Ellermeier, farmer, Glenvil, NE; Robert Gray, Resource Management Consultants; Ralph Grossi, President, American Farmland Trust; Dr. R. Jim Hildreth, Elmhurst, IL; Ms. Dana Jackson, Land Stewardship Project; Dr. Dennis R. Keeney, Director, Leopold Center, Iowa State University; Hon. Patrick J. Leahy, U.S. Senate; Dan Martin, Director, World Environment and Resources Program, MacArthur Foundation; Dr. Ned S. Raun, Stillwater, OK; Ronald L. Rosmann, farmer, Harlan, IA; R. Neil Sampson, Executive Vice President, American Forestry Association; Edward Sills, Pleasant Grove Farms, CA; Dr. David G. Topel, Dean, College of Agriculture and Director of Experiment Station, Iowa State University; and Dr. Stephen Viederman, President, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation. INCORPORATING BEEF CATTLE CAN REDUCE INPUT COSTS Input costs can be dramatically reduced without greatly reducing output by incorporating beef cattle into cropping systems, according to researchers at the University of Nebraska. With funding from the SARE program, they are working to develop economical, forage-based, low-input-cost beef growing finishing systems to enhance the environment. Because forages and manure can reduce input costs and reduce soil erosion in cropping systems, and because cattle utilize forages, researchers propose that input costs can be reduced by maximizing use of forages and grazing, while minimizing harvesting of forages, and use of purchased supplemental feed and grains. In this project, year-round beef production systems are being compared, using cattle from weaning to market via fall stalk grazing, winter feeding, summer grazing, and feedlot finishing; biological and economic analyses are also being done. The effects of cattle grazing corn stalks on a ridge tillage system and conservation requirements, and a ridge tillage system on cattle grazing stalks, will be studied in a 100-acre corn field, which will be divided into three conventional and three ridge till areas. Each area will be grazed with calves being used in the systems research. For more information, contact Dr. Terry Klopfenstein, Project Coordinator, Professor, Ruminant Nutrition, Animals Science Department, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503- 0908; (402) 472-6443. POSITION Prairie Crossing, a conservation community, seeks an organic farm manager for its community-supported garden and farm; experience managing an organic or biodynamic farm required; contact Farm Manager Position, 18202 W. Casey Rd., Grayslake, IL 60030; (708) 549-8996; FAX, (708) 549-0742. EPA TO REVIEW HEALTH RISKS OF THREE PESTICIDES, REGULATE PLANT- PESTICIDES The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun a special review of three pesticides: atrazine, cyanazine, and simazine, "triazines" which are used to control broad leaf weeds and some grasses, primarily as pre-emergent pesticides. It is also proposing a number of actions to regulate certain pesticidal substances, designated "plant-pesticides," genetically introduced into plants for the purpose of protecting the plants against pests and diseases. In announcing the review of the three triazines, EPA said it is "concerned that long-term exposure to these pesticides in food and in drinking water may pose a risk of cancer to the general U.S. population." Field corn accounts for about 80 percent of the use of the three pesticides, with sorghum accounting for another 9 percent. The review could result in use restrictions or even cancellation of the pesticides if health data warrant such action. By proposing regulations to address plant-pesticides, EPA is addressing the ability to deliberately introduce into plants characteristics that give plants the ability to produce pesticide substances from many sources, including bacteria, insects, viruses, animals, or other plants. The regulations will focus on those plant-pesticides posing new exposures and having the greatest need to be evaluated for potential adverse effects. NUMBER OF U.S. FARMS IS LOWEST SINCE CIVIL WAR, CENSUS BUREAU FINDS The number of American farms has fallen to less than two million for the first time since before the Civil War, the Census Bureau said last month. The number of farms, 1,925,300, is the lowest since 1850. Although the number of farms and the amount of farm acreage dropped between 1987 and 1992, the value of crop --- * Origin: [via Psychotronic BBS = Durham, NC = 919-286-4542]sustag- (1:3641/1) @PATH: 3641/1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (198) Tue 6 Dec 94 18:03 By: Gabriel Hegyes To: All Re: 02:NEWS: AANEWS, December, 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- @MSGID: 1:3641/223 0006b2d7 @PID GIGO+ sn 175 at psybbs vsn 0.99 pl1 @SPLIT: 12 Dec 94 13:35:16 @3641/223 8998 02/02 ++++++++++ From: ghegyes@nalusda.gov (Gabriel Hegyes) @Subject: NEWS: AANEWS, December, 1994 Date: 6 Dec 1994 23:03:40 -0000 @Sender: daemon@bigblue.oit.unc.edu @Message-Id: @Mime-Version: 1.0 @Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII sales increased by 28 percent. Total farm acreage decreased to 282 million acres in 1992 from 296 million acres in 1987. "Experts in the agricultural economy say the abiding long-term trend has led to increased consolidation of agricultural holdings into fewer and fewer hands," according to The New York Times. ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN AUSTRALIA FEATURED IN IFOAM MAGAZINE Organic agriculture in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea is featured in Ecology and Farming, the international magazine of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Stories examine organic agriculture's producers, profitability, research, promoting organizations in Australia and New Zealand, and organic coffee production in Papua New Guinea. For more information, contact Ecology and Farming, Sue Stolton, Equilibrium Consultants, 23 Bath Buildings, Montpelier, Bristol BS65PT, UK. RESOURCES The Agricultural Technology and Family Farm Institute, a unit of the University of Wisconsin, has public education materials, research reports, and a publications listing to help new farmers enter and retiring farmers to exit from farming; it has also formed the Wisconsin Farm Entry-Exit Coalition; for information, contact Brad Barham, (608) 265-2908, or Steve Stevenson, (608) 262-5202, ATFFI, 1450 Linden Drive, #146, UW- Madison, Madison, WI 53706. "From the Ground Up," a 30-minute educational video and teachers' guide, is $85 from Green & Growing, 507-63 Albert Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3B 1G4; (204) 957-1092. "Blowin' in the Wind: How Much Soil Did the CRP Save?," an analysis of the Conservation Reserve Program, is $8 from Environmental Working Group, 1718 Connecticut Ave., NW, #600, Washington, D.C. 20009; (202) 667-6982. "Biotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture: A Bibliography," SRB 94-13, is available from Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD 20705-2351. 1994 National Organic Directory is $34.95 plus $5 shipping (plus $2.60 sales tax for California residents) from Community Alliance with Family Farmers, P.O. Box 464, Davis, CA 95617; (916) 756-8518 or (800) 852-3832. UPCOMING EVENTS January 10-12, 1995, the 1995 California Chapter, American Society of Agronomy, Annual Meeting will be held in Visalia, CA; contact Shannon Mueller, Fresno County Farm Advisor; (209) 488- 3285. January 13-15, 1995, the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group will host its 4th Annual Conference and Trade Show in Gulf Shores, AL; contact Keith Richards, PO Box 324, Elkins, AR 72727, (501) 292-3714. January 14, 1995, "Gifts of Good Soil," the 6th Annual Southern Plains Conference, will be held in Amarillo, TX; contact Darryl Birkenfeld, Southern Plains Conference, PO Box 5644, Amarillo, TX 79117; (806) 364-1551. January 16-18, 1995, "Achieving Global Human Security," the 1995 International Development Conference, will be held in Washington, D.C.; contact Kathy Morrell & Associates, Inc., PO Box 11276, Alexandria, VA 22312; (703) 642-3628. January 23-25, 1995, the 1995 Conference on Sustainable Agriculture, sponsored by The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, will be held in Washington, D.C.; contact Jon Hiler, Membership & Community Services, ASAE, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659; (616) 428-6327; e-mail hiler@asae.org or hilerj@aol.com January 24-25, 1995, the 16th Annual Eastern Iowa Conservation Tillage Show, sponsored by the USDA Soil Conservation Service, will be held in Cedar Rapids, IA; contact C.W. Lawrence, Jones County Soil Conservationist, 405 East Main St., Anamosa, IA 52205; (319) 462-3196. January 25-28, 1995, "Seeds of Sustainability -- Planting Our Future," the 15th Annual Ecological Farming Conference, will be held at the Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, CA; contact Committee for Sustainable Agriculture, PO Box 838, San Martin, CA 95046; (408) 778-7366. January 25-29, 1995, "Maintaining Clear Vision on Agriculture's Information Highway," the annual meeting of the National Alliance of I ndependent Crop Consultants, will be held in San Diego, CA; contact NAICC, 5050 Poplar Ave., #2218, Memphis, TN 38157; (901) 683-9466. January 27-29, 1995, the 14th winter conference of the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society will be held in Aberdeen, S.D.; contact the Society, HC 5 Box 104, Langdon, ND 58249; (710) 256-2424. January 27-28, 1995, "Organic Agriculture: Growing the Network," the 14th annual Organic Agriculture Conference, will be held at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; contact Hugh Martin, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, (519) 631-4700, or Tomas Nimmo, Canadian Organic Growers, (705) 444-0923. --- * Origin: [via Psychotronic BBS = Durham, NC = 919-286-4542]sustag- (1:3641/1) @PATH: 3641/1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (199) Tue 6 Dec 94 23:04 By: Beth Holtzman To: All Re: Northeast SARE Seeks Proposals ---------------------------------------------------------------------- @MSGID: 1:3641/223 0006b2d9 @PID GIGO+ sn 175 at psybbs vsn 0.99 pl1 From: bholtzma@moose.uvm.edu (Beth Holtzman) @Subject: Northeast SARE Seeks Proposals Date: 6 Dec 1994 23:04:08 -0000 @Sender: daemon@bigblue.oit.unc.edu @Message-Id: <9412061954.AA49410@moose.uvm.edu> @Mime-Version: 1.0 @Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Dear Sanet-mg readers, Attached is a news release concerning the Northeast Region's Competitive Grants programs. Please feel free to post, reproduce, and pass (in print or electronically) to colleagues and friends. Thanks much! Beth Holtzman Communications Specialist Northeast Region SARE Program N E W S R E L E A S E December 7, 1994 For Release: Immediately Contact: Beth Holtzman, 802-656-0554 Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Program Issues Calls for Proposals The Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program seeks proposals for research, education and training projects that support production and marketing practices that are environmentally sound, economically viable and enhance quality of life for farmers and rural communities. More than $1.5 million will be awarded in 1995 through the three competitive grants initiatives administered through the Northeast