Discussion group roundup 7/27

You have to get up pretty early to be in front of members of our discussion group. This morning is no different. Here are a few valuable links posted on the discussion group board this morning:

Food stamps go green (market) Big Apple notes a story that notes some farmers markets are taking electronic benefit cards:
Three Bronx-based farmers' markets now can accept food stamps in the form of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, thanks to a $300,000 windfall approved by the council.
"Making sure New Yorkers have access to food stamps is only half the battle - we also need to make sure they can use those food stamps to purchase nutritious foods," said Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D- Manhattan) in a statement.


Plum pox resistant trees move forward Big Apple notes ARS report on development of plum pox virus resistant trees. From the link:

Plum trees with resistance to plum pox (PPV), a virus that can devastate stone fruit, have moved a step closer to reality, according to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

Emergency Food Assistance Program; Availability of Commodities for Fiscal Year 2007 Big Apple links to this notice talking about federal government purchase of surplus commodities, including fruits and vegetables.


In news The Packer will follow up on, Big Apple notes the reopening of the comment period for consideration of USDA's rules on movement of Florida citrus from canker regions. Calif. sources had been seeking extension of the initial comment period, which ended July 23. From the rule:
We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would amend the citrus canker regulations by modifying the conditions under which fruit may be moved interstate from quarantined areas. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before August 7, 2007.

Luis observes an interesting wrinkle in farm bill debate relative to the sale of water rights and the effect of that income on eligibility for farm payments. A recent post in Mulch blog (linked on the right side of this blog) said:

Here's the implication. Under the Pelosi payment limitation reforms, a big-bucks cotton farmer--in, say, the Westlands Water District of California--who pulls down between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI, averaged over 3 years), is ineligible for crop subsidies unless he can demonstrate that 66.66 percent of the dough was "income from farming", as defined in the bill. If he sells water rights, it will count as income from farming under the bill, making it easier to continue receiving subsidies.