Spoiler Alert & Healthy Acadia: A Food Donation and Case Study

July 14, 2016Conservation, Consumers, Direct to Consumer, Environment, Farm Economics, Food Hubs, Food Justice, Nutrition, Regional Food Systems

Guest blog post by: Farmers Union member, Spoiler Alert Healthy Acadia is a Maine-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to build healthy communities. In partnership with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Healthy Acadia coordinates gleaning opportunities throughout Hancock and Washington counties, a region characterized by significant levels of poverty and food insecurity. Healthy Acadia connects volunteers … Read More

Shaping the Next Generation of Co-operators

May 17, 2016Cooperatives, Educational Opportunities, National Farmers Union, Regional Food Systems

GUEST BLOG POST By Marcus Smith In February, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2016 National Farmers Union (NFU) College Conference on Co-operatives (CCOC) in Minneapolis, MN. This annual event is designed to help shape the next generation of co-operative leaders, and my exposure to the co-ops, speakers, and other participants was a learning … Read More

150 Meet in Greenfield for New Farmer Gathering

December 14, 2015Beginning Farmers, Cooperatives, Educational Opportunities, Farm Transfer Issues, Farm Workers, Food Desert, Food Justice, Grass Roots Policy, NEFU Members, Regional Food Systems, Regional Policy, Socially Disadvantaged Farmers, Urban Agriculture, Women Producers

New farmers assembled the Arts Block in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on Dec. 12 from all over New England, New York state, and even Canada for the Northeast New Farmer Winter Gathering. Roughly 150 attendees arrived with enthusiasm and energy to participate in an anti-oppression training facilitated by representatives of Springfield-based Gardening the Community. Liz Wills-O’Gilvie and … Read More

Convention Paints Strong Picture of Local Agriculture

November 12, 2015Beginning Farmers, Climate Change, Conservation, Consumers, Cooperatives, Country of Origin Labeling, Direct to Consumer, Farm Bill, Farm Bill 2013, Farm Demographics, Farm Economics, Farm Transfer Issues, Farm Workers, farm-to-school, Farm-to-Table, Farmer Leaders, Farmers Markets, Farmland Preservation, Food Hubs, Food Labels, FSA, FSMA, Grass Roots Policy, National Farmers Union, NEFU Members, Regional Food Systems, Regional Policy, SNAP, Trade, USDA

New England Farmers Union’s sixth annual convention, Gearing Up for Success, drew roughly 60 members of the farming community when it met on Nov. 6-8 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH. Attendees heard from national, regional, state, and local agricultural leaders on subjects such as federal agricultural policy, food safety, local and regional … Read More

UNH Research: Granite Staters Will Pay More for Local Produce

October 7, 2015Consumers, Direct to Consumer, Product Marketing, Regional Food Systems

GUEST BLOG POST By Lori Wright, NH Agricultural Experiment Station Granite Staters are willing to pay more for locally grown fruits and vegetables, according to preliminary findings of new research funded by the NH Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire. This is the first study of New Hampshire consumer preferences for locally … Read More

Krysta Harden: Local Food Movement is Growing Up

March 10, 2015Census of Agriculture, farm-to-school, Farmers Markets, Regional Food Systems, USDA

GUEST BLOG POST BY Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Recently, there has been a series of media reports suggesting the gangbusters growth in farmers markets is slowing, signaling a plateau in the local food movement. Not so. What we’re seeing is the evolution of the local and regional food movement beyond weekend shopping into … Read More