FM Ops) is the first completed phase of the 3 phases of research. Next will be a FM Client Survey, followed by a survey of organizations administering SNAP at farmers markets.
First, the data collection info:
2 parts to this research of FM Ops
First, 9 markets were interviewed in depth, picked by FNs based on their FNS regions and level of population below poverty level:
Eastern Market, Detroit MI
Peachtree Road, Atlanta GA
South Boston, Boston MA
Clark Park, Philadelphia PA
Market On The Square, Mobile AL
Fort Pierce, Ft. Pierce FL
Wytheville, Wytheville VA
Sitka, Sitka AK
Overland Park, Overland Park KS
Second, 1682 farmers markets and 570 direct marketing farmers were surveyed organized in 4 groups:
1. Those that were SNAP authorized and had redemptions between July 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011-77.4% (FMS) and 68.2% (DMFs) response among this group
2. Those that were SNAP authorized but had no redemptions between July 1,2010 and August 31, 2011- 69% (FMs) and 65% (DMFs) response among this group.
3. Those that were SNAP authorized and had redemptions between July 1, 2007 and August 31, 2010, but had no redemptions after August 31, 2010 – 56.8 % (FMs) response among this group -FNS did not differentiate FMs from DMFs until 2010 so there is no individual data on DMFs.
4. Never SNAP authorized- 51.8% (FMs) response among this group. Same issue as above in tracking DMFs so no numbers for that group in this stratum.
Westat also conducted focus groups with 2 markets in DC and Maryland, with some fascinating input from the participants:
“They don’t all make you feel that way, but sometimes you come across one that makes you feel a little bit like, ‘Oh, another EBT card.’ I don’t think they all do it and it’s not every time, but few and far between. They make you feel a little embarrassed, like a second class citizen.”
Much more to come…..
Women farmers doubled
Posted by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, on April 29, 2013
“A study released today by USDA’s Economics Research Service, Characteristics of Women Farm Operators and Their Farms found that the number of women-operated farms more than doubled between 1982 and 2007. When all women involved with farming are added up – including primary and secondary operators – they are nearly one million strong and account for 30% of U.S. farmers.”
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib-economic-information-bulletin/eib111.aspx
6-10 of the Top 10 ingredients
6. To have community-produced energy:
More solar panels on our rooftops. Everyone should be able to invest in solar panels for their homes, apartments and office buildings. The ability to invest our money into solar energy projects is paramount, and our friends at Mosaic are experts in doing both of those things.
Billy Parish, Mosaic: Mainstage speaker
7. To live and work in harmony with the natural world:
There are countless innovations that are inspired by nature. Economic systems can be designed like living systems in which there is no waste, but rather every output becomes a nutrient to another subsystem. Janine Benyus is the expert!
Janine Benyus, The Biomimicry Institute: Vision speaker
8.To adopt a “Buy Local First” purchasing initiatives:
Communities can thrive by thinking “Local First” in every aspect of their purchasing. Alignment of their economic development policies and buying from local sources keeps money in the community. We know there may not be a local option for everything (all you caffeine junkies know what I’m talking about), but if we make it easy for hospitals, universities and other local institutions to connect with local producers and providers, there will be greater impact. These people are all doing it!
Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance: Towards a Localist Policy Agenda
Matt Raker, AdvantageWest: Economic Development and Community Capital
Carlos Velasco, Fuerza Local: Local First 2.0
9.To tap into community capital:
We need to unleash local money! We need local banks, investors, and community foundations to drive investment into our local businesses. Many of the most pioneering businesses and farms that are critical to a thriving local economy have the most difficult time gaining access to traditional sources of capital, so we need innovative and relationship-driven solutions for funding. Hear from the people on the ground.
Don Schaffer, RSF Social Finance: Integrated Capital and Connections
Michael Shuman, Cutting Edge Capital: Rethinking Investment
Dawn McGee, Goodworks Ventures: Rethinking Investment
Paul Hogan, John R. Oishei Foundation: Community Foundations and Grassroots Funders
10.To connect leaders and spread solutions:
There will be hundreds of local business networks, incubators, hubs, and people to learn from in your community, so connecting people in meaningful ways to share ideas and spread innovation is key to our learning and momentum. Let’s talk openly about what worked and what didn’t. Create gathering spaces that bring people together and foster collective work at all levels. We are better together! These two dynamic women are making it happen.
Deborah Frieze, The Berkana Institute: Cultivating Leadership for Localism
Angie Hawk Maiden, ACENet: Economic Development and Community Capital
(1-5 are found here in this earlier post)
Learn more at BALLE’s 2013 conference, held in Buffalo NY this year:
http://bealocalist.org/2013-balle-conferenceBALLE 2013
FMC Discover You Can program participants for 2013
• Bellingham Farmers Market, Bellingham WA
• Bushwick Farmers Market, Brooklyn NY
• City Market, Kansas City MO
• CitySeed, New Haven CTCommunity Farmers Market, Bowling Green KY
• Countryside Conservancy, Peninsula OH
• Downtown Evanston Farmers Market, Evanston IL
• Downtown Farmer Market, Salt Lake City UT
• Durham Farmers Market, Durham NC
• Farmers Market Association of Toledo, Toledo OH
• Foodchester, Inc. Pleasantville NY
• Greater Springfield Farmers Market, Springfield MO
• Green City Market, Chicago IL
• Hub City Farmers Market, Spartanburg SC
• Lancaster Market, Lancaster NY
• Las Vegas Farmers Market, Las Vegas NV
• Mainstreet Farmers Market, Statesboro GA
• Minnetrista Farmers Market, Muncie IN
• Moscow Farmers Market, Moscow ID
• Neighborhood Farmers Market, Seattle WA
• New Orleans Food & Farm Network, New Orleans LA
• North Central Texas Farmers Market/Cowtown Farmers Market, Fort Worth TX • Omaha Farmers Market, Omaha NE
• Oregon City Farmers Market, Oregon City OR
• Rochester Downtown Farmers Market, Rochester MN
• SD Weekly Markets, San Diego CA
• Seacoast Eat Local, Exeter & Dover NH
• Smart Markets, Fairfax VA
• Teller County Farmers Market, Woodland Park CO
• Ypsilanti Farmers Market, Ypsilanti MI
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Helping Farmers Markets Grow 