Dear Farmers and Food Producers:
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With tomatoes and blueberries hitting farm stand shelves, we are reminded that it sure is mid-July! As arguably the busiest month in Northeast agriculture is upon us, we hope you are finding some time to enjoy this hot and dry summer.
With this season also comes SEMAP's annual Local Food Guide! We've been plugging away at delivering these guides in bulk to farm stands, local grocers, libraries, community centers, and more. If you don't think you're on our delivery list but would like to receive copies to distribute to your customers, please let us know via this brief form. In the meantime, please share our virtual guide far and wide!
In this email you'll find information on:
- Our upcoming Twilight skill-share
- Current grant programs for markets & food producers
- Opportunities to participate with FSA county offices
- Local farmland availability
- SEMAP's revised equity statement
- Farm vendor opportunity
- Educational events and workshops
- State legislative candidate stances on food & agriculture
- Local farming jobs
- And more!
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With gratitude,
Shannon Hickey (she/her)
Program Coordinator
(781) 908-4466
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Upcoming Twilight Grower Event: THIS WEEK!
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Our Twilight Grower Series continues this Thursday, July 21st at 4pm at Weatherlow Farms in Westport! We're partnering with NOFA/Mass on this one, which is the first of a short series on soil health. NOFA soil technician Ruben Parrilla will be facilitating our conversation alongside farmer Phoebe Poole. We'll discuss building soil carbon & microbe activity, soil testing, low-tillage systems and more! Though we'll be looking specifically at a high tunnel flower operation, this is relevant to all land-based growing systems.
We're thrilled to share that Weatherlow farmers Ryan and Tyler will also be leading us in a livestock pasture tour following our soil programming! They'll chat about their best practices for their beef and poultry operations, as well as show us their beautiful pastures. There's something for everyone at this event!
This skill-share is FREE and open to all. SEMAP will provide a light supper ahead of the pasture walk. Registration is optional, but helpful for our headcount. Rain or shine. Can't wait to see you there!
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Take a look at a few of the currently open grant, reimbursement, and award programs below, then check out a complete list on our webpage!
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Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant: To fund bog renovations that promote more efficient bogs and enhance the business and environmental sustainability of the cranberry operation.
- Deadline: July 22nd
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MA Gap Energy Grant Program: To reduce the energy usage & operating costs of municipalities, non-profits, and small businesses, including agricultural businesses, and to improve the environment.
- Deadline: July 29th
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REMINDER: SEMAP can assist Southeastern Massachusetts farmers in grant applications. We can help you determine your eligibility, walk through the application together, review before submission, offer a letter of support, or any combination of these! Apply for assistance here or email Shannon at shickey@semaponline.org with any questions.
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FSA County Committee Nominations Open Now
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Are you interested in giving your input on producer appeals, conservation programs, disaster assistance, and other crucial agriculture issues? Do you want to have the power to hire the FSA County Executive Director who oversees daily operations in your area? If so, please consider running for a seat on your local FSA County Committee!
This opportunity can be incredibly influential and rewarding, as well as a way to get more familiar with FSA services. Especially if you are a farmer who has been historically underserved by FSA, please consider running for your local county committee! Nomination forms must be postmarked or received by August 1st. You may nominate yourself or others.
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Check Out our Revised Equity Statement
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If you tuned into our 2022 Agriculture & Food Conference or have been following our newsletters closely, you may have noticed that SEMAP has begun the long overdue process of examining our role in equity work, especially that related to race & ethnicity. We see this as an evolving process as we grow organizationally & personally, and we encourage your feedback along the way. Today, we are excited to share the latest expansion and revision of our equity statement.
Please take a look, reflect on it, and get in touch with any recommendations, concerns, or other feedback. We've appreciated the constructive support we've had from community members and professional equity trainers thus far, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts on this new statement!
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Farm and Food Business Vendor Opportunity
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Farmland Available for Purchase in West Bridgewater
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Our friends at C&C Reading Farm in West Bridgewater are selling their business, which includes farmer housing, offices, a large & well-established farm stand, underground irrigation, and greenhouse & barn infrastructure on 74 beautiful acres of APR farmland. This is a prime spot with an existent customer base. The new owners will be set up for success!
We are sad to see Lynn and Pete go and wish them a very happy & healthy retirement!
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Open Farm Tours at New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
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New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, based in Beverly, offers land, technical assistance, and resources to beginning incubator farmers, particularly prioritizing immigrant farmers. They will be hosting a tour of their beautiful farmland on Sunday, July 31st beginning at 10am. Throughout the day, there will be farmer meet & greets, games, food tasting, discussion of programs to support farmer experiential learning, and more! This event is free and donations are encouraged. Drop by to get in on the fun!
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Candidates for State Office Answer Questions about Food & Agriculture Systems
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The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative has distributed a survey to state legislative candidates with questions pertaining to our local food system โ from how they will support farmers in adapting to climate change, to what measures they'll take to protect farmland from development, and more. So far, candidates for Lieutenant Governor, State Representative, and State Senator have responded to this survey. The Collaborative will continue to update this helpful list as we get closer to election season.
Though SEMAP will not endorse any candidates for any office, we encourage you to take a look at these responses, encourage candidates in your district to complete the survey, and prioritize food systems at the polls!
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Career Opportunities with MDAR & APR Program
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Complete a 10-Minute Survey to Inform Where MA Spends Federal Funding
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The Statewide Coalition for an Equitable Economy is collecting data on the status of small businesses across the Commonwealth, and results will be used to assess needs & opportunities, and to help advise the Governor and state legislature on funding priorities. It's very important that farm and food businesses are represented in this data collection, as your challenges & opportunities are vastly different than other industries. The survey will only take about 10 minutes and respondents will be entered to win one of 20 cash prizes, beginning at $250!
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Important Read: The Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
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The summer issue of the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development (JAFSCD) has just been published and it's full of fantastic articles! This issue covers everything from food sovereignty and farmer mental health to local food demand trends and produce accessibility. It is accessible for free at the link below. Take a look or add it to your bookmarks for some winter reading.
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For more workshops, webinars, and other opportunities, check out our event calendar!
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SEMAP maintains a Local Food Jobs page on our website! You'll find local food and farm job listings relevant to Southeastern Massachusetts. Here are a few picks currently on the page. Want to share a listing? Email info@semaponline.org.
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Consider registering as a SEMAP Business Member. Membership with SEMAP helps us continue to provide promotion and technical assistance to farmers across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.
Business members receive a host of benefits, including...
- Member Spotlight on SEMAP's blog
- Access to business development resources
- Discount ads in Local Food Guide
- Free boosted Facebook posts
Membership is available at several levels. Come join us!
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PO Box 80625,
S. Dartmouth, MA 02748
Executive Director:
(508) 524-2601
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