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March 12, 2018
 
Throughout the United States, farmers are using innovative approaches to sustainably produce crops and improve soil health. 

However, farmers are also faced with numerous challenges, and they are often not included in decision-making that affects the way they farm.

Cornell University, University of California-Berkeley, and The Nature Conservancy are conducting a nationwide survey for all fruit, vegetable, grain, and field crop producers to identify the biggest challenges that farmers face, as well as the best solutions.

Our goal is to understand what the most important factors are for farm owners and managers when deciding whether or not to use certain practices related to soil, crop, and pest management.

Key findings from the survey will be published and communicated to grower organizations and other farmer advocates so that recommendations, actions, and outcomes reflect what growers identify as being most helpful for their operation.

Click here to fill out the survey
  

All responses will remain  anonymous . If you choose to enter your e-mail address at the end of the short survey, you will receive a  summary report  of the findings and you will be eligible for a chance to win  $500 . The survey closes on March 16th.
Also in Small Farm News....

New!  Labor Ready Farmer Videos

Four new 
  Labor Ready Farmer videos    share the advice of individuals who have climbed the ladder on farms in New York from laborer to management or owner.  Los videos son en español con subtítulos en inglés.    For those interested in following a similar path, the Labor Ready Farmer (LRF) project is developing materials to cultivate a stronger workforce in the fruit and vegetable industry, and build human resource capacity of new farm managers or owners. Roundtable discussions will be taking place mid-March to gather feedback from Latino agricultural employees, which will influence program development. Visit the    Labor Ready Farmer website  to review available resources.  

New! Local and Regional Food System Website

Local and Regional Food Systems at Cornell recently launched a new, dynamic website to better demonstrate, strengthen, and build the network around local & regional food systems in New York State. Learn about the network of people, projects, resources, and locations of their work , connect with others who are working on food system issues;participate in events or online forums;share info on your Cornell or CCE based programs in LRFS; and explore CU/CCE expertise across various areas of local food systems work. Nominate someone, including yourself, for a spotlight interview. Or, upload your own here!  http://localfood.cornell.edu/