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Join the National Young Farmers’ Coalition on Sunday, Oct. 2 in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a FREE New Agrarian Farm Tour & Mixer!!
Farm tour! 7am Meet at the Santa Fe Farmers Market Pavilion at 7am (sharp), and then carpool to Taos, NM to tour the Taos County Economic Development Corporation (TCEDC) facility with a special Mobile Matanza demonstration (goat processing); explore Sol Feliz Farm with Miguel Santestevan, featuring Native American and Hispanic traditional dryland farming techniques, seed…
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Will Work For Food: Paying minimum wage with farm food and housing
Having realized how difficult apprenticeships and internships are from a legal standpoint, farmers might decide to pay the equivalent of minimum wage in money, food, and housing. That can be a great solution. However, relying on volunteers instead of employees may not be a good solution. What’s the situation? A farmer who understands apprenticeships, internships…
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Chicago Passes Ordinance Permitting Widespread Urban Farming
Some positive changes are on the horizon that will help urban agriculture in Chicago—and hopefully serve as a model for other cities across the country. Just this past week, Chicago’s City Council approved an amendment to the zoning code allowing for more widespread urban farming. This amendment allows for urban gardens of up to 25,000…
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Opportunities for Young, Agrarian Mainers
Last Wednesday, forty young farmers and young farmer enthusiasts met at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) fairgrounds in Unity, Maine for a farm tour and potluck. Founded in ‘71, MOFGA serves as a resource for agrarians by helping them grow and promote organic food, protect the environment, recycle natural resources, beef-up local…
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The Intern That Isn't: Part 2
Under federal law, interns are very different than regular employees. The six criteria for a valid internship make it difficult, but possible, for a farm to utilize interns. Farms must pay careful attention to program structure, not use interns as a labor source, and communicate clearly with interns. What’s the situation? Internships are a very…
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NYFC Needs Your Input on Organics
Next week, NYFC will testify at a USDA listening session on organic agriculture and we need your input on what to tell agency officials. We need to know about your experiences with the National Organic Program and conservation programs like EQIP, as well as the challenges that you may be facing as an organic producer…
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Legal and Insured Farm Internships in the Works in WA
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is taking a new approach to farm internships. In 2010, the Washington legislature authorized the Small Farm Internship pilot program in Skagit and Island counties, allowing young and beginning farmers to intern on small farms in order to learn about farming and farm businesses. This program does…
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The Intern That Isn't: Federal law and farm internships
Regardless of an individual’s title, if an employee does work that benefits the farm then that individual does not meet the legal definition of an intern. Barring some other exception, that person is a regular employee and should be paid the minimum wage. This criteria make it a challenge for many farms to offer internships…
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Food, Art, Revolution, Media Event in Minnesota this Thursday
FARM: Food, Art, Revolution, Media Thursday, August 25, 2011 Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy2104 Stevens Avenue SouthMinneapolis, Minnesota Part of the Minnesota Global series. 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. RSVP Using the synergistic power of photography and storytelling, Dan and Melinda Hemmelgarn’s Food, Art, Revolution, Media (FARM) project blends compelling photographs with relevant stories from rural…
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Fresh from DC via VT: New Effort to Expand Community Supported Agriculture
The little Green Mountain State of Vermont is a real leader in the movement to connect consumers with the farmers that grow their food. There are lots of inspiring, innovative farms and projects taking root in Vermont, thanks, in part, to Vermont’s leaders’ belief in the movement. Luckily for all of us, Vermont’s rock star…