Oregon’s Small Farmers Want Subsidies

Four years ago, Florence Jessup spent a small fortune to start her Hillsboro farm, Artisan Organics: more than $70,000 from an inheritance and her retirement accounts. 

Since then, Jessup, farming on rented land, has joined the Portland area’s burgeoning local food movement—selling at three farmers markets and through community-supported agriculture, the subscription-based buying system where consumers purchase shares of local crops. 

If she hadn’t had the cash, Jessup says, she could never have got her 6-acre operation up and running.

“What does this mean for the future of food in the United States when the only people who can afford to grow it [on small farms] are already retired or trustafarians?” Jessup asks. “That’s a very limited population.” 

In the Portland area, the popularity of farmers markets and local agriculture continues to grow, fueled by small-scale farms that emphasize sustainability.

But taxpayers may soon be asked to step up and help out this local food base. 

Federal support for agriculture nationwide is nothing new, with multibillion-dollar annual subsidies for large growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and cotton. The largest farms get the lion’s share of government payments.

The area’s small farming operations now say they want in as well. 

Small farms are vital to the sustainable local food system that urban Oregonians celebrate every week by crowding into highly priced farmers markets. 

The Oregon Farmers’ Markets Association estimates the number of farmers markets in the state has grown from 12 to 158 since 1987. For the first time, the Portland and Hollywood farmers markets will have winter markets. (The former is open Saturdays through February, the latter on the first and third Sundays of each month through April.) 

But advocates say this trend is not financially sustainable without state help.

John Eveland says his family maxed out its credit cards and needed cash it received from an insurance settlement following an auto accident to keep Gathering Together Farm in Philomath 23 years ago. It took more than two decades—and hitting $750,000 in annual sales—before the family could qualify for credit from banks. 

“There have to be better ways to help farmers access the capital they need,” says Jared Gardner of Oregon Banks Local. 

The push for assistance to small-scale farming comes as state lawmakers draft legislation for next month’s session to create the Oregon Growth Board, an entity with the power to invest in businesses and projects without having to wait for the Legislature. 

The plan is aimed at helping businesses in general, but advocates of small, family farmers want it to contain strong language supportive of that group.

Steve Hughes, state director of the Oregon Working Families Party, says his organization is eager to avoid legislation aimed at luring that “one big company” promising jobs with millions in tax giveaways.

There doesn’t seem to be much enthusiasm at the state’s Department of Agriculture. Brent Searle, special assistant to the department’s director, says federal programs are already available.

The state has 38,500 farms—of those, about 7 percent produce 85 percent of Oregon’s agricultural output. The majority of the remaining farms are often those that sell produce at farmers markets, and most of them—often organic operations—have sales of less than $10,000 a year. 

Other states do far more to help small-scale farming.

Two years ago, Massachusetts responded to the growing popularity of farmers markets and community-supported agriculture by providing up to $10,000 in matching grants for new farmers even if they don’t own the land. 

Massachusetts also provides grants up to $100,000 for farmers who keep their land in production. Program director Craig Richov says the state assists 20 to 24 farms annually, and only a handful have failed since the program started 15 years ago.

“If you had banks working with businesses and providing loans, and 99.5 percent were successful, you would be a pretty good banker,” Richov says. 

Chances of gaining any new subsidies this year for Oregon small-scale farming are slim, says Rep. Brian Clem (D-Salem), who co-chairs the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

But Clem says that could change if small-scale farming advocates can mobilize. Last year, he sponsored House Bill 2336, which exempts small-scale farmers from food-inspection laws when selling their fruits, vegetables and other produce. So many constituents wrote in support, he says, that many lawmakers told him, “I’m not voting against that.” The bill passed. 

The bottom line, advocates say, is that the state should subsidize small farms as the feds subsidize large ones.

“We have a long history of supporting agriculture because it’s our food,” Hughes says. If we simply leave agriculture to the whims of the free market, we’d probably be “eating rations of genetically modified corn chips from Monsanto” every day.

Read More

Conservation Grade Oats

Committing 10 per cent of your land to environmental stewardship may appear a field margin too far. But a Suffolk farmer growing winter oats under the Conservation Grade protocol reckons wildlife and crop production have both benefited his farm.

Suffolk farmer Stephen Honeywood is in no doubt there has to be a balance between intensive crop production and wildlife-friendly habitats on UK farms.

He also believes while his farm lends itself to creating a patchwork of habitat that has seen bird and butterfly numbers soar, there are other farms where wildlife conservation is not so straightforward to achieve.

“Our farm layout and field boundaries have changed very little since the first detailed Ordnance Survey mapping took place in 1841, but if I were farming a 100 hectare block of land with large fields and was asked to take 10 per cent of land out of production, it would prove to be a greater challenge,” he says.

Read More

After Storm Destroys in Vermont Dairy Farms

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Flooding from Tropical Storm Irene swept away some bales of hay Doug Turner grew to feed his dairy cows and ripped open others, contaminating them with muddy water. When the water receded, he had to mow down a third of his corn, which had turned brown and moldy.

In most years, Turner grows all the hay and corn his 45 cows need, but like a number of Vermont farmers, he's struggling to find feed this winter after the August storm damaged a third of his crops. The timing of the destruction couldn't be worse. Feed prices have risen nationwide amid a hay shortage caused by drought in the Southwest.

Turner, 56, got 63 bales of hay from Maine for $40 each, including delivery. But he needs 75 to 100 bales more, and he expects it to cost more. If he can get the hay, he'll likely pay about $6,000 for feed this year — an expense he doesn't usually have.

"I've located some more (bales), but I also have to locate more money," Turner said.

Vermont has a long dairy farming history, although it has been losing small family farms in recent years because of low milk prices and high feed and fuel costs.

While the Aug. 28 storm flooded only 6,000 of the state's 92,000 acres of feed corn, the water was concentrated in certain areas, hitting farmers there hard. In some cases, the water flattened their plants. In others, silt left by the flood contaminated corn and the dampness fostered mold.

Many farmers are now scrambling to find feed, buying from friends who were luckier or looking to neighbor states. In a different year, they might get feed from New York or Pennsylvania, but those states also were hit by Irene and then by Tropical Storm Lee. There's grain in the Midwest, by the farther it's shipped, the more it costs.

Vermont Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross said the feed shortage is adding to hardship already suffered in the storm that killed six and damaged more than 500 miles of roads, damaged or destroyed dozens of bridges and inundated several communities. Ross estimated in September that crop losses and damage to farms exceed $10 million. A final tally is still being determined.

"It's going to put them under strain," Ross said, referring to the farmers who need to find replacement feed. "I mean they're already under strain."

Most farmers will need feed until May or June, when cows can graze again. If they keep their cows in barns year-round, they'll need feed until next fall.

Even if farmers get all the feed they need, they aren't in the clear. The state has encouraged all of its 1,000 or so dairy farmers to test stored corn for micotoxins, which thrive in damp conditions. Micotoxins are molds that can make cows sick and one found in warmer climates is considered a carcinogen.

The University of Vermont Extension recently opened a testing lab to provide quick and free screening of feed.

"It's just that mold issue it's out there for many farms. Even if they didn't get inundated with Tropical Storm Irene it was wet," Deputy Agriculture Secretary Diane Bothfeld said.

Vermont farmers say they have been receiving help. Those who have hay and corn are sharing with those who don't. Offers of feed have come in from Canada, Maine and New Hampshire.

David Ainsworth, 57, of South Royalton, typically grows all the corn and hay for his 50 cows, but this year, he lost most of his corn. He bought eight acres worth of corn at a cost of $50 to $55 per ton, but then he got hay free from a neighbor.

"I'm hoping we're all set," he said. "We'll see, having never been through it before and hope to never have to again in my life."

The Perley Farm in Royalton lost about 30 of its 35 cows in the storm, along with 200 hay bales that were washed down the river. It has spent $12,000 replacing the hay, getting a reasonable price from nearby farmers who didn't need it. In turn, the farm shared some of its corn, planted on a hill, with a nearby farmer who lost his corn and was willing to cut Perley's.

Penny Severance, 48, who manages the dairy farm with her husband and son, worries about planting next year because fields are still covered in silt.

"We've got muck that we're having hard time trying to strip off, we're having a hard time moving it," she said, adding that next year, "I think that's when you're going to find there's big concerns for a shortage of feed."

Read More

Organic Philosophy

In the 1990 Farm Bill, the Organic Foods Production Act invested the U.S. Department of Agriculture with the power to set up a National Organic Program that determines the standards that organic food producers must meet and enforces compliance with those regulations. Organic agriculture standards apply to plant- as well as animal-based farming. 

Organic Philosophy 

In 1995, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board defined organic agriculture as practices aimed at promoting the health of the whole ecosystem rather than a single crop or livestock animal within that system. Organic practices, according to the NOSB, should increase biodiversity, respect biological processes, improve soil quality and make minimal use of off-farm inputs, all with the ultimate goal of improving ecological health. These ideas guide organic agriculture regulations.

Fertilizers and Pesticides 

With few exceptions, the National Organic Program forbids the use of synthetic products in fertilizers and pesticides. Instead, organic regulations require farmers to use soil fertility management practices that enhance soil health without harmful contaminants. Organic standards permit the use of plant- and animal-based fertilizers, including manures, ash and cover crops, as well as some minerals. The program encourages crop rotation. Sewage sludge and biosolids are not permitted. For pest control, regulations encourage prevention of problems through crop rotation and plant and soil health. To control pests, organic farmers may use beneficial insects and biological controls; non-synthetic lures, traps and repellents; mechanical removal; burning; and non-synthetic biological, botanical and mineral products.

Organic Seeds 

Organic farmers must use organic seeds or plants unless no organic alternative exists, in which case they may use conventionally grown seeds and plants. Perennial crops labeled as organic, such as fruit trees or asparagus, must have been maintained using organic methods for at least one year.

Livestock Feed and Care 

The feed given to organically raised livestock must also meet certification standards. Organic livestock feed cannot contain growth hormones, antibiotics, manure, slaughter byproducts or plastics. Feed supplements and additives are permitted only if needed to maintain the animal's health at that point in its life cycle. Cattle must be grazed throughout the entire grazing season, totaling at least 120 days. Livestock must also have outdoor access, space to move around and the ability to carry out natural behaviors. Brief confinement is permitted for inclement weather, care and breeding, illness, milking or shearing, shows and sales. The farm must manage all animals' manure in such a way that it poses no risk to the ecosystem.

Read More

Go Green With Food

Moving food from its place of origin to the table is complicated. Feeding the world's burgeoning population is polluting our air, water and soil. Producers destroy entire ecosystems to make room for farmland; fossil fuels become as much a part of food production as sunlight. If you can't grow your own food, there are greener options out there. You must understand what to look for to become part of the solution, however, rather than the problem. How to Go Green with Food, lets see:

Step 1:

Visit a Community Supported Agriculture program in your area. Use the Local Harvest website to find out about membership fees, which vary by program. You pay to "join" a local farm. As each harvest ripens, your membership entitles you to a share of the produce, usually weekly. Many CSAs only handle produce, but some include eggs, poultry and meat. Joining a CSA means that you are supporting local agriculture and eating local food, saving the carbon emissions of long-distance food transportation.

Step 2:

Look around your community for local produce markets, butcher shops, dairies, fish shops and restaurants. Ask where the food comes from -- just because a place is small doesn't mean they source locally. Many do, though, and you'll be supporting local farmers and saving carbon emissions.

Step 3:

Look for the "USDA Organic" seal when you shop. This seal ensures that the food was produced with respect to the environment and for the animals involved by using renewable resources, practicing soil and water conservation, and keeping livestock in a manner more humane than factory farms. In fact, the Access to Pasture rule of 2010 made it mandatory for organic meat and poultry producers to allow livestock outdoor access, and ruminants like cows access to viable pastureland during grazing season. Additionally, antibiotics or hormones don't contaminate organic animal products.

Step 4:

Visit the Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to find out which fruits and vegetables to be sure to buy organic, based on pesticide residues. It's preferable to buy all organic all the time, but that's not practical for many people because of financial or availability reasons. The guide will show you how to make those choices.

Step 5:

Check food packages for an independent third-party humane certification. Many animal welfare organizations have created their own standards for the humane treatment of livestock, and producers who meet those guidelines use their organization seals on their packaging. Common certifications include the Humane Farm Animal Care "Certified Humane" seal, the Animal Welfare Approved "AWA" seal and the American Humane Association "American Humane Certified" seal. The standards vary per organization, with the AWA being the strictest in requiring all certified producers to raise their livestock on a pasture, and only awarding certification to family farms.

Step 6:

Visit the Blue Ocean Institute's website to find out which fish and shellfish you can eat without contributing to overfishing or to the pollution or endangerment of the fresh or coastal waters and ecosystems. Choose these when eating out; buy organically farmed, or sustainably caught, fish at the grocery store.

Step 7:

Consider becoming a vegetarian. You don't have to become vegan, but the fewer animal products you eat, the better. In a study published in 2009, Harold Marlow et al. found that a meat-based diet had a greater impact on water and energy use than a plant-based diet, and it used more fertilizers and pesticides. The land it takes to feed a single cow could grow enough food to feed many more people than the meat produced from that cow. 

Read More