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:
1996 SUSTAINABLE AG TRAINING WORKSHOPS
APPLICATIONS FOR SARE PRODUCER GRANTS DUE MAY 1
BENDER ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON JANUARY TELECAST
NEBRASKA ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST PROPOSALS DUE APRIL 10
INTERN PROGRAM BEGINS SECOND YEAR
AGROFORESTRY CENTER EXPANDS PROGRAMS
STRATEGIES AND IDEAS IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
NSAS ANNUAL MEETING WILL FOCUS ON RURAL COMMUNITIES
RESOURCES
COMING EVENTS
* * *
1996 SUSTAINABLE AG TRAINING WORKSHOPS
What do Iowa farmers, Michigan NRCS specialists, and Kansas
Extension educators have in common? They share with colleagues
across the Midwest a need to learn more about sustainable
agriculture and convey this information to others.
Delegations from the 12-state North Central Region came
together in December to review 1995 programs and plan 1996
activities of the North Central Sustainable Agriculture Training
Program (NCSATP). Robert Allerton Conference Center, near
Monticello, Illinois, was the site of the year-end meeting which
focused on a review of NCSATP and state activities, new training
methods, and preparation for the 1996 workshops to be held in
June and July.
Several hours were dedicated to state reports. Participants
went into considerable detail on the philosophy, materials, types
of presentations, and general reception by Extension and other
audiences.
A highlight of the meeting was a tour of a nearby farm with
1,145 acres under a corn-soybean rotation and 95 acres in organic
production. The farmer described his philosophy and goals and
showed participants fields, windbreaks, equipment, and a
reestablished prairie. Back at the conference center, he asked
the group two questions: (1) Should I convert another 40 acres to
organic production? and (2) How can I change my five-year
rotation to a four-year rotation? Participants offered many
suggestions. One Extension educator wrote, "I tend to close
a deal too quickly, so I enjoyed the variety of questions and
discussions that followed the tour."
The theme for the 1996 train-the-trainer workshops, Shared
Leadership, Shared Responsibility, reflects a clear mandate of
needs expressed by participants at previous NCSATP events. With
the reduction in budgets and positions in both Extension and
NRCS, it is becoming increasingly important to find ways to share
the responsibility of designing education and training efforts in
sustainable agriculture. Suggestions for topics and methods in
1996 included: marketing, whole-farm planning, leadership
development models, facilitator training, study circles, decision
cases, and resource notebooks.
Sustainable agriculture training of Extension and other
personnel was mandated in Chapter 3 of the 1990 farm bill, and
funding was made available in 1994 through the USDA Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
For more information about the NCSATP, contact Heidi Carter
at the CSAS office.
Submitted by Heidi Carter and Charles Francis
APPLICATIONS FOR SARE PRODUCER GRANTS DUE MAY 1
The North Central Region SARE program is inviting
applications for 1996 Producer-Initiated Sustainable Agriculture
Grants. Competitive grants of up to $5,000 for individual
producers ($10,000 for groups of producers) are available to
study sustainable production and marketing. Applicants must live
in the North Central Region (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND,
OH, SD, WI). For more information or an application packet,
contact the NCR SARE office, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 13A
Activities Bldg., PO Box 830840, Lincoln, NE 68583-0840,
402-472-7081.
BENDER ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON JANUARY TELECAST
Extension educators, farmers, and others in agriculture were
given an opportunity to expand their horizons about integrated,
whole-farm systems and organic practices. Jim Bender, farmer and
author from Weeping Water, Nebraska, and member of the CSAS
citizen's advisory committee, responded to questions during a
two-hour telecast from the UNL campus on January 5, 1996. These
questions were generated by prior distribution of his 1994 book,
Future Harvest: Pesticide-free Farming, to more than 200
educators in the region.
The program focused on Bender's 642-acre farming operation
and how he implements his philosophy to minimize soil erosion and
farm without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. A key feature
of the farm is more than 30 miles of terraces and a scrupulous
adherence to a conservation ethic in maintenance of terraces and
waterways. Another feature is the integration of crops and
livestock, an approach that Bender considers essential to
successful organic farming on any scale beyond a few acres. The
details of his farming operation are given in the book.
Bender has diversified cropping, including corn, soybeans,
grain sorghum, alfalfa, red and sweet clover, turnips, rye,
wheat, oats, and other specialty crops. These are rotated on a
regular basis with pasture land, while some areas are used
exclusively for cattle. During the winter months, crop residues
are used for maintaining the cow herds.
Since there are four distinct tracts of land, a small
cow/calf herd is maintained on each one. Bender has minimal, but
adequate, cattle handling facilities on each of the four sites.
Replacement heifers are taken from one herd and placed in another
to maintain vigor. He uses feed produced on the farm, and thus
adds value through the animals before they leave the farm gate.
Another value-added feature is sale of organic products,
such as soybeans. Bender also sells certified seed. Highest
quality alfalfa hay is destined for the market, while lower grade
forage is used to maintain the cow herd. He also uses a
combination of cool- and warm-season grasses as well as grassed
waterways, turnips, and crop residues to feed cattle through the
year.
In addition to questions from the studio audience, viewers
phoned or faxed questions from 13 states and Manitoba during the
program. Most focused on specific cultural practices, from
fertility to weed management. There was also interest in
agricultural policy, the opinions of lenders and others in the
community, and the level of support that beginning farmers would
need to implement a similar philosophy in farming.
Copies of the taped program are available for $10 each from
the CSAS office. Bender's book is available for $21 plus $2.50
s&h from the University of Nebraska Press, P.O. Box 880520,
Lincoln, NE 68588-0520, 402-472-3584.
This project was organized by the CSAS and supported by a
grant from the North Central Region SARE program as part of its
Chapter 3 training activities.
Submitted by Charles Francis and Heidi Carter
NEBRASKA ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST PROPOSALS DUE APRIL 10
Priorities for this year's round of funding are the same as
previous years: advance critical habitat restoration and
preservation, surface water quality, ground water quality, and
the creation of recycling markets and solid waste reduction. One
change this year is that applications from UNL do not have to
include indirect costs in the budget.
For an application packet call the Trust, 402-471-5409. If
you wish to discuss the possibility of developing an
interdisciplinary proposal through either the CSAS or the Center
for Grassland Studies, call Pam Murray, 402-472-9383.
INTERN PROGRAM BEGINS SECOND YEAR
How many undergraduate students at the University of
Nebraska have the opportunity to start farming or ranching?
Given the high costs of land and machinery, difficult access to
operating loans, and narrow profit margins, the climate at times
appears bleak for the beginning farmer.
Seven UNL students have discovered a new way to start in
agriculture. They are the second group of student interns in the
experiential education program initiated by the CSAS last year.
During the spring semester, they are enrolled in a 3-credit
seminar that deals with farm planning, choice of crops and
inputs, and sound financial budgeting for the whole farm. With
the help of Richard Olson, Intern Coordinator, and several
participating faculty and farmers, interns are planning the
systems for five operating farms to be implemented in the
cropping season of 1996: conventional corn-soybean rotation,
diversified conventional crop rotation, organic cash crops,
agroforestry system, and pasture-based beef production system.
During the summer terms, students put this planning into
practice. With the advice of a resident farm manager and several
farmer mentors, they plant crops, manage fields and equipment,
and follow the cycle through to harvest in the fall. The micro-
farms of 12 to 15 acres each are located at the Agricultural
Research and Development Center near Ithaca, Nebraska. In the
fall semester, interns harvest crops and analyze the results in
terms of productivity, economic return, and energy efficiency.
Students make all decisions about what inputs to use and how to
meet the nineteen learning objectives for the year-long course.
The "magnificant seven" interns are meeting two
evenings each week and are well on the way to a productive
educational experience.
The project is financed by a two-year grant from the North
Central Region SARE Program. We have just submitted a proposal
for renewal of the grant for an additional two years, and for
expansion of the project to cover 12 undergraduate student
interns. We are also preparing a color brochure outlining the
objectives of the program (contact the CSAS for a copy) and will
seek corporate and other sponsorship of some of the learning
activities. Submitted by Charles Francis and Richard Olson
AGROFORESTRY CENTER EXPANDS PROGRAMS
The National Agroforestry Center, formerly the Center for
Semiarid Agroforestry (located on the UNL campus), is expanding
its Research and Development, Technology Transfer and
Applications, and International Technology Exchange programs by
forming a partnership with its parent agency, the USDA Forest
Service, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) is
providing initial funding for the Center's new International
Technology Exchange program, which will be coordinated by Sarah
Workman. The CSAS has a history of working cooperatively with the
Center, and we look forward to an even closer working
relationship as Sarah joins the Center in February.
Agroforestry integrates agricultural production with natural
resource conservation, environmental protection, and human needs.
It involves such practices as managing and improving riparian
environments, alley cropping, windbreaks, tree/pasture systems,
and living snowfences. Properly applied agroforestry technologies
can increase crop production, improve water quality, decrease
soil erosion, filter pesticides in runoff, and reduce flooding
for farms, ranches, and communities.
For more information about the center, or to be added to the
mailing list for its quarterly newsletter, contact Bill Rietveld,
Program Manager, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Station/USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Agroforestry
Center, East Campus - UNL, Lincoln, NE 68583-0822; 402-437-5178,
ext. 27.
STRATEGIES AND IDEAS IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Farmers from Iowa and Nebraska shared the spotlight with
Extension educators to share ideas about cultural practices at a
recent workshop in Hastings, Nebraska. Weed management, soil
compaction, quality alfalfa, and biological insect control topics
were presented in the day-long workshop attended by 70 people.
This annual workshop organized by Paul Swanson, Extension
Educator in Adams County, has evolved from a focus on ridge
tillage to a broader consideration of appropriate and innovative
cropping systems for the region.
One highlight was a video about Dick and Sharon Thompson's
farming strategy; they farm 300 acres near Boone, Iowa, and
complement crop production with swine and beef enterprises that
consume both crops and residues. After the video, Sharon and
Dick shared more details about their weed management approach
without chemical herbicides. They use a combination of cover
crops, no pre-plant tillage, rotary hoeing, an aggressive
cultivation to successfully reduce weed populations to levels
that don't affect crop yields. The Thompsons work closely with
Iowa State University Extension as well as through the Practical
Farmers of Iowa to share information with farmers across the
state.
Tom Larson continues to amaze his audiences with creative
options in crop management. He is well known for strip cropping
rotation of corn-oat/turnip-soybean, exploring alternative crops,
and intensive rotational grazing and high stocking rates on high
quality pastures. This year Tom created a stir in the community
of St. Edward when he and a neighbor planted grazing maize into
snow covered ridges on December 8. This corn hybrid is used for
direct grazing in the field, and has shown excellent cattle gains
in some fields of northeast Nebraska. Tom says that corn seed is
likely to sit in the field and then germinate and emerge at the
right time in early May, even if planted in winter, in about 7
years out of 10. It's always exciting to see innovation in
agriculture.
Current and future potentials for biological control of
insects were outlined by Bob Wright, Extension Entomologist, who
illustrated the talk with brilliant close-up slides of predators
and parasitoids in action. These methods will provide growers
with ways to effectively reduce chemical pesticide application by
carefully targeting some insect problems in crops. Soil quality
measurement and how this can effect long-term crop production
were described by Mark Liebig from the Agronomy Department.
Alice Jones, Extension Soils Specialist showed slides that
illustrated the symptoms of soil compaction in the field, and how
plant root systems reacted to this situation. She advised
growers of a number of ways to reduce this common problem in
Nebraska. Alfalfa production and marketing tips were emphasized
by Bruce Anderson, Extension Forage Specialist, who described the
consistent markets in this region for high quality hay. He said
the three most critical issues for making alfalfa profitable were
marketing, marketing, and marketing.
An evaluation session for Extension specialists, educators,
and key farmers explored the impacts of Paul Swanson's workshops
over the past seven years. We looked at attendance, reaction of
the audience to various topics, and apparent interest in the
evolving focus on sustainable agriculture. Beyond the need for
information on new and profitable cultural practices and crops,
the group identified a number of potential new directions for the
workshops:
- empowering clients to make changes, both on the farm and in the
community
- relating the impact of farm level decisions to health of the
family and the ecosystem
- using the theme of stewardship of land and other natural
resources as an entry point
- incorporating multiple measures of success: yields, income,
community viability
- developing a climate on the farm and in rural areas that
encourages youth to stay
- accelerating the appreciation of values and quality of life as
key issues in success
- encouraging more university programs that address tomorrow's
challenges
There was a sense of optimism in this group of key educators
and farmers. They view the alternative agriculture community as
a source of innovation, excitement and strength. People who are
exploring and testing new ideas are having fun in farming, and
making it profitable at the same time. The group complemented
Paul Swanson for continuing with this approach in meetings.
Submitted by Charles Francis
NSAS ANNUAL MEETING WILL FOCUS ON RURAL COMMUNITIES
Are you concerned about the future of rural communities and
family farms? If so, then be sure to attend the 1996 Annual
Meeting of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, on
February 24th. Building Hope for Rural Communities is the theme
of this meeting, which will feature exciting speakers and
workshops, good food, and plenty of friendly people.
The featured speaker is Dr. Garth Youngberg, director of the
Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture and former
USDA Organic Farming Coordinator. Dr. Youngberg's keynote
presentation will focus on expanding community support for
sustainable agriculture and creating a concrete vision for the
future of American agriculture and its communities.
David Schafer, who with his wife produces beef, lamb,
chicken, and pork on pasture in Trenton, Missouri, will present a
workshop on marketing meat and poultry products directly to
consumers. Other workshop topics include making the most of warm-
season grasses, non-chemical weed control, organic gardening,
growing and marketing herbs, creative start-up strategies for
beginning farmers, and the future of the pork industry.
The meeting will be held at the New World Inn in Columbus,
and will include lunch. Advance registration, due by February 12,
costs $20 for members and $30 for non-members. Late registration
costs an additional $5. Accompanying family members or partners
can attend for $10, and full-time students are eligible for half-
price admission. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. For more
information, contact NSAS at 402-254-2289.
RESOURCES
The Progress of Our Dreams (90-min. video). $25. Alan Atkisson
introduces a comprehensive picture of what sustainable
development means both in theory and in practice, drawing on
examples from around the Pacific Northwest, the U.S., and the
rest of the world. Although the case examples discussed focus
primarily on community development, the assessment framework
introduced can also be used to assess the contributions
individual projects, such as those in agriculture and natural
resources, make to the overall sustainability of human and
ecological systems. Bulletin Office, Cooperative Extension,
Cooper Bldg., Washington State University, Pullman, WA
99164-5912, 509-335-2857.
Deadly Fields (58-min. video). $24.95. Examines health effects of
pesticide use in U.S. agriculture, particularly for farmers and
applicators, and interviews range of people involved in pesticide
issues. Describes pesticide reduction and elimination strategies
such as IPM and organic farming, and explains biotechnology's
purported benefits and some of its dangers. Great Plains
National, 1800 N. 33rd St., Lincoln, NE 68583, 402-472-2007, or
800-228-4630.
Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety. Free. U.S.
EPA provides lay language overview of pest management and
pesticide use and safety, including non-chemical pest controls
and integrated pest management. Describes methods for reducing
pesticide hazards during application, storage and disposal,
provides guidelines for pesticide poisoning identification and
first aid, and suggests practices for reducing pesticide exposure
from food and drift. National Center for Environmental
Publications and Information, PO Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH 45242,
703-305-5017.
Healthy Food, Healthy Farms: Pest Management in the Public
Interest. $13.70. Examines yields, costs and extent of pesticide
use reduction on eight organic farms in the U.S. compared to
nearby conventional farms producing similar crops. Concludes that
"science-based" organic farming can significantly cut
production expenses, assure safe foods and clean drinking water
and achieve yields comparable to conventional farms. National
Campaign for Pesticide Policy Reform, 666 Pennsylvania Ave. SE,
Suite 200, Washington, DC 20003, 202-547-9009.
Agroecology: The Science of Sustainable Agriculture, Miguel
Altieri. $26. This 1995 edition updates Altieri's 1989 book.
Provides in-depth analysis of agroecological principles and
practices, including discussions of agroecology's theoretical
basis, specific agroecological practices and technologies,
ecological approaches to managing insects, weeds and pathogens
and transition processes for conventional farms implementing
agroecological principles. Presents case studies of
agroecological systems worldwide and examines organic,
traditional and conventional farming systems. Westview Press,
5500 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301, 303-444-3541.
Salad Bar Beef. $30. New 368-page book explains and illustrates
how with small acreage you can enter the beef business
profitably; it covers all phases, from conception to slaughter to
marketing. Polyface, Inc., Rt 1, Box 281, Swoope, VA 24479,
540-885-3590.
Basic Formula to Create Community Supported Agriculture. $10.
Workbook by Robyn Van En includes budgets, organizational details
and recommendations. Indian Line Farm, RR 3, Box 85, Jug End Rd,
Great Barrington, MA 01230, 413-528-4374.
The Ag Bioethics Forum newsletter from Iowa State U. is now only
available on the World Wide Web:
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~grad_college/bioethics/
COMING EVENTS
Contact CSAS office for more information:
Feb. 22-24 -- 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
Feb. 28 -- 1996 Nebraska Vegetable Conference, Columbus, NE
Feb. 29 -- OCIA#3 meeting, Organic Specialty Crop Production and
Marketing, Columbus, NE
Mar. 11-13 -- Annual Nebraska Water Conference, Omaha, NE
Mar. 22 -- Direct Marketing Conference, Ithaca, NE
Apr. 8-11 -- US EPA Nonpoint Source Pollution Management
Workshop, Nebraska City, NE
June 3-21 -- Sustainable Agroecosystems and Environmental Issues
Training Workshop (includes two weeks travel through southern and
central Great Plains), Canyon, TX
June 15-20 -- International Interdisciplinary Conference on the
Environment, Newport, RI
June 20-23 -- National conference on the community assessment
process, Lincoln, NE
July 17-18 -- Soil Quality: A Guide for Conservation (hands-on
workshop using soil as indicator of improved management), Ames,
IA
Sep. 15-19 -- 7th National Bioenergy Conference, Nashville, TN
Nov. 11-16 -- 14th International Symposium on Sustainable Farming
Systems, Colombo, Sri Lanka
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