Monsanto Gives $10,000 Grant to UMass Agricultural Learning Center

UMass Amherst has received a $10,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic branch of the Monsanto Company. Monsanto is an agricultural biotechnology corporation. The grant will go to UMass' new Agricultural Learning Center. The Agricultural Learning Center will be established on the north side of the Amherst campus, which University officials say will be a living classroom for two hundred students, and open to the public. John Purcell is vice president of technology development at Monsanto, and a UMass Amherst graduate. He says the Agricultural Learning Center is a good fit for the Monsanto Fund. He says the fund's goal is to give back to communities where Monsanto operates. "As we looked at what the intentions were, what the goals were of this program,...

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Sustainability: Water, the fight against wasting “Blue Gold” begins with agriculture

The growing demand for water is closely linked to the continuous increase in food production, and water pollution that renders enormous amounts of water unsuitable even for industrial uses. But the way to reduce our "water footprint" exists, starting from reducing the amount of fresh water taken from the natural cycle. There are 7 billion of us on Earth today. If we continue at this rate of growth, in 2050, there will be 9 billion people on our planet. To provide everyone with drinking water and food, we will also need 70% more water resources than currently used. Water is already scarce today, as we are reminded by the United Nations...

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NAFSN Would Accelerate Agricultural Development – Namoale

The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (NAFSN), an initiative to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through sustained agricultural growth, was yesterday launched in Accra. Initiated by the G-8 nations, African countries and the Private sector, the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition is a response to many African Countries strong commitment to the promotion and protection of food security and nutrition, articulated in multiple settings since 2003 Nii Amasa Namoale, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, on behalf of the Minister, Mr Kwasi Awhoi, launched the project and said the initiative had been designed to accelerate the implementation of programmes started by African countries themselves to urgently address the twin problems of food...

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Namibia: New Policy on Forestry Management Mooted

MATHIAS HAUFIKU, The agriculture ministry has called for the urgent re-opening or establishment of new wood processing factories in the regions with rich forestry resources, to counter the illegal harvesting and cross-border shipping of wood products from the country. "We cannot take a backseat and allow our natural resources to leave the country unprocessed," said a visibly agitated agriculture minister, John Mutorwa, this week. The agriculture ministry ordered a temporary suspension of the issuance of logging permits early this month. A fresh policy on the sustainable management and economic use of forestry products is now being mooted...

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Dover Public Library to host talk on sustainable agriculture Sept. 8

DOVER — Dover Public Library will be hosting a talk on sustainable agriculture titled “Coming Home to Eat” at 10 a.m. on Sept. 8. The program, which will feature Joel Kurtz of Wholesome Valley Farm, will focus on sustainable farming, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and the health and economic benefits of eating locally and organically. Wholesome Valley Farm, located outside of Wilmot, is a 120 acre farm that raises produce and animals naturally, without the use of chemical sprays, antibiotics or growth hormones. The Dover Public Library is located at 525 N. Walnut St., Dover. For more information or to register for this free event, call 330-343-6123 or visitwww.doverlibrary.org.  Original Article Her...

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Thomas P. DiNapoli: Agriculture big business in NY

ALBANY — New York state continues to be a leading agricultural state with 36,300 farms producing $4.7 billion in products annually, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. New York ranks among the largest producers in the nation for some goods, including ranking second in wine production. “While farming in New York is mainly a small, family business, its economic impact is widespread,” DiNapoli said. “Farming supports thousands of New Yorkers in a variety of industries and services, such as food processing, trucking and tourism. Farms also protect open space and improve public health by meeting the rising demand for nutritious, locally grown food. We need to do all we can to make sure New York farmers can successfully continue their way of life.” The...

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A passion for new organic varieties

 In 2004, after attending an organic field day seminar organized by Dr. Martin Entz, Fox decided to try his hand at breeding cultivars for organic production. Seven years later, Fox now has a well established organic-based wheat breeding program and is beginning to identify varieties that are adapted to organic growing conditions. This program forms the basis of the organic cereal crop breeding research activity of the Organic Science Cluster.  Why breed specifically for organic production? The agroecology of organics is different; there is restricted nutrient availability, the microflora of the soil is different and weed pressure...

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Airport job won by JS Agriculture

Jez Abbott Company aims to reduce bird-strike ratio as part of maintenance contract at London City Airport. JS Agriculture has landed a grounds maintenance contract at London City Airport and is looking at a new grass-seed regime to try and prevent birds from damaging plane engines. Managing director John Straka said the three-year contract will see his team look after 20ha of land on a strip that sees up to 600 aircraft taking off and landing every day. Health and safety is a major issue because the land is surrounded by water. "Another big issue is birds," he added. "We will help establish a long-grass policy. This could involve reseeding...

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Tunisia: Agriculture Minister Announces Measures to Improve Water System

Tunis — Agriculture Minister Mohamed Ben Salem announced several measures to improve the water system and speed up the achievement of new projects in this area. The aim, he said, is to ensure drinking water supply next summer and avoid the disturbances recorded this year. It had been decided, at a working session chaired by Interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, to transfer part of water of the North to the Governorate of Sfax through canals with a length of 120 km, at a cost estimated at 1 million dinars (MTD), he indicated, adding that works would last 9 months. At a press briefing held Wednesday in Kasbah, the Minister said the National...

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Texas Department of Agriculture Todd Staples awards $800,000 to schools, community organizations to fight obesity

Grants fund obesity prevention programs to encourage healthy eating, active living AUSTIN – In an ongoing effort to promote healthy lifestyles while battling childhood obesity, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples today announced $809,979 has been awarded to 158 schools and community organizations to expand or enhance obesity prevention and nutrition programs. The grants are administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture’s 3E’s Grant Programs, created to encourage better nutrition and healthier lifestyles among Texas schoolchildren. “Taxpayers are picking up the tab for poor eating choices,” Commissioner Staples said. “If we are going...

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Agriculture, aquaculture debated in land use case

Amanda Kerr, YORK — What is an animal and is aquaculture a form of agriculture? Those were two key questions a judge must determine in a land use case between York County and a Seaford resident who asserts he can have a commercial oyster farm at his home without permission from the county. After more than an hour of testimony and arguments Wednesday in York-Poquoson Circuit Court, Judge Alfred Swersky deferred ruling to review case law as well as state and local laws. Seaford resident Anthony Bavuso filed his appeal in February after both York County Zoning Administrator Mark Carter and the York County Board of Zoning Appeals said Bavuso...

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Drought Challenges All Aspects of Agriculture

Bob Stallman One of the greatest attributes of a general farm organization such as Farm Bureau is that it represents farm and ranch families who raise all different types of food and fiber. At the same time, one of the biggest challenges facing a general farm organization is that it represents farm and ranch families who raise all different types of food and fiber. This summer’s drought brought that fact clearly into focus. For the third time in four years, corn prices have topped $7 a bushel. This year, the price has shot past $8. Livestock farmers and ranchers are painfully seeing their revenues melt due to lack of forage supplies and high...

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FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the Uni : Greener cities crucial to African food security

Greener cities improve food security, employment and the environment. 30 August 2012, Rome - Africa's urban population is growing faster than that of any other region, but many of its cities are not keeping pace with the increasing demand for food that comes with that growth. A new FAO publication says policymakers need to act now to ensure that African cities will be "green" enough to meet their nutrition and income needs in a sustainable way. The publication, Growing greener cities in Africa, is the first status report on African urban and peri-urban horticulture - the home, school, community and market gardens that...

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Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic o : Food prices unlikely to be affected by global hikes

BEIJING Aug 29 (Chinadaily) -- Having an ample stockpile of food and having had a bumper summer harvest, China is unlikely to be affected by the current surge in food prices seen in the international market, said Nie Zhenbang, former head of China's State Administration of Grain. "China has sufficient grain reserves that have been put away by governments at all levels," Nie said. "In the meantime, the country also saw a bumper summer harvest. These things will enable China to keep its food prices stable." He made those remarks during a recent interview with China's Outlook magazine. His words came partly in answer to warnings about the...

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North West

Elfas Torerai The province has established a team of experts from different sectors to spearhead the resuscitation of agriculture in the province. The development is in response to calls by the African Union Commission (AUC) that all countries on the continent should reposition agriculture as a top priority as a way of fighting hunger and poverty. AUC and the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) came up with an initiative, the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) that would coordinate all efforts to reposition agriculture as the mainstay of African economies. Speaking at the establishment...

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Agriculture students should study business: survey

EMC news - High school students considering a career in agriculture in the next five years should focus on acquiring marketing, management and other business skills according to a new cross-Canada survey conducted by Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Agriculture in the Classroom Canada. About 2,000 FCC members - producers and agribusiness owners across Canada - were asked in April 2012 to list the skills they believe young people need to be successful in agriculture. In addition to marketing, management and business skills, respondents also identified knowledge, understanding of agriculture, and technology as priorities for young people who want to work in the industry. Producers are currently enjoying high prices, which may represent a short-term spike. The long-term economic outlook, however,...

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Wal-Mart joins agriculture sustainability group

 Michael Hirtzer Aug 28 (Reuters) - The world's largest retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc has joined an alliance of other Fortune 500 companies, including Cargill and Kellogg Co, seeking to make agriculture more sustainable. The Field to Market alliance was started three years ago by the non-profit Keystone Center to improve agricultural productivity and reduce the use of natural resources. It includes farm groups, grain handlers and food makers but Wal-Mart is the first retailer in the group and now its largest member. "We have pretty ambitious goals to sell products that are sustainable and this is directly within that framework," Rob Kaplan, Wal-Mart's...

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Creemore business wins agriculture award

Michael Gennings CREEMORE - The Creemore 100 Mile Store was presented a Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence in Guelph on Monday.  Fareed Amin, deputy minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, presented a regional level award to store founders Jackie Durnford and Sandra Lackie. “I congratulate these local winners on their achievements,” Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said in a news release. “Their hard work and innovative ideas help make our agri-food sector and rural communities stronger.” The store was recognized for the financing model that allowed it to get off the ground. “A new model of micro-financing has produced...

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City wants input on urban agriculture

Residents’ growing interest in urban agriculture has spurred the city of Fort Collins to seek input regarding whether land use rules should be modernized to include it. Under current municipal land use rules, designating urban agriculture as the main use of a property requires additional processing and review throughout most of the city. The existing code is devoid of definitions for agricultural activities within the city, such as community-supported agriculture, community gardening and urban farming. “Our goal is to make changes which reflect the desires of the whole community regarding urban agriculture,” said Lindsay Ex, the city’s environmental...

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Study shows hope of greater global food output, less environmental impact of agriculture

Can we have enough to eat and a healthy environment, too? Yes -- if we're smart about it, suggests a study published in Nature this week by a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota and McGill University in Montreal. Global demand for food is expected to double by 2050 due to population growth and increased standards of living. To meet this demand, it is often assumed we will need to expand the environmental burden of agriculture. The paper, based on analysis of agricultural data gathered from around the world, offers hope that with more strategic use of fertilizer and water, we could not only dramatically boost global...

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New policy on forestry management mooted

OMAUNI – The agriculture ministry has called for the urgent re-opening or establishment of new wood processing factories in the regions with rich forestry resources, to counter the illegal harvesting and cross-border shipping of wood products from the country. “We cannot take a backseat and allow our natural resources to leave the country unprocessed,” said a visibly agitated agriculture minister, John Mutorwa, this week.   The agriculture ministry ordered a temporary suspension of the issuance of logging permits early this month. A fresh policy on the sustainable management and economic use of forestry products is now being mooted...

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Russia wheat news boosts grains

U.S. wheat futures rose 3.5% Wednesday ahead of a meeting of Russia's agricultural ministry later this week, amid fears the big wheat-exporting country may curb grain exports. Traders speculated that a cut in Russian exports could boost demand for U.S. wheat. The Russian ministry will meet Friday, after trimming its forecast last week for the country's 2012 grain harvest, which includes wheat and other crops, to 75 million metric tons, amid a drought in that country. Russia previously projected 75 million to 80 million tons. Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures for December delivery settled 30 1/4 cents, or 3.5%, higher at $9.05 3/4 a bushel....

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