6/15/04

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1.  Defenders Continues Investigation Into Factory Farm Funding 
2.  Milking the Wind? 
3.  CSP: Falls Short So Sign Up Now! 
4.  Farm Bureau:  Family Farms or Big Ag?

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1.  DEFENDERS CONTINUES INVESTIGATION INTO FACTORY FARM FUNDING 

In last week's Rural Updates! we reported that Defenders of Wildlife is currently seeking information from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) regarding the amount of funds they are paying from the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) to factory farms (CAFO's) for manure lagoons and other related practices.  

We have serious concerns that the NRCS, by subsidizing development of certain practices, may be inadvertently creating environmental hazards.  Without detailed information about which factory farms receive funding we cannot determine if there is an environmental hazard.  The NRCS, however, provided us with only sketchy, aggregate data that is useless in determining who is getting what. 

We have followed up our earlier FOIA request with a second request for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This second FIOA asks more specifically about the money USDA is providing to concentrated animal feeding operations for manure-related practices.  Read more, and view a copy of Defenders of Wildlife's June 3, 2004 FOIA request. 

2.  MILKING THE WIND? 

Well, you can't get water out of rock, but you can get green-back out of a turbine.  Sporting a clever website that pictures a wind turbine with the words "Milk This," the Windustry Organization is a non-profit dedicated to creating an understanding of the wind energy opportunities available for rural economic benefit.  On June 23rd and 24th in Minneapolis, Windustry will present "A National Conference For New Models Of Wind Energy Development."  

Interested land owners from around the country are invited to build their savvy about the local and regional economic benefits of harnessing the power of the wind.  The conference will highlight opportunities to create environmentally sound and cost effective energy, examine the value of their wind resource; and look into the many options for participating in innovative wind projects.  Everyone is welcome to join the dialogue, whether you want to develop your own project or learn more about how communities can benefit from collective wind generation.  

3.  CSP: FALLS SHORT - SO SIGNUP NOW! 

When Congress passed the last Farm Bill, the Conservation Security Program was envisioned as a fully funded program on par with farm commodity programs.  However, for months it has been clear that the initial rollout of the program would fall far short of rewarding all of the nation's good stewards. The interim final rule for the program, released on June 9, contains some improvements, such as increased base payments. However, Ferd Hoefner, Policy Director for the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC) concludes that the new rule, "still falls way short of anything that could be called a comprehensive stewardship incentives program."  Nonetheless, NRCS is moving forward the program, offering a signup from July 6 to July 30 in 18 of the nation's 2100 watersheds. 

If you are a producer, visit this site to determine if your operation falls within an eligible watershed. If so, contact your local NRCS office, or check back regularly to the CSP website: NRCS will shortly make available a self-assessment tool to help producers determine their eligibility and potential tier placement. 

4.  FARM BUREAU: FAMILY FARMS OR BIG AG? 

Five years after the American Farm Bureau Federation leadership was taken to task by CBS Sixty Minutes for betraying the family farmers they are chartered to protect, questions continue.  In the March/April issue of "E Magazine" author Jim Motavalli interviews progressive farm leaders from across the country.  Each of them pinpoints Farm Bureau policy and leadership as a primary reason farmers and rural American economies are in trouble.  

Farmer Bryce Oats of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center said, "We have a serious farming crisis in rural Missouri and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is a big part of what's wrong." Oats continued, "They promote a corporate agenda, and are carrying water for Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland." John Hansen, President of the Nebraska Farmers Union adds, "AFBF's farm and trade policies have caused serious economic pain to farmers," he says.  "They're helping dismantle our very effective system of family-farmed agriculture in favor of a failed Soviet model that replaces state control with corporate-level control.  They create scapegoats—organized labor, environmentalists—that divert focus away from the fundamental economic issues that farmers face." 

Read Defenders "Amber Waves of Gain". 

Cultivating a vision where rural and urban communities join together
 to ensure abundant family farms, healthy critters, clean water and a wild Earth.  

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Rural Updates!
Scotty Johnson and Aimee Delach
National Rural Community Outreach Campaign
sjohnson@defenders.org