Read the full July| August newspaper
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Farmers find CBD hemp industry’s first years rocky, but hang onto hope for future
Certified organic CBD hemp grows really well in our region—you could almost say it grows like a weed. Since the 2018 Federal Farm Bill allowed the production and distribution of hemp products with a limit of 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) for the first time in more than 50 years, the marketplace has exploded, but not to the benefit of farmers. Read more.
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New project helps fiber hemp growers, researchers share production data
By combining university research protocols with crowdsourcing of grower-collected data, the Midwestern Hemp Database pulled in a large amount of information in a short period of time. The project reveals common agronomic practices throughout the region, as well as how different hemp cultivars performed in terms of flower development, cannabinoid content, and overall yields. Read more.
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Dairy alliance advocates for tighter standards to bolster integrity of organic label
The Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA) is in its 20th year and remains committed to representing producers and their interests. After 20 years of work, what lessons have been learned in representing the core interest of those that actually produce the raw material for organic dairy products? Read more.
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New tool helps farms track practices that improve environment
University of Wisconsin’s new Ecosystem Services tool collects data about a farm’s environmental impacts, including the ways they’re working to reduce climate change. It helps farms shift their story from the single-minded, economic mentality of short-term growth and efficiency to a broader valuation of long-term sustainability and resilience. Read more.
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New Farmer U builds strong foundation for beginning farmers’ success
After farming a year or two, beginning farmers develop a new set of questions—“Is this the right enterprise for my farm? How do I find wholesale buyers? How do I add workers in a way that’s ethical and legal? What’s a better recordkeeping system?” These are the kinds of questions answered at New Farmer U, a weekend training oriented more toward “intermediate” beginning farmers—those with a couple years of farming under their belts—focused on business and financial management. Read more.
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At 40-year milestone, Rodale Institute’s Farming Systems Trial demonstrates benefits of organic productions
Results from the Farming Systems Trial have surprised the farming community and contributed to the codification of what we know as organic agriculture today. Over the years, the trial has expanded beyond comparing conventional and organic production of corn and soybeans to include vegetable production and watershed impact. Read more.
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Additional Content in PDF
- From the ED: Field days bring us together in our comfort zone—farm fields
- Ask a Specialist:
- Drought Management for Grazing, Hay Production
- Trellises in High-Density Orchards
- MOSES takes new approach to farmer-led Grower Groups
- Field day answers questions about high tunnel production, funding assistance
- Small city in Wisconsin promotes local farms through tourism website
- Farmers create cooperative to market perennial crops
- Assessment shows Organic Valley farms have low carbon footprint
- News Briefs
- Organic Classifieds
- Community Calendar
