Organic Fruit Research Videos

55 Recordings from the International Organic Fruit Research Symposium are now available

eOrganic conducted live broadcasts from the the 2nd International Organic Fruit Research Symposium in Leavenworth, Washington on June 19 and 21, 2012. Fifty-five recorded presentations from the symposium on a wide range of organic fruit production and research topics are now available for viewing at http://www.extension.org/pages/64359.

These presentations will be of interest to researchers, Extension professionals, growers, consultants, suppliers, and retailers who wish to learn the latest developments in the worldwide organic fruit supply chain.

You can also view the presentations as a single playlist on the eOrganic YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE816E610DF986E58

This project was made possible by David Granatstein of Washington State University and funded by a USDA NIFA OREI conference grant.
Want to find more webinars and broadcasts from eOrganic? See them all at http://www.extension.org/pages/25242.

Present Use Value Taxation (PUV) Survey

Please see this important message from Roland McReynolds, Executive Director of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA).

Dear NC farmers: The NC Sustainable Local Food Advisory Council is looking at an issue of great importance to local, sustainable food production: property tax treatment for small working farms.

As you may know, state law allows counties to tax farms at property tax rates based on their use as farms (known as Present Use Value, or PUV), instead of at higher residential tax rates.  However, to qualify for PUV based on farm use, a farm must have more than 5 acres in production in the case of horticultural crops, or more than 10 acres for any other crops. Thus many small farms are not able to take advantage of this preferential tax treatment.

The Council has set up a task force to investigate this situation and to propose changes that would allow small farms serving local food markets to reduce their property tax burdens, and task force members represent Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, NC Farm Bureau and NC Cooperative Extension, among others.  We are conducting a survey to collect more information from small farms about their experience with PUV. This is where we need help from farmers.  Please take 15 minutes to take the survey, which you can find here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PUV.  The information we collect will be crucial to proving to local and state government that small farms deserve more equitable property tax treatment.

So please help us make a difference and fill out the survey today!

Roland

Small Fruits News Now Available

The latest edition of Small Fruits News is now available.

In this issue:

1. Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium (SRSFC) Receives 2012 National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Partnership Award
2. New Blueberry Varieties Being Readied for Sale
3. N.C. State’s “Pack ‘N Cool” Provides Farmers with Mobile Refrigeration Solution
4. Can Pilfering PYO Pickers Be Pinched?
5. New Organic Strawberry Production Manual
6. Western, Southern States Lead Blueberry Surge
7. Von, a New Thornless Floricane-Fruiting Blackberry
8. Bacterial Diseases of Blueberry and Their Potential for Impact in the Southeast
9. Eastern Spotted Wing Drosophila Working Group Meets
10. 'Faith’, ‘Hope’, ‘Joy’ and ‘Gratitude’ Seedless Table Grapes for Local Markets
11. Blackberry and Raspberry Seasonal Checklist Fall 2012
12. Strawberry Seasonal Checklist

Small Fruits News is a product of the Southern Region Small Fruits Consortium. http://www.smallfruits.org/