Use of Materials
Materials included are to be used for reference only, and not intended to be copied or distributed. If you are interested in using the attached materials for your program, you must first contact the program Director to determine in what manner materials are authorized to be shared.
Plain Language Guides
With funding from Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, and the USDA Risk Management Agency, the Northeast Network of Immigrant Farming Projects developed a series of documents which are geared towards low-literacy populations. These guides provide clear, simple, and more accessible text for readers, to help reduce misunderstandings, errors, enquiries, and overall lack of comprehension. Plain language emphasizes cultural relevance; i.e., reaching culturally diverse audiences with appropriate messages and materials.
The guides are as follows:
A tool for language learning as well as a travel-ready reference, this book presents words for conversing about the natural world and finding technological solutions to its challenges. For a Latin American/North American context, the focus is on a vocabulary for simple and universal technology, subsistence farming, and tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Craftspeople and scientists will find an abundance of terms to aid them in communicating specialized knowledge with lay individuals in both languages. Non-specialists will find words for communicating within the diverse experience of agriculture and the natural world and for seeking out specialized knowledge.
Great site for resources on growing specific products - searchable by topic.
The Massachusetts Center for Agriculture is a collaboration between these agencies:
University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture
University of Massachusetts College of Natural Resources and the Environment
University of Massachusetts Extension
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Risk Management Agency
United States Department of Agriculture
CENTRAL WASHINGTON ROUND-UP
The latest issue of the electronic newsletter, the Central Washington Round-up, is now available at
http://www.animalag.wsu.edu
under the current news section of the home page. This electronic newsletter is published
by the Central Washington Animal Agriculture Team, comprised of Washington State University Extension educators in the fields of animal
science, range management, agronomy, and entomology.
opics for this November 2006 issue include:
* Pregnant animal care
Below is information regarding the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, and a link to their website:
NESAWG is a regional network of member organizations and individuals working together to create a more sustainable and secure regional food system -- one that is economically viable, environmentally sound and socially just and produces safe and healthful food. We work at local, state, regional and national levels to redirect public policy, foster market-based innovation and generate an informed and active citizenry.
The "Growing New Farmers" website is designed as a resource for new farmers and service providers who work with new farmers. Below is info from their home page, and a link to their site:
Farmers:
Use this site to connect with programs, services, and resources for new farmers throughout the 12 Northeast states. Get help finding answers to many common farming questions, and ask us your own. Join in discussions with other farmers and with service providers, and connect with organizations and businesses that care about supporting new farmers.
Service Providers:
This site helps you help and support new farmers. Promote your new farmer programs, services, and resources here. Learn about what's out there for new farmers and make more effective referrals. Find out about innovative new farmer services in other regions. Network with other service providers to help new farmers start and succeed in farming.
Jennifer Hashley, of NESFP, recommends this free site as a good training resource. It includes agricultural education lessons in power-point (and other) formats. The resources on this site (which used to be accessible only to paid subscribers) is now available to instructors for downloanding.
This Somali Bantu Cultural Guidebook was published by Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts
This note was written by Deborah Burd, Executive Director of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 1:11 PM
I am very pleased to announce that the National Campaign's Commodity Policy Dialogue has finalized an excellent piece of collaborative work that should serve our partners, the sustainable agriculture movement, and us very well in the months and years ahead.
Titled "Desired Principles and Criteria for Evaluating the Sustainability of Future U.S. Commodity Policies," this document is the outcome of 40 diverse organizations working together to articulate and agree on a set of core
principles that will help guide the National Campaign's policy development efforts during the 2007 Farm Bill debate and well beyond.
This article was published by the National Campaign for Sustainable Agricuture. It suggests ways to stay informed about sustainable agriculture issues and ensure that you know when action is urgently needed for support.
