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:
CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING
SARE/ACE PREPROPOSALS DUE SEPT. 15
REGIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM AWARDS MINIGRANTS
REDUCED HERBICIDE WEED CONTROL
INTERESTED IN BIOFUELS?
CAST REPORT SUMMARIZES CRP SURVEY
NEW SAN COORDINATOR
USDA OFFICE OF SUSTAINABLE AG PROGRAMS HAS TWO JOB OPENINGS
AG RESOURCE CONSERVATION ACT
LISTSERV ON LAND USE AND OTHER RESOURCES
E-MAIL NETWORK FOR ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE
WEED ELECTRONIC DISCUSSION GROUP
FAIRWELL MICHELE
RESOURCES
DID YOU KNOW
COMING EVENTS
================================================================
CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING
Reform of the property tax system, future of the pork
industry, and options for the 1995 farm bill were key workshop
topics at the annual meeting of the Center for Rural Affairs
(CRA) on August 5. Senator George Coordsen (Nebraska Legislature
Revenue Committee) said that the Nebraska property tax approach
to school finance was under assault from all directions, and that
the legislature was open to a wide range of options. Jim Griess
of the Nebraska State Education Association and Stan Dobrovolny,
representing the views of ranchers and property owners, agreed
that the current system placed a disproportionate burden on land
owners, and that a more creative approach was needed to share the
costs of education. Marty Strange of the CRA said it was up to
Nebraskans to decide what type of quality education we want for
the future, and then to design a systems and financial support
structure to make it happen. This will be a big issue in the
next several years.
A series of 15 ~teach-ins~ was held on topics such as pastured
poultry and organic certification. Social topics included
community organization, rural housing, educating for policy
involvement, dealing with bankers, and immigrants and race
relations. Natural resource issues such as groundwater
challenges, public power districts, and prairie restoration were
covered in other discussions. There was an ~earlybird special
discussion~ lead by Marty Strange on corporate farming in
Nebraska and how different interest groups could best make their
cases to legislators and the general public. David Hansen
received a plaque and thanks for his work as chair of the CRA
board for the past three years. Approximately 150 people attended
the event, held this year in the Seward Civic Center through the
arrangements of CSAS Advisory Committee member Verlon (Tony)
Vrana.
CRA mission: ~We are committed to building sustainable rural
communities consistent with social and economic justice,
stewardship of the natural environment and broad distribution of
wealth. We work to advance our vision of rural America through
research, education, advocacy, organizing, and leadership
development.~ Contact: CRA, POB 106, Walthill, NE 68067;
402-846-5428; fax -5420.
Submitted by Charles Francis
SARE/ACE PREPROPOSALS DUE SEPT. 15
The Administrative Council for the North Central Region (NCR) Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program has issued its 1996 Call for
Preproposals for research, education and demonstration projects. Priority areas
for
SARE/ACE (Agriculture in Concert with the Environment) preproposals are:
- Sustainable Livestock Systems
- Networking
- Developing Markets
- Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum
- Alternative Weed Management
- Emerging Issues
- Environmentally Sensitive Areas
- Environmentally Sound Practices
In FY-95 the average grant was for $73,015 over two years. For more
information or
an application packet, contact the NCR SARE Program office, 402-472-7081.
If you wish to submit a proposal for an interdisciplinary
project through the CSAS, contact Charles Francis or Pam Murray.
We can offer assistance with conceptualization, putting together
a project team, proposal development and project administration.
REGIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM AWARDS MINIGRANTS
The North Central Sustainable Agriculture Training Program (NCSATP) has
awarded
minigrants to programs in six midwestern states. The minigrants cover expenses
for
speakers for in-state sustainable agriculture training and special topic tours.
These activities
were identified in the NCSATP grant and were also given high priority by
participants in
the Everyone a Teacher, Everyone a Learner workshops (see March/April CSAS
newsletter).
The speakers for in-state sustainable agriculture training will provide
expertise to
handle specific topics in the implementation of state strategic plans. Experts
will also share
ideas and resources from other programs. The special topic training tours will
emphasize
the site specific nature of sustainable agriculture practices as well as the
broad applicability
of principles. They will also teach future trainers how to conduct lively and
informative
field trips.
The following universities and organizations received minigrants:
- U. of Illinois and Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Network--presentation on
Defining
Sustainable Agriculture for National Training Program;
- Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance--presentation on Virtual Food: The
Disappearance of Agriculture;
- U. of Missouri and Lincoln U.--presentation on Soil Quality and Soil Health;
tours on
organic produce farm and diversified cash grain farm;
- U. of Nebraska--Tour of grazing maize;
- North Dakota State U. and South Dakota State U.--presentation on Social and
Economic
Areas of Sustainable Agriculture;
- The Ohio State U.--presentations on Extension's Role in Sustainable
Agriculture and
Using Case Studies to Help Farm Families Make Decisions; tours on two
sustainable farms.
Evaluations and recommendations from the training activities will be shared
throughout the region. For more information, call Heidi Carter at
402-472-0917.Source of
funding for regional training projects in sustainable agriculture is the USDA
SARE
Program.
Submitted by Heidi Carter
REDUCED HERBICIDE WEED CONTROL
Recent research has led to development of a reduced-rate herbicide and
cultivation
combination that cuts chemical use and costs in half compared with conventional
full-rate
treatment. That is a $1,200 to $1,400 savings on 200 acres of soybeans.
Our work with reduced rates has focused on broadleaf weed management in
conventional till soybeans; grasses are controlled with a conventional soil
applied or
postemergence program. Antagonism problems have resulted in reduced grass
control when
we have attempted reduced rate programs combining grass and broadleaf herbicides
in a
single treatment.
A reduced rate program depends on application of herbicides when weeds are
small
and easily controlled. A single cultivation two weeks after treatment is part of
the program.
Growth stage of the weed is a more reliable indication for treatment timing than
days after
planting or days after emergence. Success depends on 1) match of herbicide
treatment with
target weeds, 2) correct timing, and 3) high quality application. A mismatch of
herbicide
treatment and weed species can result in serious weed problems.
One advantage of the reduced rate program is a widening of the "treatment
window"
for postemergence treatments with application rates adjusted accordingly. The
risk of
adverse weather can be readily managed utilizing the reduced rate early
application
program. If circumstances prevent a planned early application, the producer can
simply
revert to a standard application. When very few weeds are present, cultivation
can replace
the chemical application.
If reduced rate treatments are to be successful, it is critical that the
herbicide(s)
selected be highly effective on the target weeds. Reducing the rate of a
herbicide that is
only marginally effective on a weed is not likely to provide acceptable control.
It is
important to note that the user, not the manufacturer, assumes all
responsibility for
performance. Label rates have a safety margin built in to assure consistent
performance
over a range in application conditions. With reduced rates this safety margin is
"used up."
There is little room for error in timing or application quality.
For more information about this research, contact Alex Martin, Dept. of
Agronomy,
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0910, 402-472-1527, e-mail:
agro151@unlvm.unl.edu.
Submitted by Alex Martin
INTERESTED IN BIOFUELS?
The Biofuels Feedstock Development Program in the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) publishes a free newsletter titled Energy Crops Forum. For more
information
contact the editor, Anne Ehrenshaft, 615-576-5132, e-mail: are@ornl.gov. Anne
can also
send you a bibliography of materials published by the BFDP since it began in
1978.
DOE's Biofuels System Division operates the Biofuels Information Network,
which it
describes as a jumping off point on the Internet. Texts of DOE publications,
BFDP-
sponsored reports, and Energy Crops Forum, are available. There are also links
to Internet
sites containing additional information about energy, environment, agriculture,
natural
resources, and U.S. government.
Address is: http://www.esd.ornl.gov/BFDP/BFDPMOSAIC/binmenu.html
CAST REPORT SUMMARIZES CRP SURVEY
A background document released by the Council for Agricultural Science and
Technology (CAST) in July summarizes Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) policy
literature and a survey of key special interest groups regarding their
preferences for a
future CRP. The purpose of this report is to make CRP evaluation easier by
placing
literature and preference information in a single document.
Literature Survey Findings
* Participants are pleased with the program because it provides income
stability, decreases
the need for credit, and in some instances allows for early retirement.
* The CRP has decreased cropland erosion, improved water quality, and increased
land
values and wildlife benefits.
* Negative effects include some noxious weed problems and business fluctuations
in some
agriculturally dependent communities.
* The cost of the program is estimated at $1.8 billion a year, or close to $19
billion over
the life of the program.
* Studies found that the program could have been more cost-effective if the bid
process
had been more competitive and if more environmentally sensitive lands had been
enrolled.
* The USDA states that CRP benefits have exceeded its costs. Other studies show
benefits
ranging only from $6 billion to $13.4 billion, far short of its $19 billion
cost.
* Cost-efficiency criteria such as the estimated $8.4 billion savings in
commodity program
outlays are likely to be considered in the complete CRP analysis.
Interest Group Survey Results
Sixteen of the 18 surveyed interest groups listed six aspects of the CRP that
could be
modified:
* enrollment size,
* targeting options,
* targeting tools,
* easement and contract usage,
* economic land use options, and
* delegation of control.
The positions of the 16 representatives are as follows:
* All support a CRP renewal.
* Groups recommend different levels of acreage enrollment.
* All favor multiple targeting.
* All favor use of contracts while some support a mixture of short- and
long-term
retirement options.
* A majority favors economic land use options, of which haying and grazing is
the most
controversial.
* All support more localized control of the program.
Three options exist: renewal, termination, or modification.
CRP Renewal
* Over 65% of the CRP acres would remain under contract.
* Erosion control, water quality, and wildlife benefits would increase.
* The need for corn- and soybean-supply controls would be eliminated.
* Wheat and corn prices would be higher if all contracts expired.
* Annual program expenditure would range from $2.25 billion to $2.6 billion.
CRP Termination
* Over 60% of the acreage would return to production.
* The government would save nearly $2 billion a year.
* Some agriculturally dependent communities would rebound from economic
hardship.
* Large increases in cropped acreage over a brief period would increase
production and
decrease prices and income.
* Environmental benefits of the CRP would be decreased or eliminated.
CRP Modification
The literature review, surveys of interest groups, and political posturing
indicate that a
modified program will be likely.
Literature and Survey Conclusions
* If a modified program is developed during the 1995 Farm Bill proceedings, it
will be less
costly due to decreased acreage enrollment, will contain more effective
eligibility criteria,
and will decrease rental rates when there are allowable economic uses.
* The program will address a number of environmental issues and will target
program
lands according to specific productivity and environmental benefit criteria.
* The CRP will most likely succeed if design, implementation, and control are
shared at
national and local levels.
* Supporters of a modified CRP will be recipients of environmental benefits,
participants
whose land qualifies for the program, and policymakers with constituents
capturing CRP
benefits.
* Opponents of a leaner, more cost-effective CRP are producers who no longer
qualify for
the program, individuals who want to decrease government involvement in
agriculture, and
taxpayers who are forced to continue to pay the cost of the CRP when they do not
think
that the program is worthwhile.
Source: "The Conservation Reserve: A Survey of Research and Interest Groups"
(see
Resources).
Editor's Note: CAST has a World Wide Web site that includes summaries of
publications
(including "Sustainable Agriculture and the 1995 Farm Bill," published in
April), full text
of issue papers, and links to scientific, agricultural, and public policy
Internet sites. The
address is: http://www.netins.net/showcase/cast/
NEW SAN COORDINATOR
Andy Clark has replaced Gabriel Hegyes as the Sustainable Agriculture Network
(SAN)
Coordinator. Andy's graduate work at the U. of Maryland focused on cover crop
management. He received his M.S. in 1988 and his Ph.D. in 1993.
SAN offers an e-mail group (now with over 700 participants), national
directory of
expertise (a revised version to be available this fall electronically and in
print), an
annotated bibliography of educational materials useful to farmers, and much
more. For
details, contact this newsletter editor or Andy.
SAN is a cooperative effort of university, government, business and
non-profit
organizations dedicated to the exchange of scientific and practical information
on
sustainable agricultural systems. It is supported by the USDA's Sustainable
Agriculture
Research and Education Program. As a decentralized network, the points of
contact are
many. To provide overall coordination and a central point of contact, SAN has an
office
hosted by the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) of the
National
Agricultural Library.
Sustainable Agriculture Network
c/o AFSIC, Room 304
National Agricultural Library
Agriculture Research Service
10301 Baltimore Boulevard
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
Internet: san@nalusda.gov
Telephone: 301/504-6425
FAX: 301/504-6409
USDA OFFICE OF SUSTAINABLE AG PROGRAMS HAS TWO JOB OPENINGS
Associate Director of this national program is located in Washington, DC and
pays
$55,000 to $64,000. M.S. degree required, Ph.D. desired. Deadline is September
15.
Communications Specialist is a new position that works with four regional
communications specialists and the Sustainable Ag Network (SAN) coordinator. The
position is offered through the U. of Maryland and pays $28,000 to $37,000. B.S.
or B.A.
required. Deadline is August 31.
Contact for both positions: Dr. Robert Myers, Director, Office of Sustainable
Agriculture Programs, 202-720-5623.
AG RESOURCE CONSERVATION ACT
Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have introduced the
Agricultural Resource Conservation Act (S. 854), which will form the framework
for the
Senate Farm Bill Conservation Title. The bill, which is supported by the
Campaign for
Sustainable Agriculture and the Wallace Institute, would consolidate existing
conservation
programs into a single, streamlined program, and extend the Conservation Reserve
Program (CRP) as a long-term protection program using long-term agreements and
permanent easements. It would increase the cost-effectiveness of the CRP by
focusing on
the most environmentally sensitive land and encouraging partial field
enrollments, such as
filterstrips, contour grass strips, wellhead protection zones, and shelterbelts.
It would also
give priority to sustainable production, rather than wholesale land retirement,
by merging
cost share and incentive programs to encourage various conservation practices.
The Senate
Agriculture Committee is expected to take up the Lugar-Leahy bill in September.
Source: Alternative Agriculture News, August 1995.
LISTSERV ON LAND USE AND OTHER RESOURCES
A new unmoderated listserv provides a forum for dissemination and discussion
of
information on: rights in, access to, and use of land and other resources;
sustainable
development, poverty, and income distribution; and related laws and
institutions. To
subscribe, send message:
subscribe tenure <firstname lastname>
to:
listserver@relay.doit.wisc.edu
Contact is Steve Smith, e-mail: owner-tenure@relay.doit.wisc.edu
E-mail NETWORK FOR ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE
This network is intended for academics, researchers, educationalists and
others
working in the field of ecological (organic/biological) agriculture, to provide
a forum for
discussion of ideas, identification of potential collaborators, and exchange of
news,
conference information and publication details. To subscribe, send message:
join ecol-agric <firstname lastname>
to:
listserver@relay.doit.wisc.edu
or www address:
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk
Contact is Nic Lampkin, e-mail: nhl@aber.ac.uk
WEED ELECTRONIC DISCUSSION GROUP
To subscribe to a weed ecology/biology discussion group out of Iowa State U.
called
WeedNet, send a message including your full e-mail address to:
jdekker@iastate.edu
FAREWELL MICHELE
Michele Strickler, who has been an integral part of the CSAS team for nearly
three
years, has accepted a new position in the UNL Department of Human Resources.
This is
the last newsletter she will design. Her computer and organizational skills will
be sorely
missed, as will her ready smile and enthusiasm.
RESOURCES
The Conservation Reserve: A Survey of Research and Interest Groups. (See CAST
article
this issue.) $12.00 + $3.00 s&h; individual and student members of CAST may
request a
free copy (include $3.00 s&h). CAST, 4420 West Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014-3447,
515-
292-2125, e-mail: cast@netins.net.
Institutional and Policy Factors in Pest Management Reforms: Changes to Unlearn,
Relearn, and Restructure. No charge. Reviews characteristics of Green
Revolution-style
technology transfer and rural development, and argues that these approaches are
seriously
flawed in terms of addressing farmers' needs and promoting sustainable
agriculture. World
Resources Institute, 1709 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20006,
202-638-6300.
The Soul of Soil: A Guide to Ecological Soil Management. $16.95 + $4 s&h.
Practical
"how-to" gives farmers useful guidelines for making management decisions based
on
ecological principles, with minimal reliance on "off-farm" fertilizers. Authors
describe use
of green manures, crop rotations, on-farm composting, mineral fertilizers,
collecting soil
samples, using on-farm tests that measure soil structure, water-holding
capacity, and
fertility, and more. agAccess, P.O. Box 2008, Davis, CA 95616, e-mail: agaccess
@davis.com.
Hog Wash: Factory Farm Giveaways in Clean Water Proposals. $5 + $1.45 s&h. NRDC
Publications Department, 40 West 20th St., New York, NY 10011.
Animal Agriculture: Information on Waste Management and Water Quality Issues. No
charge. U.S. General Accounting Office, PO Box 6015, Gaithersburg, MD
20884-6015,
202-512-6000.
DID YOU KNOW...
Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring (1962), was a co-founder of The Nature
Conservancy.
Funding for USDA sustainable ag programs totalled $12.2 million in 1995.
Each federal dollar appropriated for research and extension leverages 4-5 state,
local and
private dollars; the annual rate of return on the overall investment in research
and
extension is 30-50%.
USDA says farmers earned on average $4,750 in farm income last year--equivalent
to a
full-time worker earning $2.28/hr without health care or vacation benefits.
Organic Market Overview says the U.S. organic industry grew more than 22% in
1994,
reaching sales of $2.3 billion.
Monsanto Co., has acquired just less than half interest in Calgene Inc., the
biotech firm
known for its genetically engineered Flavr Savr tomato.
COMING EVENTS
Contact CSAS office for more information:
Sep. 7 -- PFI Thompson Field Day, Boone, IA
Sep. 9 -- Festival of Color, theme is water quality, Ithaca, NE
Sep. 16-17 -- Forestry Field Days, Plattsmouth, NE
Oct. 7-8 -- The Politics of Sustainable Agriculture, Eugene, OR
Oct. 10-11 -- The Next Generation of Legal, Regulatory and Marketing Issues
Facing the
Organic Products Industry, Oakland, CA
Oct. 18 -- Annual Groundwater Symp., Lincoln, NE
Oct. 19-23 -- Helping Small Towns Survive, Jackson Hole, WY
Oct. 22-25 -- New Crops: New Opportunities, New Technologies, Indianapolis, IN
Nov. 6-8 -- Linkages among Farming Systems and Communities, North American
Symposium, AFSRE, Ames, IA
Nov. 12-14 -- Community Supported Agriculture Conference, San Francisco, CA
Nov. 16-17 -- Environmental Enhancement through Agriculture, Boston, MA
Nov. 30-Dec. 2 -- Celebrating 25 Years of Eco-Agriculture, St. Louis, MO
Dec. 12-15 -- National Agricultural Ecosystem Mgt Conference, New Orleans, LA
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