The supply and demand of apples

"... tens of thousand of tons of domestic apples are being dumped due to oversupply and cheap Chinese apple juice concentrate is coming into the other side of the country to supply a large, nationally distributed hard cider manufacturer. Does this make sense? Why do we simultaneously export and then import the same crops, or in this case, waste crops and then import the same crops? Of course, it would take an entire economics lesson to tease out this distribution conundrum..."

Read the full story here.

Small Farmers Can Make Food Safety Work: The GroupGAP Pilot in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

This case study provides an overview of the processes, challenges, benefits, and lessons learned from the Group Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) pilot project in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The project goal was to test how a group-based farm-based food safety certification process could benefit small farmers. This pilot study confirms that good agricultural practices (GAP) certification can meet group needs at an affordable cost working with small and very small farms. Read the case study here. 

Governor's budget proposes cuts to key North Country ag programs

From the Watertown Daily Times:

"Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposed executive budget calls for a big reduction in funding for key agriculture programs important to the north country. But agriculture advocates say they’re hopeful legislators will lead efforts to restore funding.

"At first blush, the governor’s 2015-16 budget for programs administered by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets looks bleak compared with this fiscal year. The New York State Farm Viability Institute, which funds critical research to develop commodity crops across the state, would have its funding cut by $1.1 million, from $1.5 million to $400,000. And the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, which received $600,000 this year, would go unfunded altogether. That program serves six counties in the north country."

Read the complete story here.

Food system issues...from Wyoming to Connecticut to St. Lawrence County

As you all know by now, I am moving back to the North Country, after living in Connecticut for the last thirty-five years.  Naturally, I'm still following food, hunger, and agriculture issues in Connecticut, especially while I'm still in transition.

I found this blog post, "Fueling Up in Cheyenne, Wyoming," on the CT NOFA website particularly interesting.

The author lays out some of what is wrong with our food system and agriculture policies in this country.  And the effects it all has on our health.  He lays out a good argument for why we should return to eating more buckwheat and less wheat, and even includes a recipe for buckwheat pancakes!

I look forward to being here at GardenShare full-time starting in January and working to address some of these issues at the local level.  And especially to being able to talk about these issues in a way that I cannot as the CEO of a food bank that relies on the food industry for donations of both food and funds!

Gloria