- Author: Chris M. Webb
The first annual UC Ventura County Research Symposium will be held next Tuesday, December 1st. This symposium will focus on local agriculture issues. There is no cost to attend.
Scheduled topics include:
- Role of agriculture in Ventura County’s economy
- New crop varieties
- Emerging pests and pathogens – and what is being done to combat them
- Using carbon dioxide as a tool to increase red raspberry yield
Agricultural issues affect all of us in Ventura County.
We hope to see you there!
All attendees will receive an informational packet. To help us conserve our resources, we ask that you pre-register for the symposium.Registration can be completed online. For phone registrations, please call Susan Latham at 805.525.9293x205, or Chris Webb at 805.645.1434.
To learn more about this free event, please see previous post.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Whether you are in the agricultural business, have a fondness for analyzing economic data, or simply curious about agricultural and resource economics, the University of California has a site for you.
Once there you can find the most recent cost and return studies, sorted by commodity, region or county. They are interesting to look at, and certainly provide non-growers a glimpse into the amount of variables and costs associated with crop production.
There is also a link to archived studies. There you can find studies going back to 1931.
In addition to commodity studies, the site has a tree and vine loss calculator link. This link will help operators determine the value of single trees or vines lost to any cause. The calculator covers major tree and vine crops produced in California, and has a variety of input categories to cover loss from any cause.
Cost studies for California Central Coast conservation practices are also available through this site. Each of the nine studies provides an estimate of expected benefits and details on typical installation, operation, and maintenance expenses.
The site can be found by clicking here.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Laura Tourte, Farm Management Advisor for Santa Cruz, Monterey & San Benito Counties has launched a fabulous new website extending business and marketing plans and ideas to farm owners and managers. The site is designed as a “one-stop-website” for questions related to the business side of farming operations.
In addition to the strategic plans and ideas, the site also has links to government programs including County, State and Federal agencies. The information provided through the government links are varied and cover a wide variety of necessities such as permits, licensing, land use, and other regulation type services to programs designed to further assist with the business and marketing side of farming operations.
Links to research studies, and trade organizations can be found under the Explore Other Links button.
This new site can be found at, http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/farmbusinessandmarketplace.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
It would be difficult to find someone who is not feeling the strain of the current economic changes and uncertainty. While we are lucky to live in an era of easy access to information, another difficulty most of us share is finding a reliable source for financial advice.
The nation-wide Cooperative Extension System has put together a great collection of sound, practical and easy-to-digest financial advice. It can be found at http://www.extension.org/Financial%20Crisis.
The site is nicely broken down in the following way:
- Business related financial information
- Family related financial information
- Farm and Ranch related financial information
- Individual related financial information
- Youth related financial information
In the articles you will find many ways to save money, encouragement, suggestions for planning, and many other things to think about. The youth related financial information reminds those with children that financial worries affect them too, as well as ways for children to be involved in helping the family pull through.
On the same page you will find an “Ask the Experts” section. Here you can read previous sets of questions and answers as well as an opportunity to ask your own question. In addition to learning on a wide variety of financial subjects, the volume and topics in the “Ask the Experts” section will assuredly help remind you that you are not alone if you are currently experiencing financial challenges.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Ventura County University of California Cooperative Extension’s (UCCE) Ben Faber is one of 62 people evaluating proposals for the United States Dep artment of Agriculture’s (USDA) "Farmers Market Promotion Program" (FMPP). This exciting program is implemented through a competitive grants process through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
Approximately $5 million is allocated for FMPP for Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010 and $10 million for Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012. The maximum amount awarded for any one proposal cannot exceed $100,000.
The grants, authorized by the FMPP, are targeted to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. More specifically the program is designed to help farmers markets promote and improve their services through grower/consumer education, advertising and supply purchases.
Entities eligible to apply include agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, producer associations, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities and Tribal governments.
Follow this link to find additional information about the program, including projects funded in earlier years at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/fmpp.
Related information, including marketing resources, can be found at the University of California’s Small Farm Center at http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/default.asp.
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