Let's Get Every Kid in a Park

From USDA:

Posted by Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture; Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education; Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior; Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; Kathryn Sullivan, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at the Department of Commerce, NOAA, on February 20, 2015 at 10:00 AM

Cross-posted from the White House Blog

From sea to shining sea, our country is home to gorgeous landscapes, vibrant waterways, and historic treasures that all Americans can enjoy. But right now, young people are spending more time in front of screens than outside, and that means they are missing out on valuable opportunities to explore, learn, and play in the spectacular outdoor places that belong to all of them.

President Obama is committed to giving every kid the chance to explore America’s great outdoors and unique history. That’s why today he launched the Every Kid in a Park initiative, which calls on each of our agencies to help get all children to visit and enjoy the outdoors and inspire a new generation of Americans to experience their country’s unrivaled public lands and waters. Starting in September, every fourth-grader in the nation will receive an “Every Kid in a Park” pass that’s good for free admission to all of America’s federal lands and waters — for them and their families — for a full year.

Because we know that a big reason many kids don’t visit these places is that they can’t get there easily, we will also help schools and families arrange field trips and visits by providing key trip-planning tools and helping to cover transportation costs for schools with the greatest financial need. For example, the National Park Foundation — the congressionally chartered foundation of the National Park Service — is expanding its program to award transportation grants for kids to visit parks, lands, and waters. The President has also requested new funding in his FY 2016 Budget to support youth education programs and to support transportation for school outings to parks for students from low-income areas.

Along with the Every Kid in a Park Initiative, the President today announced he is designating three new national monuments to permanently protect sites unique to our Nation’s extraordinary history and natural heritage. In fact, the President has protected more acres of public lands and waters through the Antiquities Act than any other administration. Together, these actions will help us make sure young people will get to experience for themselves some of America’s greatest assets. We hope that these efforts mean that next year, fourth-graders in Chicago will learn how activists in their city prompted the 20th century labor and civil rights movement at the Pullman National Monument, that an elementary school class in Colorado will discover the spectacular landscape of Browns Canyon National Monument, and that kids in Hawaii will learn more about the tremendous value of our civil rights at the Honouliuli National Monument. And decades from now, those children will get to share America’s heritage and wonder with their own families.

Tom Vilsack is Secretary of Agriculture

Arne Duncan is Secretary of Education

Sally Jewell is Secretary of the Interior

Jo-Ellen Darcy is Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works

Kathryn Sullivan is Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    

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The Girl with Grit

From USDA:

Posted by Lilia McFarland, USDA's New Farmer and Rancher Coordinator, on February 12, 2015 at 3:42 PM

Jaclyn Moyer’s got grit.

Somewhere between the 12 hour days Jaclyn spends on her 10 acre farm in Northern California plus her off-farm baking job, she somehow found time to pen a great piece in Salon about her experiences as a new farmer.  She describes how she and her partner are struggling to balance their love of the land and passion for farming with the financial challenges of starting a new business.  ”Surely many farmers enjoy what they do, as I often find pleasure in my daily tasks, but ultimately farming is work, an occupation, a means of making a living that must fulfill the basic function of a job: to provide an income,” she writes.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

A farm’s success is predicated on the pen that can balance the books as much as the plow that can sow the land.  Farming is a business—and a hard one at that. It requires capital, business planning, market opportunities and, most of all, grit. But, like many small businesses, it can take a while for the financial seeds to grow.

As USDA’s new farmer and rancher coordinator, here’s some advice I have for all the young and incredible farmers out there:

Look under every rock. When farmers turn over their fields, they often find rich soil under the surface.  Same is with USDA.  Across the Department, we have programs and policies to help new farmers get started and keeping going.  For instance, there are USDA programs to help new farmers find land and capital by facilitating property transfers from retiring farmers or issuing low-interest microloans for land purchases and start-up costs. New farmers can get special rates on crop insurance, and access disaster relief.  There are resources for young farmers interested in organic practices. There are expanding market opportunities abroad and at home for new and beginning farmers. Indeed,  USDA has partnered with over 180 organizations through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program to develop workshops, education teams, training and technical assistance specifically to help new farmers access the range of USDA assistance designed specifically for them.

One is the loneliest number.  In addition to being hard work, farming can also be lonely work.  But you are not alone.  Find other farmers through clubs, networking, and anywhere else, to guide you. Visit your local USDA service center.  They can offer you good advice, make sure you have the help you need and connect you with other farmers who are probably going through what you are. To find a USDA Service Center in your area, please visit the USDA Service Center Locator.

Surf the net. After a long day in the field, the last thing farmers want to do is stare at a computer screen. However, there is valuable information out there you don’t want to miss. A good place to start is usda.gov/newfarmers, a one stop shop to see what programs are available to help you succeed.

And finally, always pass on what you have learned. As a young farmer, you are paving the way for yourself and others. You can offer valuable advice as to what is working and what isn’t on your farm and in your business.  You can help other farmers realistically plan their operations. Your lessons learned can be someone else’s path to success. Use #newfarmers to tell your story with others.

So, here’s to Jaclyn and all the new farmers and ranchers out there. We hear your voice, applaud your hard work and want to hear from you.

    

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Counting Colorado's Cattle Country

From USDA:

Posted by Bill Meyer, Mountain Region Director, National Agricultural Statistics Service, on February 12, 2015 at 2:30 PM

Cattle is Colorado’s #1 commodity – check back next Thursday to learn more about another state and the results from the 2012 Census of Agriculture!

The Census of Agriculture is the most complete account of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Every Thursday USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will highlight new Census data and the power of the information to shape the future of American agriculture.

Here in Colorado we take our farming seriously and the results of the last Census of Agriculture only reinforce that.

As of 2012, we now have almost 32 million acres of farmland, up slightly from the last census, conducted 5 years ago. Our farmers and ranchers sold nearly $7.8 billion worth of agricultural products in 2012. That’s an impressive 28 percent increase from the 2007 Census.

Colorado agriculture is diverse, with almost every sector represented. Unlike most of the states, however, it is our livestock rather than the crops that rule our farm scene. Cattle is Colorado’s #1 commodity, with more than 2.6 million head counted in the 2012 Census and more than $4.3 billion worth of cattle sold.

We also have large numbers of sheep and goats. The Census counted more 400,000 head of sheep and goats in Colorado, with the sales of sheep, goats, wool, mohair and milk from these animals surpassing $87 million in 2012. Only two states had greater numbers of sheep and goats that year.

Just because our livestock industry dominates our farming sector, however, doesn’t mean that our crop industry should be ignored. Our growers have amazing accomplishments of their own. For example, those of you who enjoy sunflower seeds or like to cook with sunflower seed oil will be happy to know that Colorado growers produced more than 52.5 million pounds of sunflower seeds in 2012, placing us in fourth place in the nation.

On the vegetable side, our growers harvested nearly 60,000 acres of potatoes in 2012 and more than 1,500 acres of cabbage. These two crops were our state’s leading vegetables in 2012. On top of these, our farmers also harvested more than 2,700 acres of peaches and 1,300 acres of apples showing that our fruit industry is doing great as well.

The 2012 Census added to our knowledge about Colorado farming and historical trend lines.  That said, we are already preparing for the 2017 Census of Agriculture and wondering what it will tell us about our state’s farm industry. I’m sure even more exciting times are ahead, as the sky’s the limit for our 36,180 farms.

    

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Missouri Gardener Enjoys Fresh High Tunnel Produce

From USDA:

Posted by Charlie Rahm, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Missouri, on December 22, 2014 at 3:01 PM

David Backus enjoys a tomato that he grew in his high tunnel. NRCS photo by Charlie Rahm.

David Backus is reminded of the benefits of the seasonal high tunnel on his property in southeastern Missouri at nearly every meal – and sometimes between meals. 

“The food that I grow in my own garden is healthier than the food I can buy at the store, and it tastes so much better,” said Backus between bites of a just picked tomato. 

Backus and his wife Ella installed a seasonal high tunnel at their home in Morley through a program offered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, (NRCS). The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, (EQIP), provided about 90 percent of the cost of the structure. 

A seasonal high tunnel looks like a greenhouse, but instead of raising plants on tables, gardeners and farmers plant vegetables in the ground. The main benefit of a high tunnel is that it extends the growing season because of warmer air temperatures inside. Backus said his high tunnel also keeps out bugs that often destroy his outdoor plants. His high tunnel is also equipped with a well and micro irrigation system. 

“Basically, it gives me two growing seasons,” Backus said. 

He learned about seasonal high tunnels at a field day at Lincoln University in Jefferson City. That led him to his local NRCS office, where he applied for financial assistance through EQIP which paid part of the cost of installing his high tunnel and irrigation system. NRCS also has been providing Backus with technical assistance to make his operation more successful, including initiating practices that will improve the health of the soil inside the high tunnel and in his outside gardens. 

“I need to slowly build that soil up because it is so sandy,” he said. “It will take time, but once I do, I will be able to grow more and better vegetables.” 

David Speidel, NRCS resource conservationist, said the keys to doing that are to use cover crops and to avoid tilling. Backus said he built his high tunnel with doors large enough to get his tractor inside, but he now knows that tilling the ground does more harm than good. 

“I’m moving into no-tillage in the high tunnel,” he said. 

Not content to just enjoy the benefits of his high tunnel himself, Backus has been speaking at seminars in the area. He said he wants to spread the message about the benefits of locally grown food.