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From: "Brian DeVore, LSP" <Brian.A.Devore-1@tc.umn.edu>
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Date: Wed, 1 Oct 97 15:24:46 -0500
CONTACT: Brad DeVries (202) 547-5754
Brian DeVore (612) 653-0618
PRESS RELEASE
10/1/97
LSP ANNOUNCES GUIDE TO NEW FARMING OPTIONS
Making the Most of Freedom to Farm Shows how to Make Planting
Flexibility Pay
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. -- The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) today
released
Making the Most of Freedom to Farm: Innovative uses of Planting
Flexibility and
Conservation Programs. This 40-page guide reviews profitable,
environmentally
beneficial farming practices that are easier for farmers to adopt under
new
federal agricultural legislation.
In 1996, Congress eliminated most of the planting rules that required
farmers to
plant certain crops in order to qualify for federal support payments.
At the
same time, the law -- its creators have dubbed it "Freedom to Farm" --
does away
with federal protections against wide swings in market prices.
Making the Most of Freedom to Farm offers farmers an overview of
innovative
practices that were difficult to adopt under the old system of
commodity
payments -- beneficial crop rotations, integrated crop/livestock
operations,
innovative tillage practices, and other approaches -- and points toward
recent
sources of more in-depth information. It also includes sections on
whole-farm
planning approaches and a review of changes in the federal agricultural
conservation programs in the 1996 Farm Bill.
"Farmers have a great opportunity right now to look for an advantage,
for the
sort of integrated approaches that will make their farms profitable for
the long
haul. We can't make it just by copying what the big guys are doing on a
smaller
scale," said Dave Serfling, a Preston, Minn., farmer who raises hay,
corn, hogs,
beef and sheep on a highly diverse operation. "As prices for the major
commodities shake out a bit, I think more farmers will start to realize
the
solid, long-term business advantages of diversity and more complex
rotations."
The guide includes chapters on "Managing for Total Farm Results,"
"Making Sense
of Federal Programs," "Rotations and Cover Crops for Cost Control,"
"New
Livestock Ideas," and "Tillage Tactics." Each chapter includes
real-life
examples of farms and farmers who are already having success with these
techniques and concludes with an extensive list of contact information,
print
sources and Internet resources for more details on how to make these
practices
work on the farm.
Copies of Making the Most of Freedom to Farm are available from the
Land
Stewardship Project at 2200 4th St., White Bear Lake, MN 55110. A
postage/handling charge of $4.00 will apply to all mail requests. For
information on bulk orders, call (612) 653-0618.
A Worldwide Web version of the chapter, "Making Sense of Federal
Programs,"
complete table of contents, and news release about Making the Most of
Freedom to
Farm is available online at:
http://sunsite.unc.edu/farming-connection/farmpoli/features/makesens/home.htm
Publication of this guide was made possible by a grant from the Joyce
Foundation
of Chicago, Ill.
The Land Stewardship Project is a private, non-profit membership
organization
that works to foster an ethic of stewardship toward the land. LSP
promotes
sustainable communities and a system of agriculture that is
environmentally
sound, economically viable and socially just.
-30-
--
Ray Kimsey
Ray_Kimsey@ncsu.edu "Selfishness has never been admired..."
Phone: 919.515.8449 C.S. Lewis
Fax: 919.515.3777
Raleigh, NC USA http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/rkimsey
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg".