Winter 1994 (v6n1)
Resources
Sustainable Ag Movement
FOOD FOR THE FUTURE: Conditions
and Contradictions of Sustainability (0-471-58082-1), 1993, 318 pages,
John Wiley a Sons, Inc. Edited by Patricia Allen. Details the social,
economic and political aspects of the sustainable agriculture movement.
The authors examine the theoretical and practical aspects of a transformation
to sustainability, issues that have been ignored by an emphasis on production-level
technical solutions. To order, send $39.95 to John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
605 Third Ave., New York, NY 10158 (attn: Barbara Timmerman).
Vineyard Manual
Vine Management Practices:
An Environmental Approach to Development and Maintenance, Southern
Sonoma County Resource Conservation District & USDA Soil Conservation
Service. A technical manual including standards and guidelines for good
vineyard development and management practices, funded by the EPA's Estuary
Project. The manual was compiled in response to growers' needs for a technical
reference which addressed watershed maintenance and erosion control. Available
for $29.95 plus tax and shipping ($35.70 total) from Southern Sonoma Resource
Conservation District office, 1301 Redwood Way, Suite 170, Petaluma, CA
94954: phone: (707) 794-1242.
Sustainable Research
Agricultural Research
Alternatives, 1993, 248 pages, by William Lockeretz and Molly
D. Anderson, University of Nebraska Press. This book analyzes
research strategies associated with sustainable and alternative agriculture,
including multi- disciplinary research, ecology as a foundation for designing
agricultural systems, and on-farm and participatory research. The authors
propose institutional changes in departmental organization, the professional
reward system, funding mechanisms, and agricultural education. Available
for $30 plus $1.50 postage and handling from University of Nebraska Press,
901 North 17th St., Lincoln, NE 68588-0520; phone: (800) 755-1105
Dairy Book
THE DAIRY DEBATE: Consequences
of Bovine Growth Hormone and Rotational Grazing Technologies,
1993,372 pages, UC SAREP Edited and co-authored by William C. Liebhardt,
UC SAREP director. Compares the effects of bovine growth hormone and rotational
grazing on the dairy industry and society. To order, send $31.50 (includes
postage, handling and applicable taxes) to ANR Publications, University
of California, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608-1239; tel: (510)
642-2431; FAX: (510) 642-5470. Checks are payable to UC Regents; MasterCard
and VISA may be used for FAX orders.
Cover Crops Videos
Creative Cover Cropping
in Perennial Farming Systems, 1993 (V93W) and Creative Cover
Cropping in Annual Farming Systems, 1993 (V93-V), produced by Robert
Bugg, UC SAREP. Cover cropping is a key tool in sustainable agriculture,
and is especially useful in orchards and vineyards. The video covering
perennial farming systems explains how to use cover crops to protect and
improve soil fertility, enhance pest control, and provide other benefits.
Cover cropping presents special challenges when used with annual row and
field crops. The annual cover crop video depicts both opportunities and
constraints in using cover crops with annual crops. Both videos present
a wide array of plant materials and management options. The videos are
$20 each (VHS format, includes postage, handling and applicable taxes).
Checks should be made payable to UC Regents. Checks, VISA or MasterCard
payment should be sent to UC Visual Media, University of California, Davis,
CA 95616-8748; FAX: (916) 7578991. The videos maybe rented for $7 in California
and $10 out of state. For other tape formats call (916) 757-8980.
Soil Management Proceedings
Proceedings: Sustainable
Soil Management Symposium, April 22, 1993. UC Davis. 90 pages Co-sponsored
by UC SAREP and the UC Small Farm Program, the symposium addressed the
rationale and methods for improving soil quality through periodic additions
of organic matter Two research projects comparing conventional and alternative
production systems were also presented. The proceedings includes articles
submitted by symposium speakers as well as selected articles from peer
reviewed journals. To receive a copy, send a check for S $10 to UC SAREP
University of California, Davis, CA 95616. Checks are payable to UC Regents.
Weed Video
Cultural Weed Control
in Vegetable Crops, 1993 (V93-E), produced by Tom Lanini, UC
Davis Botany Extension, funded by UC SAREP. The 18 minute video describing
sustainable weed management is narrated by Robert
Bugg, UC SAREP cover crops and restoration analyst. It examines
California organic growers' row crops weed control practices from bed
preparation prior to planting through the growing seasons. The videotape's
technical narration explains why and how these practices work. Although
it is aimed at growers interested in reducing herbicide use, the video
is suitable for a general audience. The video includes two versions of
the same information: the first is a straight-forward presentation, while
the second is narrated in a light-hearted "down-home" style.
The video may be ordered in VHS format for $40 (includes postage, handling
and applicable taxes.) Checks should be made payable to UC Regents. Checks,
VISA or MasterCard payment should be sent to UC Visual Media, University
of California, Davis, CA 95616-8748; FAX: (916) 757-8991. The video may
be rented for $7 in California and $10 out of state. For other tape formats
call (916) 757-8980.
SAN Products
Sustainable Agriculture
Directory of Expertise-1993, 300 pages. Lists hundreds of people and
groups with information on building soil health, pest-control, diversifying
cash flow and other topics. Produced by the Sustainable Agriculture Network
(SAN), a project of USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
program, the directory's seven indexes are organized by state, person,
organization, enterprise, expertise, product/ service, or management method.
Contains 717 entries. $ 14.95.
Showcase of Sustainable
Agriculture Information and Educational Materials is also available
from SAN. It's a 79-page booklet with names, addresses and summaries of
publications, videos and other materials from 65 universities, government,
business and non-profit organizations that have displayed materials at
four "share fairs" of sustainable agriculture information since
1991. $4.95.
Managing Cover Crops Profitably,
a 124-page handbook for farmers on more than 40 legumes, grasses and legume-grass
mixtures that can be used to build soil and cut chemical costs, is also
available from SAN. $9.95.
For any SAN publication,
send check or money order payable to Sustainable Agriculture Publications,
Hills Building, Room 12, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405.
Prices include postage/handling. Payment must accompany order
Organic Cost Studies
Cost-of-production studies
for organic vegetables, wine grapes, almonds and rice funded in part by
UC SAREP are available from UC Cooperative Extension. The most recent
publication is the 100-page booklet Production Practices and Sample
Costs for a Diversified Organic Vegetable Operation in the Central Coast.
It includes an overview of production practices, cover crops, crop rotation
and diversification, pest management, marketing and regulations for organic
crop production, and budgets for 15 vegetable crops and two cover crops
grown on the Central Coast. The studies were coordinated by researcher
Laura Tourte and involved UC Davis Extension economist Karen
Klonsky, SAREP annual cropping systems analyst David Chaney
and perennial cropping systems analyst Chuck Ingels, agricultural
economics researcher Pete Livingston and several UC Cooperative
Extension farm advisors. Two different studies each are available for
wine grapes (with a cover crop or with resident vegetation), rice (aerial
seeding versus non-tillage seed drilling), and almonds (flood irrigation
versus sprinkler Irrigation). The vegetable study is $4; all other studies
are #1 a piece. Contact: Department of Agricultural Economics, University
of California, Davis, CA 95616; (916) 752-9376. The publications are also
available in selected Cooperative Extension offices.
Citizen/Policymaker Guide to Biotech
In Our Back Yard, 1993, by The Biotechnology Working Group, Minnesota Food Association. This handbook for citizens and policymakers is designed to help those interested in enacting
legislation at the state
or municipal level to assure the safe introduction of genetically engineered
organisms into the environment. The handbook includes principles of state
regulation; the pros and cons of state regulation; case studies; model
state laws; and lists of individuals and organizations nationwide who
can provide assistance on biotechnology issues. The cost is $5 per handbook,
or $3.50 per handbook plus postage on orders of ten or more. Checks are
payable to Minnesota Food Association, 2395 University Ave., Room 309,
St. Paul, MN 55114; tel: (612) 644-2038.
Environmental Comics
Environmental Adventures,
full-color illustrated 16-page booklets targeted for 9- to 11 -year-olds,
are available with corresponding Teacher's Guides that feature hands-on
activities. Titles: Dracons Visit Earth: To Study Food and the Land; The
Story of Land: Its Use and Misuse through the Centuries; Make Room for
Monsters...and Wildlife on the Land; Plants: Improving our Environment;
Water in Your Hands (English and Spanish versions); Robots of Cave Alpha:
Creating a Liveable Land. Sample sets of all seven booklets plus Teacher's
Guides are $5.50 prepaid. Booklets are 50 cents per single copy, or as
low as 17 cents per copy with large quantity orders. To order, contact
Soil and Water Conservation Society, 7515 N.W. Ankeny Rd., Ankeny, IA
50021-9764: tel: (800)-THE-SOIL.
Sustainable Ag Video
Sustaining America's Agriculture:
High Tech and Horse Sense, 1992, produced by USDA Soil Conservation
Service and US Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with Winrock
International. The 29-minute video describes how farmers and ranchers
minimize environmental impacts while maximizing production. Narrated by
the late actor and farmer Raymond Burr, the video profiles successful
farmers and ranchers including a citrus/vegetable farmer in Florida, a
cattle feeder with customized farm equipment, and a farmer who uses terraces,
cover crops and contour farming. To order, send $10 check or money order
to NACD, PO Box 855, League City, TX 775740855; tel: (800) 825-5547. The
video is also available on loan from conservation district offices, EPA
regional offices and SCS state offices.
Cut Chemicals
What Really Happens When
You Cut Chemicals? 160 pages, softcover, Rodale Institute, 1993. Illustrated
and indexed book includes information from farmers who use low-input farming
practices, results of farmer surveys, breakthroughs in scientific research,
91 information contacts throughout the U.S. and Canada. To order, send
check or money order for $21.95 (includes shipping and handling) payable
to New Farm Library, 222 Main St., Emmaus, PA 18098. Payment must accompany
order. Pennsylvania residents add 6 percent sales tax. Discounts available
on bulk orders.
Organic Supplier Directory
Organic Suppliers Directory:
A Directory of Suppliers Serving Organic Farms, Gardens, Orchards and
Homesteads, 1993, second edition, 123 pages. Published by the Ohio
Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA), it includes an index of
1,000 businesses and organizations providing products and services in
56 states and provinces of the U.S. and Canada. Includes both a "geographic"
and "products and services" index. To order, send check payable
to OEFFA for $15 to The Organic Suppliers Directory, PO Box 02247, Columbus
OH 43202.
Audio Tapes
Audio tapes from agricultural
conferences throughout the nation are now available from agAccess, a Davis-based
agricultural mail-order catalog. Tapes include those from the National
Farmers' Direct Marketing Conference, the Ecological Farming Conference,
and the Organic Farming Symposium. Tape subjects include specialty crops,
expanding the customer base, community supported agriculture, adding value,
managing employees, organic fruit tree production greenhouse operation,
water policy, advanced organic fertilizers, composting, and promoting
products. For a complete list of tapes call or write agAccess, 603 Fourth
St.. Davis. CA 95616: tel: (916) 756-7177: FAX: (916) 756-7188.
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