Tag: Illinois Stewardship Alliance

Good Food EXPO

Beginning Farmer Awardee Sugar Grove and Its Sustainable Cattle Calling

Posted on by bob.benenson@gmail.com

by Bob Benenson, FamilyFarmed Chase Sanert operates Sugar Grove Family Farms out of Greenview, about 25 miles north of Springfield, Illinois’ capital. The 150-acre farm has been in his family for 73 years, but only for the past four years has it shifted its focus to raising livestock on pasture. Sanert’s fervent commitment to producing Read more about Beginning Farmer Awardee Sugar Grove and Its Sustainable Cattle Calling[…]

Top Five Reasons to Attend Friday’s Good Food Trade Show & Policy Conference

Posted on by FamilyFarmed

The Good Food Trade Show & Policy Conference is coming up at Chicago’s UIC Forum on Friday, the middle day of FamilyFarmed’s three-day Good Food Festival & Conference. Here’s a quick tour of the top 5 reasons to attend on Friday.

Farm bill

The Future of Good Food in an Era of Political Change

Posted on by FamilyFarmed

A new federal farm bill is on course to be enacted as early as next year. Sustainable farmers and Good Food advocates would have needed to be on guard to protect these programs under any circumstances. But with the volatile political environment in Washington, D.C., supporters of these programs will need to be especially engaged. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has been the leading federal policy advocates for the Good Food movement for 30 years. Wes King, an NSAC policy specialist explains the political landscape for the 2018 farm bill and what advocates need to do to prepare.

Our Seeds are in Need! Stand Up to Protect Seed Sharing

Posted on by FamilyFarmed

Seed saving and seed exchanges are playing a crucial and increasing role in ensuring continued biodiversity and a robust variety of food. But these practices have come under political pressure in recent years. This issue will be discussed by a panel of experts at the Food Policy Conference within FamilyFarmed’s Good Food Trade Show and Industry Conference this Friday at Chicago’s UIC Forum.

Guidance on New Federal Food Safety Rules From National Sustainable Ag Coalition

Posted on by FamilyFarmed

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sept. 10 released new regulations under the 2010 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), bringing the difficult process of implementing this major law closer to closure. And the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition — which has been deeply engaged in this rule-making process for five years as an advocate for small and medium-sized farms — this week has published a three-part series of blog posts on the subject that we share with you here.

Harry Rhodes and Stephanie Douglass of Growing Home

Getting the Drift from Conventional Farms Can Be Bad News for Organic Growers

Posted on by FamilyFarmed.org

The damaging impact of “chemical drift” is one of the most critical issues for farmers who practice organic or other sustainable growing methods, some of whom shared their stories of dealing with this problem at the recent Good Food Festival & Conference.