ENABLING SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD THROUGH IMPROVED NATURAL RESOURCE GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN KONO DISTRICT: SUPPORTED BY UNDP THROUGH SDG FUNDS
18 ACRES (80 PLOTS) IDENTIFIED AT NO 9 NEW SEMBEHUN,TANKORO CHIEFDOM. BULLDOZER MACHINE IN OPERATION
18 ACRES (80 PLOTS) IDENTIFIED AT NO 9 NEW SEMBEHUN, TANKORO CHIEFDOM. BULLDOZER MACHINE IN OPERATION
CLEARING RECLAIMED MINED OUT LAND
PROFILE OF NEWLY ESTABLISHED WOMEN GROUPS IN YARDU AND TANKORO SUPPORT BY UNDP THROUGH SDG FUNDS
Yardu village is the chiefdom headquarter town of Gbense Chiefdom, one and half kilometer from Koidu City. Since 1940 up to date, the village holds approximately 12 -15 hectares of un-reclaimed land due to unsustainable mining activities. This community has approximately 1, 500 people whose livelihoods are more of alluvial mining and subsistence farming. The scars of the war are still visible in the community. Youths are unengaged and no economic activities. Yardu Community lacks health post and post primary school education. Household income especially for women have very low with little or no access to resources or land to carry out agricultural activities. This has hindered women that desire to go into active agricultural activities or livelihoods.
Before the inception of the SDG Land rehabilitation and livelihood project, these women had little opportunity in acquiring land for sustainable agricultural activities because of unhealthy competition between mining financiers. There was no unity among women to undertake cooperative agricultural development activities. This has resulted into inability to supply the market demand even when the proximity is very close to Koidu City.
These women have no option but to also engaged in unpaid care work and at the same time vulnerable to sexual exploitation; some wash tailings (waste from the sand gravel) to earn their daily survival. Others often go to sell food at the mining sites. On several occasions, these miners persuade the women and girls with very small amounts of cash to have sex which has contributed to the increase of teenage pregnancy, abandoned marriages and school drop outs for girls. Few women engage in subsistence farming, but not being able to withstand the challenges in that sector as agriculture has not being a profitable business at small scales compounded by the lack of access to finance and control over land.
The advent of the SDG project implemented by ASJD SL has increased their hopes and aspirations by reclaiming 7 acres of land that is now used for agricultural and recreational purposes. It has gradually changed the ideology of women and youths; and local also authorities to see agriculture as sustainable alternative means of livelihood. Thus, the women have now mobilized themselves into smaller farming based organization. They have registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and local councils at district level for formal recognition. The chairlady of the group, Mrs Hawa Jabbie was very happy to cultivate their land for business and also delighted that the safety and security of their children has been restored through the reclamation of the biggest mined-out pit that was close to the community school that drowned children.


17aug10:00 amSold Out!WEBINAR: Start-Up Commercial Garlic Growing - Years 1-3 - 4 x 90min Interactive Webinars - AUGUST 2019An intensive 2 day workshop for new commercial garlic growers or existing producers expanding into the Garlic fresh produce market.10:00 am
Start-Up Commercial Garlic Growing for Years 1 – 3 4 x 90 Minute Interactive Online Webinars – 17, 18, 24 & 25 AUGUST 2019: 3:00PM – 4:30PM This Webinar Series has
Start-Up Commercial Garlic Growing for Years 1 – 3
4 x 90 Minute Interactive Online Webinars – 17, 18, 24 & 25 AUGUST 2019: 3:00PM – 4:30PM
This Webinar Series has been created for those lovely customers and friends who have wanted to attend my 2 Day Intensive On Farm Startup and Scaleup Workshop but couldn’t make it for either financial or convenience reasons.
Interactive Online Webinars are second best to being on the farm in person. All you need is a computer or tablet with a webcam and microphone (perhaps earphones) so you can see me speak real time and present information to you. You can interact with me in person and by speaking – so it is in every way real time and interactive. You will be given a digital copy of the training presentation in advance so you have time to read it and make the most of this great onine offering.
Whilst it won’t provide the full scope of the 2 day intensive workshop, nor provide the benefit of being on farm and seeing the equipment, tasting the garlic and networking with others – I hope this will provide the essential knowledge required to start your garlic business and optimise your production and sales success.
Having grown both broadacre and boutique and being Chair of the Australian Garlic Industry Association, and multi-award medal winner for my garlic, I feel I have a lot to share and look forward to helping you start your commercial journey.
This interactive Webinar will be broken into four separate Webinars and will include:
Webinar 1 – Know your Market, Select your Sales Channels & Match your Garlic Groups
- Garlic Groups & Cultivars – Climate Ranges, Harvest Times & Storage Duration
- Garlic Marketing – the new Paradigm of Gourmet Garlic & Culinary Styles
- What is your financial goal – primary income, part-time, weekend hobby farming, farmers markets, online boutique
- Understand Australian Garlic Seasonal Market & Pricing Trends
- Let your Sales Channel define your garlic production business – grow what sells best
- Production Scale – stepping stones of capital investment – direct versus wholesale, setup investment, operational costs
Webinar 2 – Growing Garlic & Soils
- How much land do you need – and what tests should you do
- Rotation – is it really needed and what do I grow
- Soil preparation – the process and timing of works plus formed beds or inground planting
- Garlic planting material (seed) – how much, quality considerations & acclimation
- Cracking, grading, coating & planting – optimising germination, health & yield
- Weed suppression – chemical, mechanical or organic … the choices
Webinar 3 – The Growing, Fertilizing, Irrigation and Disease Issues
- Garlic – the growing rhythm – understanding the different phase and nutrient demands
- Garlic nutrient demands – soil fed, foliar feeding and liquid supplementation
- Irrigation – the different types of irrigation – pros & cons – what suits your climate
- Fertigation – is it important – different types for high and low-pressure systems
- Diseases – in your seed, leaf, stem, bulb & root – plus storage diseases
- Diseases – biocontrols and chemical controls – what to use, when and legal compliance
Webinar 4 – The Harvest, Curing and Storage processes PLUS Seed Optimisation
- Scape removal – do I need to do it, when and is it worth it
- Bulbing – how and when you plant determines bulb size, clove number and maturing cycle
- Know when to harvest – bulbs double in last two weeks, but each group has its own timing
- Deciding how you’ll cure – harvest conditions, temperature, RH & curing infrastructure
- Optimal Curing – highest quality seed, storage and bulb quality – arrest disease development
- How to harvest to minimise labour – hand, fork, undercutter – bunching or tray curing
- Separating Seed from Sale stock – Keep your best and sell the rest
- Preparing bulbs for selling – finish process and standard, packaging options
- Storage – how to store to optimise your long storing garlic – passive or cold stored
- Webinars are an online seminar where you are able to see both the presenter and their presentation at the same time and ask questions. All you need is a laptop or tablet that allows you to see and hear the Webinar.
Cost: $425.00 including GST
Times: 3:00pm – 4:30pm Sat/Sun of 17/18 & 24/25 August (may be room for some flexibility if all attendees agree)
Ticket Section Title
Tickets are not available for sale any more for this event!
(Saturday) 10:00 am


Basecamp Networks is an innovative technology company that specializes in network solutions and cloud based application management using the latest technology. Basecamp Networks builds highly stable, secure and scalable wireless networks connecting everything from businesses to communities, campuses to farms. As a company it supports the Wi-Fi ecosystem needed for the Internet of Things (IoT) including leveraging their solutions to provide the right technology to help address global agriculture issues.
In regards to Agricultural Technology, Basecamp Networks as developed the world’s first wearable and mobile application for scouting and agriculture to use artificial intelligence and machinery, known as the Inteliscout Platform. The goal of this growing Alpharetta company is to continue building technology that will impact the world and aid in global issues such as food production in a world-wide food shortage crisis.


The Sunset Strip Market is a weekly certified farmers’ market that takes place Thursday nights from 5-9 p.m. at the City of West Hollywood public lot (8755 Sunset Boulevard). The Market hosts organic, certified farmers, artisan vendors, live music and a 'chef dinner' every Thursday night.
The Sunset Strip Market is committed to enhancing the community with a weekly certified farmers’ market that provides fresh, California-grown produce and artisan goods. The goal of the Market is to create a space that encourages nearby residents, employees, farmers and visitors to interact with each other. The Sunset Strip Market emerged from a shared vision between business owners and residents to create a community-based event that would engage residents as well as showcase The Sunset Strip.


FREE FOOD if you know how to find it!
Many people would surely be surprised to know just how much food is freely available in parks ,vacant lots and even hanging over fences or on nature strips all over Australia.
As an outback tour guide I became familiar with many edible plants, but after reading The weed forager's handbook, my eyes were opened to how many plants we walk by every day that we can eat raw, blanch a little or boil for five minutes and be able to eat.
Many are high in protein, calcium and vitamins.
All preppers should own the weed forager's handbook!
I would really recommend that if you are reading this now that you buy the book and use it straight away. Familiarise yourself with the plants in the book and forage all of your greens from your neighbourhood and keep a look out for things that others aren't making use of like olives, plums and lilly pillies. Maybe even print out a map of your suburb and mark fruit trees and wild edible hot spots on it to reference if you ever really need it.


May 16, 2021 (The Expresswire) -- Global Organic Soybean Meal Market Research Report has In-Depth Proficient analysis of different factors that analyse the Industry growth, Organic Soybean Meal Market Size, Share, Value, Volume. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market in positive manner. The segmental analysis of Organic Soybean Meal Market focuses on sales, revenue and forecast by region (country), this report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.
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The Global Organic Soybean Meal Market Share is estimated detail analysis of Industry size, growth trend, share updates, competitive landscape, Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Industrial Vision Sensors by product, region and application, this Organic Soybean Meal Market report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.
Global Organic Soybean Meal Market Size 2021 research provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Global Organic Soybean Meal market Share report is provided for the international markets as well as development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status. Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analysed. This report additionally states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.
List Of BEST MANUFACTURES in Organic Soybean Meal Market Report are:-
● Sapthsathi Organic Agriculture project (S.O.A.P.) (India) ● Soni Soya Products Pvt Ltd (India) ● AFG Brasil S/A (Brazil) ● Grain Millers Inc. (U.S.) ● Perdue Farms (U.S.) ● Tyson Foods Inc. (U.S.) ● Pilgrim's Pride (U.S.) are among others.
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About Organic Soybean Meal Market:
Increasing demand for high-protein chemical-free agricultural commodities is facilitating the growth of soymeal market in the global platform. Escalating consumer awareness about high nutritional value of organic soymeal, due to its high protein content, is projected to add fuel to the organic soymeal market growth. Furthermore, the rising popularity of defatted soybean meal is also influencing the growth of soymeal market, positively. Diverse applications of soymeal and high availability throughout the globe are major drivers of the soymeal market. Soymeal is also identified to have potential application as animal feed. Further, rising population of livestock is directly influencing the market demand for organic soymeal, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Rising awareness about the health benefits of organic food products will support the growth of organic soymeal market. Regional AnalysisAs per the analysis, the global market for organic soymeal has been witnessing continued demand during the forecast period. In terms of value and volume both, Asia Pacific is estimated to dominate the organic soymeal market holding the lionâs share of more than 95%. Also, Latin America is projected to hold the second largest share in the global organic soymeal market. Latin America is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 18.25% during the review period.
Key Factors of Organic Soybean Meal Market Report 2021:
This report provides detail analysis of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Organic Soybean Meal market and its commercial landscape. Learn about the various market strategies that are being adopted by leading companies.It provides a five-year forecast assessed based on how the Organic Soybean Meal market is predicted to grow.It provides insightful analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors.To understand the future scope and outlooks for the Organic Soybean Meal market.Organic Soybean Meal Market Forecast by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2021 to 2022.Organic Soybean Meal Market Share, distributors, major suppliers, changing price patterns and the supply chain of raw materials is highlighted in the report.
Organic Soybean Meal Market Size (sales, revenue) forecast by regions and countries from 2021 to 2022 of Organic Soybean Meal industry.The global Organic Soybean Meal market Growth is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2021 and 2022. In 2021, the market was growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.Organic Soybean Meal Market Trend for Development and marketing channels are analysed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Organic Soybean Meal Market Report also mentions market share accrued by each product in the Organic Soybean Meal market, along with the production growth.
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Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Organic Soybean Meal in these regions covering
Reasons to Purchase Organic Soybean Meal Market Report
Lastly, this report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years, the Report also brief deals with the product life cycle, comparing it to the relevant products from across industries that had already been commercialized details the potential for various applications, discussing about recent product innovations and gives an overview on potential regional market shares.
Total Chapters in Organic Soybean Meal Market Report are:
Chapter 1 Overview of Organic Soybean Meal Market
Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions
Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types
Chapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry
Chapter 5 North America Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry
Chapter 6 Europe Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry
Chapter 7 Asia Pacific Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry
Chapter 8 Latin America Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry
Chapter 9 Middle East and Africa Market Status by Countries, Type, Manufacturers and Downstream Industry
Chapter 10 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Low End Servers
Chapter 11 Organic Soybean Meal Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers
Chapter 12 Organic Soybean Meal Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data
Chapter 13 Upstream and Downstream Market Analysis of Organic Soybean Meal Market
Chapter 14 Cost and Gross Margin Analysis of Organic Soybean Meal Market
Detailed TOC of Global Organic Soybean Meal Market Analysis and Forecast
1 Executive Summary
2 Market Dynamics
2.1 Market Growth Factors
2.1.1 Rising Security and Safety Concern
2.1.2 Organic Soybean Meal in Developing Countries
2.1.3 Enhanced Business Productivity
2.2 Market Restraints
2.3 Organic Soybean Meal Supply Chain Process
2.4 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
3 Global Organic Soybean Meal Market, By Type
4 Global Organic Soybean Meal Market, By Component
4.2.1 Organic Soybean Meal Components


02 Nov 2015
By: Ellen Kahler
Vermont can produce more of its own biofuel energy and the environmental and potential economic benefits of local bioenergy have been proven by the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative – a program of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. Since 2005, the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative has invested more than $2.5 million in innovative bioenergy research, projects, and people so Vermont can locally produce more of the state’s energy needs – from a variety of agricultural and algal feedstocks.
US Senator Patrick Leahy made the investment at this scale possible through Congressionally Directed Awards from the US Department of Energy (US DOE). The funding concludes in early 2016, at which point a complete impact report will be released by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, who has served as the intermediary between the US DOE and 52 individual Vermont bioenergy projects over the past ten years.
Research, development, and early stage demonstration projects have included:
- Investing in 2 on-farm methane digesters;
- Building farm-scale infrastructure to turn oilseed crops such as sunflowers into biodiesel to run farm tractors;
- Growing switchgrass and densifying it into “pucks” that are burned in a high efficiency commercial boiler instead of propane;
- Identifying the most lipid producing strains of native Vermont algae which can feed off the excess nutrients from methane digesters and can eventually be harvested to make biodiesel or jet fuel;
- Developing two “Biomass to Biofuels” college level courses which run repeatedly at UVM and VT Tech to inspire and train the next generation of bioenergy experts and technicians;
- Exploring the logistics of bulk wood pellet delivery systems to Vermonters’ homes;
- Organizing a number of learning opportunities and conferences for oilseed, grass and algae researchers, farmers and entrepreneurs to attend;
- Providing agronomic and engineering support to oilseed and grass farmers;
- Educating the general public about why the local production for local use of energy crops from Vermont farms and forests makes good economic and ecological sense.
The Vermont Bioenergy Initiative is a unique effort and one that is gaining resonance in other parts of rural America. The initiative’s resource website, www.VermontBioenergy.com is utilized by biofuel producers, educators, and technical service providers from across the country.
The work conducted over the past ten years by the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative to conduct research, provide technical assistance, and develop infrastructure in emerging areas of bioenergy will continue with the initiative’s partners at UVM Extension and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. As Vermont moves forward – being innovative and increasingly focused on generating renewable energy from the land and forests – the research and infrastructure the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative has invested in over the past ten years will endure and spawn the next wave of bioenergy development in the state.
Ellen Kahler is executive director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF), a non-profit organization created by the State of Vermont to help develop Vermont’s sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and forest product businesses. Since 2005, the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative has been a VSJF program that connects diversified agriculture and local renewable energy production for on-farm and community use by supporting research, technical assistance, and infrastructure development in emerging areas of bioenergy including biodiesel production and distribution for heating and transportation, oil crops for on-farm biodiesel and feed, grass for heating, and algae production for biofuels and wastewater management. Learn more at www.VermontBioenergy.com.
19 Oct 2015
Vermont-grown grasses are being used to heat the Biomass Building – a 4,200 square foot commercial building at Meach Cove Farms in Shelburne. Local residents, community leaders, and renewable energy enthusiasts are invited to visit Meach Cove Farms Friday, October 23 – Saturday, October 24 for an Open House to learn how grass pellets are generating heat in a biomass boiler – an emerging source of bioenergy in Vermont.
Meach Cove Farms is a 1,000-acre certified organic farm primarily growing soy beans, wheat, rye, and corn as well as wine grapes, woodlands, and switchgrass trial plots for use in grass energy production. The Open House will offer a complete demonstration of the Grass Pellet Heating Equipment Combustion Optimization project – the first project in New England to showcase grass test plots, densification equipment, and an EvoWorld biomass boiler that burns the grass.
Meach Cove Farms began collaborating with Dr. Sidney Bosworth of the University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative in 2009 to assess the potential of different species of grass as solid biofuel for heating applications.
In September 2011 Meach Cove Farms was awarded an USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant to research the feasibility of Vermont grown grass pellets and heating equipment potential as an emerging renewable energy source in Vermont. The biomass boiler being featured at the Open House was funded through a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Services.
IF YOU GO:
Meach Cove Farms is located at 310 Beach Road in Shelburne (off Bostwick Road, 1.6 miles west of Rte 7). The Open House runs from 9 am – 12 noon both Friday and Saturday, October 23-24. There is no cost and both days are open to the public. More info at www.meachcovefarms.org, 802-985-9218.
17 Aug 2015
The Third Annual National Bioenergy Day (NBD), which will take place Wednesday, October 21st, is a day that is marked with events from across the country that celebrates energy independence, local jobs, and many other benefits of local bioenergy. Led by Biomass Power Association in partnership with U.S. Forest Service, National Bioenergy Day is an opportunity for Vermonters to showcase our research, progress, and impacts in producing local bioenergy for local use.
How To Get Involved:
- Organize an event on or near October 21ndthat showcases bioenergy as a clean, efficient, and resourceful way to produce energy. Emphasizes bioenergy’s role in improving environmental health; and facilitates collaboration along the supply chain.
- Partner with someone who works in the bioenergy supply chain to create an event. Use the Vermont Energy Atlas to find partners in your area.
- Piggyback on an existing event and call it a NBD event.
- Share and talk about NBD in your social media and press efforts while promoting impacts in your community.
The Vermont Bioenergy Initiative, for example, will spend the day re-capping and previewing events and research on our Twitter handle @VTBioenergy that took place throughout the summer and that are planned for the fall. We’ll be recapping and sharing exciting things like the exciting learning opportunities at the University of Vermont, Full Sun Company’s Biodiesel and Meal production, and much more!
For more information, you can visit also visit bioenergyday.com and follow @USAbiomass on twitter!
10 Aug 2015
The team at Vermont Bioenergy Initiative has worked to put together a comprehensive list of bioenergy events for you! This list will be updated as more events arise. If you know a bioenergy events that you think should be on the list, tweet it to us! @VTbioenergy
- Modern Wood Pellet Heating Forum, Tuesday, Sep. 15, 2015, 6 – 8:30pm, Montshire Museum in Norwich, Vermont
- Ag Innovation Showcase September 14-16, 2015 St. Louis, MO
- 2nd International Conference on Past and Present Research Systems of Green Chemistry. September 14-16, 2015. Orlando, Florida
- Switchgrass III. September 30 to October 2, 2015. Knoxville, TN
- Algae Biomass Summit September 30-October 2, 2015 Washington, DC
- Renewable Energy 2015 Conference & Expo. October 8-9 2015. Burlington, VT
- National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo. October 26 – 28, 2015. Omaha, Nebraska
- 2015 TAPPI PEERS Conference – Sustainable Solutions for Our Future. October 25-28, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia.
- International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference 2015 – 10/28 – 10/30 Atlanta, United States
- 3rdAnnual National Bioenergy Day
08 Jun 2015
In 2008, the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative began to explore the potential for grasses energy grown in Vermont to meet a portion of the state’s heating demand and reduce the consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels. The Grass Energy in Vermont and the Northeast report was initiated by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, and carried out by its program the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative, to aid in strategic planning for future grass energy program directives.
Grass Energy in Vermont and the Northeast summarizes current research on the agronomy and usage potential of grass as a biofuel, and points to next steps for the region to fully commercialize this opportunity. The keys to commercializing grass for energy are improving fuel supply with high-yielding crops, establishing best practices for production and use, developing appropriate, high-efficiency combustion technology, and building markets for grass fuel.
Perennial grasses, while serving as a biomass feedstock for heating fuel, also have numerous other benefits to farmers. The grass energy benefits reviewed in the report include retaining energy dollars in the local community, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from heating systems, improving energy security, providing a use for marginal farmland, and reducing pollution in soil and run-off from farms.
Regional and closed loop processing were two models recommended by the report, both involving farmers growing and harvesting grass, but differing in where the grass is processed into fuel and where it is used. The regional processing model calls for aggregating grass from a 50-mile radius at a central processing facility, where the grass is made into and used as fuel, or sold to local users. The closed loop model suggests farmers growing and processing grass on-site for on-farm or community use. Other models, like mobile on-farm processing and processing fuel for the consumer pellet market have significant hurdles to overcome if they are to be successful in Vermont.
In the below video a Vermont agronomist explains switchgrass production followed by entrepreneurs turning bales of grass into briquette fuel. This grass biofuel feedstock can be grown alongside food production on marginal agricultural lands and abandoned pastures, and in conserved open spaces. The harvested grass can be baled and used as-is in straw bale combustion systems, or it can be compressed into several useable forms for pellet fuel combustion systems.
For more information on grass biofuel feedstocks and to read the full Grass Energy in Vermont and the Northeast report visit the grass energy section of the Vermont Bioenergy website.
01 Jun 2015
Nationally, corn-based ethanol and palm oil based biodiesel are gaining negative attention for their impacts on the environment and food security. But here in Vermont, farms are producing on-farm biodiesel to power equipment and operations on the farm and the local farm community. This is a profoundly different model from national and international biofuel production. Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Researchers at University of Vermont Extension in partnership with farmers and the Vermont Bioenergy Initiative have developed a model of local minded, on-farm production of biofuels that can help rural communities transition away from unsustainable models of food, feed and fuel production.
National and global models of corn-ethanol and soy oil-biodiesel production are resulting in large-scale land conversions in some parts of the world, in particular to a loss of native grass and forestland. This type of biofuel production is not happening in Vermont, where bioenergy production incorporates rotational oilseed crops like sunflowers and soybeans on Vermont farms.
Locally produced biodiesel supports resiliency in Vermont, a cold climate state which is particularly dependent on oil. Over $1 billion leaves the state for heating and transportation fuel costs. Heating and fuel independence by producing on-farm biodiesel provides farmers fuel security which is comparable to that which is sought by Vermont’s local food movement.
The local production for local use model results in two products from one crop: oil and meal (animal feed or fertilizer). By growing oilseed and pressing the seed to extract the oil, farms are creating a valuable livestock feed at home, rather than importing it. The oil can be sold as a food product, used directly in a converted engine or converted to biodiesel for use in a standard diesel engine. In this way, oilseed crops offer flexibility in the end-use of the products. US corn-based ethanol mandates are raising grain costs nationally, making feed expensive for Vermont farmers. Local bioenergy production means farmers produce their own feed, fuel, and fertilizer for on-farm use, at a fraction of the cost and more stable prices. Reduced and stable prices for feed, fuel, and fertilizer can mean improved economic viability for Vermont farms and more stable food prices for Vermont consumers in the future.
Overall viability can be seen in the local production for local use model by considering economics, energy and carbon emissions. Biodiesel production costs of between $0.60 and $2.52 per gallon have been estimated for farm-scale production models, which are generally below market price for diesel fuel. The net energy return in Vermont on-farm biodiesel operations has been estimated at between 2.6 and 5.9 times the invested energy (i.e. more energy out than was required to produce the fuel), demonstrating strong returns and potential for improvement with increased scale. Furthermore, oilseed-based production of biodiesel has been estimated to result in a net reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of up to 1420 lbs. per acre, the equivalent of about 1500 miles of car travel per year.
Categorizing the Vermont biofuel model with national models and trends is inaccurate, considering the innovative and efficient systems benefiting Vermont farmers. While national and international analysis weighs the benefits of food versus fuel, the model is quite unique in Vermont and the food versus fuel challenge is well met. The model developed in Vermont does however have wider-reaching implications in that this can be replicated in rural farm communities across the US.
As John Williamson of Stateline Farm, a Vermont Bioenergy grant recipient says, “100 years ago everyone produced their own fuel; we are just doing that now in a different way.”
Coming this fall the University of Vermont will be offering a bioenergy course taught by Anju Dahiya, cofounder of General Systems Research, LLC, lead biofuels instructor at the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, and Vermont Bioenergy algae for biofuel grant recipient. This course is open to both degree and non-degree students from any background or department, as well as farmers, entrepreneurs, and teachers interested in developing curriculum, or projects at school or college levels. This course is also approved for graduate credit.
Potential participants are offered the option of variable credits, ranging from 0 to 6 credit hours. This allows prospective students to only attend lectures and have access to online course materials for 2 credits; further their experience with the addition of hands-on labs and field trips for 3 credits; or participate in all aspects of the class while additionally applying lessons to a service learning project with a community partner, earning 4 credits. Participants have the ability to add up to 2 more credits, totaling no more than 6, for additional work with the community partner pending special permission from the course instructor.
Lectures will be held twice a week between September 18th and December 9th of 2015. Friday lectures will be on campus from 4:05 pm to 7:05 pm, followed by Saturday morning field trips between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm for those students who elected for 3 credits or more. The course required textbook, Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels, was edited by Anju Dahiya less than a year ago and represents a compilation of work from an extensive list of well-respected university extension programs, such as The University of Vermont Research Extension, as well as numerous national organizations including the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratories.
- Biomass Boot Camp, February 23, Catonsville, MD
- Farm Energy IQ – Training for NE Ag Service Providers in VT February 23- 25, Fairlee, VT
- ACI’s 4th Carbon Dioxide Utilization Conference 2015 February 25-26 San Antonio, TX
- 2015 Executive Leadership Conference. 25 February – 1 March 2015. Phoenix, Arizona
- World Agri-Tech Investment Summit. March 3-4, 2015 San Francisco, CA
- Waste to Biogas and Clean Fuels Finance and Investment Summit. March 3-4 San Jose, CA
- Farm Energy IQ – Training for NE Ag Service Providers March 10-12, 2015 State College, PA
- Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference March 11-15, 2015 Washington, DC
- Next-Generation Defense Energy Symposium. 17 – 18 March, 2015. Washington, United States
- WEBINAR: Using B100 in Our Class-8 Trucking Operations (60 trucks) in Tennessee March 19, 2015 10:00 AM ET
- ACI’s Annual Lignofuels Americas Summit March 25-26, 2015 Milwaukee, WI
- Forest Products and Timberland Investment Conference. March 31-April 1, 2015. New York, NY
- Applying Renewable Energy – Online Training April 01, 2015 at 09:00 AM to June 30, 2015 at 06:00 PM
- Farm Energy IQ – Training for NE Ag Service Providers in NJ, April 8- 10, Bordentown, NJ
- 5th Defense Renewable Energy Summit. 7-8 April 2015. Arlington, VA
- Good Jobs, Green Jobs 2015 April 13 Washington, D.C
- 2015 Northeast Biomass Heating Expo. April 16-18, 2015. Portland, ME
- Introduction to Renewable Energy Technologies Start date: 20 to 22, 2015
- International Biomass Conference and Expo. 20 -22 April 2015. Minneapolis, MN
- 37th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. April 27 – 30, 2015 San Diego, CA
12 Sep 2014
Fall is harvest season in the nation’s agricultural communities, and energy is a crop of growing importance. Understanding the unique characteristics of agricultural residue and grass biomass supply chains is critical to the expansion of these non-woody fuels for conversion to useful heat and power. Join the Biomass Thermal Energy Council’s (BTEC) webinar on Wednesday, October 1st at 1PM ET as speakers Jay Van Roekel of Vermeer and Tom Wilson of Wilson Engineering Services discuss the ins-and-outs of agricultural and grass biomass fuels from the field to the boiler.
Topics to include:
• What types of agricultural residues and grass biomass are at commercial stage for conversion to useful heat and power?
• What are the harvest considerations of agricultural residues and grass biomass?
• How are agricultural residues and grass biomass processed and sized?
• How is this non-woody fuel stored, pre and post sizing?
• Case study: what would it take for dedicated grass energy crops to be a viable option for replacing fossil fuels in thermal applications in the U.S. Northeast?
• Q & A with the speakers


The Perfect Adaptation for New World Plants
Rainforest pitcher plants are the perfect tropical gardening addition for any climate. The beauty of these plants is the way they absorb large amounts of water for rapid transport to the leaves, which are the primary food source for these plants. They are highly adaptable and can be used for both home and commercial gardens. We will discuss a few of the more common pitcher plant adaptations below:
As mentioned above, many species of this evergreen family have large “eared” leaves that serve as doors for the tiny underground storage organs. This allows the rainforest trees to obtain nitrogen and phosphorus from the ground and exchange it to their leaves. The roots take up carbon dioxide and transport it to the uppermost leaves where it is available to support the tree. These two processes keep the rainforest trees healthy.
As mentioned earlier, many species of these evergreen plants are grass adapts. They tend to grow in dense clumps with tightly packed leaves which can trap moisture and serve as excellent greenhouses for the root systems. However, there are some subspecies of this family that are grasses with alternate leaves. These subspecies are known as alternate grasses. Some of these grass adaptations actually allow you to use them as a cover crop.
Some rainforest plants are basically grasses that grow in habitats with a high concentration of sunlight. This means that they have to absorb a lot of sunlight to obtain enough nutrients for blooming. One subspecies of this family, the Rubber Toeplant, requires almost 12 hours of direct sunlight per day. It is rare to find plants that require only two hours or less of sunlight.
Of course there are other plant adaptations to the rainforests. For example, there are certain palms that are uniquely adapted to growing on bare hillsides. These palms have large and hardy leaves that can tolerate alkalinity levels that are typically lower than those needed by rainforest plants. Most of us do not even need alkaline levels to survive. If we do not have an alkaline environment around us, we will simply starve.
Some birds actually prefer the rainforests for their home. In fact, the smallest songbirds do not eat on trees but on blossoms. The same is true for all of the flora adaptations of the rainforests. As plants are evolving to better handle varying nutrient levels and to tolerate shade, they will often be found growing in the tops of trees. Their roots will penetrate the lower levels of the tree where they will feed on the leaves and produce sugars and starches for the plant to utilize.
Flowering plants also have a variety of rainforest flora adaptations. Some of these are unique to a single species. For example, the pinkish purple Drosera berry comes from the bark of a tree that is only found in the Amazon. Other drip tips come from a wide range of trees including eucalyptus trees, acacia trees, and palm trees.
Rainforest plants also have the ability to secrete sugars into the air which is the source of much of their food. Many birds find this sugary liquid tasty. This is the source of nectar for many birds as well as insects. And some of these plants actually serve as a type of mosquito trap as they attract mosquitoes to land right within their boundaries. These are just a few of the many traits of the rainforest flora.
One of the most interesting and dramatic of these adaptations is seen in the pitcher plants. A pitcher plant is a type of flowering vine or even flower that usually grows up as tall as five feet. The blooms that occur are quite spectacular and can result in hundreds of tiny blooms which are all designed to secrete sweet juices.
In the wild there are many different types of flowers that can be found on a variety of plants. But there are not always flowers in that order. Sometimes different plants will be adapted to a certain type of habitat and then grow from there. For example, if a plant is accustomed to warm weather, it may grow well in the shade as well as under a tree where it can get the sunlight it needs to grow properly. A shady place would be a wetland. That’s where it gets its nutrients from and where it can survive in a variety of temperatures and conditions.
There are a few other plants that are so well adapted to their environment and the conditions of a particular place that they are considered to be true native plants. One of these plants is the Rainforest pitcher plant. This is such a common plant that you will be hard pressed to find someone who has never seen one. These plants usually grow in moist soil and they thrive with a healthy soil that is slightly acidic in nature.


February 16, 2017
The grains have continued to attract decent fund buying interest. The grain analysts tell us this is due to a mix of anti-inflationary hedging and the fact that they (or at least corn and wheat) have been struggling around historical lows, therefore just look cheap to some fund managers. Fundamentally, corn and wheat still need to deal with record global stocks, but Chinese and broader global bean demand is still supportive in soy.
As we suggested last week, NOLA urea needed to hold above the $243 level, otherwise, the gap down to the next support at $225 came into play. The market did push through $243 earlier in the week, it looked like that gap may get filled yesterday but we encountered support in the low $230’s which thus far seems to be holding. If we can push back up through $243, we re-enter a bullish zone which suggests a return to the mid 250’s is possible.


Plastic films are used extensively for silo bags, bunker covers, bale wraps, and horticultural mulch. Managing large, dirty plastic sheets is a major headache and cost for Wisconsin farmers. Until recently, the only legal disposal option for most farmers was landfilling. These plastic films, once largely unusable resources, can now be recycled into other plastic products.
Some communities are exploring ways to create local collection and/or baling sites, commonly located at landfills and solid waste transfer stations. In a few cases, plastic processors offer on-farm pickup services to facilitate easier recycling. Some processors or counties may require plastic to be managed in certain ways and delivered at certain times of the year. To determine the available options and relevant requirements in your area, contact your UW-Extension, Land Conservation Department, or SolidWaste/Recycling Department offices.
This publication reviews practices farmers can use to efficiently manage used plastic films. The general goal of such practices is to keep plastic as clean and dry as possible to maximize recycling opportunities.
- Minimize plastic waste. Reduce waste by purchasing the right size silo bag or silage cover for your needs.
- Minimize plastic contamination. Locating silo bags on concrete or asphalt pads keeps bags clean, allowing entire bag – top and bottom – to be easily recycled. A gravel base is less expensive, but grit and debris can adhere to the plastic. Soil bases lead to the greatest contamination of plastic. If bags must be placed on soil, use higher elevation sites with good drainage. Avoid removing silage when soils are wet. If the plastic is dirty, let it dry and then shake it with a bucket loader to remove soil and make it more suitable for recycling.
- Remove the plastic film from silos frequently. Removing less than three days’ accumulation of top silage film at a time maximizes silage protection and keeps the size of plastic sheets small enough to be easily handled.
- Cut the plastic to keep it manageable. For silo bags located on soil, separate the top plastic from the bottom plastic by cutting the plastic from the top down to four inches above ground (see illustration). Slice the bottom plastic at 10- or 15-foot intervals for greater manageability.
A number of low-cost plastic containment pens can be constructed using plastic fencing, hog or beef panels, or pallet bins.
6. Transport the plastic to a collection center. Use a dumpster, roll-off box, farm truck, or wagon to haul the plastic to the recycling collection center. Secure the plastic to prevent blowing. Large vehicles with densely-packed plastic provide the most efficient transportation.


Time is running short! The countdown begins for the last successful planting in our fall season for Chicago.
Contrary to what the “Big-Box” garden centers would like to have you believe. Planting your tree in the spring when it is in full bloom is not a sound practice from a horticultural stand point. Trees, like humans, need their rest. By planting in the fall when the sap is down in the tree you are not disturbing its annual growth cycle.
Fall planting allows the roots to become established through the winter, especially the tender new feeders. This process is necessary for beautiful spring blooms and summer leaves.
Fall planting is especially recommended for “balled” and “burlapped” trees that have been dug up from nursery fields. Keep in mind that even “blooming” or “leafed out” trees experience some shock during a spring time planting.
Regardless of how careful you are, the root of the tree to be planted can still be disturbed in a container grown tree; additionally, the tender blooms and the new leaf growth can be damaged in transport. This is why I always recommend covering your tree with a horticultural tarp while in transit.
Additionally, fall allows for ample time to correct soil instabilities, time to let soil modifiers do their stuff, time to prepare for the expansion and contraction from freezing and thawing that will loosen
well-worked clay soils. And there’s plenty of free organic matter at hand.
The advantages of fall plantings become very clear. You eliminate very hot days, days that can quickly dehydrate any plant life – especially trees. One of the key secrets to success in any planting is WATER, WATER, WATER! This not only promotes new root growth, it also provides protection from hard freezes. Thorough watering before an extreme cold spell is as important as a thorough watering before a summer dry spell.
Be cautious however, not to plant in very wet soil as this can also be very harmful to the root system. I do not plant on a rainy day, or a day that has followed a big storm because when you work wet soil, especially in Chicago, you are only compacting the soil which needs to drain properly and provide nutrients to the root system.
Prior to planting your tree or shrub, I always create a 30/30/30 mix of sand, top soil, and “pine fines” or compost to feed the roots of my plant. Chicago has very “silty” soil, which is soil that is heavily laden with clay. To break up the clay and promote proper drainage among other things in your soil, I strongly my recommend 30/30/30 practice.
Mulching at the base of the newly planted fall tree is also very important because it retains moisture in the soil and keeps weeds to a minimum. I recommend using two to four inches of any sterilized organic material. Black forest mulch is an ideal choice. There are several good options available, I prefer this one.
Now that I have explained the advantages of fall plantings, pick out trees and shrubs that best suit you style and needs, and enjoy the beautiful display of color while you are preparing for the winter ahead.


Mantano Project – coffee for a better world and a better work.
Mantano means "working together and one for another".
Transparent Supply Chain - more than fair trade
Mantano project helps companies to obtain world-class coffee through a transparent and social responsible supply chain. to establish the appreciation of quality as a key value of their company culture.
We organically grow coffee with our farmers, control the quality of the beans and directly trade the unique specialty coffees. At the same time, we focus on the social impact: we evolve education, skills, employment and foster biodiversity.
Beginning with the cultivation of the coffee plant, we focus on fair working standards and payment, best quality and environmentally friendly processes in the plantations. Therefor we work with the farmers in a personal way.
Selected Coffee Beans
The farmers collect the coffee beans carefully and with the eye of an expert. The selection of the appropriate and sustainable processing methods ensures the quality of the coffee.
We directly import the coffee beans from the well-known production areas all over the world. That allows us to obtain the best-quality coffee and protect fair working standards on the plantation.
Freshness and quality matters. Therefore, we are extremely dedicated to find the best roasting profiles for our coffees. We individually adapt the profiles to your companies taste and needs.
Best Flavour and Quality
We are obsessed with great coffee. Our coffees have the highest quality and unique taste. Only the best for your company and your employees – because you are worth it.
Make your company social and attractive
- Be socially responsible!
With our specialty coffee, you directly support social projects in communities all over the world. Those projects focus on education, economics and sustainability in the farmer’s communities.
- Value your employees!
Coffee matters in the working live. Say “you’re valued” to your employees by the gift of best-tasting and transparent-traded coffee.
- Be different!
Great-tasting and fair traded coffee makes your company special for your employees, for your customers and partners.
Specialty Coffee with social impact
We serve companies with a range of coffee beans and pads that we participate in growing and roasting. We assure quality based on OUR standards which sometimes involve external certifications like organic (US, EU) and FairTrade.
We make sure that you will only get the quality that you are looking for.
A careful and gentle roasting process optimized to fit your needs.
We can deliver larger quantities by still maintaining a transparent and fair supply-chain.
We can achieve a sustainable and measurable social impact.
Examples of realized projects
In our social projects, we cooperate with the Cocafcal Cooperative. Our aim is to help the local communities in the producing countries to fight hunger and poverty, to improve their education and economy and to establish environmentally friendly standards.
- “Kids for Coffee”: Tuition classes for all children at the farm with the aim to remove school failure
- “Junior Agents” program: Children learn about and promote sustainability in the day to day lives of their community
- Women coffee roasting association: Women without husband learn to roast the produced coffee and sell them on the local market. It is their opportunity to gain a stable salary.
- A sustainable production system according to the protocol of the Sustainable Agriculture Network to preserve wildlife and biodiversity
- Virtual universities: Those universities allow the young people in the rural areas to obtain a higher education in a local university by participating in class via Internet.
- Coffee courses for farmers: The aim of those courses is to establish a holistic coffee education for farmers, from the plantation to roasting and brewing methods. This allows them to obtain a second salary.
Make your company more social and more special.
With specialty coffee traded transparently, directly from the farmer.
For a better world and for a better work.
AGÁTA Rösterei & Café GmbH
Phone: 0049 621 72 48 57 21
Mantano Project is a social entrepreneurship project of AGÁTA Rösterei & Café


For the last month I've been asking Mother Nature to grace us with a beautiful day for our garden harvest party evening. That day came yesterday, and we couldn't have had a more lovely evening to sit outside and visit with friends. I was so thankful for the sunshine and even more thankful for the cool temps. Though I was happy Mother Nature spread her arms wide and did her magic, I was somewhat sad that so many of my friends and family didn't join us. And as we sat there, eating and talking, I listened to several say, "I can't stay long. I have to do _____________." Unfortunately, the ripple effect took place and as soon as one person left, others followed suit. It was almost a fast-food event.
What happened to slowing down, truly slowing down and enjoying just being? Why is there a need to overlap activities, making it impossible to relax and give one's full attention to just the one event?
I did enjoy all the work leading up to the garden harvest party--the painted chairs and the table we made from the pallets, the jams and relish, and the gardens themselves. Having the garden harvest party allowed me to be creative and productive. And seeing someone walking past the house look over, see all the color, and smile as they continue on their way makes me smile.
Now, with the garden harvest party over and having to return to work just a week away, I'm going to slow down even more to soak up the last remnants of what has been one of the best summers I've ever had.


TaneDakara Seedling Soil® has the same quality and germination rate of peat moss.
A local product, 100% manufactured in Thailand with Technology from Japan.
Follow these three steps for successful germination:
#1 - Prepare the tray to the seedling.
Put the TaneDakara Seedling Soil into the seedling container. Fill all holes if you are using a seedling. If you want to use any other kind of container, make sure you will fill approximately 3/4 container. Remember to choose one that has drainage.
#2 - Make a hole to put the seed.
Use a small stick, like an Ice-cream stick, for example, to make one hole per unit in the seedling tray. If you are placing in a big container, make use you are using the stick to make a row, a line where you are going to put the seeds.
#3 - Sprinkle the seeds.
Make sure you are putting one seed per hole in the seedling tray. If you made a groove line in a big container, make sure you are keeping the right spacing between seeds according to the kind of plan you are going to sprout. After, cover the seeds with TaneDakara Seedling Soil and water it to make it moist.


学校威尼斯城娱乐官方平台 | English
报告题目：Introduction to the soils of Spain and some experiences related to soil management and research in NE Spain.
报 告 人：Prof Inigo Virto Quecedo （University of the Public University of Navarre）
邀 请 人：周建斌 教授
I?igo Virto is associate professor of Soil Science at the Public University of Navarra, in Pamplona (Spain). He has a PhD in Soil Science and international experience in the US (UC Davis, UIUC) and France (AgroParisTech). He has more than 15 years research experience in different areas of soil science in semiarid Mediterranean regions, from basic soil processes and soil regional assessment, to applied research for agricultural use of soils. He teaches soil science-related matters at the College of Agriculture and the College of Human Sciences for undergrads, graduate and PhD students. In this talk he'll introduce the general characteristics of the soils in Spain, and will discuss some of the research projects in which he and his group have participated.


Anartist Films is dedicated to radical, revolutionary film-making, demanding justice while embracing the beauty of the world and its people.
Greening the Revolution has screened at film festivals, music festivals, theaters, universities and community centers around the world, including the Newport Beach, Sonoma and Wild & Scenic International Film Festivals, winning Best Documentary at the Fort Myers IFF and Best Female Director at the Oaxaca International Film Festival.
Greening the Revolution was filmed in indigenous, Zapatista communities in southern Mexico, throughout farms and cities of Cuba, in the countryside and shanty towns of Haiti, tea farms and urban areas of Kenya, organic farms and cooperatives in Zambia, small agricultural communities in Punjab, India, Landless Workers camps in Brazil and throughout the United States, on the Pine Ridge and White Earth reservations, inner-city Oakland, Iowa, Washington D.C. and with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida. The 80-minute feature examines the tumultuous politics of the global food system, focusing on the struggles, triumphs and sustainability of small farmers from around the world, while including interviews with intellectuals, such as Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Vandana Shiva, government officials, such as the Director of the FDA, and corporate executives at Monsanto.
In line with the themes explored in "Greening the Revolution," the documentary creators have recently embarked on a new project that delves into the complexities of global healthcare access. This new film aims to investigate the challenges and successes in making essential medications, like cheap Cialis, available to underserved communities around the world. It examines the economic, political, and social barriers that impact the accessibility of vital health resources, drawing parallels to the struggles faced by small farmers in accessing fair and sustainable food systems, thus extending the conversation from food sovereignty to healthcare equity.


Welcome to Forgotten Ways Farm
If you are looking for raw milk, grass fed pastured meats, and wholesome, healing farm fresh foods for your family, then I welcome you to Forgotten Ways Farm. I would love to be your farmer!
I began raising dairy goats about 8 years ago. Wanting to provide my family with healthy raw milk and pastured meats I started expanding my farm. Here at the farm we now raise pork, chicken, and of course our beloved dairy goats. As we heal the soil, from neglect it had before us, we will be adding beef cattle as well.
Here at the farm we never use any pesticide or herbicide chemicals on our pastures or in our gardens. We never use any GMO feeds. Our animals are all pastured and enjoy the sunshine and forages like nature intended them to do.
I invite you to look around the website, get to know us, drop on by sometime, shoot me an email. Attend one of our farm days, classes or farm tours. I look forward to getting to know you!


HANOI, VIETNAM Media OutReach 9 September 2023 – President of the United States Joe Biden's official visit to Vietnam (Sep 10-11) will mark a new milestone in bilateral relations and positive progress between two countries. In particular, that will facilitate development and continues to show notable growth in agricultural trade.
The Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has welcomed the delegations of the US Secretary of Agriculture, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), two US Deputy Secritaries of State, two US Deputy Secretaries of Agriculture, and Governors of Nebraska and California over the past year. This demonstrates the importance of Vietnam in cooperation with the United States. Concurrent with the bilateral contacts is a series of exchanges, negotiations, shared understanding and coordination activities between the 2 sides, building partner trust and a very important foundation for promoting stronger agricultural cooperation. With President Biden's upcoming visit to Vietnam, relations between the two countries will be raised to a new level, creating favorable conditions for promoting bilateral cooperation between the 2 countries in general and the agriculture and rural development sector in particular.
To foster trusted partnership and development of agricultural trade
The United States has been on the top list of export markets of Vietnam in general and for agricultural products in particular. Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery exports to the United States reached 13 billion USD in 2022, accounting for 24.4% of the total country Agro-forestry-fishery (AFF) exports to the world. However, it only represents 6.7% of the US's AFF imports, showing a potential for Vietnam exports in the US market.
The United States applies strict requirements and a wide range of technical and SPS standards on agricultural and food products. In that context, Vietnam is making efforts to better meet those requirements.
Organization of production associated with the needs, tastes and technical standards of the United States. In detail, priority is given to R&D investment on plant and animal breeds, etc., that meet technical, food safety and animal and plant health conditions and standards; promoting imported seed suitable to local conditions, increasing the diversity of agricultural products, targeting the US market; building value chain integration between US import enterprises and Vietnamese enterprises to transfer technology and varieties besides ensuring quality control to meet the requirements of technical and quality standards of the US market.
Improvement of product quality and value to satisfy the requirements of the US market. It is essential to review and finalize the current system of technical standards and national technical regulations for agricultural products with reference to US standards. It is also necessary to complete the food safety and disease safety control system crop, livestock, seafood, animal feed, etc., for consideration, evaluation, recognition of equivalence, and opening export markets by the United States.
Moreover, many agricultural products of the two countries have been opened market access in recent years. With active negotiation between two countries, the United States is becoming the largest poultry meat exporter to Vietnam (accounting for about 34% of total poultry meat imports), the second largest beef exporter (after Australia, accounting for about 16%) and the sixth largest pork exporter (accounting for about 5%) to Vietnam.
At the same time, the United States also opened the market for many Vietnamese products. Most recently, on August 7, 2023, APHIS completed updating the online database of Agricultural Commodity Import Requests (ACIR) to approve imports of Vietnamese fresh coconuts.
In the coming time, Vietnam will prioritize boosting the export of wood and wood products, seafood, and cashew nuts, pepper, and coffee, fruits into the US market.
To promote green growth and sustainable development
The cooperation agricultural green growth between Vietnam and the United States has brought many benefits, including environmental protection and improved product quality and the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. Two countries continue to cope with environmental challenges and climate change together.
Vietnam Government pays close attention to sustainable development, climate change and international commitments. At the COP26 (The UN Climate Change Conference), Vietnam made a commitment to bring net emissions to zero by 2050, joined the Methane Pledge and the Glasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
To implement the commitments at COP26, COP27, Vietnam has participated in many initiatives with the United States and other countries and international organizations such as: i) Initiative "Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate Change" (AIM4C); ii) the Action Alliance "Promoting Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation" (SPG); iii) the World Economic Forum's "Food Innovation Hub" (FIH) and iv) the World Economic Forum's (WEF) "100 Million Farmers: Transitioning to Zero-Emission and Environmentally Friendly Food Systems"; v) Coalition on "Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance " (LEAF).
As agreed between the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the US Secretary of Agriculture, from April 2022, the US-Vietnam Climate Change Working Group was launched with the participation of relevant agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and representatives of USDA, USAID, and USFS to reduce emissions in agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry.
In the immediate future, the two sides focus on the implementation of projects including the project Adaptation to Climate Change in the Mekong Delta, Fertilizer Right, Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation in Livestock Sector (TRANSFORM). In particular, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam is coordinating with the US WF to complete the signing of the Letter of Intent and develop the program " Viet Nam for Life: Nature-based Solutions for the Central " with a long-term cooperation framework lasting up to 20 years, with a budget of up to 300 million USD, focusing on addressing climate change issues, protect and restore biodiversity, while benefiting local communities in the Central Annamite Mountains, one of Asia's largest adjacent primary forests.
Vietnam will join hands to cooperate with the US Government, organizations, and investors as trusted partners to develop a green and sustainable agriculture and develop better agricultural supply chains and contribute to the global food security.
View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/vietnam-and-the-united-states-promoting-trusted-trade-partnership-and-green-growth-in-agriculture-415069193
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Florida Times Daily journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.


Winnipeg, MB., April 22, 2021. A new partnership between the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (CAFM) and Glacier FarmMedia will bring critical awareness to an issue that affects us all – soil health and sustainability.
“Healthy soil is essential to our food security, climate, health, and the overall quality of life for all Canadians,” says Kerry-Leigh Burchill, Director General at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. “Through this exciting partnership with Glacier FarmMedia, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is committed to fostering a greater appreciation and understanding of this finite resource, and the importance of soil stewardship in contemporary agriculture.”
The Museum – one of three under Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation – offers visitors of all ages the unique opportunity to interact with a working farm in the heart of the nation’s capital, alongside immersive exhibitions, educational programming, and skills demonstrations to support food literacy. Like Glacier FarmMedia, raising awareness about soil health and connecting audiences with sustainable solutions and best practices is a priority for the Museum.
“The Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum and Glacier FarmMedia are aligned in our vision to promote and protect soil health,” says Lynda Tityk, Executive Vice-President, Glacier FarmMedia. “Soil is facing critical issues that impact everyone. Awareness and outreach is timely, critical, and paves the way for all Canadians to work together, which will be vital to protect this resource.”
The Museum will be working with the agriculture industry and soil experts to share the latest soil science and reinforce the essential link between healthy soils and food production. Through on-site and digital programming, their important message about soil sustainability will be shared across farming sectors and with their national audience of over 1 million people.
As a media partner, Glacier FarmMedia will help to launch and promote the initiative which will kick-off with the launch of the Soil Superheroes exhibition. The exhibition provides visitors with an underground perspective on the importance of soil science and conservation through imaginative characters that demonstrate how soil provides humans with food and medicine, cleans the water we drink, and protects our climate. The exhibition will launch at the museum in 2021 before touring from coast to coast with a discovery cart filled with educational resources. The format is designed to spark conversations and curiosity in a broad spectrum of venues with the intention of serving urban centres, remote communities, science centres, libraries or other public venues.
For more information:
Director of Corporate Communication, Glacier FarmMedia
Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation
About Glacier FarmMedia
Glacier FarmMedia, is the agricultural division of Glacier Media Inc., an information communications company focused on the provision of primary and essential information and related services through print, electronic and online media. The Glacier FarmMedia family includes: Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, the Farm Forum Event, Advancing Women Conferences, The Western Producer, Grainews, Country Guide, Manitoba Co-operator, Canadian Cattlemen, Alberta Farmer Express, Farmtario, Le Bulletin des Agriculteurs, Ag Dealer, Global Auction Guide and Farmzilla. For more information, visit farmmedia.com.
About the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation oversees three museums, one of which is the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. The museum offers hands-on food literacy demonstrations and immersive exhibitions on a working farm in the heart of our nation’s capital. It showcases milestones in Canadian agriculture which inform and inspire the future of food security and sustainable agriculture. It also highlights the relationship between agricultural science and technology and Canadians’ everyday lives. Visitors to the national site have a unique opportunity to experience hands-on demonstrations, participate in seasonal programs and to see diverse breeds of farm animals as well as technology. Virtual visitors and national audiences are able to access learning modules, experiments, recipes and online programs that feature key issues of our time.


A Better Way to Feed Cattle
NaturSafe® is Diamond V’s most advanced immune support postbiotic for beef cattle. It’s a natural*, non-antibiotic solution containing bioactive compounds specifically formulated to optimize health and performance. The research-proven compounds in NaturSafe work naturally with the biology of the animal to support:
A consistent pH above 5.6 within the rumen is indicative of a healthy rumen environment. Research indicates that a consistently higher pH not only reduces the incidence of sub-acute acidosis, but also decreases the risk of liver abscesses being formed.
Recent research shows NaturSafe helps create a healthier, more robust rumen environment that is more resilient, more efficient, and less likely to contribute towards costly liver abscesses.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
NaturSafe is a natural*, immune health beef cattle feed additive used in beef cattle diets for optimal health and performance.
Unlike any other product in the dairy industry, NaturSafe feed additive was conceived and developed from 80 years of time-test scientific principles, along with Diamond V® human-product innovation, and ultimately, performance of the technology in beef animals.
NaturSafe is not a single compound, but rather a microbial fermentate composed of hundreds of bioactive compounds. These bioactives work synergistically with the biology of the animal to support immunity, health, and performance.
Research shows NaturSafe postbiotic helps reduce critical risks associated with cattle production and preserve the expression of the normal biology of beef cattle.
NaturSafe feed additive works by supporting:
- Rumen health and gastrointestinal tract integrity
- Immune system and overall animal health
- Optimization of energy
NaturSafe postbiotic promotes the advance of science in food production in the safest and most sustainable manner.
Research has shown NaturSafe feed additive supports:
- Overall respiratory and digestive health
- Optimized average daily gain and feed conversion
- Health/pull rates
- Feed intake and performance during heat stress
- Antibiotic stewardship through responsible management/use
NaturSafe feed additive is heat and pressure stable under conditions normally found in feed manufacturing.
No — NaturSafe feed additive is stable in all types of feed processing systems, and may be incorporated in loose mineral products, blocks, and tubs, as well as in pelleted, liquid, or dry supplements.
NaturSafe fermentate does not require refrigeration and may be stored under ambient environmental conditions.
Learn more about how Diamond V® feed additives improve animal health, nutrition, and performance.
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East coast is an eco friendly and pet safe company.


Here we have everything you need for seed raising and establishing young plants and cuttings. From the original seedling potter right through to our new range of propagators, bottletop waterers and sieves. Our propagators come complete with seed tray bases that have 2 tier drainage holes and strong injection moulded covers with easy to adjust vents. Propagators can be used on the windowsill or a larger area, these are perfect for growing numerous seed varieties, each in their own micro climate.
Your IP Address is: 184.108.40.206


January 19, 2017 · No Comments
Atlanta, Georgia, January 19, 2017: United Egg Producers President Chad Gregory today released the following statement regarding the nomination of former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture:
“Today, President-Elect Donald Trump took an important step forward for America’s farm community when he nominated former Georgia Governor George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue as the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. As a veterinarian, policy maker, small business owner and seasoned public servant, Governor Perdue has the experience and integrity to be most deserving of this nomination.
“Governor Perdue understands both the challenges of being a family farmer in today’s modern food system, as well as the vast opportunities that are available to America’s farmers in assuring a safe, abundant and affordable food supply. He will bring to agriculture a diverse perspective and reasoned leadership that will benefit farmers and the business customers and consumers they serve.
“Certainly, there is no Cabinet position more important to U.S. egg farmers than Secretary of Agriculture.
USDA plays an essential role for our industry, whether for food safety, animal health, trade promotion, marketing assistance or federal procurement. As the recognized voice of U.S. egg farmers, who produce 95 percent of eggs in the nation, United Egg Producers strongly supports Governor Perdue’s nomination and encourages the U.S. Senate to do the same.”
# # #
CONTACT: Hinda Mitchell, on behalf of UEP, 614.537.8926
United Egg Producers (UEP) is a cooperative of U.S. egg farmers working collaboratively to address legislative, regulatory and advocacy issues impacting the industry through active farmer-member leadership, a unified voice and partnership across the agriculture community. UEP’s farmer-members work to provide for the health and well-being of their birds; to produce safe, nutritious, high-quality eggs; and to manage their farms responsibly with best on-farm management practices. Leadership of and participation in the UEP Certified program by the vast majority of egg producers further demonstrates a broad commitment to the care of egg-laying hens. UEP also manages the national Egg Safety Center, a leading resource for consumer and industry information on the safe production of eggs and prevention of disease. Formed in 1968, UEP members represent about 95 percent of US egg production.


Another great question from a recent Ask Me Anything:
Do you know anything about or have interest in exploring farming outside the US context? Smallholders in India and Indigenous farmers in Latin America seem to be doing some interesting stuff and are highly critical of the Gates Foundation etc that supports big ag globally. Wonder if there are any applicable lessons or if it’s just too different.
It goes without saying that there’s a lot of interesting things going on outside of the U.S., especially in the global south and Latin America where the modern food sovereignty movement has its roots. Gaining familiarity with the history of the food sovereignty movement and understanding how agriculture works in other parts of the world is an important exercise in establishing a context for the work we do here in North America (where most of our audience is based).
I think that, for a lot of us, we’ve gone beyond looking at other parts of the world in order to contextualize local work, and have begun to instead develop a “grass is greener” attitude toward agriculture overseas. In some cases, we’re going so far as to fetishize food movements in other countries. Coming from a North American Indigenous culture myself, I’ve got a sensitive radar to people progressing from understanding to fetish. The symptoms of fetishization include:
- Describing the target in purely positive terms
- Ascribing any negative, difficult, or complex properties of the target to something external, especially hyperobjects like caplitalism/colonialism (thanks for Dagny Holt for the reference) that act as thought-stoppers.
- Building a savior complex around the target that strips them of their humanity — in particular, their cultural evolution and complexity — reducing the target to a magic box from which solutions to all our problems should be found
When it comes to food and agriculture, fetishizing other cultures is nominally…


City of Lyndhurst, Ohio
Local Organizations Directory
➤ Lyndhurst Garden Club
Website: https://www.lyndhurst-oh.com/lod/lod27.html 🌐
For more information, please contact Barb Conti.
Lyndhurst Garden Club - Ohio
1st Thursday of each month.
February through June and September through November.
6:30 PM to 7:00 PM: Social Time
7:00 PM: Program Begins
A business meeting follows each program.
➜ Where:Lyndhurst Community Center
1341 Parkview Drive
Lyndhurst, Ohio 44124
Programs begin at 7:00 PM.
New members and visitors are always welcome. The Lyndhurst Garden Club is open to all and welcomes new members.
Perennial And Herb Sale:May 25th 2019 at 8:00 AM.
In May of each year the club holds its yearly Perennial and Herb Sale at the Little Red Schoolhouse, which is located on Richmond Road behind the Board of Education building. This popular sale features herbs and perennials dug from members own gardens that are sold at very reasonable prices. The perennial sale is a major fundraiser for the club and helps to support civic donations, maintenance and planting in community gardens as well as scholarships for horticulture students. You won't want to miss this sale!
It's time to start planning that upcoming garden project! The Lyndhurst Garden Club cordially invites you to attend a meeting, visit a plant sale, take a trip to a greenhouse, or plant a perennial!
The Lyndhurst Garden Club was established in 1937.


I’ve been in Boulder for a month now. Moved here from Northern California to take part in the Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado. After moving here and settling in, and brief forays to New York for a wedding and New Orleans for the annual Society of Environmental Journalists conference, I finally had a moment to pause and think … and realize I had gone three whole weeks without writing a single article! What the heck?! That’s a record for me. Determined not to waste another second, I have officially begun my fellowship project, focusing on sustainable farming. I interviewed farmers from Indiana, Illinois, California and Colorado this week, including the operator of Cure Organic Farm and interns with the Farmer Cultivation Center (see below):
It’s official! I’ve been named a Ted Scripps Fellow in Environmental Journalism. I’ll be in Boulder, Colorado, reporting on the growth of small-scale sustainable farms in the American west and their role in transforming domestic food systems. Here’s the press release with information on my fellow, um, fellows.
As I prepare to move to Boulder, Colorado, and begin my participation in the Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism, I’m — not gonna lie — feverishly brushing up on my knowledge of the history of the environmental movement in the United States. And, I’m reminded of another great environmental journalism fellowship I was honored to take part in through the Institutes for Journalism & Natural Resources. The nonprofit organization organizes learning expeditions to help reporters and editors become better storytellers. In 2009, I went on an IJNR journey through and around Washington state’s Puget Sound.
Here’s an excerpt from my article, “Think You Know What a Farmer Looks Like? Think Again,” for YES! Magazine’s website.
When Lindsey Morris Carpenter was a college student studying art in Philadelphia, she never expected that, just a decade later, she would spend most of her days fixing up tractors, turning piles of manure, and corralling chickens.
But that’s precisely what she’s doing. Carpenter, 29, dropped out of school in 2004 and returned to her home state of Wisconsin, where she found a job on a vegetable farm. She went on to apprentice at a larger operation in suburban Chicago and eventually secured employment at an urban farm on the city’s south side, teaching previously incarcerated people how to grow food.
By 2007, Carpenter had decided she wanted her own piece of land to farm, so she and her mother, Gail, bought 40 acres in south central Wisconsin and got down to business—an opportunity she’s grateful for since she’s aware that not everyone has access to the resources that allowed her to purchase this land.
Today, Carpenter’s certified-organic operation, Grassroots Farm, grows fruit, vegetables, hops, and herbs; she also sells pesticide-free cut flowers and eggs from the farm’s chickens. Being as environmentally sustainable as possible is paramount to Grassroots’ operations, Carpenter says. So, too, is a commitment to provide healthy, fresh food to local people regardless of the size of their bank accounts.
I covered the anti-fracking rally in Sacramento, Calif., on March 15 for Earth Island Journal. You can read the article here. People from all over California converged on the capitol in what organizers said was the largest anti-fracking mobilization in the state to date. Protestors urged Gov. Jerry Brown to place a moratorium on the controversial form of oil and natural gas extraction.
To express my interest in sustainable farming and local food systems, I have launched a new monthly feature in the Granite Bay View. The first article in this farm-to-fork section is about Mount Pleasant Farm & Gardens in Lincoln, California, where growers follow the philosophies and practices of biodynamic farming. The second article is about Newcastle Produce, which sells fresh, organic produce grown within 100 miles of the store, along with olive oils, jams and other products made by local farmers.


Tomorrow is the last day of winter. I don’t need a calendar to tell me that spring is coming. I have weeds for that. The first thing I did on my return from a restful week away? Weed the front garden, where the grass is on the march into the flower beds and the last delivery of mushroom compost seems to have introduced the dreaded onion grass to the rose bed.
I hate onion grass. I have vivid memories of the first few years in our old house in the Big Smoke. It had been a rental, left to rot by the previous owner. The front garden was a jungle of weeds. We didn’t want that, we wanted scented gardenias, dense murrayas, spears of lavender, enough rosemary to keep the neighbourhood supplied for Sunday roasts. That’s what we ended up with too – but not until we’d hand-weeded every skerrick of onion grass out of the front yard. It took years.
At first, we weeded, then laid newspaper, then mulched. Still it grew. So, six weeks later, we’d rinse and repeat. Another layer of newspaper, a thicker layer of mulch. The mulch and paper broke down, feeding the soil. Still the onion grass grew.
But gradually, it came less and less. The plants grew bigger and filled the space, crowding out the weeds. We got it under control.
Still I’d go to bed and night, dreaming of dark soil with those tiny, white bulbs beneath. Miss one, and the whole garden could go to pot.
And now we begin again. Different house, same noxious weed. Fortunately, it’s only one bed. We have good mulching foundations and dwarf lavender ready to spread beneath the rose bushes as the sun’s rays strengthen and the warmth goes right down to the roots.
As I was digging my way through the soil on Saturday, my mind turned to Foxglove Spires, a 3.5 acre garden near Tilba Tilba, NSW, and a highlight of our holiday (for me and The Builder at least – not sure that the Misters were all that impressed). What began as a vast, empty paddock 30 years ago is now a sublime corner of light and shade, mature trees and tiny flowers, chickens and vegetables, exotic plants and natives. A magical woodland, no doubt complete with fairies (somebody’s doing all that work!). The sunroom, pictured above, is made from reclaimed windows – I want it. It is simply inspirational (even before the true Spring bonanza) and I recommend a visit should you find yourself in the area.
The thought of the place was enough to steel my resolve. If Sue Southam, the woman behind Foxglove Spires, can persist with an entire paddock, surely I could manage to see off the invaders in a 2 x 1 metre garden bed. Even if I didn’t have help from those fairies.
I read Tilba Tilba and just lost some time dreaming about cheese. I may have drooled.
I had no idea Foxglove Spires existed. I’ll definitely be paying a visit next time I’m down that way, even if it’s just to see that sunroom….I have dreams of my greenhouse that I plan to build out of re-purposed windows.
Meanwhile, happy dance cos when I wake up in the morning it shall be Spring!
Hmmmm, thanks for the reminder about my garden and its weeds! It is amazing what can be done with planning, persistance, plants…and bit of passion!
Onion weed seems to follow this family wherever we go! It was always Dad’s garden enemy and now it is ours’. A conflict that spans the generations like a modern day Capulet and Montague saga. Ha! Not likely.
I have secretly always kinda liked it – if I could grow it in a pot I would, but it’s too stinky to have near the house. I like the look of all alliums, but dear lord the stench!!
We moved into our house many Novembers ago, when everything was dead or dormant. As such, we didn’t think much about the state of the yard when we signed on the dotted line. Come spring, we had a veritable dandelion forest as far as the eye could see. (Good thing we didn’t have kids then. They might have gotten lost in the weeds.) We’ve spent nine years fighting the good fight, and we still can’t declare a complete victory. Gah!
PS: So glad to be back visiting the virtual fibro. What a few weeks I have had!
I love your love of gardening. I wish I had that.
I do share your hatred of onion weeds though, they’re all around the hills where I live too. Friends used to come up to visit and talk about these gorgeous little white flowers, then pick and smell them in horror while we’d laugh as we watched them. He he he.
Weeds are no fun. I spent most of the weekend pulling out bindi. It’s a mind numbing job but the prospect of prickle-free grass for Spring is looking better!
Oh wow…. seems so strange when summer has just about come to an end here, way too soon, and the days are already feeling like autumn. My weeds have gone crazy too, and there’s grass where they shouldn’t be grass – way too much rain this summe sadly.
Love hearing about garden – it’s like a vicarious pleasure.
I bought some onion type alliums the other day – a spray of white stars. Will these smell of onion I asked? Oh no, said the seller. Sadly, the whole house stank of onions for days although they did look very pretty.I really should have known better – the clue was in the name.
Allison – there are no fairies at the bottom of the garden. Hate to break it to you.
Isn’t Foxglove Spires an amazing place? I love the book about it as well. I guess one of the advantages of living in a townhouse with a courtyard garden is minimal weeding! Happy gardening…it’s still a bit cold here but I have my fingers crossed 🙂 The weeds will probably come quicker than a result on our new government!


Lying along the road that winds its way up from Castiglione Falletto to Monforte, the Attilio Ghisolfi winery is surrounded by the vineyards of Bussia, one of the finest crus in the Barolo wine-growing area. The company has been run by Gianmarco since 1988, when he began bottling the wines that had been produced on the farm for three generations and had always been sold previously in bulk.
The traditional local varieties (Nebbiolo, Barbera, Freisa) are grown on around 7 hectares (17 acres) of vineyards, alongside another which is quite unusual for this area: Pinot Noir.
The most prestigious label is Barolo Bricco Visette, though since the 2000 vintage it has been joined - in the very best years only - by the winery’s real showpiece, Barolo Riserva Fantini.
Of lesser standing, though no less important, are the estate’s other wines:
Barbera d’Alba Vigna Lisi, Barbera d’Alba Maggiora, Langhe Alta Bussia, Langhe Pinay e Langhe Nebbiolo.


Chongcao is literally translated "bug-grass," and is vital for Tibetans in this area. It's a cash crop they don't plant, but harvest every year high above the tree line. Starting as a caterpillar, this worm burrows down into the ground and dies, then a fungus grows out of the caterpillars body and is harvested as traditional medicine. Locals can make much of their yearly income by harvesting and trading this unique "bug-grass" Don't worry, no bugs are included with this blanket, but you may need it if you go live up at 15,000 ft. for a season to harvest chongcao! Size: 49"x59" (not including tassel length) Weight: 5.7 pounds Free Shipping! This item will be shipped internationally, so please allow for a 6-9 week delivery window.


The headline isn’t a pun, I swear. Especially since potatoes are tubers, not roots.
“What do potatoes have to do with anything?” you say. Well, I’ll tell you. The Humanitarian Bowl is now the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Heck, I don’t even like baked potatoes but this logo is delicious:
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that one of the great traditions of bowl games is that most of the old ones were named after agricultural products. The Orange and Sugar date to 1934, and the Cotton to 1936. And of course, the bowl game in Atlanta on December 31st should still rightfully be the Peach Bowl. Also in the recent past were the Tangerine and Citrus Bowls.
And with that kind of agricultural heritage, this annual WAC-MAC tilt is obviously destined for greatness.


Single vineyard designated wines from the region’s most elevated vineyard...
Washington State Wine Regional Overview
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
With 55,000 acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, which support healthier plants, vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While wine grape growers in Washington focus on Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular white and red wines.
From Italy to Australia, winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for consistent high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from major wine media. Overall, Washington receives a higher percentage of high scores from principal wine publications than other leading wine regions.
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Lot #5 - Agria


Organic gardening is an all natural method for growing delicious herbs and vegetables in your backyard garden. If you choose to use conventional chemical fertilizers you run the risk of introducing carcinogens and other toxic matter into your body as you eat your herbs. At the same time the chemicals you spray on your garden can be harmful to wildlife, your pets, and your children and will also create toxic run-off that can contaminate ground water supply.
These days, due to the detrimental effects of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, there has been a strong trend towards organic vegetable gardening. Actually organic gardening is merely the old-fashioned way of gardening and going back to basics. The main difference between organic and conventional vegetable gardening is how fertilization and pest control is done. In organic vegetable gardening, fertilization and pest control are done without synthetic fertilizers or manufactured pesticides.
Organic vegetable gardening involves applying organic matter to the soil in place of manufactured substances. When it comes to fertilizing the soil, the organic matter pertaining to this is green manure, compost and animal manure. Be sure to add this organic matter to your soil at least four weeks before planting your seeds to give enough time for the nutrients to be absorbed into the soil.
Vegetable Garden Fertilizer is must for any domestic garden as it employs natural materials, which are beneficial for the growth of plants and does not produce any ill-effects on human health. As a result, it is readily available at all stores where gardening supplies of organic nature are sold. Vegetable Garden Fertilizer helps the soil regain its lost strength and prepare it for gardening by replenishing it with vital nutrients. Being insoluble, they nourish the plants gradually and do not cause leaching as in the case of their caustic counterparts.
Using these natural fertilizers, organic vegetable gardening can produce vegetables that are not only delicious but nutritious and safe for consumption.