News Update
September 6, 2013
Agriculture Secretary on Household
Food Security in the United States
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement on the release of the USDA Economic Research Service analysis Household Food Security in the United States in 2012: “Food insecurity remains a very real challenge for millions of Americans. Today’s report underscores the importance of programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that have helped keep food insecurity from rising, even during the economic recession. As the recovery continues and families turn to USDA nutrition programs for help to put good food on the table, this is not the time for cuts to the SNAP program that would disqualify millions of Americans and threaten a rise in food insecurity. For our part, USDA will continue to deliver a strong nutrition program with an error rate that is at a historic low.”
Tailgate Parties Require Safe Food Handling
As students all across the country buckle down with term papers and homework assignments, there is another tradition students, faculty, alumni and sports fans all look forward to.
Wearing school colors, school-themed pop-up tents, food on the grill and beverages in the ice chest mean one thing … it is time to tailgate.
When football season is in full swing, college campuses around the country come alive with school colors and alumni. Even some high schools around the state are getting in on the tailgating scene before their games.
These parking lot picnics are synonymous with good food, good friends and good times. A quick glance across any parking lot near the sports stadium will find smoke billowing from grills and smokers and folding tables laden with all kinds of tantalizing tailgate treats.
As much fun as this can be, these get-togethers also can have the potential for serious foodborne illnesses such as E. coli or salmonellosis if you do not follow safe food-handling practices, said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension food specialist.
“Just as you follow food-safety practices in your own home, the same must be done for these outdoor food fests,” Brown said. “Bacteria are most often spread when proper hand-washing techniques are not used, when uncooked foods are allowed to cross contaminate foods that are ready to eat, when needed end-point temperatures are not met, and when hot foods are not kept hot and cold foods are not kept cold. These issues can be tricky when you’re setting up your party in a parking lot.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Farmer Workshop for Women Series Starts Oct. 9
A series of four workshops designed for women interested in agricultural production on small acreage will be hosted in October and November, according to organizers.
Luis Ribera, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agricultural economist in Weslaco, said his office is collaborating with the Women’s Business Center in Edinburg to provide information and guidance for the center’s clients interested in starting an agricultural-based business.
“Whether it’s raising goats, growing vegetables, selling canned foods or anything related to agriculture, these workshops will provide information ranging from the very basic overview of such businesses to very detailed information about who to contact for licenses and permits,” Ribera said.
Maria “Charo” Mann, executive director of the Women’s Business Center, said her office is well-versed in offering technical assistance to entrepreneurs who want to set up or expand traditional businesses such as restaurants or beauty salons. When clients began showing an interest in farm-related ventures, she “turned to the experts.”
“We began seeing a trend of young adults, particularly women, who want to become involved in the organic movement,” she said. “Many have visited farmers’ markets throughout the Rio Grande Valley and became intrigued with starting their own small farming business.
“We turned to the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco because they are the experts. They know how to apply a generic business plan to an agriculture-related business.”
In addition to fruits and vegetables, Mann said clients have shown an interest in producing and selling various types of organically grown products, including goat cheese and milk, health supplements, personal care items and cleaning products.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Farmers, Ranchers Invited to Apply for SARE Grants
Farmers and ranchers with innovative ideas on improving their operations through sustainable agriculture practices can apply for funding to try out those ideas.
The USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program offers competitive grants for on-farm research, demonstration and education projects, said Debi Kelly, University of Missouri Extension SARE co-coordinator.
For the round of grants to be issued in 2014, about $400,000 will be available to farmers and ranchers in the USDA’s 12-state North Central Region, which includes Missouri.
Proposals should show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their innovative ideas to explore sustainable agriculture options and how they will share project results with other producers, Kelly said. The deadline for grant proposals is Nov. 14.
Kelly says Missouri leads the NRC in the total number of awards since 1988 and usually receives on average 10 grants per year.
She will be conducting workshops throughout the state to help producers with grant-writing basics, choosing a project, knowing what to expect and the keys to a successful application. For the first time, grant proposals can be submitted entirely online.
“I’m going to work with participants on using the new online submission,” says Kelly. “We’ll also look at previous grants in the SARE database and explore ways to make stronger proposals.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Proper Bunker Silo Management is Key for High Quality Forage
The use of inoculants is one of the tools available for use by silage producers that has lived up to its billing by saving the farmer money. When air is introduced into silage at the start of the fermentation process, there is a delay in beneficial bacteria that produce lactic acid. The longer air is allowed to infiltrate the silage, the more you can expect quality to decrease due to undesirable fermentation and a loss in nutritive value. According to Limin Kung Jr. in “Aerobic Stability of Silage,” the aerobic spoilage during storage is responsible for the majority of total dry matter loss in forages and may be as high as 30% to 40%.
Lactobacillus buchneri has been used as a silage inoculant to enhance the aerobic stability of silages. When applied at the time of ensiling at the rate of up to 5 × 105 colony-forming units per gram of fresh material, L. buchneri has been demonstrated to improve aerobic stability of high-moisture corn, corn silage, alfalfa silage and small-grain silages relative to untreated controls.
The use of this bacterium is recommended when heating and spoilage are decreasing silage fermentation quality. Using L. buchneri has resulted in an increased concentration of acetic acid, thereby reducing the losses of nutrients and decreasing the chances for lowered animal performance.
When a silo is not sealed properly, air and water can infiltrate the silage and affect both the quality and quantity of silage available. Air allows yeasts and other undesirable microbes to develop. These microbes consume fiber and nutrients, reducing feed value, and may also affect forage dry-matter intake. Moisture additions dilute acid levels in the silage, which allows the rate of microbial growth to increase dramatically.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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