jgiuntoli November 19th, 2009
Spokane Valley - The state Office of Farmland Preservation Task Force will hold their next meeting in Spokane Valley on Wednesday, December 2, 2009.
December OFP Meeting Notice
December OFP Meeting Agenda
The public is invited to attend the meeting, which will be held at the Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center – North 1100 Sullivan Road. The meeting will start at 9:00 am and conclude at 4pm.
Topics on the Task Force agenda include a presentation by the Northwest Farm Credit Services on issues related to farm credit and farm transition. Other items include discussions on state efforts to enhance and prioritize agriculture in the State of Washington. Continue Reading »
jgiuntoli November 19th, 2009
Organic small grains are part of a growing niche market of staple crops that can command higher market prices and bring more to a farmer’s bottom line. Find out how to grow organic small grains, including wheat, barley, rye and oats, in a FREE 60-minute webinar from ATTRA – National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Attend ATTRA’s Making Organic Small Grains Work on Your Farm webinar on Thursday, Dec. 3 to learn how farmers in traditional grain-growing regions are using organic production methods and find out if organic small grain production is right for you. Using organic techniques can cut input costs and the organic premium for high-quality grains can be 75 percent above the conventional market. But challenges in organic production exist, and can include over-dependence on tillage, proper nutrient management and rotation development.
The webinar will cover: Continue Reading »
jgiuntoli November 19th, 2009
The Washington State Blue Berry Commission along with WSU Skagit County Extension are pleased to announce the Washington State Blueberry Workshop scheduled for Dec 9th from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Cotton Tree Inn in Mount Vernon, WA (brochure attached). The cost is $20 at the door. Please RSVP to welch01@centurytel.net
2009 WA State Blueberry brochure
jgiuntoli November 18th, 2009
Extension Risk Management Education Grants Program
2010 Request for Applications (RFA) Announcement
Western Center for Risk Management Education
Washington State University Extension
Risk Management Education to Help Farm and Ranch Families Succeed Through Targeted Risk Management Strategies
Pre-proposals are due by 5 PM, PST, Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Western Center for Risk Management Education (Western Center), in conjunction with the Northeast, North Central and Southern Centers announce a funding opportunity for projects that help farm and ranch families succeed through targeted risk management strategies. Awards will fund projects conducted between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. Grant awards are generally between $5,000 and $50,000, however there is no absolute upper or lower limit on the funds provided to a single project. Continue Reading »
jgiuntoli November 18th, 2009
OLYMPIA – After collecting and considering public comments earlier this year, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today released the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for managing livestock grazing on wildlife lands in Kittitas County.
The FEIS evaluated the potential impacts of livestock grazing under various alternatives on WDFW’s Quilomene and Whiskey Dick wildlife areas, which lie about 10 miles east of Ellensburg.
The preferred alternative identified in the FEIS would allow controlled grazing for five years on 51,104 acres in those areas. Continue Reading »
jgiuntoli November 17th, 2009
SPOKANE, Wash., (Nov. 13, 2009) — To help protect working agricultural lands in Washington, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that $1.7 million will be available to successful applicants this year through the agency’s Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).
There is a continuous, year-round sign-up for the program, but January 15, 2010 has been set as the deadline for evaluating applications for this year’s funding.
“This program can help communities preserve farm or ranch land and cultural resources,” Jeff Harlow, NRCS program liaison, said. “It’s an excellent way to keep prime farmland in agriculture and, at the same time, keep farming and ranching communities thriving by relieving development pressures,” he said. Continue Reading »
jgiuntoli October 29th, 2009
The Vancouver Planning Commission Presents
Urban Food Production: A First Tuesday Presentation
November 3, 2009 * 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
City Hall Council Chambers, 210 East 13th Street
Come join local experts in sharing their knowledge, experience, and success stories in an array of urban food production topics. Presenters will discuss urban gardening, harvesting and marketing, access to healthy food, and the need to plan for urban food systems. We’ll share how current programs work and discuss a vision for the future.
Intended only for informational purposes – No policy decisions will be made
Open to the Public
Please RSVP Terry Lenhart @ 360-487-7955 * terry.lenhart@ci.vancouver.wa.us
Agenda and Speakers
- Planning Commission Chair, Derek Chisholm will moderate.
- Tricia Mortell, Clark County Public Health and Ariel Rivers, AmeriCorps Volunteer: Introduction and Overview
- Greta Lavadour, Clark County Food Systems Council; Planning for Urban Food Systems
- Jane Kleiner, City of Vancouver; Community Gardens
- Jodee Nickel, WSU Extension and Amy Sidran, Fort Vancouver School Teacher; School Gardens
- Anne Lawrence, Storytree Farms; Community Supported Agriculture
- Kris Alexander, Clark County Office of Sustainability and Kendra Pearce, Urban Farm School; Home Grown Gardens, Clark County Homegrown/Community Grown Project
jgiuntoli October 20th, 2009
Join WSU Extension and the Northwest Ag Business Center at the Whidbey Island Greenbank Farm on Monday, October 26th, from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm to learn more about improving soils with composted manures. Knowledge of soil structure and fertility is important for any farm, but can be more challenging for small organic farms (certified or using organic practices) located on marginal soils. Information in this workshop will not be restricted to those working within organic standards, but will focus on more sustainable farming practices.
Continue Reading »
The Office of Farmland Preservation is pleased to present this week’s ‘News and Views’ feature, a collection of news features, articles, and editorials on the subject of agriculture from media outlets around the state. The information and opinions contained in the articles are those of their respective authors, and are not necessarily those of the Office of Farmland Preservation or the Washington State Conservation Commission.