USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Help Socially-Disadvantaged Producers

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas.

"These grants will help socially-disadvantaged business owners develop the tools and skills they need to grow their enterprises and succeed at creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities in rural areas," Vilsack said. "American agriculture is becoming increasingly diverse in many ways, with more minorities and women seeking to enter the field, as well as greater diversity in the age of farmers, the size of operations, in production methods, and in the types of crops being grown. All of these forms of diversity help strengthen U.S. agriculture for the future."

Funding will be made available through USDA's Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program (formerly the Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant Program), which assists organizations that provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Examples of technical assistance are conducting feasibility studies, developing business and strategic plans, and providing leadership training.

USDA plans to make up to $3 million in grants available. The maximum award under this notice is $175,000. More information on how to apply can be found on page 28937 of the May 20 Federal Register. Applications submitted by mail must be postmarked by July 20, 2015. Electronic applications must be submitted at www.grants.gov no later than midnight Eastern Time July 14, 2015.

Eligible applicants include groups of cooperatives, cooperative development centers and individual cooperatives that serve socially-disadvantaged groups. The cooperatives or centers can be located in any area, but the groups assisted must be located in an eligible rural area. Also, the majority of the governing body of the organization must be compromised of individuals who are members of socially-disadvantaged groups.

USDA Rural Development is encouraging applications for projects in census tracts with poverty rates of 20 percent or higher. All grants are awarded through a national competition.

The program is making a difference in many rural areas. For example, in 2013, the Southern California Focus on Cooperation (SCFC) received a $200,000 Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant to provide technical assistance to help 95 refugee immigrant and minority farmers improve their productive capacity, increase revenue, and strengthen their ability to govern and manage their cooperative businesses.

Many of the farmers benefiting from the project had little or no access to formal schooling and had been persecuted and oppressed for years in their native land. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in concert with SCFC, developed marketing channels including various farmers markets and restaurants where the refugee farmers could sell their produce. Farmers have learned how to manage these marketing channels themselves, without assistance from IRC, and have gained new clients. They have also increased the level of cooperation among Hispanic, Korean and African farmer groups. These groups are working toward merging their efforts to form a single cooperative. The technical assistance provided by SCFC has enabled these farmers to build skills that have truly been life changing.

President Obama's historic investments in rural America have made our rural communities stronger. Under his leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way - strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities.

Bown expresses concern about Valparaiso

Santiago, April 25, 2015.- The Fruit Exporters Association of Chile AG (Asoex), through its President, Ronald Bown Fernandez has expressed its deep concern at the arrest that Customs conducted, indefinitely, since Wednesday 20 May.
"Whenever there is a standstill in some sectors linked to the export process in the country, our industry is directly affected, paying the consequences of these demonstrations, which is totally unfair. Once again the fruit sector is being affected by not being able to continue with the normal process of loading containers, especially through the port of Valparaiso, which is why we urge government authorities and Customs officials to seek solutions to the conflict urgently, to avoid further damage to the exporting country's economy, "said President of Asoex.
"To prime the dialogue so that the problem is solved it is necessary, and does not harm economic sectors that work with perishables, and therefore, can not wait. Here it is not only in play, once again, the quality and condition of our fruit, but also our image as a reliable and dependable supplier country, "added the leader.
Bown also recalled that customs unemployment adds to the strikes occurred, early this season exports (2014-2015), in the ports of San Antonio and Los Angeles, USA, which caused serious economic damage and image to the field of export fruit. In addition to all this the difficulties faced by producers and exporters in the north, due to a long drought and March rains are added.
"Right now we have exported citrus, especially clementines, oranges, lemons and apples, table grapes, kiwis, avocados and pears. Last season (2013-2014) in the same period exports were registered for a total of 16 million boxes of fresh to different target markets, a figure that certainly can not match or beat without the normalization of fruit exports, "he said.
The situation becomes critical in Ports
"We have been monitoring the situation and we know that they have started to accumulate land, port and air cargo, is in the port of Valparaiso receive operations and freight forwarding are virtually paralyzed, and the situation is made each time more critical, "said the leader.
Bown said that until Friday night just past, the Zeal of Valparaiso over 900 trucks with problems of access to port facilities or times exceeding 30 hours waiting were reported. TPS had more than 1,700 containers without the possibility of release, and there are 3 ships TCVAL without possibility of transfer of horticultural export cargo.
It is worth remembering that the ports of San Antonio and Valparaiso are the most important in terms of volume of shipments of Chilean fresh fruit to international markets. According to figures from Asoex, past the Port of Valparaiso season they came 1,197,464 tons and San Antonio 719 213 ton., A total of 2,350,543 tonnes of fresh fruit exported from Chile to the world.
Bown, said that until Friday night at the Port of Valparaiso ZEAL 500 trucks had no possibility of entering the port. While the most critical situation lived 473 truckloads of container export, of which 73% have a period greater than 32 hours waiting, noting that 59% of these trucks have refrigerated cargo, therefore, they have a limited time to maintain autonomy to maintain the required temperature.
In the case of TPS, the terminal 1, through Friday, a total of 6,125 TEUs of cargo import and export collected remained inside, being judgmental, that to attend to other ships, the office promptly 1,720 corresponding to deferred direct of Ships SANTA ROSA, SEABOARD PACIFIC MSC and NYK LODESTAR and Leanne containers.

IFOAM - Organics International calls for stop to subsidizing unsustainable farming practices on International Biodiversity Day

IFOAM Head Office e.V

(PresseBox) (Bonn, 26.05.2015) The widespread practice of large monocultures and the use of chemicals in agriculture are causing a decline in biodiversity. We therefore call for the adoption and effective implementation of a standalone goal on sustainable agriculture as part of the Sustainable Development Goals to put an end to subsidizing unsustainable agriculture practices.

Biodiversity is crucial to sustainable development and human wellbeing, e.g. more than 70,000 plant species are used in traditional and modern medicine. Intensive agriculture is a root cause of biodiversity loss globally. By not using harmful pesticides and fertilizers, organic farmers are preserving biodiversity and organic farms provide a home to 30% more species and 46-72% more semi-natural habitats than their conventional counterparts.

However, in many countries and regions around the world, agricultural policies still support monocultures and intensive farming based on pesticides and fertilizers to the detriment of both more sustainable forms of agriculture and global food production. According to Gábor Figeczky, Advocacy Manager at IFOAM - Organics International, "It is high time to cease subsidizing unsustainable farming practices that are contributing to climate change, threatening biodiversity and hindering sustainable development."

On this International Day for Biological Diversity, IFOAM - Organics International therefore calls for:

- The adoption and effective implementation of a standalone goal on sustainable agriculture as part of the SDGs;
- A halt to subsidies for unsustainable farming practices;
- The creation of a policy environment conducive to truly sustainable agricultural practices such as organic.

"To grow healthy food, we need biodiversity and the services provided by ecosystems. By endangering them, we are putting our ability to nourish the world at risk," continues Figeczky. Organic Agriculture does not use chemicals that harm biodiversity. Organic farmers work with nature not against it. Supporting Organic Agriculture means supporting and safeguarding the variety of life on earth.