Each year, MIFFS hosts the Michigan Family Farms Conference (MFFC), a forum for beginning, small-scale, and culturally diverse farmers to network, learn, and build sustainable family farms. This year we have chosen the theme "Nurturing Resilient Farms - 2020 & Beyond." It gives us great energy today to release the
Request For Proposals (RFP)
for both the keynote speaker and workshops; click
here
to submit your proposal(s). It is quite a few months away but it will be here before you know it! Even if you do not have a presentation of your own, we would like to hear your ideas for workshops or keynote speakers. Click on the same
RFP
to send us your thoughts.
We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a design competition for a new MFFC logo this year! Click
here
for more information about the dimensions, file type and how to submit. The chosen logo creator will receive five free tickets to the conference as well as recognition across our social platforms as well as at the conference. We look forward to many new ideas for the 17th annual conference.
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We are proud to pass along that Barbara James Norman has been named a 2019 NCR-SARE Hero. Barbara Norman is a legacy Michigan blueberry farmer and MIFFS collaborator who embodies SARE’s efforts to advance sustainable innovation to all American agriculture. Read the full article
here
. Congratulations Barbara!
If there are any questions about the items here or any MIFFS programs, please contact us via email or phone listed below. When we are not out in the field, we are in the office 9am-5pm Monday through Friday. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
The MIFFS Team
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Resources & Opportunities:
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Family Farm Labor and Specialty Crop Production On-Farm Field Day at Sharkar Farm
June 24, 2019 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Sharkar Farm is owned and operated by Sharon Ostrowski, whose family has worked on the farm and contributed to their success at farmers markets. Join us at Sharkar Farm for a farm tour and discussion about Family Farm Labor and Specialty Crop Production!
Register Here
!
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Are you a farmer who needs seasonal or temporary workers for planting, cultivating, or harvesting crops? The H-2A temporary agricultural workers program–often called the H-2A Visa Program–helps American farmers who anticipate a lack of available domestic workers fill employment gaps by hiring workers from other countries. With the new Checklist Tool, participating in the Program is now easier than ever. Discover the checklist tool at farmers.gov or click
here
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The Community of Food, Society & Justice Conference
will engage students, faculty, staff, farmers, and the community in rigorous dialogue around these challenges. The conference will be structured around a foundation of interdisciplinary scholarship that agrees that recognizing structural relations of power are necessary in order to confront race, class, and gender privileges on these issues and others. Please click
here
to access the conference schedule, registration, and the call for posters
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Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
If you are a farmer or rural entrepreneur in the Midwest, you are invited to use a free Grants Advising service of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.
Our Grants Advisers help you decide whether a grant would be the best way to achieve your goals. For more info click
here
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FoodCorps
is a nationwide team of AmeriCorps leaders that connects kids to real food and helps them grow up healthy. We do that by placing motivated leaders in limited-resource communities for a year of public service.
FoodCorps is looking for one more Service Member to serve with the Detroit Public Schools Community District for the upcoming program year. More information
here
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NSAC
is seeking a Coalition Director
.
Are you deeply committed to public service and are experienced in administration in the field of sustainable agriculture? Would you enjoy leading a passionate, high-performing, member-engaged, and collaborative organization that is dedicated to working for racial equity? NSAC is looking for a new Coalition Director. NSAC offers competitive non-profit salary and benefits and is an equal opportunity employer. More info
here
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The Wallace Center
’s Resilient Agriculture & Ecosystems (RAE) initiative is looking for a dynamic individual interested in supporting diverse, regenerative and profitable farms the U.S. Upper Midwest. Wallace Center is hiring a Program Associate 1, an entry-level position within the close-knit RAE team. The position provides administrative, communications, and programmatic support for several projects that are primarily focused on reintegrating managed livestock grazing into the region with the goal of building healthy soil, watersheds, farms, and rural communities. More info
here
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Taste the Local Difference
(TLD) builds consumer demand for local food and helps farm and food entrepreneurs build successful, well-connected and thoughtful businesses. The TLD Local Food Coordinator (LFC) reports directly to the CEO and is responsible for completing services benefiting the local food and farming community of a specific region. Their role is integral to TLD. The ideal candidate is immersed in the local food scene of Southwest Michigan and passionate about community. They have writing and sales experience as well as strong interpersonal skills. More info
here
; application
here
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Physical Address: 2438 Woodlake Circle, Okemos, MI 48864
Mailing Address: 480 Wilson Road, Room 172, East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: 517.709.8271 Email: info@miffs.org
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