Fall 1993 (v5n5)
	$2 Million Kellogg Grant Creates California Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Funded by a three-year, $2 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation, the California Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture (CASA) has been formed to move the state toward more sustainable food and agricultural systems. The new coalition is one of seven model projects funded by Kellogg around the United States as part of its Integrated Farming Systems Initiative. The grant provides a unique opportunity to build a productive collaboration between the University of California and innovative non-profit groups. In addition to SAREP members of the coalition include the Bio-Integral Resource Center (BIRC), California Institute for Rural Studies (CIRS), Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission (LWWC), Rural Development Center (RDC), UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and UC Santa Cruz Agroecology Program. "The formidable task of redirecting agriculture policy and practice onto a more environmentally sound and socially just path will occur only if diverse groups find ways to work together," notes Sheila Daar of BIRC: "We need to draw upon the talents, vision, and commitment of people across the entire spectrum of food and agricultural systems if we are to evolve realistic alternatives that will sustain our society into the next century and beyond." SAREP's economic and public policy analyst, David Campbell, will be working with other members of CASA to identify and implement concrete strategies for linking sustainable agriculture to rural community economic and social development. Information will be gathered from community roundtable discussions, lighthouse farm observations (successful examples), and from previously funded SAREP economic and public policy projects. The result will be a document outlining policy recommendations and promising strategies for rural community decision-makers and community leaders. Other activities planned by CASA are community discussions to identify barriers to sustainable food and agricultural systems, collaboration with innovative growers to create "how to" guides for reducing chemical use on farms, organization of broad-based community coalitions that work toward marketing and public policy innovations, and a program to identify and train emerging agricultural leaders. CASA members will work directly with farmers to find better ways of growing and marketing crops grown with fewer or no chemicals. For example, LWWC is using a marketing commission form of organization to inform its 650 winegrape grower members about sustainable winegrape production in the San Joaquin Valley. CIRS is encouraging organic cotton production by forging an industry-wide coalition that links growers, marketers, environmentalists, and pest control advisers. A fundamental commitment of the project is to work together with people involved in the many aspects of food and agriculture. CASA views diversity as an asset and believes no one should be excluded from the task of developing an ecologically based and socially responsible agriculture. As Patricia Allen of the Agroecology Program explains, "We need to give a voice to under-heard elements, especially women and people of color, and to seek food and agricultural systems which directly address social issues of hunger, gender and ethnic equality, and economic justice." The California project is the largest of the seven funded nationally by the Kellogg Foundation. Kellogg funding will facilitate information networking among all the projects, and help project leaders work together to address policy, economic, and information bafflers to more sustainable food and agricultural systems. Kellogg has committed more than $8.1 million during the first phase of its Integrated Farming System Initiative. A second round of similar Kellogg grants is anticipated during the coming year. In addition to CASA, community demonstration projects funded by Kellogg include: The Alternative Energy Resources Organization in Helena, Montana; to increase resource conservation and foster economically viable family farms and rural communities. The Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation in Brinkly; to help farmers identify and adopt ecologically sound and sustainable crop and livestock systems and increase farmer and community understanding and support for integrated farming systems. The Kansas Rural Center in Whiting; to empower farmers and rural communities to develop and practice integrated farming systems that balance profit with resource conservation. The Nature Conservancy in Arlington, Virginia; to empower the agricultural community of the Big Darby watershed to implement economically and ecologically sound land-use practices. The Practical Farmers of Iowa; to develop a model to help rural communities provide the support, guidance, and teamwork needed for acceptance and use of sustainable farming systems. The Rodale Institute Research Center in Kutztown, Pennsylvania; to develop a regional infrastructure model for sustainable agriculture as a prototype for farmers, policymakers, marketing and technical support professionals, and consumers. For more information about Kellogg's Integrated Farming Systems Initiative, contact Tom Thorburn (616)968-1611 or Oran Hesterman (517) 353-3209.   [ Back | Search | Feedback ]