Market Farming

["Sean McGovern" <outreach AT sare.org>]

Dear Colleagues:

Before adopting promising new agricultural strategies - such as diversified, 
profitable crop rotations, innovative pest management measures, or raising 
meat for unique markets - producers want evidence of success. That's why the 
2005 SARE Highlights, a new 16-page publication available from the 
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, features a 
dozen practical, profit-enhancing ideas that have been researched and tested 
at universities and on farms and ranches. 

The 2005 report is the latest of a series of publications that shine a light 
on some of the most creative research funded by SARE, administered by the 
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, USDA. For 
example:

Growing peas as forage in place of the typical 14-month fallow in dryland 
wheat rotations helps farmers add profits and reduce erosion. A Montana 
researcher found that planting winter-hardy peas saves water, guards against 
erosion, helps the soil - and supplies a fast-growing market for quality hay. 
To learn more, visit http://www.sare.org/highlights/2005/peas.htm.
 
A Mississippi processing plant recently expanded to accept chicken and turkey 
from independent poultry growers who now market some 500 birds a week to 
restaurants in Jackson and Birmingham. The nonprofit organization Heifer 
Project International helped with the plant upgrade and compliance with state 
regulations, providing a niche for pastured poultry entrepreneurs. To learn 
more, visit http://www.sare.org/highlights/2005/poultry_processing.htm
 
Planting "trap" crops like thick-skinned squash lures insect pests away from 
high-value vegetables and elevates profits. A Connecticut researcher 
introduced trap cropping to 30 New England growers, increasing yields by up 
to 18 percent and reducing insecticide use by 96 percent. Some farmers earned 
an average of $11,000 extra in just one season.  To learn more, visit 
http://www.sare.org/highlights/2005/trap_cropping.htm
 
Nebraska crop farmers who planted trees as buffers and windbreaks realized a 
profit and met their conservation goals by raising niche products like nuts 
and decorative florals. In the past two years, a University of Nebraska 
researcher helped farmers introduce trees and shrubs that made a gross profit 
of as much as $5 per linear foot of shrubs and trees. To learn more, visit 
http://www.sare.org/highlights/2005/specialty_markets.htm
 
Preview or download the entire publication at 
http://www.sare.org/highlights/. To order free print copies, please call 
301/504-5236 or email san_assoc AT sare.org. Please provide the title requested, 
your name, shipping address, and telephone number when placing your order. 
Agricultural educators may place orders for print copies in quantity for 
conferences, workshops, or other events. For a full list of resources 
available from SAN, visit www.sare.org/publications. As always, please feel 
free to contact me with any SARE resource needs you may have..

Regards, 

Sean McGovern
Sustainable Agriculture Network
PO Box 82234
Columbus, Ohio 43202
614/306-6422
fx: 614/421-2011
http://www.sare.org
outreach AT sare.org

The 2005 SARE Highlights was published by the Sustainable Agriculture Network 
(SAN) for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. 
SARE is a program of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES), USDA, and works with producers, researchers, and educators 
to promote farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound, and 
good for communities. SAN operates under a Cooperative Agreement between 
CSREES and the University of Vermont and the University of Maryland to 
develop and disseminate information about sustainable agriculture. 
www.sare.org.
 
If you do not wish to receive similar notifications in the future, please 
send an email to outreach AT sare.org and ask to be removed from SARE's mailing 
list.