Affordable housing isn’t just a problem in downtown Traverse City, but for farmers and agriculture workers as well.
Ag Forum: Connections link food, wellness and business
Local agriculture is increasingly appreciated not just for tasty food but also for community health -and what’s good for our health can also be good for business.
Food and Farming Network releases fact sheets
The Northwest Michigan Food and Farming Network (FFN) has a brand new logo and five gorgeous new fact sheets highlighting progress in building northwest Michigan’s agricultural future.
Ag Forum: Farmers are paying attention to schools
Never before has there been so much interest among schools in buying local farm foods. And these efforts, according to polls, are supported by parents who want schools to take care of their kids by serving them healthy food. Farms can play a big role in helping them do just that.
Ag Forum: In a digital world, is agriculture still relevant?
Yet despite technology’s advancements, the last time I checked food isn’t grown by the judicious application of ones and zeros. Websites don’t plant seeds, and microchips don’t worry about organic certification audits. I’ve never known a software company to bring a handful of loam to its nose and smile at its richness, or let slip a tear of joy at the birth of a calf. With technology taking over our lives, is agriculture still relevant in a world racing to leave old ways behind? Solidly I say the answer is yes.
Our View: While not perfect, Farm Bill is a step in the right direction
While there are measures we wish would have made it into the just-passed Farm Bill, we’re pleased that it includes renewal of funding for programs that only started to see serious funding in the 2008 Farm Bill-renewable energy, beginning farmers, organic farming, local food economies, and support for farmers who grow the food we really need to eat, fruit and vegetables. While still a small slice of the Farm Bill spending, it is a positive direction.