Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Just got this from AFT, just passing it on without comment

American Farmland Trust's E-news
May 2006
Visit the New AFT Web Site!

American Farmland Trust is pleased to announce the launch of our new
online resource for everyone concerned about the loss of farm and
ranch land in America: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=PH_6bHQPJ19-xPzNqcpn4g.. . It's the same
name but a brand new look! As we continue our work to protect the best
land, plan for agriculture and keep the land healthy,
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=W5wI6rrsZ9kbRoGaH15HOQ.. will serve as an 
online destination for
those interested in both our work and the issues we work on. Our new
site offers the latest news, research, available services, studies and
other resources, information about our farm policy campaign,
"AFT in Your State," RSS feeds, action alerts and
opportunities to get involved.



Central Valley's Cities and Counties Failing to
Save Farmland

Most of the counties and major cities in the Central Valley
are failing to make significant progress at preserving farmland in
the nation's most important agricultural region, according to
the new American Farmland Trust (AFT) study, The Future is Now:
Central Valley Farmland at the Tipping Point? "Though local land use plans 
are well-intentioned, the best farmland is being paved over the fastest, and 
the land is being developed very inefficiently in terms of the amount of land 
used for each new resident," said Edward Thompson, Jr., AFT's
California director. "It's a waste of a precious resource."
AFT's California Web Page: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=DhAcMIxR2uGUBFs0X3DHdg..
View the study: http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=x-zzM2-wNCX4LyxfN7-3Pw..

Bainbridge Island: A Farmland Protection Model for
Urbanizing Communities

Bainbridge Island, just a short ferry ride from downtown Seattle, has
a rich agricultural history--but the island's farmland base
has declined to several hundred acres. To protect their farmland and
keep it economically viable, the city of Bainbridge contracted AFT to
complete An Assessment and Recommendations for Preservation and
Management of City-owned Agricultural Land. AFT's report analyzed the key 
public benefits and values of
the island's farmland, evaluated models for protecting the
island's agricultural properties and made recommendations to
help improve the viability and long-term prospects for farms.
Read the report: http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=um7zhzX3Pg6Um3R9eczBHg..
More information on AFT's Washington Web Page: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=l7MyjBBGCqAhH6fI4JtWQg..


AFT Urges More
Funding for Farmers' Market Programs

Consumer demand for fresh, locally grown products has sparked a
renewed interest in direct markets among producers. More farmers and
ranchers are selling directly to consumers and businesses, and sales
figures at many of the nation's 3,900 farmers' markets
continue to rise. The USDA recently announced $1 million in
competitive grants under the Farmers Markets Promotion Program
(FMPP) [PDF] to help promote direct markets. American Farmland
Trust has long supported our nation's farmers' markets and
joined forces with 33 other groups to send a letter to House
Appropriators urging them to fund the FMPP at $5 million in FY 07.
USDA's Farmers' Market Information: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=glYXcSROZhIU5i-7sk6_bg..
FMPP Grant Program: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=a-IK5wyMNeqqF3w2sJHPnA..
More information: http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=Zm9_b1Je8oo7XCjSLPK3cQ..


Stonyfield Farm "CE-Yo" Featured Speaker at AFT's 2006 National
Conference

Gary Hirshberg, co-founder, president and "CE-Yo" of Stonyfield Farm, the 
world's largest manufacturer of organic yogurt, will be a featured speaker at 
"Farming on the Edge: The Next Generation." Under Hirshberg's guidance, 
Stonyfield Farm has reached $210 million in annual sales, while earning a 
reputation as a socially and environmentally responsible business. Hirshberg 
will provide insights on the future of agriculture from his perspective as a 
corporate leader and conservationist. For more information or to submit a 
workshop proposal, e-mail Doris Mittasch at training@farmland.org.
Gary Hirshberg's Bio: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=t3mBXytJC5V7lsTzGEUBqg..
Stonyfield Farm: http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=adxI5lOUd-ZirHfVjVTPoQ..
Farming on the Edge: The Next Generation: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=la8FvIebeE9faeBBI5Thnw..
Submit a proposal: 
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=VtWAfpXOXhzHHdZRErnV0g..


Around the Country

The Georgia Senate approved the Georgia Land Conservation Tax Credit
legislation on March 1 by unanimous vote.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=A63P_lmrxu7QYqlXUOdHCA..

American Farmland Trust is sponsoring "Visions of the Federal Farm
Bill" in Moses Lake, Washington on April 20.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=kV65hsyv-FZYqbPLzJErDw..


Pennsylvania will have about $150 million for farmland preservation,
the largest amount ever allocated to help farmers protect vital
agricultural land.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=T0xw_I6rBFFL-4DbpwsRyQ..

The city of Kannapolis, North Carolina sold 2000 farm acres to
the Land Trust of Central North Carolina; 1000 acres of the prime
farmland will continue to be farmed by the ten families who
have farmed it for decades under long-term leases.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=xSnAkf64gWKEpJSJrdtPQQ..

American Farmland Trust's Director of Technical Assistance
Services, Julia Freedgood, will be presenting "Next Generation
Growth Management Plans" on April 25 at the American Planning
Association Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=M95obdS5kafRZGVPNSviQg..

The University of Wyoming's Wyoming Open Spaces Initiative is
presenting "Growing Pains: Planning for Wyoming's Changing
Communities and Landscapes" May 9-10 in Cheyenne.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=fZ4oF_T5LGPb1CYs_b0G-A..

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner announced that USDA's
Farm Service Agency will allocate close to $20.1 million in Emergency
Conservation Program funding to 26 states affected by natural disasters.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=33ydgYD0kXZ6od9HuSo3hw..

The USDA announced more than $70 million in funding for 2006 to protect
farm and ranch land in
50 states.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=4glAgJxqVemigJ-RrjV3pg..

Smart Growth America released Smart Growth Shareware v.2, with
road-tested presentations and materials by local and national leaders
and organizations; immediately downloadable publications and fact
sheets; and Web site links to over 100 additional resources.
http://action.farmland.org/site/R?i=Or9BFhr1HZKBdAi8ez6Qgg..