Farm Scoop – January 2020

Deadline for Conservation Reserve Program General Signup

USDA Reminds Producers of February 28, 2020 deadline for Conservation Reserve Program General Signup.  CRP is a land conservation program administered by FSA. In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10-15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.  For more information visit the CRP page.


NAHMS Swine 2020 Small Enterprise Study

From June 2020 through August 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), in collaboration with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), will conduct its third national study of U.S. small enterprise swine operations. The study will take an in-depth look at small enterprise swine operations (fewer than 1,000 pigs) and provide new information regarding animal health and management practices used on these operations, as well as the alternative marketing strategies they implement.  For more information visit NAHMS Swine.


Impact of Laser Scarecrows on Fresh Market Sweetcorn Production

Dr. Rebecca Brown of the University of Rhode Island is exploring the impact of laser scarecrows on fresh market sweetcorn production to address bird damage. The goal of this research project is to minimize bird damage in the production of speciality fruit and vegetable crops.

There is a short survey that asks relative questions about crop production and damages due to birds that would help with the research. The goal of this survey is to gather preliminary information for grant applications. The survey can be found here https://riepr.org/s/birds.


MOFGA’s Journeyperson Program is Accepting Applications

MOFGA’s Journeyperson Program provides hands-on support,  training, and mentorship for people who are serious about pursuing careers in sustainable farming in Maine. The program is designed for farmers in their first three to five years to further develop the skills they need to farm independently and successfully. For more information please see http://www.mofga.org/Programs/Education/Journeyperson-Program. Applications are due January 30, 2020.