Granite State Times

09/23/21

We are excited to welcome Dan as be beings work on our farm food safety and integrated pest management programs. Dan comes to Extension with a strong background in agriculture and most recently was the Director of Agricultural Operations at Hip Peas Farm in Hooksett, NH where he designed and managed the 5.5 acre micro-farm.  

 Read more here.

Farmers invited to apply for sustainable ag grants

Farmer Grants are for commercial producers who have an innovative idea they want to test using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, marketing initiative, or other technique.

Farmer Grant projects should seek new knowledge other farmers can use and address questions that are directly linked to improved profits, better stewardship, and stronger rural communities

Projects should seek results other farmers can use, and all projects must have the potential to add to our knowledge about effective sustainable practices.

Proposals are due by 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. More information here and learn more about the Farmer Grant Program by attending this webinar hosted by NE SARE on Oct. 5.

Learn more about Northeast SARE.

USDA Invests $700 million in Grants to Provide Relief to Farm and Food Workers Impacted by COVID-19

$700 million in competitive grant funding will be available through the new Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR).

The program will provide relief to farmworkers, meatpacking workers, and front-line grocery workers for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This relief is intended to defray costs for reasonable and necessary personal, family, or living expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as costs for personal protective equipment (PPE), dependent care, and expenses associated with quarantines and testing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This aligns with the Administration’s efforts to revitalize the economy and provide relief to historically underserved communities. The Request for Application (RFA) will be announced in early Fall and will be open for 60 days. Additional information and technical assistance for applying to these grants and program updates will be provided by USDA when the application period opens.

For more information here.

Fri., Oct. 5

12:00pm-1:00pm

Join Northeast SARE Farmer Grant Program coordinator Candice Huber for this webinar that will review who is eligible to apply, the types of projects it funds, how to apply and more. Faith Gilbert of Letterbox Farm will share her experiences applying for and managing SARE grants.

Register here.

NH Direct Marketing Conference [Online]

SAVE THE DATE! Join us virtually for the 13th annual NH Direct Marketing Conference on November 1 & 8 from 12:30 -2:00 PM each day. Learn from local and regional experts on topics such as agricultural products and marketing innovation. You're sure to leave excited to explore creative value-added products and to enhance the marketing of your ag business.

Landscaping For Water Quality REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Nov. 3-4

This will be a two-day online workshop with one in-person, outdoor Site Assessment session on Day 1 in Derry, NH.

This program is designed for landscapers and others who develop, maintain, or preserve properties in and around central, southern, NH, including:  

• Landscape designers, contractors and maintenance professionals, and those who hire them • Members of watershed groups, conservation commissions, and organizations and agencies who want to learn about ecological approaches to landscaping • Municipal staff and contractors involved in landscaping, land care and development • Students in environment or landscape focused programs

Participants will learn how to use ecological concepts and landscape features such as rain gardens, vegetative buffers, and other green infrastructure to protect lakes, rivers, streams and bays. Instructors are from universities, university centers, university extension, environmental agencies, municipalities, and private enterprise. Thanks to all of our sponsors!

More details and registration here.

Food Safety for Poultry & Rabbit Producers [Online]

Initial Class

Nov, 16,17, & 18

9-10:30am

$25 per person

New Hampshire producers can sell poultry and rabbits (up to 20,000 poultry and 1,000 rabbits per calendar year) directly to NH restaurants without USDA inspection. For producers to legally sell their products in this way, they must complete this initial certification course with UNH Cooperative Extension and recertify after five years. Topics for the November class include:

• Regulations • Facilities & Equipment • Health Animals • Cleaning & Sanitizing • Personal Hygiene • Temperature Control • Labeling & Recordkeeping • Steps to Certification 

Click here to register for this class.

Recertification Class

Available 24/7 online

$20.00 per person

This recertification program fulfills the education requirement specified in the rules and will help producers continue their working plan for providing safe meat products for this market.

The course is for recertification purposes only. 

The recertification course contains three sections, please work through each section in chronological order. Each section contains a video lecture, a short quiz to complete, and a list of resources for your reference. Once you have completed each section you will be emailed a certificate which you can then use to re-register with the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture Markets and Food 

Click here to register for recertification.

For more information, contact Ann.Hamilton@unh.edu or  Elaina.Enzien@unh.edu

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Extension is at work in every New Hampshire county, making the state's key industries stronger, developing vibrant communities and municipal leaders, fostering healthy families and an informed and engaged citizenry, and keeping the state's natural resources healthy and productive.