goat radishes and sunflower green beans
SOUTHERN SAWG E-NEWSLETTER, VOL. 2, #2                                                              March 2006
Dear Friends,
As we look forward to the upcoming spring season, we can remember the encouragement of being with so many like-minded folks at this year's conference.  We at Southern SAWG would also like to take one more opportunity to offer our appreciation to those who helped make the conference a success - including our hosts in Kentucky, all the presenters, and all who attended.
            Many thanks,
            --Your friends at Southern SAWG
Highlights of This Issue:

New Southern SAWG Staff

Conference Wrap-Up

New Farm Story

Ag Policy News

Southern SAWG Hires
New Executive Director

The Southern SAWG Board of Directors is pleased and excited to announce that
Archer Christian, long-time member of our leadership and staff, has been named Executive Director.  Archer has held various roles within Southern SAWG beginning in 1992 as the VA representative to the State Representative Council (pre-cursor to the Board of Directors).  She joined the staff as Policy Coordinator in 1999, and later became Funding Development Coordinator and Grants Manager.  Most recently, Archer served as Interim Coordinator.  Southern SAWG is excited to have someone with such a passion and commitment for our mission, as well as such a comprehensive understanding of our programs and projects.  Archer also brings to her new role several years of experience in farming, as well as in agriculture research and education with the Virginia Cooperative Extension.  Welcome, Archer!

2006 Conference
A Great Success
The Southern SAWG Conference was an overwhelming success this year with 920 registrants attending the four-day event in Louisville!  Whatever it was - THE GREAT SELECTION of educational offerings, THE SPECIAL TIME WITH Wendell Berry, the excellent Taste of KY dinner, ALL THE CONNECTIONS BEING MADE OR JUST THE HUGE MIX OF FOLKS AT THE CONFERENCE - there was an unparalleled level of excitement and intensity.  Having so many folks who are committed to sustainable agriculture learning and sharing together in one place creates a remarkable glimpse into the breadth and depth of this vital movement and a sense of its ever growing potential.  Thank you everyone who attended!

One extension horticulturist wrote afterwards, "My only regret was, many of the growers I work with were not present.  I emailed several of them each night and told them 'I wish you could hear what I am hearing.' They would have benefited from it greatly.  I will try to get some of them to attend next year."  He went on to say, " I think you do an excellent service to small farmers, the American consumer, the environment and the economy on so many levels.  Thank you for the work that you do."

Also, read what some North Carolina producers and Debbie Roos, Chatham County Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension had to say about the conference.  Download her newsletter here: http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/
growingsmallfarms/psindex06.html.   While you're there, check out the rest of this county agent's impressive and inspiring web site http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/.

We are currently working to gather presentation materials from selected conference sessions, including several from the popular marketing track, and post them to the Southern SAWG web site.  We will announce in this newsletter when the presentations are posted.
New Farm Story on Southern SAWG Web Site

The newest in Southern SAWG's series of farm stories features Neil Hoffman's meat goat operation.  Some learned firsthand about Hoffman's Booneville, KY farm during this year's conference field trip.

Like other profiles in the series, this farm story presents a comprehensive view of a sustainable farming enterprise in the South.  Specifics that readers will learn are which breeds of goats are used (and why), seasonal considerations, feed and water, pest and disease management, and buildings and equipment needs.  Hoffman also reveals his four legged control system for predators.

Of primary importance to any operation is marketing and financial management.  Hoffman's profile includes an outline of his marketing strategy plus an itemized enterprise budget.

See Hoffman's profile at http://www.ssawg.org/hoffman.html, and check out the complete list of farm stories at http://www.ssawg.org/farmstories.html.


Coalition Files Suit Challenging USDA's Approval of
First Perennial Gene Altered Crop
(Adapted from Center for Food Safety press release 2/16/06; www.centerforfoodsafety.org/pubs/ComplaintAlfalfa2.15.2006)
On February 16, 2006, a lawsuit was filed against USDA by a coalition of farmers, farm groups, consumers and environmentalists claiming that the Department "improperly allowed the commercial release of GE alfalfa, the first commercial release of a GE perennial crop, and failed to analyze public health, environmental and economic consequences of the release."

The Center for Food Safety, which filed the suit, was joined by Sierra Club, Western Organization of Resource Councils, National Family Farm Coalition, Beyond Pesticides, Cornucopia Institute, Dakota Resource Council and 2 individual alfalfa seed producers.  The suit, filed in the federal Northern District Court of CA, calls on the court to "rescind the deregulation status of Monsanto's Roundup Ready alfalfa."

The suit's arguments are significant and serious:
  • The certain genetic contamination of natural alfalfa, threatening the livelihoods of organic farmers (those who grow the grass/grain AND those who feed it to their livestock);
  • The likely very significant increases in herbicide use with GE alfalfa (as has been documented with other introductions of GE crops)
  • The further hastening of the already scientifically documented increase in weed resistance to glysophate (Monstanto's Roundup herbicide active ingredient)
  • The potential loss of significant overseas markets for alfalfa growers (Japan and South Korean buyers have already stated concerns and 75% of US alfalfa exports currently go to Japan).
According to the suit, "alfalfa is grown on over 21 million acres and is worth $8 billion per year (not including the value of the final products), making it the country's third most valuable and fourth most widely grown crop."  The coalition seeks, among other things, for USDA to conduct a full environmental impact assessment.

For more information, contact Will Rostov (CFS) at 415-826-2770.
Visit Southern SAWG online at http://www.ssawg.org
SSAWG logo links to home page

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Inc. (Southern SAWG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1991 to promote sustainable agriculture in the Southern United States.
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