fall 2002 passages newsletter, pennsylvania association for sustainable agriculture

8/9/2019 Fall 2002 Passages Newsletter, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

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Number 41 Fall 2002

Food for Thought: UniversityBuys Local for Dining Hall Service

Newsletterof the

PennsylvaniaAssociation

for SustainableAgriculture

dining at SRU for the last fifteen years.

Fortunately, I too have kept my ears open

and have heard, over the cry for organics,

the need for local markets.In November 2001 I met with Wayne

Clickner (a Pennsylvania state Food Ser-

vice Consultant) and Ms. Pincek to learn

about the obstacles to purchasing from

local farmers. My motto became, Show

me No and Ill find Yes. For the next

several months I networked and gathered

information that helped me form a long-

term vision for the project.

The realities of dealing with a large

corporation like ARAMARK can be over-

whelming to a sustainable farmer. Among

the corporate obstacles are high minimuminsurance requirements, frequent delivery

demands, and homogenous quality stan-

dards. Forming a cooperative is one way

farmers can work together to meet objec-

tives that would be otherwise unattainable

if acting alone. For example, a farmers

cooperative may organize insur-

ance coverage that a single

farmer could not afford by

him/herself.

At the Farm-to-School con-

ference held at Cornell Univer-

sity last December, I met Brian

Snyder of PASA and Kristen

Markley, who is the Farm-to-

College Program Manager for

the Community Food Security

Coalition (a national nonprofit

organization dedicated to build-

ing sustainable local and region-

al food systems), and learned of

their interest in seeing a Farm-

to-College initiative in Pennsyl-

vania. From the spirit of the

PASA conference in February 2002 and

the resounding message of the need for

local markets, I gained confidence to

move forward. I approached Jerry Mullen

ARAMARKs Director of Dining Ser

vices at SRU, about giving a local foods

project a trial run over the summer. Amaz

ingly, Mr. Mullen agreed!

By the end of February we had will-

ing dining services personnel and Ms

Pinceks unwavering support. Now all we

needed were farmers! Fortunately, the for

mation of PLOW (Pennsylvania Loca

Organic Works, a cooperative of certified

organic farmers) was underway and

despite the frenzy surrounding the new

business, manager Chad Whitacre agreed

to work us into the regular delivery sched-

PassagesSustainable Food and Farming Systems

Dan Palombo, district manager for theARAMARK food service company,speaks about Slippery Rock Universitysbuy-local initiative while August 22 fieldday participants enjoy a local meal.Photo: Brian Snyder

With obvious enthusiasm, Dr. Davide Neri discuss-es orchard management with those who attended

the Slippery Rock field day. Photo: Brian Snyder

See page 19 for related article, A Systems

Approach to Orchard Management. Continued on page 5

By Heather House

After a successful buy local trial

program at Slippery Rock Universitys

(SRU) dining hall this summer, SRUwants ten percent of food consumed on

campus to come from local farmers in the

food services contract being sent out for

bid this autumn. Nearly a year has passed

since I first approached Ms. Debra Pincek,

Director of Auxiliary Student Services at

SRU, about the idea of featuring organi-

cally grown produce on the salad bar.

Now were talking contracts, and a whole

lot more than just lettuce.

Im a graduate student in the Sustain-

able Systems Program at SRU. It was for

a class project that I first approached din-ing services about featuring organic prod-

ucts in the daily menu. Full of passion and

fury, my dreams fell on the receptive ears

of dining personnel, including manage-

ment in ARAMARK, the Fortune 500

food services corporation that has handled


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Pennsylvania Associationfor Sustainable Agriculture

114 Main St.

P.O. Box 419

Millheim PA 16854

Phone: (814) 349-9856 Fax: (814) 349-9840

Email: [email protected]: www.pasafarming.org

PASSAGES STAFF & OFFICE

Guest Editor: Dan Brannen Jr.

PO Box 345, Aaronsburg, PA 16820

Phone: 814-349-8212

Email: [email protected]

Layout: C Factor

Advertising Sales: Lauren Smith, PASA office,

[email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Kim Miller, Westmoreland County

Vice President: Kim Tait, Centre County

Secretary: Lyn Garling, Centre County

Treasurer: Paul Hauser, Chester County

Lee Bentz, Adams County

George DeVault, Lehigh County

Chris Fullerton, Huntingdon County

Mena Hautau, Berks County

John Hopkins, Columbia County

Dave Johnson, Tioga County

Anthony Rodale, Berks County

Don Kretschmann, Beaver County

Carolyn Sachs, Centre County

Kim Seeley, Bradford County

PASA STAFF

Headquarters

Brian Snyder, Executive Director

Lauren Smith, Director of Development

& Membership Programs

Brandi Marks, Office Coordinator/Bookkeeper

Regional Offices

Kate Francis, Farm Based Education Coordinator

Phone: 570-387-6327

Lamonte Garber, Director of Southeast Programs

Phone: 717-394-1704

David Eson, Director of Southwest Programs

Phone: 412-997-2343

Passages is printed with soy inks on recycled, chlorine-free paper

2

PASA Mission Statement:

Promoting profitable farms which produce healthy food for all people

while respecting the natural environment.

PASA works to increase the number of farms and the economic viabili

ty of existing farms in Pennsylvania through farm-based educational programs, organizing an annual conference, publishing a quarterlynewsletter, networking to build markets for local and sustainably pro-

duced food, providing educational programs and opportunities for new

farmers, and providing information and education on farmer-developedvalue-added products.

PASA works to provide healthy food for people in both rural and urbanlocations. PASA increases consumer awareness about health and safe

food through advocating, educating, and networking with hunger and food

advocacy groups throughout the state.

PASA creates a thriving natural environment by promoting and provid

ing educational programs about sustainable agricultural practices, build

ing coalitions with environmental and statewide organizations, andpromoting policies that support a positive relationship between agriculture

and the natural environment.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bruno Borsari, Greg Bowman, Dan Brannen Jr., Laura M

Carnes, George DeVault, Kate Francis, Lamonte Garber, T.L

Gettings, Heather House, Kim Miller, Gayle Morrow, Sally Roe

Lauren Smith, Brian Snyder.

Contents1 Food For Thought: University Buys Local for Dining Hall Service

3 Farm Aid Brings Music and a Message to Pennsylvania

5 Farewell to a Good Friend

6 PASA-tively Speaking: Board Presidents Corner

7 Directors Corner

8 Senate Bill 1413 Update

9 Farming for the FutureConference 2003

10 Birthing the Dream: After Getting the Green Light from

Municipality, Telford Market Finds Farmers, Adopts Structure

12 Whos Selling Local Food and Whos Buying It in Southeastern PA?

13 Take PASA Out to the Farm Show

14 Survey Says: PASA Thrives with Community Approach to Farming

16 Pork with a Positive Attitude

17 DeVault Selected for Food and Society Policy Fellows Program

18 Farm Based Education Program

20 Business Member Profile

21 The Junior PASA Page

22 The Compost Heap: Editors Corner

23 Calendar of Events

24 Opportunities

Deadline for Winter Issue:November 25, 2002

Have a great article idea for Passages? Want to share a farming

practice with members? Wed love to hear from you. Please contact guest editor Dan Brannen at (814) 349-8212 or emai

[email protected]


3/28

By Brian Snyder

When the Farm Aid extravaganza

rolls into town, it brings with it much

more than just some of the best music in

America. While the musical fare did not

disappoint the sold-out crowd of more

than 23,000 fans who showed up on

September 21 at the Post-Gazette Pavil-

ion in Burgettstown (near Pittsburgh) for

the eight-hour feast of stars, the real

show was mostly behind the scenes.

For a 24-hour period before the con-

cert, this fifteenth edition of Farm Aid

and a host of local sponsors presented

numerous opportunities for members of

the public and the press to be nourished

on information and encouragement

aimed at bolstering family farms all over

Pennsylvania and the rest of the country.

Beginning at the Regional History

Center in downtown Pittsburgh on Fri-

day night, purveyors of the Farm Aid

message sponsored a program entitled,

Challenges and Choices: The Future of

Our Food and Farms, featuring the

words and reflections of nationally

known speakers as well as of three

PASA farmers from Pennsylvania.

Local co-sponsors of the event,

which was intended to underscore the

role family farmers play in building the

regional economy while producing

fresh, quality food and protecting the

environment, were themselves a smor-

gasbord of groups working to improve

the lot of the regions farmers and health

of its citizens, including the Pennsylva-

nia Farmers Union, PASA, Farmers

Market Alliance of Pitts

burgh, Just Harvest, Eas

End Food Co-op, Greater

Pittsburgh Community

Food Banks, Southwes

Pennsylvania Commis

sion, Penns Corner Farm

Alliance, PLOW Organ

ics, Slow Food Pittsburgh

and Farmers at the Fire-house.

The principal speak

ers for the evening were

Andrew Kimbrell, Execu

tive Director of the Center

for Food Safety in Wash

ington, D.C., and Fred

Kirschenmann, Director

of the Leopold Center for

Sustainable Agriculture

and Professor of Religion

and Philosophy at Iowa

State University in AmesIowa. Kirschenmann was

also in town to serve as a

keynote speaker for the

PennAg Industries Asso

ciation 124th annual con

vention, held at the Nemacolin

Woodlands resort and spa in nearby

Farmington, Pennsylvania, addressing

the assigned topic, Seeking a Balance

Is There Room for Both Large-Scale

Commercial Farms and Smaller, Sus

tainable Farms.

No small farmer himself, Kirschen-

mann, who is president of Kirschen-

mann Family Farms, a 3,500-acre

certified organic farm in Windsor, North

Dakota, told Friday nights estimated

crowd of 450 eager listeners that its

high time that federal policy be designed

to build stronger rural communities as

opposed to commodities, leaving no

one in doubt regarding his disappoint-

ment with current farm policy and the

Farm Aid Brings Music

and a Message to Pennsylvania

Qu PASA? Whats New!

3

Continued on page 4

PASAs Lyn Garling and Brian Snyder participate in the Farm Aid press briefings.Photo: George DeVault


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federal Farm Bill signed into law earlier

this year.

Bradford County dairy farmer (and

PASA board member) Kim Seeley, who

operates a successful, 40-year old bot-

tling and direct marketing enterprise,

was one of the Pennsylvania farmers to

speak at the History Center. He intro-duced a theme that would endure from

beginning to end of the weekends fes-

tivities: You can become empowered in

the decisions you make, the food you

buy, the purchasing decisions you make

for other people, the stories you tell in

the media, he said, urging the crowd of

mostly non-farmers to Meet a

farmeryou will learn more than just

how your food was produced. Other

farmers who spoke that evening were

Pam Bryan, a founding member of the

Penns Corner Farm Alliance, and ArtKing of Harvest Valley Farms.

Noon on Saturday brought the next

big opportunity to consume the Farm

Aid message, with a press conference

featuring all the stars, representing a

dynamic mix of musical genres. Front

and center was Willie Nelson, the

acknowledged founder, or father, of

the Farm Aid movement.

But if Willie is the head of the

group, and superstars John Mellencamp

and Dave Matthews provide the raw

strength that keeps it going, then Rock

n Roll Hall of Fame member Neil

Young showed both at the press confer-

ence and onstage later that he is the

groups conscience and most effective

communicator. Attention shoppers!

shouted Young, bringing the media

throng to strict attention. Buy with a

conscience and save the family farm,

he continued, echoing the plea of farmer

Seeley the night before. He also admon-

ished the press, Dont write about who

played or what anybody wore. Try to

write about the real issues.

Following the press conference, and

offstage during the concert, concert

organizers sponsored a series of media

briefings that featured a wide array of

speakers from Pennsylvania and across

the country. PASA was well represented

on these panels, with Kim Miller, LynGarling, George DeVault, Don

Kretschmann, Kim Seeley, and Brian

Snyder participating. Speakers

addressed a variety of topics, includ-

ing

1) Farm Policy and Farm Bill Per-

spectives

2) Fighting Factory Farms in Penn-

sylvania and across the Country

3) New Organic Standards and Sus-

tainable Agriculture Models

4) Dairy Issues in Pennsylvania and

Nationally

According to Ted Quaday, program

director of Farm Aid, these briefings

were designed to provide the media

with opportunities to learn more abou

agriculture issues and to develop new

contacts and ideas for future stories. As

in the other events, speakers emphasized

over and over again the need for con-

sumer education and awareness in pur

chasing food.

If there is a common thread inAmerican agriculture today, it seems to

be this pervasive understanding tha

consumers, and not farmers, legislators

or lobbyists, will have the ultimate say

about the future of food and farms in this

country. And like other industries, the

choices consumers make will depend on

factors such as price, quality, and serv-

ice.

Many of the speakers in this day-

and-a-half marathon, whether celebrity

or not, conceded that it will be difficul

for smaller family farms to compete in

the area of price, but remained adaman

that the competitive edge in the other

two arenas, quality and service, goes to

the smaller producers, who can be both

accountable and responsive to their cus

tomers directly. Though the final out-

come is far from being clear, this seems

to be the message behind the music tha

drives Farm Aid year after year.

Editors NoteThis article

adapted from one that originally

appeared in Lancaster Farming and is

reprinted with the generous, express per

mission of that publication.

Continued from page 3

Farm Aid Stars Willie Nelson and Neil Young captured on monitors, supportingfamily farms at the press conference. Photos: George DeVault

Concerned Citizens of Nippenose Valley show team spirit at Farm Aid concert.Photo: George DeVault


5/285

ulebeginning mid-June! Obviously,

by mid-June, school is out for summer.

Undaunted, we tailored our trial-

period to the faculty dining hall and the

summer camps hosted at SRU. PASA

funded an internship over the summer todocument the trial run and help things

go smoothly.

The trial run had two important out-

comes: local farmers demonstrated they

can deliver a quality product in a timely

manner at a reasonable price, and the

idea of purchasing locally became more

deeply embedded in the cultural climate

of the University. In fact, the results of a

survey issued to faculty diners demon-

strated strong support for the initiative;

over 76% of the respondents agreed or

strongly agreed that the Universityshould support the local economy by

purchasing locally grown and produced

products. (Our commitment is to support

local farmers, whether they farm organi-

cally or not.)

SRU dining services has a long-

standing relationship with the universi-

tys Robert A. Macoskey Center for

Sustainable Systems Education and

Research, especially with a project for

composting pre-consumer food scraps

from the prep kitchens. The success of

the composting project is due in part to

Ms. Pinceks vision for a food service

that integrates the dining experience

with the educational goals of the Univer-

sity. Cooperation with the compostingproject is required by the food service

providers contract with the University.

From the very beginning, I asked

Ms. Pincek and Mr. Clickner to make a

similar contractual commitment for the

local foods project. However, I learned

that, even if the food service provider is

required by contract to purchase directly

from local farmers, the success of the

project ultimately hinges on farmer par-

ticipation and logistical considerations.

There also might be a legal question as

to whether a state-funded university can

have a minimum local requirement.

This winter, I hope to present my

experiences with the SRU Local Foods

Project to different farmer organizations.

I want to learn more from farmers about

their expectations or reservations con-

cerning the project. In my greatest

vision, the University works with farm-

ers to plan for the next growing season,

farmers organize themselves to meet the

complex demands of food service

providers, and the percentage of food

sourced locally increases to around 30%

after five years. In addition to ironing

out the legal issues, further progress will

require that more farmers, including

those in dairy and other livestock ven-

tures, join the initiative, and that pro-

duce farmers show a willingness toextend the growing season by investing

in hothouses or value-added processing.

Another major objective for the

upcoming year is to mobilize the student

population and educate them about the

importance of buying locally. To that

end, I am designing an environmental

education curriculum for use in the din-

ing halls entitled, Creating a Sense of

Place through Awareness of Food Sys-

tems. Next semester I will evaluate the

effectiveness of these materials as we

enter our second season of local pro-

curement at Slippery Rock University.

Editors Note: Heather House coor-

dinates the buy local project for Slippery

Rock University and was a PASA intern

this summer. Those with comments or

questions for Heather may contact her

at 724-738-2647 or via email at hhh-

[email protected].

University Buys Local for Dining Hall Service

FAREWELL TO A GOOD FRIENDBy Lauren Smith

Back in the spring of 2000, a few members mentioned to

me that they were happy that PASA had developed a website. I

thanked them kindly but said they must be mistaken because

PASA did not have a website. They insisted, and gave me the

web address. It was a long string of characters, not the

www.pasafarming.org address we have today, but a simple

one-page site with our logo, mission statement, address, and

phone number. I marveled at how this website came to be in

cyberspace without our even knowing about it, and wondered

who was responsible for this random act of kindness.

Later that year we investigated the possibility of develop-

ing an official PASA website and began researching the local

companies that did such a thing. Roads quickly led to Centre of

the Web. I called and spoke with Terry Beard, the lead design-

er of the internet development company, to set up a meeting.

It was at our first meeting that Terry asked, So, how did

you like that webpage we put up for you a while back? I then

discovered that it was Centre of the Web folks who, having

seen our booth at a local Earth Day Festival in State College,

decided to pick up our brochure and put us on the World Wide

Web. We like good causes and you guys seemed like a good

cause, Terry told me that day.

So our relationship began, and over the past two years, with

a lot more effort on Terry Beards part, PASAhas been available

at the click of a mouse to people all around the world. Weve

had hundreds join PASA, even more register for the Farming for

the Future conference, many ask advice on farming issues, and

even some learn about new careers, all through the website. We

consider www.pasafarming.org a success, and for all of this

cyber-efficiency we have Terry Beard to thank. Even the burst

of sunshine you see on your computer monitor when you rollover the links on our website was Terrys doing.

Terry was an accomplished musician, opening for many

acts including Billy Joel, Hall and Oates, Three Dog Night, and

the J. Geils Band, but he applied his talents to more than the

stage. PASA owes a debt of gratitude to Terry Beard for his

incredible efforts and generosity. We express sympathy to his

family and friends at his passing on August 10, 2002. I have

seen many unsung heroes during my career at PASA, and Terry

Beard is one of them. His dedication to using his talents to the

betterment of Pennsylvania farms and farmers was a partnership

made in heaven.



6/28

I recently had the good

fortune to hear Dr. Fred

Kirschenmann speak at aconference sponsored by

PennAg Industries Associa-

tion (a trade association of

635 businesses that sell

seed, feed, and chemicals to

Pennsylvania farmers).

Kirschenmann followed

Mr. Dennis Avery, who is a

tough act to follow (or is it

a bad act?). Anyway, Dr. Kirschenmann

said that what we really need in agricul-

ture today is a conversation with each

other. He said that in a good conversa-tion people share back and forth, hear

each others positions, try to learn from

each other, and, hopefully, arrive at a

mutually agreed conclusion. At the end

of the conversation the participants may

find that their own positions are a little

less strident, but so are those of the other

participants, a reasonable tradeoff.

To have a good conversation,

the participants must have humility;

a reasonable understanding of just

how little any of us really knows.

What stops a conversation is oneparticipant trying to convince the

other participants that they are all

wrong and that the speaker is all

right. This conversation stopper

eliminates the possibility of a satis-

factory conclusion to the conversa-

tion; namely, consensus. This all

sounds so wonderful from the podi-

um, lets get on with it and trudge

the road to happy destiny, as Ive

heard it put somewhere.

The problem is that I dont

want to talk with some of the rap-

scallions in agriculture. Sure I like

to converse with PASA members,

our customers, local organic grow-

ers, my neighboring farmers, con-

ventional family farmers, the local

feed mill operators, implement

dealers, and packinghouse opera-

tors. I like to talk with the local

Conservation District, Cooperative

Extension, the NRCS, the Pennsyl-

vania Farmers Union, area foresters,

6

there is consensus as to the

worthiness of the goal.

It is the others thatrouble me: Farm Bureau

the Pennsylvania Depart-

ment of Agriculture (PDA

under the current adminis

tration, the United States

Department of Agriculture

(USDA) under the curren

administration, and the

multinational food industry

corporations and their trade associa-

tions. The reason that it is difficult to

converse with these organizations is tha

it is not clear that they share the goal ofsustaining family farming in this coun-

try.

I know that this statement may ruf-

fle some feathers at PDA and the USDA

organizations that will both claim to sup

port family farmers. Unfortunately the

PDA tends to support policies that pro

liferate corporate agriculture at the

expense of Pennsylvania family

farms. Vertical integration in the

hog industry, for example, has been

an unmitigated disaster for family

hog farmers wherever it hasoccurred. This is aside from the

environmental degradation.

And from the USDA we get an

agribusiness gold mine called

euphemistically, the Farm Bill

These policies were created by cor

porations to serve their own profi

motives, and then foisted upon the

public by politicians eager to repay

these corporations for their cam

paign contributions. This is cor-

poratism, not democracy. The

primary goal, the only goal, of a

publicly traded company is profit. I

can never be the sustainability of

the family farm or the stewardship

of the land, and every penny that a

corporation can squeeze out of the

family farmer it must take, by hook

or by crook. And so, a conversation

about sustaining family farming is

out of the question when it comes to

agribusiness corporations.

Qu PASA? Whats up with your organization?

PASA-TIVELY SPEAKING:Board Presidents Corner

A Good ConversationBy Kim Miller

and the Farm Service Agency. The

PASA board has an excellent ongoing

conversation with Dean Robert Steele

and his staff at Penn State University.The one thing that I have in common

with all of these folks is a belief in the

family-owned farm as the backbone of

strong rural communities. So even

though there is a wide divergence of

opinion among the groups listed above

as to how best to sustain the family farm,

Continued on page 8

Fred Kirschenmann warns of the perils of corpo-rate agriculture at PennAg Industries conference.Photo: George DeVault


7/287

and energetically by PA Secre-

tary of Agriculture Sam Hayes

at Penn States Ag ProgressDays this year. This way of

thinking might assert, for

instance, that each and every

new product coming off an

assembly line is better than its

predecessors. This is also the

proposition that fuels national-

istic fervor wherever it is found

in the world, and is often the

cause of war.

But other models see, over a broader spectrum of time, that

nations come and go, as do achievement and true understand-

ing (as opposed to mere knowledge). If I refer to this as the sus-tainable model, I mean to say that sustainable thinking assumes

there is ebb and flow to history and technology, that mistakes

can and will be made, and major course corrections will be

required in order to maintain proper balance and consistent

direction. From a sustainable point-of-view, the concept of

progress might indicate that a society can recognize its own

historical cycles, and is willing and able to adopt the correc-

tions to its course necessary to move ahead in a positive man-

ner.

In agriculture, we have come to a point where we must

choose between these two perspectives. Shall we continue to

seek progress with the assumption that more and bigger is bet-

As I travel around Penn-

sylvania, there is one criticism I

hear most commonly about thesustainability movement, com-

ing especially from those who

are enmeshed in the industrial

paradigm. They say we are

stuck in the past, and want to

take others back there with us.

One seemingly respected and

respectful fellow, a convention-

al farmer, even told me to go

crawl back in [my] cave,

apparently a not-so-subtle reference to the vintage of ideas I

was espousing. (He later apologized.)

The notion of what constitutes real progress in agricultureis now murky for many people, and threatening to others, as

compared to decades past. When I was young, the idea was

clear; progress meant more rows on the corn planter or com-

bine, more bottoms on the plow, more horsepower on the trac-

tor, more bushels per acre, more animals per square footin

short, more of anything was considered better and a step for-

ward. That idea is still embodied in what is being force-fed to

us as the advanced farming model, but it is an idea that is at

least as old as I am, and more.

What constitutes progress is actually not clear for any-

one these days, no matter the context or subject. I can tell you

for certain that almost none of the newer appliances in my

home works as well as the ones I had, say, twenty years ago.Even the clock in my relatively new vehicle has never kept

accurate time. And dont get me started about the service aspect

of our supposedly new service economy. What we really

have is a consultant economy where people are paid mostly

to help us feel better about the status quo, i.e., the general lack

of real progress and good service in our daily lives. The fact is,

despite the reality of constant change in our society, we can no

longer (if we ever could) suppose that such change necessarily

entails much improvement.

How does all this apply to agriculture? You can see it every

day in the faces of farmers who are fed up with being paid

prices for their products that are in many cases equal to or even

below what they got twenty or thirty years ago. Over the same

period most everything else in a farmers life, including agri-

cultural inputs, has gone up in price dramatically. How does a

farmer understand that, at the same time a market hog sells for

about $2530/cwt, a single meal at any of the finer restaurants

might legitimately cost $100/couple or more? Is this progress?

Is this advanced farming at its best?

Ones view of progress is affected by ones view of histo-

ry. That is, do you see history as linear or cyclical in nature?

The industrial model relies heavily on the assumption that his-

tory is linear, heading us toward ever more complete knowl-

edge and greater achievementan attitude espoused openly

Directors CornerReflections on the

Concept of ProgressBy Brian Snyder, Executive Director

Qu PASA? Whats up with your organization?

Continued on page 8

Board Openings Reminder

At least five seats on PASAs board of directors are up for

election at the Farming for the Futureconference on Feb-

ruary 78, 2003. If you or a member you know would like

to do PASA the valuable favor of board service, please

send a nomination suggestion with brief biographical

information to Nominating Committee Chair Kim Seeley

(570-673-5690) or to the PASA main office by November

8, 2002 (an extension of the previous deadline).

Sustainable Ag Leadership Award ReminderKnow someone who stands out in the promotion of sus-

tainable agriculture? Someone whose day-to-day work

gives exceptional lifeblood and energy to our movement?

PASA Award Committee Chair Lee Bentz is accepting

nominations for the Sustainable Ag Leadership Award

until December 15, 2002. Please write to Lee at 269 Bar-

low-Two Taverns Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-8626. As

always, PASA will present the award at the Farming for

the Future conference in State College, February 78,

2003.


8/28

to carry on this conversation. Food

eaters everywhere, speak up. Let us sug-

gest that taxpayer money fund research

at our land grant universities rather than

corporate money with its attached agen-

da. Lets talk about research on organic

and sustainable food production sys-

tems. Lets request an end to the use of

genetically modified organisms until

research on long-term health and safety

questions are answered. Lets propose

that agricultural industry meet conven-

tional industrial standards for environ-

mental protection. Lets consider ways

to limit corporate power and access to

elected officials. Lets appeal to our

political leaders to conduct policy dis-

cussions in the light of day. Lets recom-

mend that corporate power be broughtinto balance with corporate responsibili-

ty. Lets lift up the family-owned farm as

conducive to a way of life that promotes

the kind of values that are essential for a

working democracy. And lets do all of

this with a dose of humility. Now thats

what Im talking about.

ter? Or do we examine the cycle we are

in to see if a major course correction is

in order to maintain a different kind of

progress? Nothing is more indicative of

this necessary dilemma than the new

Farm Bill, laden as it is with yes

answers to both questions. But the ship,

having not changed direction sufficient-

ly, is headed toward the inevitable ice-

berg of forced changean image used

by more than one speaker at the recent

Farm Aid event in Pittsburgh.

In the meantime, it is possible for us

to support and participate in activities

that look at farming practices from the

past, along with those in the present, in

order to evaluate and select a future

course correction for agriculture that

might be less traumatic for individual

farmers and their families. This is what

PASAs Farm Based Education program

is all about, and this is why we gather as

8

Senate Bill

1413 UpdateBy Brian Snyder

It looks like Senate Bill 1413, a

carefully crafted tool to exempt

corporate farms from local regula-

tion, will be going right down to thewire. With members of the Penn-

sylvania House of Representatives

showing reluctance to take action

either way on this controversial

measure before the statewide

election in November, all eyes will

be on the House in the two weeks

after the election, up to when the

current legislative session ends.

The fact that a sweeping change in

state administration is looking like-

ly at this point means that the pres-

sure will be even greater on the

outgoing administration to get the

bill through while, and any way,

they can.

Many state Representatives

have recently had their eyes

opened to the reality that the agri-

cultural community is far from unit-

ed in favor of SB 1413, thanks

mostly to the hard work of several

allied public interest groups,

including PASA and the Pennsyl-

vania Farmers Union. Now, during

this critical period, we need your

help as well. If you have ever won-

dered if your voice really matters in

state government, this is clearly a

time when you can make a differ-

ence, especially if you are a

farmer.

Please call your Representative

and tell him/her that rural commu-

nities do matter, and that under no

circumstances do you want them

to drive a wedge between thefarms and communities in your

area. Tell them that what is good

for the community is good for farm-

ers as well, and vice versa, and

that it could never be otherwise.

This bill is all about intimidation

of local government on behalf of

corporate agriculture, not preser-

vation of farms or communities,

and it must be stopped!

a community every February for the

Farming for the Future conference. Far

from being a step back into the era of

cavemen, both of these important PASA

programs are full of forward-thinking,

optimistic people who appreciate hear-

ing about the latest research as much as

they enjoy celebrating the old ways of

doing things.

For folks who accept the cyclical

nature of history, and understand the

necessity of changing course every so

often in order to maintain consistent

progress, it can be sad and downright

disturbing to see others follow their

straight-line of history right into the

inevitable crash site. At PASA, well do

our part to warn those others by shouting

and waving our hands whenever we get

a chance. But mostly well put our ener-

gies into defining and implementing that

necessary course correction for our

farmersbefore its too late.

A Good Conversation

Reflections on the

Concept of Progress

But it is an absolute necessity when

it comes to our elected officials, the

PDA, and the USDA. The democratic

process in this country is as badly erod-

ed as was the soil on the hilltop corn-

fields of our farm when we bought it.The notion of entering into conversation

with organizations that have fostered

this erosion is as hard for me to consider

as it would be to seek advice from the

farmers responsible for the degradation

of our land.

Yet we need to rebuild the demo-

cratic process in this country just as we

are rebuilding the soil on our farm. It

will take hard work, perseverance, and a

good amount of conversation. Just as a

good neighbor keeps his fences in repair,

so too do our politicians need to mend

the fences and build some new ones so

that Americas corporations are con-

trolled and kept off our family farms.

Politicians that refuse to contain corpo-

rations need to be voted out of office and

excluded from the conversation.

And it is not just farmers that need




9/28

PASA REACHES OUTTO NEW AUDIENCES

Weve heard that the PASA conference can

change lives. Well, okwe know it can change

perspectives on agriculture. We know that a

first-time PASA conference attendee can come

away with a whole new vision of his/her farm.

In an effort to make more of this eye-open-

ing change, wed like to reach out to farmers

across the state who have not yet attended

the Farming for the Future conference. Weve

designed a special little flier to let these folks

know about the conference.

If you have an idea of where these flyers

could be displayed, please give Lauren Smith

a call at the PASA office. We appreciate your

help in getting the word out!

9

night, includes more brisk exercise, and

provides the nutrients necessary to cre-

ate mood-boosting biochemicals that

alleviate mild bouts of depression.

Jo will lead two workshops at the

conference. The first will give us an

update on the latest research on grass-

fed animal products. Back from a recent

study trip to Crete where The Omega

Diet (one based on pastured animal

products) is central, Jo will present realworld applications of this diet. Jos sec-

ond workshop will integrate learning

from her work on The Body Blues

(returning humans to a more natural

environment).

For more information on Jos work

on grass-fed products refer to

www.eatwild.com. For more informa-

tion on The Body Blues refer to

www.thebodyblues.com.

Qu PASA? Farming for the Future Conference

BRINGING IN THE YOUTH

PASA is designing a workshop

geared to junior and high school age

youth for the 2003 Farming for the

Future conference. The workshop

will give youth a chance to see what

people their age are doing to start

sustainable enterprises on farms.

After all, there is no future for farm-

ing without them.

We plan to invite FFA and 4-H

groups to the conference. If you are

the leader of a 4-H group or director

of an FFA group and are interested

in getting your group to the confer-

ence, or if you just want more infor-

mation about this aspect of the

program, please contact Kate Fran-

cis at PASA. Thanks for your help!

Conference Sneak Preview:

What to Do When Your Body Gets the BluesNew York Times best-selling author

Jo Robinson is in the compelling line-up

of speakers and workshops scheduled

for the 2003 Farming for the Future

conference (February 78). When she

last joined our conference, Jo, an inves-

tigative journalist, revealed research

from her book Why Grassfed is Best!,

which demonstrated the health benefits

of grass-fed livestock, supporting the

rotational grazing practices many farm-

ers across the state have implemented.

Jo validated our work and helped us

market our meat products more convinc-

ingly.

This time Jo comes as co-author of

a newly released book, When Your BodyGets the Blues: The Clinically Proven

Program for Women Who Feel Tired and

Stressed and Eat too Much. This ground-

breaking book is not about returning

farm animals to a more natural environ-

ment, but about returning humans to a

more natural setting. In it, Jo and Dr.

Marie-Annette Brown (a professor in the

School of Nursing at the University of

Washington) discuss how humans, par-

ticularly women, need an environment

that is brighter in the daytime, darker at


10/2810

By Greg BowmanHaving sown the seed for a local

market at Telford, the Indian Valley

Farmers Market (IVFM) committee set

out to cultivate a farmer-oriented struc-

ture that would expand agricultural

opportunity in the region. Beginning in

September 2001, the committee identi-

fied the best site with the help of experi-

enced farmers market managers,

collected bylaws and guidelines from

PASA and other markets, checked on

local and county permits, and gathered

farmers names.

Support from the Borough of

Telford was pivotal at this stage. They

provided meeting space and three enthu-

siastic committee members, promised

help with vehicle management and sig-

nage, and agreed to bear the cost of

water and electricity access to the farm-

ers specifications.

Recruiting, Deciding, Planning

Farmer recruitment was intense

from mid-December 2001 through mid-

January 2002. Direct mail, personalinvitations, and simple computer-gener-

ated fliers identified the intended market

location and invited farmers to a January

information meeting.

All participants at that session intro-

duced themselves before getting an

overview (with slides) of good market

practices, a promotion on the benefits of

Producer-Only Markets (POM), and a

report on the debut of the Skippack

POM in 2001 by co-manager Brian

Moyer. John Berry, a regional Extension

specialist on farm profitability, gave a

how-to overview on selling at a farmers

market. The session closed with a pre-

view of the pending decisions: whether

to be a POM, opening and closing dates

and hours, and how to manage the mar-

ket to achieve our goals.

The POM decision was a particular

challenge. POM means customers

wont necessarily find as broad an array

of products as they are used to from gro-

cery stores and hucksters who maximize

variety by buying from wholesale hous

es. In times of drought (such as 2002) or

other crop-limiting conditions, growers

must go to market with less product than

they would like. On the other hand

POM assures customers that every dol-

lar they spend goes to the farmer they

see. It rewards risk and innovation bythe farmer to extend the season and

expand offerings without fear of being

undercut by imported items from other

growing regions. Most importantly, i

gives the market a distinct local person

ality that a grocery or huckster can never

duplicate.

Choosing to be a POM, IVFM cele

brated in February when the fifth farm

agreed to participate, giving the market

the minimum number of charter mem-

bers set by committee. (The Market had

eight farmers on opening day, added twoduring the season, and lost none

throughout.)

Farmers shared their intended crops

and products for the season at a meeting

in March. Each one used a seven-page

enterprise list provided by the commit-

tee to allow easy comparison between

growers. The members indicated expect

ed dates for each item that they intended

to bring, and received encouragement to

find creative ways to avoid duplicating

each other in what they offered in a

given week.

The group worked as a committee

of the whole to set dates (June 1

through October 26) and hours (9 a.m. to

1 p.m.), adopt a $200 members fee (fo

advertising and supplies), and work

through POM guidelines, advertising

and permits and inspections.

In April, the group tackled parking

trash collection, canopy anchor options

(safe and secure are essential), and bath-

room access (restrooms in the borough

Qu PASA? CommunityFARM Initiative

INDIAN VALLEY FARMERS MARKET AT TELFORDPART 2 OF 3

Birthing the Dream:After Getting the Green Light from Municipality,Telford Market Finds Farmers, Adopts Structure

Diagram depicts Telford Market layout and location of farmers stands.


11/28

would handle frozen, wrapped packages

of bison, broilers, lamb, and ultra-lean

beef. The county inspectors wanted to

see that the food would be protected

from sunshine and outside contamina-

tion (especially dust) and wanted frozengoods to remain frozen. Farmers feared

for a while that they would need elabo-

rate selling structures and high-priced

sources of in-transit freezing capacity.

Days before opening day, county

inspectors settled for steel-pole canopies

and onsite verification that the frozen

meat did indeed arrive frozen at the mar-

ket site in chest freezers on pick-up

trucks from the home farms. The freez-

ers are plugged in to the brand-new

power supply immediately on arrival.

Curiously, we have not noticed any on-site inspectors during market days at the

Telford market (held in a paved parking

lot on Saturdays) or at the nearby Skip-

pack POM (held in an unpaved area on

Sundays). Penn State Department of

Food Science faculty were helpful in

providing guidance in food safety ques-

tions in outdoor situations.

All but one farmer received an OK

to sell by opening day; that farmer was

approved as soon as he could schedule

an inspection. The market committee

and the farmers will be more confident if

and when they can sell under county

regulations written with farmer consul-

tation specifically for outdoor markets.

But for now, it was time to harvest the

dream by getting ready for opening day.

Next time: Beyond Expectations

Building Community Through Local

Food.

Greg Bowman is online editor of

www.newfarm.org at the Rodale

Institute.

from the services of Carolyn

Nolan, a professional publicist.

Her employer, Univest (a local

banking company), provided

technical support and paid for

graphic design work and some of

her time. Nolan targeted area

newspapers with well-timed

press releases that highlighted

Gary Schuler, the farmer-mem-ber who served as manager for

the season.

Other crucial support came

from the committees tireless

chair, Rob Kerns (an employee

of the county planning commis-

sion) and from me, Greg Bow-

man, a staff person with agricultural

contacts who worked at the time for a

local Christian denominational head-

quarters. A realistic tally from these and

other committee members would show

an investment of hundreds of hours toestablish, promote, and support the mar-

ket.

Anxiety Heightens

Committee members had been in

contact with the Montgomery County

health department on several matters

during planning months. The department

was still uneasy due to an isolated but

medically serious E. coli episode at a

local dairy petting farm a couple of

years ago.

Some three weeks before the sched-

uled opening of IVFM, the departmentannounced it would require mobile

vendor permits (MVP) for the meat

producers. Unique among Pennsylvania

counties in maintaining food regulations

distinct from state law, Montgomery

County has no rules on whole fruits and

vegetables sold off-farm, but regulates

the sale of what it calls potentially haz-

ardous foods such as meat, prepared

foods, and sliced fruits or vegetables.

The county MVP program is meant

to cover food concessions at outdoor

events. The department is usually satis-

fied with a self-contained trailer with

multiple sinks, power outlets, non-

porous counters, hot water, window

screens for customer service areas, and

refrigeration or freezers. Inspectors did-

nt see how an outdoor market could

approximate these protections.

In a quickly called meeting with

department staff, the committee outlined

the nature and intent of an outdoor farm-

ers market. Farmers described how they

11

hall). Members also considered draft

logo designs, signage plans, promotion-

al materials, and opening-day event

plans.

The charter members used their

newly adopted guidelines to work

through two new producer applications:

one from a local soap maker who does

not grow any ingredients (which the

Market declined) and one from a cater-ing chef who hoped to grow produce and

bring prepared foods (which the Market

granted conditional acceptance). The

group agreed to study development of a

market rule on how long a grower has to

grow out purchased plugs or transplants

before they sell them as their own. Even-

tually it adopted the 30-day rule

employed by the Pennsylvania Depart-

ment of Agriculture on its horticultural

census. The decision was eased by the

fact that the persons using plugs were

selling potted Mothers Day baskets,clearly a value-added product that

showed substantial grower skill and

investment.

By May, Telford Borough had

agreed to help in many ways by: becom-

ing the Markets fiscal agent to handle

fee payments; providing umbrella insur-

ance to committee members; assuring

that market activity was covered for lia-

bility by the borough insurance policy;

installing a season-long street banner

(with PASA mentioned in small print);

and planting and maintaining ten largewooden planters.

The committee benefited greatly

OVERHEARD AT THE MARKET:

I really enjoy this market. My wife

used to grow flowers, but cant

right now, so I come each week and

buy her a fresh bouquet. I just like

being here. Tim Alderfer

This is healthy food. This is a

wonderful thing for our town. I am

just so excited.

Wendy Leshenski

I brought Mama earlier, but she

was getting tired by the time we

had what she needed. Now Im

back for our stuff. Phil Bergey

George and Mel DeVaultPheasant Hill FarmEmmaus PA

Roland Ray GehmanRays GreenhouseTelford PA

Lynn Heckler& Aaron HecklerDeer Run Daylily GardensSalford PA

Doug KogelTelford PA

Bob & Mary LandisSunrise Sunflower FarmHarleysville PA

Donna, Matt,and Tom MoodWindy Springs FarmQuakertown PA

Brian & Holley MoyerGreen Haven FarmFleetwood PA

Gary & B.J. SchulerHillside FarmsTelford PA

Quentin & Anita ShirkQuakertown PA

Dane & Audrey SnyderHoney AcresLansdale PA

CHARTER FARMERS OF THEINDIAN VALLEY FARMERS MARKET AT TELFORD


12/2812

Whos Selling Local Food and

Whos Buying It in Southeastern PA?

Qu PASA? CommunityFARM Initiative

By Lamonte Garber

PASA and its partners completed a

series of investigations this summer to

better inform those of us who promote

local food in the Delaware Valley. We

conducted this work as part of a larger

project coordinated by the Rodale Insti-

tute entitled, Regenerating Small Fam-

ily Farms: Combining Education,

Research and Marketing. Funding forthe project came from USDA. Our

research provides information about the

marketing needs of area farmers and the

interests of consumers in buying fresh,

locally grown foods. We also identified a

wide range of opportunities that already

exist for farmers selling their products in

this region.

WHAT DO CONSUMERS WANT?Working with PASA and the Rodale

Institute, Michael Wildfeuer authored a

report entitled, Farmers, Food andthe Modern Consumer. The report

combines reviews of consumer surveys,

local food initiatives, and eco-label pro-

grams. Most surveys, for example, sug-

gest, freshness and taste are primary

factors influencing general food pur-

chases. As most consumers place taste,

freshness, and other attributes (price,

convenience, etc.) above concerns about

buying local, these factors should be

highlighted in promotions and market-

ing by farmers and local food groups.

Wildfeuers research found that

many residents in the greater Philadel-

phia area are concerned about the sur-

vival of the small family farm and

recognize that these farms contribute to

the local economy. The diversity of

farms and markets in the area, however,

and the close proximity of neighboring

states make establishing a regional iden-

tity for farm products a real challenge.

In addition to looking at consumer

trends, Wildfeuer assessed the impact of

Buy Local campaigns in various parts

of the country. He found that successful

marketing campaigns have a well-

researched marketing strategy with

excellent marketing materials, a com-

pelling message, and high quality prod-

ucts that stand out in the market place.

A PHONE SURVEY OF 400

CONSUMERS IN PHILADELPHIAAND ITS SUBURBS

PASA collaborated with Food-

Routes Network and Greenburg, Quin-

lin, Rosner Research, Inc. to conduct a

phone survey of 400 residents in the

greater Philadelphia area to assess con-

sumer attitudes and behavior related to

buying local food. Funding for the

phone survey came from FoodRoutes

Network.

The survey indicates, Inconve-

nience and ignorance are the biggest

barriers to support for locally pro-duced and grown food. Few people fre-

quently look at labels to see where food

is grown, and few people shop in the

kinds of locations that sell predominate-

ly locally grown food (e.g., farmers

markets or community supported agri-

culture farms).

The Greenburg report recommends

that PASA, FoodRoutes, and others

need to overcome these obstacles by

making information readily available to

consumers through advertising, either

through the media or in stores. More-

over, [we] need to encourage better

product placement, or at least raise

awareness of product placement, in large

grocery stores and supermarkets.

WHERE CAN FARMERS SELL NOW?Many farmers are already selling

products directly to consumers in the

Delaware Valley, and we wanted to doc-

ument this activity and show farmers

where current opportunities exist. With

support from PASA and the Rodale

Institute, Bob Pierson developed an

inventory of farmer-friendly farmers

markets and CSAs in the southeas

region. He also surveyed produce buyers

for grocery stores in the Philadelphia

region to identify barriers and opportu-

nities for farmers to sell through these

stores. For results of the inventories

contact Lamonte Garber at 717-3941704 or [email protected].

WHAT DO FARMERS NEED?A successful food system meets the

needs of both consumers and farmers

To find out what kind of support farmers

need in the marketing arena, PASA

Rodale Institute, and Farm to City sent a

survey to hundreds of farmers in south-

eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring

areas late last year, asking a range of

questions about direct marketing.

Sixty-three farmers responded from11 counties in Pennsylvania (most in the

southeast), five counties in New Jersey

and one in Maryland. The county with

the most participants was Lancaster

Pennsylvania. While the sample size is

small, our findings give some genera

information about the activities, opin-

ions, and interests of a group of farmers

who view direct marketing as an impor-

tant component of their overall farming

operation.

In terms of profit versus effortfarmers markets are the most popular

direct marketing technique within this

group. Many of these growers also

believe that farm stands, CSAs, and

restaurant sales are a cost effective mar-

keting strategy.

When asked about barriers or prob

lems for direct marketing off the farm

many growers agreed with the state-

ment, Dont think Ill sell enough to

make the trip worthwhile. Shortage

Continued next page


13/28

Take PASA Out to the Farm ShowThe Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg is the largest

indoor agricultural event in America, attracting over 350,000 visi-

tors last year. The Farm Show has something for everyone, farm-

ers and non-farmers alike. It provides a great opportunity to find

out what is going on in agriculture in the Commonwealth.

We at PASA know a good opportunity to reach out when we

see it! For the 10th year running, PASAwill participate in the Penn-

sylvania Farm Show this coming January 1118, 2003. The PASA

booth will provide visitors with information on PASA research &education programs, direct marketing opportunities for local pro-

ducers, membership, and the 12th annual Farming for the Future

conference.

Volunteering a bit of time is a wonderful way for PASA mem-

bers to help theirassociation. It can be lots of fun to get out, greet

the public, and share some farm stories with people interested in

sustaining Pennsylvania agriculture. PASA has seen a growing

interest in our mission and programs at the Farm Show in recent

years, and there is no doubt the 2003 show will once again attract

new interest in the association.

So, we are inviting enthusiastic members to staff the PASA

booth. If you would like to help out at the Farm Show, please

review the chart below to see how your schedule best fits the

available time slots. Then mail, fax, call, or register online

(www.pasafarming.org) with your interest and availability. If youdlike to learn more about what volunteering at the Farm Show

entails, contact Lauren Smith at PASAs Millheim headquarters,

814-349-9856, 114 West Main Street, PO Box 419, Millheim, PA

16854.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward

to hearing from you and seeing you at the Farm Show!

Name ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Daytime Phone ............................................................................ Evening Phone .............................................................................................

n Yes, I will help staff the PASA booth at the 2003 PA Farm Show

n I am available only the dates/times indicated below

n I can help and am flexible. Let me know when you need me

n Sorry, I cant help this year, but Id like to volunteer in the future

Wednesday, Jan 15

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Thursday, Jan 16

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Friday, Jan 17

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Saturday, Jan 18

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Saturday, Jan 11

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Sunday, Jan 12

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Monday, Jan 13

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

Tuesday, Jan 14

n 8 11 am n 11 am2 pm n 2 5 pm n 5 9 pm

13

of affordable labor was another popu-

lar response. Other barriers included

lack of effective promotions for mar-

kets, need for refrigeration equip-

ment, difficulty locating interested

stores, and transportation limitations.

Finally, many respondents indicated that

they were limited by a lack of basicskills or knowledge in starting a mar-

keting enterprise, setting prices, selling,

and knowing what to produce.

When asked about sources of infor-

mation, some interesting patterns

emerged. Reading materials appear to

be a very popular source of marketing

information for growers. Within the cat-

egory of training and workshops,

farm visits was a clear favorite. Many

respondents also showed a preference

for direct contact with other farmers

who are involved in direct marketing.

WHERE TO NOW?A key role for PASA in the coming

years will be to inform non-farmers

about the benefits of buying locally

grown foods. At the same time we need

to work with farmers to ensure that localproducts are available when consumers

seek them. We look forward to working

with PASA members throughout the

southeast region as we build a local, sus-

tainable food system.

Copies of these studies are avail-

able upon request from Lamonte Garber

at [email protected] or 717-

394-1704, and from Michelle Frain at

[email protected] or 610-

683-1401.

Continued from previous page


14/2814

Table 1. Personal benefits of being a member of PASARanked by farmers.

SURVEY RESPONSES

Very Somewhat Not

SURVEY QUESTION Important Important Important

Interacting with innovative people 81% (154) 17% (32) 2% (4)

Learning profitable production practices 74% (142) 24% (46) 2% (4)

Learning environmentally sound production

practices to protect the environment 73% (140) 25% (48) 2% (4)

Being part of a political voice to influence

agricultural policy 64% (121) 32% (61) 5% (10)

Obtaining support that the University

or USDA does not provide 59% (113) 34% (65) 7% (13)

Increasing marketing opportunities 53% (100) 34% (65) 14% (26)

Saving my familys farm 45% (82) 33% (60) 22% (40)

By Laura M. CarnesFor my masters thesis in the geog-

raphy department at Penn State, I con-

ducted a study of PASA in 2001 to

discover the characteristics and philoso-

phies of this successful sustainable agri-

culture organization (SAO). PASA

stands out among other SAOs in the

northeast region because its growth in

membership and program participation

have been significant, and the majority

of its diverse membership identifies the

organization as being very important to

their farming operations in a variety ofways. In this article, I share some of the

interesting things I learned about PASA

members, the vision and approaches that

PASA has employed, and some of the

impacts PASA has had on the growth of

sustainable agriculture.

METHODSTo learn more about PASA mem-

bers and PASAs philosophies that are

responsible for its successes, I inter-

viewed 15 past and present board and

staff members, performed a contentanalysis of PASAs newsletters, and sent

a mail survey in February 2001 to all of

PASAs members residing in Pennsylva-

nia. I received completed surveys from a

remarkable 70% of recipients192

farmer members and 199 members who

do not farm.

BENEFITS OFPASA MEMBERSHIP

Tables 1 and 2 display responses to

the survey question, What benefits of

being a member of PASA are important

to you? The benefit most frequently

considered as very important to PASA

farmers who responded to the survey is,

Interacting with innovative people

(see Table 1). This is not surprising

given the fact that networking to share

alternative farming information is a key

function of SAOs, including PASA. In

addition, most farmer members consider

the profitable and environmentally

sound farming practices they learn from

PASA as very important. More than half

reported that PASA provides support not

available from conventional institutions.

According to the survey, about half

of PASAs members do not farm but are

active in the agricultural and food sys-

tems in other ways. Eighty-percent are

gardeners, and most are employed in

agriculture, environmental conservation,

or the food industry. More than half have

worked on a farm, and about a quarter

were raised on a farm.

The benefit considered important toall respondents who do not farm is,

Supporting environmentally sound

farming (see Table 2, next page). More

than half consider learning how to farm

an important personal benefit of PASA

membership. This shows that PASAs

new and vibrant approach to farming

attracts new people.

PASAS STRATEGIESEmbracing a Broad Definition

of Sustainable Agriculture

Results show that one of PASAs

successful philosophies is its broad,

all-inclusive definition of sustainable

agriculture. When determining the orga-

nizations foundations, there was a dis-

cussion among PASA members whether

or not to be an organic association or to

have a more inclusive definition of sus-

tainable farming. They decided on the

latter. PASA believes that a broad spec-

trum of farmers needs to be involved in

the sustainable agriculture movement

for lasting changes toward a just and

sustainable food system.

The result of not restricting their

educational activities to organic prac

tices has resulted in a farmer member-

ship that is diverse and representative o

a broad spectrum of farmers in Pennsyl

vania. According to survey responses

PASA includes many small- and large

scale farmers, full-time farmers with

extensive farming experience, and new

farmers. About two-thirds are organicand the rest reported using various sus-

tainable practices.

In comparison to the total popula

tion of Pennsylvania farmers, a higher

percentage of PASA farmers grow veg

etables, fruits, herbs and flowers, and

native grasses; and a lower percentage

grow grain, hay, and raise dairy and bee

cattle. What is striking is that some o

PASAs livestock farmers are large in

scaleone of PASAs 32 dairy farmers

has more than 1,000 dairy cattle, and

several beef farmers have herds of more

than 200 beef cattle. These operations

are comparable to large-scale farms in

the 1997 Pennsylvania Census of Agri-

culture.

A number of PASA farmer charac

teristics indicate that they are represen-

tative of many farmers in Pennsylvania

The percentage of PASA farmers and

Pennsylvania farmers who have off

farm jobs is almost equal. About 20% of

PASAs farmer respondents derive mos

Survey Says: PASA Thrives withCommunity Approach to Farming


15/28

of their total income from their farm,

while many others derive only a fraction

of it from their farm. More than one-

third of PASAs farmer respondents have

been farming for 20 or more years, while

just over a third have farmed for 8 years

or less.

Many PASA farmers also have an

extensive family farming history. Morethan a third of PASA farmer respondents

and their families have farmed for 4 or

more generations. However, PASA also

attracts people who are new to farming;

just under half are the first people in

their families to farm, suggesting that

PASAs vibrant approach to agriculture

attracts new people to farming.

Beneficial Results of a

Broad-Based Membership

Benefits of having an all-inclusive

approach to sustainable agriculture thatembraces a broad spectrum of the farm-

ing community are twofold. First, there

is some evidence that PASA farmers

farming practices are becoming more

environmentally sound. In order to

understand how their farming practices

may have changed over time, I surveyed

PASA farmers past and present

approaches to farming. Half of the

PASA farmer respondents reported sig-

nificantly changing their farming prac-

tices over time (see Figure 1). Of the

farmers who changed, more than halfuse less chemicals and more sustainable

practices. The high percentage of farm-

ers in the other category most likely

reflects the limited number of survey

answer categories.

A second benefit is that an all-inclu-

sive approach to sustainable agriculture

draws more members, strengthening

sustainable agricultures political voice.

Preston Boop, PASAs former president,

explains, When you can turn out 1,100

people at an annual conference meeting,

then faculty at Penn State obviouslyneed to stand up and take notice. Penn

State has gradually shown more support

for sustainable farming, and recently

funded a research position to work with

sustainable farmers in the state.

Creating Sustainable,

Community-Controlled Food Systems

I think the most significant contri-

bution that PASA made was really pro-

moting the idea that without a focus on

communities, sustainable agriculture

wasnt going to mean muchthe eco-nomics is critical, the environment is

critical, but I really think that the com-

munity emphasis put wheels on it. (Tim

Bowser, former PASA executive direc-

tor.)

In the early years of PASAs exis-

tence, the organization focused on the

technical, production end of sustainable

farming. As the organization and its

members matured, they came to realize

that marketing is the lynchpin of farm-

ers sustainability. They also came to the

realization that without broad support

from citizens and community leaders,

markets for local food would not thrive.PASAs goal became not only to create

markets for local farmers, but to create a

whole new food system that differs from

the prevailing system. Their vision is a

food system that supports local busi-

nesses rather than private corporations,

maintains the productivity of land and

water resources, nurtures satisfying,

trusting relationships between farmers

and consumers, and creates strong net-

works of community organizations that

support local agriculture. PASAs strate-

gy to create these sustainable, communi-ty-controlled food systems has been to

combine sustainable agriculture with

community economic development.

PASAs program that most actively

accomplishes this is the Community

Farm Initiative. Another activity that

plays a role is PASAs Farming for the

Future conference.

CONCLUSIONThis study shows that PASA plays

an important role in promoting sustain-

able agriculture. Two of its importantfunctions include representing the farm-

ing community to include farming in

local economic development plans, and

promoting broad community support for

local agriculture by providing network-

ing opportunities that facilitate con-

sumer education about the importance of

supporting local agriculture. PASA has

achieved these successes by having an

all-inclusive approach to membership

and by connecting sustainable agricul-

ture with community-controlled eco-nomic development. Id like to thank all

of the PASA members who filled out

surveys or talked with me in interviews.

Without your help, this study would not

have been possible.

Editors NoteMs. CarnesPenn

State Masters Thesis in Geography,

dated August 2002, is entitled, Devel-

opment of a Grass-Roots Infrastructure

for Sustainable Agriculture: The Penn-

sylvania Association for Sustainable

Agriculture as a Case Study.

Table 2. Personal benefits of being a member of PASA Ranked by members who do not farm.

SURVEY RESPONSES

Very Somewhat Not

SURVEY QUESTION Important Important Important

Enhancing the environment by supportingfarmers using environmentally sound practices 93% (183) 7% (13) 0% (0)

Preserving farmland by supporting family farms 86% (166) 13% (25) 1% (1)

Interacting with innovative people 83% (161) 17% (33) 1% (1)

Increasing the economic viability of family farms

by buying their products 79% (152) 19% (36) 3% (5)

Being part of a political voice to influence

agricultural policy 78% (152) 19% (36) 3% (6)

Gaining access to safe, healthy food 77% (149) 20% (38) 3% (6)

Learning environmentally sound and innovative

gardening practices 68% (132) 26% (50) 6% (12)

Learning effective farming practices so that

I can become a farmer 29% (56) 32% (61) 39% (76)

15

Figure 1. PASA farmer respondents who

changed their farming practices.


16/28

free of meat and meat by-products; and

3) producers must agree to adhere to the

guidelines established for raising hogs

by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)

in Washington, D.C. Willis further clari-

fied that in addition to these standards,

samples of products being sold with theNiman label must be tested for quality,

especially taste.

Among the acceptable practices

established by AWI, hogs must be raised

on pasture or in deeply bedded pens, and

use of farrowing crates is prohibited. On

hand at the workshop to represent AWI

and the standards they require was

Diane Halverson, who grew up on a

Minnesota farm and now serves as the

Farm Animal Advisor for AWI.

Apparently the idea is catching on

among both farmers and consumers. The

Niman Ranch Pork Company currently

includes 210 farmers, who are part own-

ers of the company and are spread over

9 states, mostly across the Midwest. The

company markets just under 2,000 hogs

each week to about 900 restaurants, sev-

eral high-end retail outlets (including

Williams-Sonoma), and directly to indi-

vidual consumers through the website.

Paul Willis, who himself produces each

year about 3,000 hogs on pasture for the

16

By Brian Snyder

Farmers and consumers

who lament the changes in

Americas hog industry over

the last few decades, and who

long for the wonderful taste

of pork they remember from

their childhood, might better

be looking to the future rather

than the past for a solution.

This was the lesson learned in

Centre County as representa-

tives of Californias NimanRanch, Inc., meat marketing

company spoke at a PASA-

sponsored workshop in Cen-

tre Hall on October 1.

The festivities began

with a meal that featured deli-

cious Niman Ranch pork loins that were

donated for the event. Afterward, over

100 people, mostly farmers, enjoyed an

unexpected two-fer when the adver-

tised speaker, Paul Willis, who is man-

ager of the Niman Ranch Pork Company

based in Thornton, Iowa, was joined byBill Niman, founder and CEO of Niman

Ranch, Inc., who happened to be on the

East Coast for other business.

Mr. Niman may have had his arm

twisted just a bit, as he apologized to the

crowd for being late after what he called

the alleged two-hour drive from New

York City. With one speaking from the

front of the room, and the other from the

back, Willis and Niman shared with

PASAs guests the success story that is

Niman Ranch, and reported some of the

more challenging aspects of the business

as well.

Founded over a quarter century ago,

Niman Ranch seeks to produce and mar-

ket the finest tasting meat in the world

by adhering to a strict code of husbandry

principles, as their website

(www.nimanranch.com) reports. Mr.

Willis explained to the attentive group

that the strict code referred to means: 1)

neither growth-promoting hormones nor

antibiotics may be used; 2) feed must be

Niman market, is upbea

about the possibility of Penn

sylvania being the next state

to join the team.

Mr. Niman also spoke

with considerable enthusiasm

about the mission of Niman

Ranch. Our principle objec-

tive, he explained, is to

ensure the financial viability

of our farmers. The program

now guarantees a bottom

price of $40/cwt for produc-ers who have joined, and they

are currently paying $65/cw

for hogs that are certified

organic. Producers can earn a

bonus price when they mee

identified targets in terms of

animal size as well. Mr. Niman further

explained, The Pork Company retains a

penny-and-a-half per pound to build

equity and support daily operations

which is matched by the Niman Ranch

parent organization.

Much of the discussion followingthe official presentation centered on the

economic realities of Pennsylvania

farming, i.e., property taxes, cost of feed

and processing, etc. Asked whether

Niman Ranch could adjust their pricing

structure to meet such circumstances

both Willis and Niman invited Pennsyl

vania producers to work together to find

cost efficiencies, but indicated that some

small degree of flexibility might be in

order.

The emphasis throughout the dis-

cussion was on the future of meat mar

keting in this country. Niman Ranch is

interested in Pennsylvania because there

seems to be a large potential market in

the Mid-Atlantic region for their prod

ucts, and the future is that consumers

are wanting to buy from local sources

and are willing to pay more for that priv

ilege, explained Mr. Niman.

Going beyond an emphasis on loca

sources, however, it was reported that

Qu PASA? Public Policy Partnership

Pork with a Positive Attitude

Continued on page 19

Was that pork good or what!? From left to right: Paul Willis,Bill Niman, and Brian Snyder demonstrate their satisfactionwith the days farefresh maple-smoked Niman Ranch porkloin. Photo: Lauren Smith


17/28

example, has worked in the Programs

2001 class to champion the idea of coop

eration, including collective bargaining

for farmers trying to negotiate fair prices

for their products. This past July in

Japan, National Farmers Union presi-

dent Dave Frederickson supported the

concept of global cooperation in a

speech to Japanese farm leaders workingon the problem of corporate ag concen-

tration.

In September, George traveled to

Vancouver, Canada, for a Fellows media

training session. There he learned abou

FarmFolk/CityFolk, a nine-year-old

nonprofit society working for a demo

cratic and sustainable food system in

British Columbia. With energy, commit-

ment, and accomplishments much like

those of PASA, FarmFolk/CityFolk is an

organization from which PASA can

learn a lot.Theyve published books that pro

file new farmers, what theyre doing

whats possible, George relays with

enthusiasm. This could be a way for

PASA to get information out and create

an income stream.

While in Vancouver, George got to

meet the other Fellows in his class

including Arlin Wasserman, the policy

director of the Michigan Land Use Insti

tute. Mr. Wasserman, who grew up in

Philadelphia and has cousins in Allen

town, will visit Pheasant Hill Farm onNovember 10 with his 88-year-old

father, who was a produce broker his

entire life but never set foot on a farm.

So not only will the visit improve

communications between the Mid-

Atlantic and Midwest, says George

but it will introduce local residents to

local agriculture.

On the horizon, George will ren-

dezvous with his Fellows this December

for the Farm Journal Forum in Wash

ington, D.C. This annual, two-day even

brings policymakers together to hear

about a wide range of ag issues. Cospon-

sored not only by the Kellogg Founda

tion but also by Monsanto and the

Council for Biotechnology Information

its an event at which the agribusiness

viewpoint is traditionally represented,

according to Ms. Corselius. Kellogg

wants the Fellows to interject sustain

able ag issues into the discussion.

It is significant that the Fellows

17

George, a journalist with extensive

reporting experience, thinks hell cover

many of these interrelated areas during

his two-year stint.

Most journalists have yet to dis-

cover that agriculture is simply the best

beat on the paper, George observes,

because it combines all of the other

beatscops, courts, labor, environment,

science, technology, business, health,

nutrition, politics, entertainment, reli-gion, education, and government.

Developing a communications plan

for his part in the Program, George

reflected on the specific topics he might

cover over the next two years. Factory

farms are an obvious candidate. Sewer-

less cities, as George calls them, gen-

erating just as much waste without the

controls on management.

As a farmer who works twenty-acre

Pheasant Hill Farm in Emmaus, Penn-

sylvania, with his family, George also

wants to educate the public about what it

really means to be an organic farmer.

Theres more to it than not doing cer-

tain things, such as using chemicals,

George explains. I want to encourage a

plant-positive approach. If the Fellows

Program works as intended, such educa-

tion will translate into tangible policy

changes in American agriculture, socie-

ty, and government.

Policy Fellow Dr. Richard Levins

from the University of Minnesota, for

By Dan Brannen Jr.

In what he calls a logical next step

in everything I have been doing for the

last almost 30 years, PASA board mem-

ber George DeVault will spend two

years spreading the message of sustain-

able agriculture as one of twelve partici-

pants in the second class of the Food and

Society Policy Fellows Program.

Administered by the Thomas Jeffer-

son Agricultural Institute in Missouri

and the Institute for Agriculture & TradePolicy in Minnesota, and primarily fund-

ed by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the

Fellows Program uses media, scholar-

ship, and public education and outreach

to promote the creation and expansion of

community-based food systems in the

United States. From September 2002

through August 2004, George and his

fellow Fellows (including fo

fall 2002 passages newsletter, pennsylvania association for sustainable agriculture

Documents