On-Farm Food Safety Webinar: Michigan Farm to Institution Network Meeting
Food safety is often seen as a roadblock for successful farmer and institution relationships. Farmers who are new to the institutional market may not have the specific food safety verifications that a specific institutional buyer. requires. From the buyer perspective, getting familiar with the many different food safety certification programs used by farms can open purchasing relationships. This webinar recording can help farmers, institutional food service staff, and other supply chain partners find common ground around food safety to grow farm to institution programs. View the webinar here.
Technical Support Available for Your Wash Pack Project This Fall
Check out these six Twilight Highlight Workshops below!
Our team of specialists from SCRUB (Sanitizing and Cleaning Resources for your Business) is available to help you overcome a post-harvest bottleneck, or improve your wash/pack! Our team is offering a series of "Twilight Highlight Workshops” to help farmers as they plan and implement projects to address one of six specific wash/pack topics listed below. Space is limited to 15 farms for each topic.
SCRUB Twilight Highlight Workshop Schedule
All virtual workshops are held live on Wednesday evenings, 6:00pm – 8:30pm, and will also be edited and posted for future viewing.
September 1 – Bin Blitz
September 8 – Low Cost and High Value
September 15 – Wash/Pack Floors
September 22 – Wash Water Management
September 29 – Tools for Employee Management and Empowerment
October 6 – Bubblers/Aerators for Greens Washing
To indicate your interest in participating, please complete this short form! Click here for more information.
Fall is a great time for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review!
Many growers of fresh produce want to know how ready they are with regards to being FSMA Produce Safety Rule compliant. In an effort to get people ready for a full implementation of FSMA, MSU Extension and the Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety Team are providing FREE On-Farm Readiness Reviews to Michigan Produce Growers. Register for your FREE OFRR here. Read more about OFRR's here.
|
|
Michigan Cottage Food Law: September 21, 2021
6 - 8 p.m. | Zoom Webinar
Learn how to prepare and sell foods to the public under Michigan’s Cottage Food Law. This two-hour workshop combines education about the Michigan Cottage Food Law and the food safety aspects of preparing and selling cottage foods safely and successfully. Michigan Cottage Food Law allows residents to manufacture foods in home kitchens and storing those products at home. To learn more about the webinar or register here.
National Institutes of Health Workshop: September 21-23, 2021
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) workshop - Food Insecurity, Neighborhood Food Environment, and Nutrition Health Disparities: State of the Science – will run from 12:30-5:30 p.m. EDT, September 21-23, 2021. Goals of the conference include reviewing the state of the science and identifying research gaps and opportunities related to food insecurity and the neighborhood food environment; and suggesting innovative research strategies that will inform policy and practice to address and prevent diet-related health disparities and promote health equity. Abstracts are due July 9 and applicants will be notified of acceptance by July 26. See attached flyer for more information. Registration deadline is September 7. Learn more about the workshop, submit an abstract or register here.
VIRTUAL - The Power of Food Forum: September 21-23, 2021
The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future will host the first-ever national gathering for food policy councils on September 20-22, 2021, in a virtual format. The Power of Food: Cultivating Equitable Policy through Collective Action has moved online with a lower ($75) registration fee. This national forum is dedicated to supporting food policy councils and similar groups advocating for policies that create equitable and sustainable food systems at the local, regional, state, tribal, and national levels. Learn more about the event and register on the Forum website. You can also join the mailing list to receive updates about the forum.
Special Webinar: 10 Cents a Meal Program Impacts: September 30, 2021
10:00-11:30 a.m | Zoom Webinar
Michigan’s 10 Cents a Meal program has grown from a regional pilot to a statewide program with five million dollars in state funding. Throughout those years of growth, 10 Cents has supported the purchase of millions of dollars of fruits, vegetables, and legumes from Michigan farmers and food vendors that were served to Michigan schoolchildren. This session will take a deeper dive into impacts of the first three years of the pilot program (2016-2017 through 2018-2019). They will also discuss how all this information can be used to build sustainable and successful farm to school programs in your districts and regions. This online session will be beneficial to any previous, current, and future 10 Cents participants and anyone who supports these programs. Registration is required to participate in this free virtual meeting. Register here.
|
|
|
|
Michigan Good Food Charter Gathering: October 13-15, 2021
Join us as we wrap up the Michigan Good Food Charter update process and plan for the future of Good Food in Michigan! This interactive agenda will bring together food systems advocates and practitioners to:
- Preview and gather feedback on components of the updated Michigan Good Food Charter, including ideas for action and draft frameworks for collaboration at a statewide level.
- Network and connect with others
- Plan for next steps toward Michigan's good food future
|
|
2021 Women, Food, and Agriculture Network Conference: November 3-6
Registration is open for the 2021 virtual Women, Food and Agriculture Network conference. Registration is $40 members/$50 non-members. Scholarships are available. This year's theme is "Landscapes of Resilience: Embracing the Power of Community" featuring keynote by Karen Washington. Register for the conference here.
|
|
|
|
The Marquette Food Co-op, Lakeshore Depot, and the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market all participate in Double Up Food Bucks!
|
|
Michigan Food & Farming Systems: Communication and Outreach Coordinator
Application Deadline: September 24, 2021
We are hiring! MIFFS is excited to announce a new position at our small but mighty non-profit team: Communications and Outreach Coordinator! We are seeking a passionate, creative, and engaging individual. Responsibilities include overseeing and implementing MIFFS’ communications and providing outreach to farmers to assist with navigating the plethora of resources that are available. This is an important role responsible for connecting farmers to resources, telling MIFFS' story, and supporting fund development. The Coordinator will work closely with MIFFS staff and contractors to manage weekly deliverables. For more information about the position, see the position description here. Please email your resume and a cover letter describing your interest and relevant experience to lauren@miffs.org.
Institute of Agricultural Technologies Program Coordinator - Bay College
Application Deadline: July 23, 2023
IAT Programs Coordinator – This position will be responsible for the overall coordination and management of the IAT and other feeder programs located at Bay College. Visit the Institute of Agricultural Technology at www.iat.msu.edu for program information. The position provides leadership for the IAT programs located at Bay Community College. The current program offering is Agricultural Operations. Responsibilities include:(1) counseling and advising students; (2) student recruitment, and internship placement and monitoring; (3) teaching courses in career development, leadership, communications, internship and other courses in the candidates area of expertise and/or as needed by the program; (4) fostering a working relationship with the agricultural industry, high school counselors and teachers, and diverse communities in the service district of Bay Community College; (5) evaluation of the programs and curriculum; (6) working closely with appropriate Departments for program delivery and development, and (7) assisting the with the exploration and development of new off-campus programs in partnership with Bay Community College. To find out more information and to apply, click here.
|
|
Grant Received!
UPFE is pleased to announce that they are a primary partner on a team that was awarded a $194,421 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The grant will explore the feasibility of an aggregation, distribution and light food processing facility in the Upper Peninsula that would support local food and charitable food systems. The grant, which is led by The Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health, also includes Feeding America West Michigan, MSU Extension, and the Central Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region (CUPPAD) as primary partners. Read the full statement prepared by NMU here.
USDA Grant Opportunities
Other Grant Opportunities
|
|
WANTED: Farm plow for tractor and looking for someone to custom combine 50 acres barley in 2022, Iron River area. Call Dale Carlson (815) 260-2930.
FOR SALE: Simmental Bulls, mature and young, registered and non-registered. Call Duane Kolpack (906) 362-6862.
FOR SALE: 2nd and 3rd crop alfalfa, small square bales. Marenger Potato Farm, Flat Rock. (906) 384-6587.
FOR SALE: Registered Dexter cattle, all ages and models. Call Tolfree Farms (906) 884-2351 or email countryj@jamadots.com.
FOR SALE: Hay, large square bales 3x3x7.75 Timothy grass, 4,000 to sell. Former dairy farm doing all big square bales hay. Call Dave Bell in the EUP 906-440-6455 or email Bellsdairy@yahoo.com. Also a realtor in the UP so contact me for real estate here, Dave@smith-company.com.
Beautiful property in the Upper Michigan, 130 acres In Perkins for sale or pasture for rent for livestock for the 2021 season. Beautiful river running through it. Great for hunting, building or developing, or simple grazing livestock. Land is divided into 9 paddocks with high tensile electric fence and 5 stock watering ponds. Call (906) 359-4825.
FARM FOR SALE: Upper Peninsula Farm with over 1,100 acres, water access, maple syrup production, and much more! Contact Henry DeGroot (906) 238-4251, hjdegroot@alphacomm.net. Upper Peninsula Farm For Sale | Wells Township | Shady Lane Farms (wixsite.com).
FOR SALE: John Deere B. Clean, less than 50 hrs on rebuild. Allis-Chalmers C. New paint, runs good. Hay Hauler. Hauls up to 10—4x6 round bales, use spear on back, don’t have to unhook. Call Terry (906)644-2777.
FOR SALE: International 5000, Self-propelled 14 foot windrower cab-hydro-diesel, has detachable hay conditioner. Stored inside, field ready. $5000 (906) 988-2397.
FOR SALE:
52’elevator Kewanen PTO drag line NH 56 Rake
Gehl Round Baler 4x4
3 pt wheel rake 16’ wide
3 hay wagons with racks All used last year
(906) 988-2397
FOR SALE: Simm Angus Bulls-Genomic Tested, Balanced EPD’s, Great Disposition, born Fall of 2020. (906)281-0808 or (815)614-0163.
Have something to list? Email your listing to ehopp@marquettefood.coop and Eli will add it to the next edition!
|
|
Food Safety Risks in School Gardens
By Phil Tocco, MSU Extension Educator
Working in school gardens can be the highlight of a child’s day in school. How the child works with the garden can have a profound impact on the safety of the produce when they consume it. Nobody wants to get a bad case of diarrhea, or worse, from eating school garden produce. Here are a few things to consider when working with children in a school garden. Read the article here.
|
|
More to read...
Check out the U.P. Food Exchange's website here.
Check out the UPFE Online Marketplace for institutional purchasers here.
Check out Michigan's Conservation Districts website here.
Check out the Western U.P. Food System Council's website here.
Check out the Michigan's On-Farm Produce Safety website here.
Check out the Taste the Local Difference newsletter here.
Check out the MSU UP Research & Extension Center monthly newsletter here.
Check out Marquette Food Co-op's newsletter here.
Regional Email Listserv for Western UP Growers and Food Provisioners
This is a peer-to-peer listserv open to posts about to all things about growing and sharing food in our region. More information about it can be found here.
|
|
|
|
|
