Organic

Now is the time to apply for the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. USDA has again allocated $50 million for this program, which serves certified organic growers and those transitioning to organic farming systems. The program provides financial and technical assistance to growers to implement conservation practices relevant to organic agriculture. Interested producers have until March 12, 2010 to sign up for the 2010 program. To sign up, visit your USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) local service center.

Additional information on eligibility is listed at the EQIP Organic Initiative Resource Page.

Payments
Producers who receive EQIP Organic Initiative contracts with NRCS are paid 75 percent of the cost for the organic conservation measures they implement. Beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged producers (those considered “historically underserved” by the USDA) are paid up to 90 percent. The program provides up to $20,000 per year with a maximum total of $80,000 over six years.

March 12 is the last day to submit your application for this year’s funding. The process can be complicated, so we urge you to start now.

More Information
OFRF has updated information about the 2010 EQIP Organic Initiative, including application instructions, criteria for applying, information about the practices and payment schedules, and a list of organizations that assist growers in their state, on our EQIP Organic Initiative Resource Page. This page will be updated as needed, so check back frequently.

Organic and transitioning producers can also apply for the regular EQIP, which funds on-farm conservation activities, but not specifically related to organic farming systems. This program has higher payment limits, but the application process is much more competitive due to the larger number of applicants. The 2010 ranking cutoff date for the regular EQIP may have passed in your state – check your state’s NRCS website for more information.

I’m sure some of you have wondered, “What happened to that local food task force?” We have been doing some re-structuring and planning about the process of conducting a community food assessment. We are now gearing up to begin holding meetings again and moving forward with the Springfield Local Food Task Force. We hope you can join us for some of the upcoming committee meetings.

The task force was created by a coalition of community groups and members in order to identify strategies to increase access to healthy food by strengthening and building a local food system. The task force has identified three primary goals:

1. Conduct an assessment of the current food system
2. Initiate dialogue about local food systems with those with a vested interest in a local food system.
3. Write a comprehensive report providing recommendations to improve and strengthen a local food system.

The first project being undertaken by the Task Force is an assessment of the existing food system within the Springfield region.We are examining three components of the food system: production, infrastructure, and community access and created three corresponding committees.

For the most part each committee will be meeting separately. Below you will find a list of the upcoming committee meetings for November and December. Please feel free to go to whichever committee you are most interested in helping with, I would also encourage you to attend all the committee meetings and get involved as much as you can.

I am excited about the awesome work the task force is embarking on I can't wait too see what happens. I hope to see you at one of the upcoming meetings.

Committee Meeting Schedule

Production Committee: November 10^th, 2009, 10am-12pm, Lincoln Library – Carnegie Room North. Committee will brainstorm about questions and ideas for a Farmer Focus Group in December.  

Infrastructure Committee: November 10^th, 2009, 10am-12pm, Lincoln Library – Carnegie Room North. Committee will brainstorm about questions and ideas for a Farmer Focus Group in December.  (Note: the production and infrastructure committee will be meeting at the same time in separate parts of the room)

Community Access Committee: November 12^th, 2009,  9-11 am, IL Dept of Agriculture,  Room 66, 801 E. Sangamon Ave. Committee will discuss and examine community access assets that have been identified and to examine the opportunities for expanding upon these or creating new programs or policies.

Farmer Focus Group: December 9^th, 2009, 5-8pm, Lincoln Library – Carnegie Room North. The focus group will be a combined meeting of both the infrastructure and production committee. The goal of the focus group is to gain insight from farmers on assets, opportunities, needs, and barriers in relation to local food production and infrastructure for processing and distribution. 

Community Access Committee: December 15^th, 2009, 9-11 am, IL Dept of Agriculture, Room 66, 801 E. Sangamon Ave. Tentative 

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If you have any questions regarding the production committee, please contact Wes King at wes@ilstewards.org or 528-1563 

If you have any questions regarding the infrastructure committee, please contact Lindsay Record at Lindsay@ilstewards.org or 528-1563                       

If you have any question regarding the community access committee, please contact Pat Stieren at pstieren@gmail.com or Deanna Glosser at Deanna_Glosser@comcast.net or 629-8949. 

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas regarding the work of the Springfield Local food Task Force in general please feel free to contact any of the people listed above.

Senate Agriculture & Conservation Committee Creates Subcommittee to Study Solutions to Chemical Drift Problem in Illinois

Following 4 1/2 hours of testimony Wednesday, the state Senate Committee on Agriculture and Conservation found enough credible concern with farm chemical drift to create a subcommittee on the topic—the Agriculture and Conservation Subcommittee on Fertilizers and Chemicals.

Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, was named chairman of the new committee. Koehler said his committee will research Maine's new mandatory registration and notification law regarding aerial application of farm chemicals

The hearing attracted nearly 100 people from both organic, sustainable and conventional farming and chemical manufacturers and lobbyists. In addition to oral testimony, volumes of written testimony were submitted.  Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s new policy coordinator attended the hearing and presented oral testimony on the need to protect the rights of a growing sector of small business in Illinois, organic and diversified farmers.

ISA plans to remain involved with the legislative process as the Agriculture and Conservation Subcommittee on Fertilizers and Chemicals explores various solutions to the chemical drift problem in Illinois. ISA looks forward to working with all stakeholders in order reach a solution that is acceptable to all parties while protecting the rights of organic and small diversified farmers to have chemical free farms or to control the application of agriculture chemicals to their farms.

For more information on the hearing click here.