Farners markets stay strong on local-food interest | Rural Life | capitalpress.com
Legions of westerners forsake chain grocery stores each week in favor of the outdoor cornucopias that sprout on city streets and parking lots. As public demand for local food stays
Walmart invests in indoor vertical farming startup Plenty | AP News
Walmart said Tuesday it has taken a stake in agriculture startup Plenty, becoming the first large U.S. retailer to significantly invest in indoor vertical farming as a way to deliver fresher produce to its stores.
WA farmers markets may get displaced by obscure tax break expiring | Crosscut
If the Legislature doesn't intervene, nonprofits and churches won't be able to host weekly farmers markets anymore without losing their tax-exempt status.
Is There Really Such a Thing as Low-Carbon Beef? | WIRED
In November, the US Department of Agriculture approved a program that will open a path for beef producers to market their meat as low-carbon. Producers who can prove that their cattle are raised in a way that emits 10 percent less greenhouse gases than an industry baseline can qualify for the certification scheme, which is run by a private company called Low Carbon Beef.
Farmers Market Coalition launches new guide | Morning Ag Clips
The national Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) is excited to announce the launch of the Farm Direct Nutrition Incentives Guide Site (www.farmdirectincentives.guide), a comprehensive library that contains hundreds of resources for operators running Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Electronic Benefits Transfer and nutrition incentives...
Down on the farm: A shortage of agricultural labor - CBS News
Something unusual happened a few months ago in an asparagus field on the Oregon-Idaho border: Six thousand people showed up on a Saturday for the chance to pick some free veggies.
"I am a big fan on community, so it's really cool to see so many people out here," said one picker. Children who were out picking were divided on whether they like eating asparagus.
Cyberattack on food supply followed years of warnings - POLITICO
Virtually no mandatory cybersecurity rules govern the millions of food and agriculture businesses that account for about a fifth of the U.S. economy. And now, the risk has become real.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is adding to its list of on-base services with a weekly farmers market.
The JBLM Marketplace launched April 20 and will continue every other Tuesday through Sept. 14. Leaders are hoping the marketplace will become a year-round event.
“Obviously it will be subject to vendors availability and the popularity of the event,” said Josh Soldan, business and recreation division chief for JBLM’s Office of Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
Vertical farming is bringing local produce to California’s densest cities | The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News
At their San Francisco headquarters, Plenty is working on perfecting vertical farming of kale, arugula, bok choy, beet leaves, fennel, and mizuna. According to chief executive and co-founder Matt Barnard, Plenty’s technology uses a fraction of the land and one to five percent of the water compared to traditional agriculture. Additionally, all of Plenty’s facilities are powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
USDA cancels Farmers to Families Food Box Program | Agriculture | capitalpress.com
USDA will permanently end its Farmers to Families Food Box Program at the end of May.
The program, which bought meat, dairy and produce from farmers and directed it to hungry families, was created by the Trump administration during the pandemic.
Over the past year, USDA has spent more than $4 billion on the program and delivered more than 156 million boxes through mid-April.
30+ Companies, Boards, NGOs Join Farmers, Ranchers to Endorse a Shared Vision for Sustainable Food Systems – U.S. Farmers and Ranchers In Action
St. Louis, March 23, 2021 – U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA) is celebrating National Ag Day by announcing the growing list of companies, organizations and individuals who have joined the Decade of Ag, the first sector-wide movement to align to a shared vision for the next decade centered around investing in the next generation of agricultural systems, restoring our environment, regenerating natural resources and in doing so, strengthening the social and economic fabric of America.
Native American producers critical to future of U.S. food system and fighting climate change – U.S. Farmers and Ranchers In Action
With over 59 million acres of Native-operated farms across over 30 states within the United States, Tribal Nations and Native producers are perhaps the single most underappreciated resource for sustainable, rural economic development in the U.S.
Vilsack calls for structural changes in U.S. food distribution systems to deal with hunger, equity | Successful Farming
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stressed the need for structural changes to U.S. food distribution systems in order to tackle hunger, strengthen equity, and increase access to school meals during his keynote address Wednesday at the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference...
FACT SHEET: United States Department of Agriculture Provisions in H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan | USDA
WASHINGTON, Mar. 10, 2021 – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021...Specifically, provisions within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will reduce hunger across the country, strengthen the food supply chain, invest in rural America, and provide long awaited support to underserved, socially disadvantaged farmers.
Clark County farms get ready for season, encourage members to join CSA - The Columbian
During CSA Week, which begins Sunday, farmers across the country will promote their offerings.
The acronym stands for Community Supported Agriculture, a term that stems from the biodynamic agriculture movement created by Rudolf Steiner in the northeastern United States in the 1980s. CSA members share the risk of farming by purchasing a share at the beginning of the growing season so the farmer can buy seeds and equipment. At harvest time, members get a weekly box of produce.