Hello MIFFS Supporters!
First, a big Thank You to all that made the 17th Annual Michigan Family Farms Conference such an amazing success! We had such a great time meeting new faces and reuniting with familiar ones. Planning for next year is already in the works and we look forward to 2021 workshops, keynote, and delicious local food!
We want to hear your voice.
If you have a comment or feedback that you did not have a chance to communicate to us in person or through a survey, please reply to this newsletter or send them directly to [email protected]
After a little break, MIFFS will be hosting another event: “Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm” workshop on March 6, 2020. This all-day workshop is led by a farm law expert as well as farmer co-presenters Jerry Hebron and Rebecca Titus, guaranteeing you’ll pick up the practical wisdom and the knowledge you need to navigate legal issues with confidence. We are excited to be holding this event on the campus of MPHI in Okemos. Cost of the workshop is $25 and includes lunch. Registration for the event is available
here
. Don’t lay awake at night wondering if a legal mistake is going to take your farm away. Developing a strong, legally resilient farm business is easier than you think!
Help ensure a more sustainable food and farm future! Between now and February 18, 2020, NSAC is coordinating a national comment campaign to make sure that farmers (and the broader public) have an opportunity to weigh in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Interim Final Rule. EQIP matters because it supports hundreds of thousands of farmers in implementing conservation projects on millions of acres. EQIP is also a secret weapon in the fight against climate change: many EQIP-funded conservation practices help build soil organic matter and sequester carbon! Learn more by visiting the
FAQ
http://bit.ly/ClimateLetterFAQ
Read and sign the Farmer Letter on Climate Change Solutions in Agriculture at
http://bit.ly/englishcc
l
or
Carta del Agricultor Sobre Soluciones para el Cambio Climático en la Agricultura:
http://bit.ly/espanolccl
MIFFS is looking for Board of Directors members for 2020 and beyond! For information and the application, click
here
. If you have questions about the application or process, please contact [email protected]
With Energy & Gratitude,
The MIFFS Team
**Be sure to scroll ALL the way down the newsletter; there are
A LOT
of jobs that need great qualified people just like you!
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Resources, Workshops, & Opportunities:
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Farm Commons’ collaborative, accessible approach to learning farm law alongside farmer-peers will set you on the right path. “Cultivating Your Legally Resilient Farm” isn't a set of boring lectures filled with legal lingo!
This workshop addresses farmers’ greatest vulnerabilities in land matters and leasing, business structures, farm employment law, diversification and agritourism, as well as liability and food safety issues. Cost of the workshop is $25 with lunch included! For more information and to register today, click
here
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The
MSU Organic Farmer Training Program
is a 50/50 mix of field and classroom activities on Mondays from March 16 to November 9 at the MSU Student Organic Farm. Participants visit 20+ farms, hear from 15+ guest speakers, gain hands-on farming experience and write a Farm Business Plan.
Apply now
to join this mix of aspiring, beginning and transitioning farmers, farmworkers, homesteaders and educational gardeners. 2019 OFTP graduate Cindy Kern says, “Without the 2019 cohort, Rich and I would definitely not be starting production on our farm in 2020. I needed the foundation in so many essentials of small-scale market farming and I received those through OFTP."
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The 2020
NCR-SARE's
Professional Development Program (PDP) call for proposals is now available online
here
.
PDP provides funds for professional development projects that provide sustainable ag training to ag professionals and educators in the Cooperative Extension Service (CES), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), other governmental agencies, and educators in the profit and non-profit sector serving the food and fiber system. More info
here
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Food Literacy for All
features different guest speakers each week to address challenges and opportunities of diverse food systems. The course is designed to prioritize engaged scholarship that connects theory and practice. By bringing national and global leaders, we aim to ignite new conversations and deepen existing commitments to building more equitable, health-promoting, and ecologically sustainable food systems. More info
here
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MSU Extension
is partnering with local FSA to provide Farm Bill educational sessions across MI. There is no cost to attend the meeting; participants are encouraged to pre-register at
events.anr.msu.edu/farmbill
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NRCS
is accepting public comments on the EQIP Interim Final Rule through February 18.
Speak up for EQIP: NRCS needs to hear from farmers and people who are passionate about our natural resources and working lands! NRCS is accepting public comments on the EQIP Interim Final Rule through February 18
https://sustainableagriculture.net/take-action/
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Save Time: Call ahead and make an Appointment with FSA! Producers are encouraged to call their local FSA office to schedule an appointment to ensure maximum use of their time and to make sure FSA staff is available to tend to their important business needs. To find your local FSA office, visit:
http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app
. En espagnol
aquí
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Michigan farmers can now mediate a wide range of disputes at no cost through the
Michigan Agricultural Mediation Program (MAMP)
. The 2018 Farm Bill enables the MAMP to mediate agricultural issues involving leases, farm transitions, organic certification, next-door neighbors and more. To request free mediation or for more information, call (800) 616-7863 or go online at www.agmediation.org. All calls are confidential.
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A new online tool
can help farmers and ranchers find information on USDA farm loans that best fit the needs of their operation. The tool is especially helpful to farmers who are new to farm loans and need help finding the right type of loan for their business needs
.
Answer a few simple questions
about what you’re looking to fund and how much money you need to borrow and you will receive information within minutes on which types of loans may best fit your needs.
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Michael Fields Agricultural Institute F
armers or rural entrepreneur in the Midwest are invited to use a free Grants Advising service of the Institute.
Grants Advisers help you decide whether a grant would be the best way to achieve your goals. For more info click
here
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NRCS-MI
is hiring! Let's work to fill the 21 NRCS-MI vacancies with folks from Michigan, working in underserved communities. Michigan's Natural Resources are vital for a resilient future and so are you! Let us know if you have questions. Positions available are:
Soil Conservation Technician (4)
click
here
to apply and
Soil Conservationist (17 locations)
click
here
to apply.
The applications for these positions will close on April 6.
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The
Food Systems Project
, a program of Lansing-based non-profit
NorthWest Initiative
is seeking interns to work in nutrition education and urban agriculture for the Summer 2020 semester. Interns will support our programming in four elementary schools around Lansing, as we coordinate and maintain gardens and provide monthly hands-on cooking lessons and weekly after-school programs to the 1000+ students who attend the schools. The following internships are available: Youth Nutrition Education Intern and Edible School-Yard Summer Garden Intern. For more information and to apply click
here
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Kalamazoo Valley
is currently seeking a Food Hub Manager for
ValleyHUB
, the social enterprise food hub operating within the Food Innovation Center at the Kalamazoo Valley Bronson Healthy Living Campus. The successful candidate will manage the operations of the food hub, which actively manages the aggregation, distribution, light processing, and marketing of source-identified food products from local producers to satisfy institutional demand in Kalamazoo and greater Southwest Michigan. For more information and to apply click
here.
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Henry’s Market on Main
is looking for a Market Coordinator for the 2020 season. The position is a great fit for those looking to work with hospital and institutional food systems in their career. You will get experience with hands on management of a produce market, using SNAP and other payment methods, volunteer management, and record keeping. Please submit your resume and cover letter to
[email protected]
by March 16.
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FoodCorps Michigan
The application portal for 2019-2020
FoodCorps AmeriCorps
Service Members is now open through March 15, 2020. In Michigan, we currently serve in the following communities: Boyne Falls, Detroit, Ferndale, Flint, Muskegon, Pellston, Suttons Bay, and Traverse City. For a description of these sites, visit:
FoodCorps Michigan Website
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Ingham County Health Department
is now hiring for its summer corps! All positions involve facilitating nutrition, gardening or exercise workshops and youth. For more info click
here
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Fair Food Network
is hiring
a State Policy Manager based in Ann Arbor, MI. The State Policy Manager will direct a Michigan-based advocacy campaign with two specific goals: maintain funding for Double Up Food Bucks in the FY2021 State budget, and build a coalition and manage a campaign that results in expanding recurring State funding.
More info
here
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KBS
is seeking a Science Coordinator for the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program (lter.kbs.msu.edu) at Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), an off-campus academic unit of Michigan State University (MSU). The Science Coordinator will support the LTER efforts to promote transformational science at the LTER. This is an annual (12 month) Academic Specialist appointment with competitive salary and benefits. More info
here
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The
Basso Lab
is seeking two motivated undergraduate students who want to gain experience in various aspects of ag research and precision farming. The Basso Lab specializes in the integration of precision agriculture technologies to improve the profitability of Michigan farmers. Undergraduate students are also encouraged to pursue their own research projects under the mentorship of a senior member of the lab. Students are expected to work 10-15 hours a week, but schedule is flexible. Hourly rate starts at $12 per hr. Send a short resume to Richard Price ([email protected]), or contact him with any questions. More info
here
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Physical Address: 2438 Woodlake Circle, Suite 136, Okemos, MI 48864
Mailing Address: 480 Wilson Road, Room 172, East Lansing, MI 48824
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