The Crop Cycle is all about connecting people to the sources of their food by educating them on a healthier way to eat and supporting their neighbors that grow and raise the food. This event will feature delicious farm fresh meals, snacks along the way, and activities at the farm stops. To sign up for […]
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The View from Europe: the Common Agricultural Policy and Small Farms
The European Coordination Via Campesina has released a new briefing outlining some concrete proposals for how the CAP could support small-to-medium sized family farms – and why it should. Originally published June 25, 2015 on www.eurovia.org: How can public policy support small-scale family farms? In the frame of the European project “New CAP, new horizons”, 2014-00116, […]
NCSARE Graduate Student Grant Program
Graduate students enrolled at colleges or universities in the North Central region can submit proposals for up to $10,000 to fund sustainable agriculture projects that will be part of their educational programs. NCR-SARE expects to fund about 15 projects in the twelve-state North Central Region. Download the application here NCR-SARE will be accepting online submissions […]
Comparative Study: Organic Production Enhances Milk Nutritional Quality by Shifting Fatty Acid Composition
An 18 month study by Benbrook et al. 2013 (http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0082429) reports on the first large-scale, nationwide study of omega fatty acids (ω) in U.S. milk produced using organic or conventional methods. The study asserts that ω-6/ω-3 intake ratios have risen to nutritionally undesirable levels of 10 to 15 during past decades and that the optimal […]
Ron Revord: First ASAP Scholar
The Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Scholars Program is seeking applicants for fall 2013. To give you an idea of the kinds of things students might do we thought we’d tell you about the 2012 ASAP Scholar, Ron Revord. Ron is a M.S. student in NRES who has designed his research in plant breeding around the […]
Jobs Alert for Seniors
On March 9st a representative from U.S.PIRG, a collection of state-based advocacy groups, will be on U of I’s campus for an information session on recent job openings, to take place at 7pm in Davenport 113. To quote the organization itself, “U.S.PIRG is a federation of state-based public interest advocacy groups. We will be […]
Wal-Mart Rumored to Push for GMO Labeling; What Does it Mean?
The debate over whether to label GMO-products is continuing to rage on all fronts, from growing statewide movements in Washington, Oregon, Vermont and others, and the defeat of Proposition 37 in California, which would have required GMO labeling. However, reports are rumoring that Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, let alone the U.S., is […]
FLAG post
The Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG) has just recently released their highly-anticipated guide to written organic agriculture contracts, Farmers’ Guide to Organic Contracts, and it’s now available, for free, right at your fingertips (scroll down, its under “Publications and Articles”). According to FLAG, “One major goal of the Farmers’ Guide to Organic Contracts is to encourage an organic marketing system […]
Local agriculture experiences welcome growth at Hendrick House
Alisa DeMarco’s first year at Hendrick House has been marked with huge strides towards more sustainable food options and integration more local foods on campus. Hendrick House has been a privately owned residence hall on the University of Illinois’ Urbana-Champaign campus since 1948, with a strong family tradition behind the management team. The efforts to […]
Job Opening: Food Processing Certification Specialist
Attention anyone who wants/needs a job: the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association announced this week an immediate opening for a full-time position, based in Columbus, OH, as a Food Processing Certification Specialist. The position will be responsible for providing support in reviewing applications submitted by organic processors and producers, providing technical assistance and maintaining compliance […]