Dr. Temple Grandin Presents to Farmers in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

Sunday January, 24 2016
2:30-3:3pm EST
Quattro Hotel
229 Great Northern Road
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
P6B 4Z2 CA

The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) together with the Algoma Cattlemen’s Association and the Algoma Autism Foundation are pleased to announce an a presentation to Algoma farmers featuring Dr. Temple Grandin on January 24, 2015.

Temple will discuss how good animal handling practices improve productivity and animal welfare. Topics will cover cattle behavior principles during handling and the importance of measuring animal handling.

Dr. Temple Grandin is an American professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University and a leading expert in the field of cattle handling, pen design, and autism education. Dr. Grandin has spoken around the world, sharing insights into the world of animal behavior, evaluation and consultation of correct animal handling, and is an advocate for the proper respect of animals for cattle management. Dr. Grandin’s designs for her innovative stockyards, lairages, corrals, races, chutes, and loading ramps are currently in use in over half of the beef plants in the United States. She has also developed an objective scoring system for assessing the handling of pigs and cattle at meat plants.

Click here for more details and to register.

Programs

educational events and opportunities

Save the Date: March 12 UP Food Exchange Farm Food Safety Training

The UP Food Exchange's annual farm food safety training is happening again in Marquette on March 12, 2016. Stay tuned for more details

2016 Market Manager Certificate Program

About the Market Manager Certificate Program:
The MIFMA Market Manager Certificate Program (MMCP) is a voluntary program designed to encourage farmers market managers to pursue leadership skills and professional development in topics essential to market management. Interested individuals can register and reserve their spot for the full program at www.mifma.org/mmcp. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with other managers around the state while focusing on topics such as business planning, managing market growth, market governance, policy and enforcement, internal and external communication strategies, financial management and fundraising. Individuals who complete the full program receive a certificate acknowledging that they are a professionally trained farmers market manager.
Register Now

What's Included in the Program:
The full program will include three in-person sessions and seven webinars, totaling more than 35 hours of instruction. The program will begin with in-person sessions hosted in Michigan and Illinois.
Locations:
Michigan: Jackson, MI and Chatham, MI
Illinois: St. Charles, IL - Mt. Vernon, IL - Springfield, IL

Date & Time:
The in-person sessions will be held on Saturday, January 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, Saturday, February 6 from 9:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST and Saturday, February 20 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST. The webinars will start on Monday, January 25 and be held Mondays and Wednesdays through Monday, February 15 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. EST
Register Now
Registration:
Registration for the full program is $300 for Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) , Illinois Farmers Market Association (IFMA), Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) members or $600 for non-members. Individuals looking to participate in the program can register online at www.mifma.org/mmcp by December 31, 2015.

FSA Farm Program Update For U.P. Farmers

January 14 and 16, 2016
Escanaba and Chatham
More Details Below

The USDA Farm Service Agency, Natural Resource Conservation Program and MSU Extension are working together to offer meetings for farmers to learn more about the new Farm Bill programs that relate to their farms. These meetings will focus on the new CRP-Grasslands program which took the place of the old grasslands program. Payments per acre for this program have increased. However, there is a limited acreage that can be signed up nation-wide. FSA staff will describe the program changes and take questions. NRCS staff will describe the process of putting together a grazing plan under the program. Other topics will be touched on, including NAP (noninsured crop disaster assistance program – catastrophe coverage insurance when private insurance is not available), LIP (livestock indemnity program – livestock disaster payments due to weather), and a little bit about agricultural risk coverage (ARC) and price loss coverage (PLC).

The following meetings will be hosted and facilitated by MSUExtension:

Wednesday, December 16, 2015 7-9pm eastern time Delta County MSU Extension office, 2840 College Avenue, Escanaba, MI 49829 Mitch Towne, FSA Tom Tauser, NRCS

Thursday, January 14, 2016 1-3pm eastern time MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center, E3774 University Drive, Chatham, MI 49816 Mitch Towne, FSA Misa Cady, NRCS

Please let us know you are attending by calling the Alger County MSU Extension office at 906-387-2530 or email at isleibj@anr.msu.edu. Additional meetings are being planned for the eastern and western UP. Contact Jim Isleib, MSUExtension at 906-387-2530 or isleibj@anr.msu.edu.

USDA Whole-Farm Revenue Protection

The USDA's Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy and is available in all counties nationwide. This insurance plan is tailored for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets.

Jobs

work with good food

Program Instructor – Local Food Systems & FRTEP

An Extension Program Instructor position with the Greening Michigan Institute has been posted. This position will be located in the Upper Peninsula, with area of responsibility including special focus on program delivery in multiple Federally Recognized Tribal communities in the Upper Peninsula and Northern counties of Lower Michigan. The posting may be found at www.jobs.msu.edu, posting # 2481.

Deadline for applications is January 12, 2016

News & Events

recent and coming happenings

Read the latest updates from the MSU UP Research and Extension Center in Chatham and their work across the UP in their December newsletter.

2016 Michigan Family Farms Conference ~ Adventures in Agriculture

Registration is now open for the 13th annual Michigan Family Farms Conference on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at Marshall High School, 701 N. Marshall Ave., Marshall MI 49068. This annual gathering is a forum for beginning, small-scale and culturally diverse farmers to network, learn, and build sustainable farming enterprises. Register now at www.miffs.org/events/mffc.

This year’s conference theme, “Adventures in Agriculture: Embracing the Many Cultures of Innovative Farming”, offers a diverse session line-up to serve farmers from all facets of Michigan agriculture.

Renée Canady, Chief Executive Officer of Michigan Public Health Institute, will offer this year’s keynote address. She is a dynamic, nationally recognized leader. Utilizing a health equity lens, Canady will explore critical public health connections between diverse farmers and farming as vital partners in the health of our region and nation.
Registration

Adult: $45 in advance and $50 at the door
Student: $35 in advance and $40 at the door
Family/group of four: $125 in advance and $130
A limited number of reduced-price tickets are also available.

MIFFS members get a $5 discount ~ and that includes those who choose to join MIFFS at the conference!

Planning partners for this year’s event include Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS), Farm Research Cooperative, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS), USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), Michigan State University Extension & College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Calhoun County Conservation District.

Additional support is coming from our many sponsors and the USDA Office of Outreach and Advocacy.
Learn more about the conference or register now at www.miffs.org/events/mffc, or
Contact Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) at 517-432-0712.

Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference is just around the corner and space is limited. The 17th annual two-day event held at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme brings together farmers, educators, eaters, growers, learners and lovers -- Join us!

Highlights:

Farm School: One-day intensive on Friday, January 29 offering courses in three tracks: agroforestry, honey, and mushrooms.
Farms, Food & Health: One-day conference on Friday, January 29 put on by Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities focusing on the connection between local food & farms and personal health.
Over 25 educational courses, discussion groups, panels, and breakout sessions to choose from, including: environmental sustainability, flower farming, the business of farming, food safety, and more.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Daphne Miller, practicing physician and author of The Jungle Effect and Farmacology, discussing the connection between our external ecosystem and our internal one.
Trade show featuring over 100 exhibitors in the food and farming industries.
Delicious, locally-sourced lunch provided both days.

Get more information and register at www.smallfarmconference.com

Central Food Hub Upcoming Meetings

UPFE Policy Commitee Meeting

(First Tuesday of every month)

Tuesday January 5, 9am at the Marquette Food Co-op
Contact Natasha Lantz at nlantz@marquettefood.coop or 906-225-0671 x 711 for more information

CUP Farm to School Committee Meeting

Wednesday January 6 at the Marquette Food Co-op
Contact Sarah Monte for more information at smonte@marquettefood.coop or 906 225-0671 x 723

Western Food Hub Upcoming Meetings

WUP Food Hub Steering Committee

Meetings are held at the Health Department in Hancock, 540 Depot Street, behind McGanns Hardware in the blue building. Contact Ray Sharp at (906) 482-7382, Ext. 163 for more information.

Eastern Food Hub Upcoming Meetings

EUP Healthy Access and Food Hub Steering Committee

(Third Wednesday of the month)
January 20, 9-10:30AM CLM Conservation District Office

Please contact Michelle Walk at walkmich@msue.edu or 906-635-6368 or Heather Hemming at hhemming@saulttribe.net if you would like to become involved in this committee.