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News
IN THE NEWS
From the
Community Food Security Coalition Policy Update
USDA Expected to Roll
Out Local Food Initiative This Summer
Secretary
of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced a new major initiative
called “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” to be launched by the
administration before the end of the summer. According to Vilsack,
the program will link local food producers with consumers “so the
wealth that in the past has been leaving the community may stay in
the community.” Expanding local food processing, marketing,
infrastructure, storage, and transportation facilities will help to
create jobs and revitalize rural communities, according to the
Secretary. Helping institutions purchase food locally and expanding
community and urban gardens will also be a part of the “Know Your
Farmer, Know Your Food” program.
In a first step
towards this local foods initiative, Deputy Secretary Kathleen
Merrigan released a memo this week highlighting existing USDA
programs that can be tapped into for local foods.
The memo can found at
http://www.foodsecurity.org/policy/USDA_local_food_memo.pdf.
GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
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SARE Farmer
Rancher Grants -- Farmers and ranchers in the North
Central Region (which includes Missouri) are invited to submit
grant proposals for projects to explore sustainable agriculture
solutions to problems on the farm or ranch. Proposals should
show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their own innovative
ideas to explore sustainable agriculture options and how they
will share project results. Projects should emphasize
research or education/demonstration. Grants can range from
$6,000 for individual farmers up to $18,000 for groups of 3 or
more farmers. Deadline for proposals
is Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. Visit
http://sare.org/ncrsare/cfp.htm.
RECENT PRESS
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"Farm Fresh Eating."
Sauce Magazine's web site, August 26, 2009.
Link to Sauce.
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"Ste. Genevieve County's
Wineries Grow Up, Branch Out." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August
16, 2009.
Link to article
MRHA MEMBERS ARE
WINNING AWARDS!
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Baetje Farms took
two prizes at the
American Cheese Society 2009 Annual Conference, a 3rd
place for their Cranberry and Orange Coeur de la Creme, and a 3rd
place for their Bloomsdale cheese, a French style cheese that is
rolled in a mixture of pine ash and salt and aged until it is
covered with a beautiful bloomy rind (this same cheese took a 2nd
place at last year's American Dairy Goat convention). There
were nearly 1400 cheese competing at this year's conference, so
we're very proud of Steve and Veronica!
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Baetje Farms also received five 1st place awards and one 2nd
place at the Missouri State Fair.
ECONOMIC BASELINE STUDY
of the Mississippi River Hills region has been completed by the
Community Policy Analysis Center at the University of Missouri.
Click here to open the PDF file.
Posted 02/02/09
Upcoming Events
SEPTEMBER 2009
Southeast
Missouri Horticulture Farm Tour Wednesday, September
30, 2009; 9:00 to 3:00 pm. Enjoy the opportunity to learn from
other growers, share ideas, and promote good production practices.
Tour locations include County Line Farm, Tour and Lunch at Stonie's
Sausage Shop in Perryville, Perryville Pumpkin Farm, and Hemman
Winery. No transportation provided, please carpool. Rain
or shine - wear appropriate clothing and shoes for visiting a farm
and walking. No fee, sponsored by the Missouri Vegetable
Growers' Association and University of Missouri Extension.
RSVP by September 23 by calling 573-883-3548 or emailing kammlerk@missouri.edu.
OCTOBER 2009
Stand-Up Comedy Showcase
-- Friday, Oct. 2 at the Orris in downtown Ste. Genevieve! Tickets
can be purchased now for $10 each at any Bank of Bloomsdale
location, the Sainte Genevieve Winery, or at the door the night of
the show.
Workshop series: Rapid Track
to Business Growth -- Offered by the Center for Innovation
and Entrepreneurship at Southeast Missouri State. Six classes,
take one or all, free of charge. Oct 5 - Low Cost Marketing; Oct 13
- Accounting Basics; Oct 15 - Creating Ideas That Make $$; Oct 19 -
Taxes; Oct 22 - Incentives, Loans and Grants; and Oct 27 -
Retirement Planning. For info call Glenna at: 573-986-6084
UPDATED: Southeast Missouri Agri-Tourism
Celebration --
CLICK HERE FOR FLYER. Tuesday, October 13,
1:00 pm to 8:00 pm. at the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Optional tour of
three agri-tourism
sites from 11:30 to 4:30, includes box lunch from Stonie's Sausage
Shop in Perryville. Wine tasting and exhibits open 4:30,
program begins 5:30. Delicious dinner of local and seasonal
foods prepared by Executive Chef Michael Reitman and the team of
Chartwells.
Keynote speaker - Dr. Jon Hagler, Director of the Missouri
Department of Agriculture. Also presenting: Lane McConnell on
"Marketing to Today's Consumer" and Van Ayers on "Current
Opportunities in Agritourism." Fee is $10 per person for the tour
and lunch, and $10 per person for the evening program and dinner
($20 for both). Student rate: $5 / $5. Payment may be
made at the door but reservations are required by calling the
Stoddard County Extension office at 573-568-3344. Deadline
October 8. A limited amount of exhibit space is available,
contact Tish at the Ste. Genevieve County Extension office,
573-883-3548.
Best of Missouri Market -- October 3-4, Missouri Botanical
Gardens, St. Louis. This great event celebrates Missouri
products. Look for our MRHA members! For more
information visit:
http://www.mobot.org/
NOVEMBER 2009
Route du Vin: Wine
Diva Weekend -- November 21-21.
Journey down Ste.
Genevieve’s Route du Vin wine trail for a unique “Wine Diva
Weekend”! Along the way you’ll be treated to fine wine perfectly
paired with a delicious “Diva Treat” at each of the six distinctive
wineries within our scenic region.
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Purchase Tickets
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