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  • From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] NRCS from the other end of the spoon!
  • Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 11:13:12 -0500 (CDT)

It was intended to facilitate the development of locally grown food and
stimulate local economies, not a "grow-your-own program for non-farmers". And
I do believe that a set of three annual reports is a fair request of those
who have been given such grants. My understanding is that the cumulative set
of information developed by these reports will give NRCS a strong database
for understanding how much impact protected structures like high tunnels can
have on empowerment of local agriculture. The fact that the program was given
room for discretion at state and local levels should be a sign that the
program was not intended to be a top-down management program. If the program
was not given such local discretion, I'm sure there would be many who would
blow their tops over that.

Bill

---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0400
>From: "Road's End Farm" <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
>Subject: Re: [Market-farming] NRCS from the other end of the spoon!
>To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> Well, that's the first that I've heard that it was
> supposed to be a program for non-farmers; everything
> I've seen on it said that it was supposed to help
> existing farmers expand into hoophouse sales. What
> would non-farmers want with hoophouses larger than
> most of their existing gardens, anyway?
> So if his information is wrong on that, I don't know
> how correct it is in other areas. It does however
> sound as if the setup is highly variable depending
> on where you are.
> -- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
> Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
> On Sep 5, 2011, at 11:24 AM, MAsteveINE wrote:
>
> Here is a coment from a greenhouse seller.
>
> MAsteveINE
>
> Hi Steve,
> This has been such a screwed up program from the
> git-go.
> It was supposed to be a “grow your own food”
> program for non-farmers by the Obama
> administration but 90% of what is being sold is
> going to existing greenhouse operations. The
> structures are supposed to meet local snow and
> wind load specs. But that went by the wayside
> when so many distributors complained that they
> couldn’t meet those loads. (I wonder why the
> loads exist) There is now uniform standard as
> to size, use, double or single poly, inflated or
> not, and reimbursement amount. It varies not
> only from state to state but between adjacent
> districts. It’s really just another Obama
> “feel good” program to spend money.
> We have certainly sold our share but what a
> hassle. I hate ALL government programs!!
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William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610



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