The Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems (CSAS) in the
Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is an interdisciplinary
center formed in 1991 for the purpose of bringing together people
and resources to promote an agriculture that is efficient,
competitive, profitable, environmentally and socially sustainable
for the indefinite future. Electronic versions of the CSAS
bimonthly newsletter are sent to SANET, PENPages, and the
internal IANRNEWS 10-14 days before those on our mailing list
receive their hard copy. They are also available along with other
sustainable ag information via the gopher path:
IANRVM.UNL.EDU
IANR Information
Sustainable Agriculture
Note: The electronic version is not sent to individual e-mail
addresses. To be added to the "hard copy" newsletter mailing list
(not sent to overseas addresses), or for questions or comments,
contact the newsletter editor, Pam Murray, Coordinator, Center
for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, 221 Keim Hall, University
of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0949, 402-472-2056, fax -4104,
e-mail: csas001@unlvm.unl.edu.
* * *
CONTENTS:
NORTH CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS PILOT PROJECT
LAUNCHED
AN ECOCENTRIC VIEW OF FUTURE RESEARCH
DIVERSITY IN HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
POLITICS OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
IMPACT PROJECT GETS ADDITIONAL FUNDING
PARTICIPATION A NEW RESEARCH DIRECTION IN FINLAND
NEBRASKA PARTICIPATES IN WHOLE FARM CONSERVATION PLANNING PILOT
NEW INTERNSHIP IN FOOD PRODUCTION/MARKETING
USDA-DOE PACT COMBINES SCIENTIFIC ENERGIES
INTERESTED IN BECOMING CERTIFIED ORGANIC?
RESOURCES
DID YOU KNOW
COMING EVENTS
NORTH CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS PILOT PROJECT
LAUNCHED
A regional institute for undergraduate education in
sustainable systems is being launched with the help of a $128,000
USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant to Iowa State U. (lead), U.
of Nebraska-Lincoln, and U. of Minnesota. With collaboration from
U. of Missouri, Ohio State U. and Michigan State U., these
partners will direct the three-year pilot project. The goal of
the NCISS is to enhance the educational reach and effectiveness
of agricultural education institutions by building a regional
program including the facilities and knowledge of farmers,
agribusiness representatives, agricultural lenders, and other
practitioners. Students will participate in the program by
supplementing the courses available through curricula in local
institutions. NCISS courses and experiences will be delivered
electronically or on site, and with field workshops and
internships. Funds are available for student scholarships and for
reimbursement of faculty expenses. The administrative home of
NCISS, initially, is Iowa State U., with Ricardo Salvador as
director and Gina McAndrews as Academic Coordinator.
You and your students can learn more about this exciting new
venture by viewing the World Wide Web page:
http://www.ag.iastate.edu/departments/agronomy/nciss/nciss1.html
The WWW page is a wonderful resource for all people interested in
sustainable agriculture, not just the NCISS.
For more information, those in Nebraska can contact CSAS
Director Chuck Francis (402-472-2056, csas002@unlvm.unl.edu);
others should contact Ricardo (515-294-9595,
salvador@iastate.edu) or Gina (515-294-0835, gina@iastate.edu).
AN ECOCENTRIC VIEW OF FUTURE RESEARCH
The focus in agriculture has moved from rural culture,
occupation of new lands, and economics to one that emphasizes
water quality, environment and food safety, according to Steve
Fales, new head of the Agronomy Department at Pennsylvania State
U. Although our past research of productivity and net income has
provided adequate food and profits for farmers, the research
agenda is now influenced by a broad range of players and
interests. These include state and federal agencies, commodity
and consumer groups, industry, and advocacy organizations. We
need to work together to design new strategies for agriculture
and for education in the future, Fales reported at the American
Society of Agronomy annual meetings in St. Louis the week of
October 29.
Historical and future dimensions of the 'crop science
revolution' were explored by another panel of experts at the same
meetings. Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug described six hurdles
that need to be overcome in developing countries to help avoid
famine and achieve food self-sufficiency:
- fear of change to new methods of production;
- economic costs of new technologies;
- cheap food for urban people;
- political barriers to use of new science;
- curbing uncontrolled population growth;
- environmental concerns and chemical use.
Borlaug cited the loss of many qualified scientists to
international organizations as a factor in the lack of progress
in many developing countries.
Another symposium speaker, Stephen Baenziger (head of
Agronomy, UNL) summarized what we know about future food and
resource needs. He expressed confidence in the power of science
and technology to help the human species survive. Baenziger also
underlined the need for more integrative activities with plant
sciences and other life sciences, and the importance of broader
partnerships in research. Especially important for support is
learning to explain our research to other groups.
Submitted by Chuck Francis and Heidi Carter
DIVERSITY IN HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
We are in the process of losing both biological and cultural
diversity in the Midwest. In a recent workshop at Iowa State U.,
Laura Jackson of the U. of Northern Iowa showed maps of Iowa that
detailed the loss of most natural grasslands over the past two
centuries, where annual crops have replaced perennial plant
species on more than 95% of the landscape. Much of the land that
was in rotation with hay crops as recently as 1940 has been
transformed into annual monocultures in the latter half of this
century. The interface between natural systems and cultivated
farming was described by Dana Jackson, who called for a new look
at the farm as a natural habitat. We should consider nutrient and
water cycling, energy capture and transformation, and succession
of species as part of this innovative concept of farm design.
Both speakers were among the several dozen who presented talks
and posters at the North American Symposium of the Association
for Farming Systems Research/Education held in Ames November 6-8.
Other speakers described diversity in communities, food
systems, and other human systems. Colette DePhelps of Washington
State U. urged us to consider the importance of connectedness
within systems, learning from emerging fields of human ecology,
ecofeminism, and cultural ecology. Elizabeth Bird of the Center
for Rural Affairs explored the importance of knowledge diversity
and how information is imbedded in culture. She explained how
'all knowledge is locatable, but not necessarily transferable.'
Most useful knowledge will grow out of democratic debate and
determination of community goals. The importance of communities
of different types was discussed by Lorna Michael Butler of
Washington State U. She described diverse types of communities
defined not only by location, but by interest group, discipline,
environmental or resource concern. She said the bridge between
urban and rural residents was one that will be increasingly
essential as we find more competition for space and resources.
"How Much Diversity is Sustainable?" was presented by CSAS
Director Chuck Francis.
The workshop included field tours to farms and watersheds, and
special sessions on use of the Internet and whole-farm planning.
Team problem solving, land privatization, farmers markets and
other innovative marketing strategies, and statistical methods
for dealing with the complexity of whole-farm systems were
included in the program. The paper, "Economic, Environmental, and
Sociological Effects and Linkages of Whole-Farm Systems in
Eastern Nebraska" was presented by UNL's Kevin Bernhardt, Brenda
Johnson, John Allen, and Glenn Helmers. A poster, "Producer-
Initiated On-Farm Research: Collaboration with Those Most
Concerned in Integrated Agricultural Systems" was presented by
Victoria Mundy (UNL) and Wyatt Fraas and Rose Mason with the
Center for Rural Affairs. Tom Larson, farmer from St. Edward,
Nebraska, presented "Systems Integration at the Farm Level - A
Seasonal Look."
Submitted by Chuck Francis
POLITICS OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
The Homestead Act that was initially designed to promote a
dispersed pattern of ownership and yeoman agriculture in the U.S.
in fact resulted in a strategy for land settlement, secure
frontiers for an expanding nation, and eventually a large-scale
production system for food and fiber export. According to Angus
Wright, a keynote speaker at the "Politics of Sustainable
Agriculture conference," 'family agriculture' actually dominated
the U.S. scene for a short 100 years, a transitory event in our
history. He went on to describe the current consolidation of
lands, dispossession of farmers, abandoned farmsteads and rural
communities, and flight to the cities and then the suburbs.
Wright views agriculture as one component of a much larger
economy, and sustainable agriculture a growth industry that is
being embraced and even co-opted by large commercial
corporations. He cited the hypocrisy of 'eco-sensitive
advertising' by companies that are pushing at the same time a
legislative agenda that will promote a scorched-earth pesticide
policy and dismantle decades of environmental gains on endangered
species and water quality. Wright, a Professor of Environmental
Sciences at California State U. at Sacramento, urged the audience
to realize that political power means mobilizing people with like
goals, and that urban and environmental group support is
essential.
Wes Jackson of The Land Institute in Kansas outlined the
planning of a new joint research initiative with USDA personnel
and support. An interdisciplinary, high-risk, and innovative
research approach that is focused on perennial agriculture will
be launched in the near future. Konza Prairie near Manhattan is
a likely 'alpha-site' for the first team to assemble plant
polycultures and study their performance in the field. Jackson
remarked that we need an agriculture that is more resilient and
less sensitive to human folly, as we plan for sustained food
production in the future. The Land Institute and Kansas State U.
are dedicated to exploring potentials of annual monoculture when
combined with the sustainability of perennial mixtures. Jackson
cited the need for a renewable economy that would replace the
current extractive economy, and the urgency of exploring a social
agenda in concert with the search for new science.
Another keynote address by Patricia Allen of U.C. Santa Cruz
focused on sustainability as a political issue, thus one that
requires a political solution. This means educating the public,
shaping popular opinion, and building awareness in society of the
importance of the natural environment and long-term ecological
approaches to food production. She reminded the audience that
food production has always been political, from the irrigation
systems of Mesopotamia to the land distribution patterns in North
and South America. Allen lamented the lack of a *food policy* in
the U.S., and the fact that we continue to operate on a *farm
policy* instead. She detailed the level of regulation that
currently governs the way we farm, and the amount of support that
industry spends on campaign contributions for each national
Senate and House seat in the U.S. Allen urged us to find ways to
involve citizens in the political arena in support of a food
program.
Finally, Peter Rosset of the Institute for Food and
Development Policy described their program of scientist and
farmer exchange with Cuba. That country has launched a national
effort of conversion to organic farming, in part due to the
political changes in the Eastern Block that eliminated most
imports of oil to the island. The country has made remarkable
strides in the use of composts and animal manures, and continues
to learn about low-input food production systems.
These keynote talks were followed by a series of concurrent
sessions on visions of technology, regulations versus a market
economy, information networks, global integration, community
participation, and other social and political topics. About 160
people attended the two-day conference held at the U. of Oregon
in Eugene.
Submitted by Charles Francis
IMPACT PROJECT GETS ADDITIONAL FUNDING
The Nebraska Ag IMPACT project, which funds local group
research/demonstration sustainable agriculture projects in
Nebraska, has received supplementary funding from two sources.
Started in 1994 with a substantial grant from the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation, the project has recently received grants from the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Nebraska Environmental
Trust Fund. The additional funds will provide support for more
groups.
The next deadline for project proposals and group applications
is February 23. For application information, contact the IMPACT
office, 402-254-2289. For background information, see the May-
June, Nov-Dec 1994, and Jan-Feb 1995 CSAS newsletters.
The IMPACT project is a joint effort of UNL, the Center for
Rural Affairs, and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society.
The UNL project co-leader is Victoria Mundy, who has written a
summary of all currently funded projects; contact the CSAS for a
copy.
PARTICIPATION A NEW RESEARCH DIRECTION IN FINLAND
"Where do I go for practical production information on organic
vegetables?" is a frequent question today in Finland. There is a
rich history of close collaboration within the agricultural
sector there. Sharing information on surveys, working in joint
education programs, and doing field demonstrations have long been
cooperative activities in University and Ministry of Agriculture
programs in Finland. Farmers and university or government
researchers working together to establish research priorities for
emerging systems is something new.
A key group of researchers and administrators met in late
November on a snowy Tuesday morning at the Suitia Continuing
Education Center to explore this new direction. In a workshop
organized by Laura Seppanen, Lars Fridefors, and Charles Francis,
the group reviewed the successes and challenges found in past
programs that involved close participation with farmers. They
also focused on the growing need for specialized information on
organic production systems, a rapidly growing segment of the food
sector in Finland. While setting priorities for future research
and education, and starting to design an action agenda for work
in this new direction, the group tested several participatory
learning methods. Many of these are currently being used in our
own Chapter 3 Extension and NRCS sustainable agriculture training
programs in the North Central Region.
Participants first introduced themselves with their
professional affiliations, and a neighbor added personal glimpses
into hobbies, key outside interests, and family. This helped to
build community and bring people with similar interests together.
Short reports on successes and failures in past programs brought
a third of the people into presentation roles; this process
helped to legitimize farmer participation in research projects
and created an atmosphere of trust in sharing within the group.
Key issues for research were identified by pairs of people, who
then presented their ideas and posted them on cards in the room.
The group voted (each for four issues) and the cards were
assembled around key themes. The most important issues were 1)
finding better markets and working on the economics of organic
farming, 2) promoting better researcher-advisor-farmer
cooperation in research, 3) building better nutrient recycling
and efficiency in vegetable systems, and 4) finding ways to
minimize energy use and making better use of renewable energy
resources.
Presentation of a progress report on the organic vegetable
project was enhanced by assigning roles of farmer, advisor, or
researcher to each of the listeners, who focused their questions
and comments as if they were attending as a representative of
that group. It was useful for everyone to see the challenges
through another~s eyes. Since there had been little prior
discussion of the basic role of biodynamic and organic farming in
Finland~s future, a group of four people sat in the middle of the
room and discussed the research and information needs. The rest
of the group practiced listening skills. We finished the workshop
with one-on-one interviews by pairs of participants who asked two
questions: What did you learn in this workshop that was new? and,
What specific tools or information did you find today that will
be useful in your job? We found from the final evaluation that
the workshop was well received by the participants, and that a
core of interested people had been formed to help support the
project in the future.
The organic vegetable project is directed by Dr. Eija Pehu,
Chair of the Department of Plant Production, and Dr. Artur
Granstedt, Professor and Visiting Scientist at the ARC Partala
Ecological Research Station in Eastern Finland. Ms. Sepannen and
Mr. Fridefors are the people who are implementing the project
with three key groups of farmers. They plan a series of follow-
through activities with people from the various government
agencies to maintain their interest and increase their support of
this key initiative.
Submitted by Chuck Francis
NEBRASKA PARTICIPATES IN WHOLE FARM CONSERVATION PLANNING PILOT
Nebraska has been selected as one of six pilot states to
participate in the Natural Resources Conservation Service Whole
Farm Conservation Plan Initiative. Whole farm planning is a
National USDA Performance Review Initiative with the goal of
aiding producers by simplifying compliance with the environmental
and conservation requirements of several federal and state
agencies by creating a single plan for each farm. Whole farm
planning is an important part of the public debate now occurring
during the farm bill reauthorization and is expected to represent
a future major program initiative. Nebraska Cooperative Extension
is part of a Nebraska planning group to discuss and implement a
pilot project appropriate for Nebraska producers and landowners.
For more information Nebraska Extension personnel can call Elbert
Dickey, 402-472-2966.
NEW INTERNSHIP IN FOOD PRODUCTION/MARKETING
To honor the late Ward Sinclair--a gifted farmer, renowned
writer, and passionate champion of alternative agriculture--the
Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture, starting
in 1996, will award one internship each year to a person desiring
"hands-on" experience of working on a farm that produces and
direct markets food, and with a public agency having
responsibilities related to direct marketing.
Interns will spend roughly half of their time working on a
farm/ranch in Pennsylvania, and the other half working with or at
a public agency with regulatory, research, or educational
responsibilities related to direct marketing of food, preferably
an agency of the state of Pennsylvania or Maryland. The
internship will be for three to six months during the period from
late spring to early winter.
The Wallace Institute will manage the application and
selection process, provide financial support, and monitor and
assist in guiding the program. Persons of any age, sex, race,
formal education, and religion who demonstrate an unusually keen
interest in, and personal commitment to, the ideal of sustainable
agriculture production and/or marketing and associated career
opportunities may apply. Prior agricultural experience is not
required. Applications are due March 1. For more information,
contact: Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture
9200 Edmonston Road, Suite 117 Greenbelt, Maryland 20770-1551,
301-441-8777.
USDA-DOE PACT COMBINES SCIENTIFIC ENERGIES
On November 2 Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and
Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary signed a Memorandum of
Understanding that will provide a framework for the two agencies'
renowned scientists and engineers to create solutions to complex
problems associated with maximizing crop yield and produce new
products. The agreement will focus on ways to improve food
quality and safety, and also investigate agricultural
applications using skills and technologies developed at DOE's
national laboratories originally for Cold War use.
The partnership couples DOE's expertise in physics,
engineering and computer science with USDA's expertise in plant
breeding, biological pest control, soil and water conservation
and other areas.
USDA and DOE scientists have worked together in the past to
develop biofuels, introduce electronic means to detect plant
materials during airport baggage inspection, mass produce
beneficial insects to control crop pests, and develop technology
to more precisely apply agrichemicals to minimize environmental
impacts. Future projects envisioned by the partnership include
improved technology for previously untilled soil, developing
precision farming systems, and sensor detection of pathogens.
INTERESTED IN BECOMING CERTIFIED ORGANIC?
Nebraskans wanting to know what is involved in becoming a
certified organic farmer can contact Dave Welsch, Certification
Coordinator, OCIA NE #1, Rt 2, Box 63, Milford, NE 68405, 402-
826-5361. Non-Nebraskans can contact Organic Crop Improvement
Association International, 3185 Twp. Rd. 179, Bellefontaine, OH
43311, 513-592-4983.
RESOURCES
"Making the Connection: a Community Supported Agriculture
Handbook for Producers." $25 + $5 s&h (payable to UC Regents). UC
Cooperative Extension, Attn: CSA Handbook, 11477 E Avenue,
Auburn, CA 95603.
"Udder Sense: A Search for Low-Cost/Sustainable Strategies of
Resourceful Dairy Farms." $10. Farmer interviews and on-farm
research results on grass-based dairying, manure management, low-
cost facilities, fly control and renewable energy. Center for
Rural Affairs, PO Box 406, Walthill, NE 68067, 402-846-5428.
"Increasing Organic Agriculture at the Local Level: A Manual for
Consumers, Grocers, Farmers and Policy Makers." $18. A 100-page
book promoting a sustainable, healthful food system. Community
Environmental Council, 930 Miramonte Drive, Santa Barbara, CA
93109.
"Intensive Agriculture and Environmental Quality: Examining the
Newest Agricultural Myth." $4. Wallace Institute for Alternative
Agriculture, 9200 Edmonston Rd, #117, Greenbelt, MD 20770, 301-
441-8777.
"Alternatives in Agriculture." $10 + $2 s&h. 1995 report
published by Thompson On-Farm Research and Wallace Institute
includes new information on fertility, weed management and
economics. Thompson On-Farm Research, 2035 190th St., Boone, IA
50036, 515-432-1560.
"Sustaining Wetlands and Farms: Critique of Current Proposal and
Recommendations for a Reasonable Wetland Policy." Free.
Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, 110 Maryland Ave., NE, Box 76,
Washington, DC 20002, 202-547-5754.
"Biological Control: Learning to Live with the Natural Order"
(video). Free. Educational film for elementary through high
school describes classical biological control practices and
history, and mentions hazards of agrochemical-intensive farming.
USDA, National Biological Control Institute, 4700 River Road,Unit
5, Riverdale, MD 20737, 301-734-4329.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/nbci/nbci.html.
"Sutainable Agriculture in Print: Current Periodicals, 1995."
Free. Annotated guide to international periodicals related to
sustainable agriculture, covering range of issues including
organic and low-input farming, soil and water science, policy,
marketing, food security and technology. "Videocassettes in the
NAL Collection Pertaining to Alternative Farming Systems" and
many other information products are also available free from the
National Agricultural Library, Alternative Farming Systems
Information Center, 10301 Baltimore Boulevard, Beltsville, MD
20705, 301-504-6559, e-mail afsic@nalusda.gov. Also available
online: gopher <gopher.nalusda.gov>;
<http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/AgrEnv/AltFarm>.
"American Journal of Alternative Agriculture." Annual
subscriptions are $44, institutions; $24, individuals; and $12,
students. The most recent (Vol. 10, No. 3) of the Wallace
Institute's quarterly journal of research on alternative
agriculture contains articles about the Wisconsin integrated
cropping systems trial, and farmers' markets and the local
community. Wallace Institute, 9200 Edmonston Road, #117,
Greenbelt, MD 20770, 301-441-8777.
"Agroforestry and Sustainable Systems: Symposium Proceedings."
Free. From an August 7-10, 1994, symposium in Fort Collins, CO.
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment
Station, National Agroforestry Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822,
402-437-5178.
National Pesticide Telecommunications Network is a toll-free
(1-800-858-7378) pesticide information and referral service
sponsored by Oregon State University Extension Service and EPA.
"The Hot 50 Farm Marketing Tips." $2. Subjects on produce
marketing include direct marketing, selling through grocery
stores, restaurants and wholesale channels, merchandising,
customer service, promotion and advertising. New World
Publishing, 3085 Sheridan St., Placerville, CA 95667.
See the Dec. 1995 issue of "National Geographic" for a feature
article on sustainable agriculture. To receive a copy of just
that issue ($3), call 1-800-368-2728.
FARM AID launched a world wide web site during its October
concert:
http://justicerecords.com/farmaid/
DID YOU KNOW...
According to FARM AID officials, the sold-out 10th Anniversary
Concert held October 1 in Louisville, KY netted nearly $1
million--twice the amount of money raised at any of the past
three concerts. Among those attending the concert and pre-concert
town hall meeting was Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman.
COMING EVENTS
Contact CSAS office for more information:
Jan. 4/5 -- Nebraska Forage and Grassland Conference,
Columbus/Lexington, NE
Jan. 11-13 -- National No-Tillage Conference, St. Louis, MO
Jan. 24-27 -- Annual Ecological Farming Conference, Pacific
Grove, CA
Feb. 2-3 -- Western Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Conference,
Ogallala, NE
Feb. 6-7 -- Mid-America Alfalfa Expo, Hastings, NE
Feb. 15/16 -- Dairy Grazing Conference, Hartington/Fairbury, NE
Feb. 20-25 -- North American Farmers' Direct Marketing
Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY
Feb. 24 -- Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Annual
Meeting, Columbus, NE
Feb. 27-Mar. 2 -- Third National IPM Symposium, Washington, DC
Feb. 27-28 -- Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium, Kearney, NE
Mar. 11-13 -- Annual Nebraska Water Conference, Omaha, NE
June 15-20 -- International Interdisciplinary Conference on the
Environment, Newport, RI
Pam Murray, Coordinator
Center for Sustainable Agricultural Systems
and Center for Grassland Studies
U. of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68583-0949
V: 402-472-2056 F: -4104