Spring 1994 (v6n2)
	Sustainable Agriculture Network Update by Jill Shore Auburn, SAREP The three-year-old Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), a cooperative effort by people from universities, government, business and nonprofit organizations from throughout the U.S., has made steady progress toward its goal of improving access to existing and new information on sustainable agriculture systems, techniques, and issues. The interrelated publications and databases are available and being used by farmers, Extension agents, activists and others around the world. SAN has four publications that are available in print and computerized forms: The 1993 Sustainable Agriculture Directory of Expertise, which lists over 700 people and organizations willing to share their information and experience in soil-building, pest management, marketing, and many other areas; The Showcase of Sustainable Agriculture Information and Educational Materials, a compilation of over 300 publications, videos, and other materials, including detailed descriptions and order information; The first in a series of practical handbooks for farmers, Managing Cover Crops Profitably (a second handbook, due out in 1994, addresses tillage tools and techniques); The 1993 compendium of research and education projects funded by the national Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and Agriculture in Concert with the Environment (SARE/ACE) programs, including the new farmer-initiated grants of the North Central and Northeast regions, and updated information on all projects. Each of these publications demonstrates the SAN philosophy of organizing practical information from a variety of sources-private and public organizations as well as farmers themselves-into useful forms for farmers and the general public. Each draws upon a wide range of sources of information, both experimental and "experiential," that is, based on the practical experiences of farmers and others. How to Get SAN Products Nearly everything that SAN produces is available in three forms: in print, on diskette, and via the Internet system of computer networks. That way, people who use computers can have the advantage of searching, retrieving and manipulating information from the SAN databases, but people who don't use computers are not left out. Print publications are available from Sustainable Agriculture Publications, Hills Building, Room 12, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. Prices include postage and handling: $14.95 for the Directory, $4.95 for the Showcase, and $9.95 for the Handbook. The SARE/ACE project compendia are available separately through the four regional offices of the SARE program: West, Kristen Kelleher, USDA Sustainable Agriculture Program, University of California, Davis, CA 95616; North Central, Lisa Jasa, 207 Agriculture Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0704; South, Gwen Roland, c/o SARE/ACE Program, Georgia Experiment station, Griffen, GA 30223-1797; Northeast, Beth Holtzman, Plant & Soil Science Dept., University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. SAN information on diskette is available in Folio "Infobases" prepared by Phil Rasmussen at Utah state University. (Rasmussen is the new head of the Western Region USDA SARE program, see p.9.) Infobases allow you to read electronic "books" by browsing through them, jumping from section to section via hypertext links, or searching for key words anywhere in the document. Once you've found the information you need, you can print it or save it to a file, which you can then capture into your word processor or e-mail to a colleague across the country. Each of the publications described above fits on one high-density 3 1/2 inch floppy disk; also available is the complete text of the 1990 Farm Bill on an Infobase, which fits on two high density 3 1/2 inch disks. These Infobases are currently for DOS users only, but Windows and Macintosh versions are forthcoming. Each disk includes the Infobase plus the software needed to read it. To receive the DOS Infobases, send two blank, formatted, high-density 3 1/2 inch disks for EACH database you want to Phil Rasmussen, Ag Systems & Technology Dept., Utah state University, UMC-2300, Logan, Utah, 84322-2300. Please include a self-addressed label, and return AIRMAIL postage if you're outside the U.S. (or your order will travel by surface mail). Or, if you're an experienced Internet user, you can get them via ftp (file transfer protocol) from extsparc.agsci.usu.edu (129.123.13.55; Be sure to use binary transfer.) SAN databases are posted on the Internet at North Carolina State University by Kevin Gamble. They can be searched and retrieved by electronic mail commands, or more interactively via the Internet search tools "gopher, " "WAIS" and "WWW." Many people associate the Internet with universities and government, but it's accessible to everyone through a variety of commercial and nonprofit computer conferencing systems such as Econet, Handsnet, Compuserve, MCI-Mail, Delphi and America On-Line. (An informative article comparing these and other systems appeared in USA Today, October 7, 1993, p. 4-D.) SAN also sponsors an electronic mail discussion group for users of the Internet. Participants (about 600 of them at this writing) post notices of new sources of information, and request help finding information. Imagine being able to ask 600 experts for help, with the time and effort that it usually takes to contact one or two by phone or fax! A calendar of sustainable agriculture events is also at your fingertips via the Internet. For instructions on searching the SAN databases, joining the e-mail discussion group, or retrieving the SAN calendar, contact Gabriel Hegyes (Internet: ghegyes@nalusda.gov) for a copy of "Getting Started Electronically with the Sustainable Agriculture Network." New Leadership SAN was planned and started by a national committee of diverse individuals with funding from the SARE/ACE program. As its founding chairperson, I'm very pleased to announce that Jim Lukens, head of the ATTRA national information service, succeeded me as chairperson in October 1993 for a three year term. I'm looking forward to continuing involvement with SAN as a member of its executive committee. SAN continues to be staffed very ably by Gabriel Hegyes, who can be reached at SANlink, c/o AFSIC, Room 304, National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD 207052351, (301) 504-6425. After three years of spending a good share of my time launching SAN, I'm particularly looking forward to reaping its benefits closer to home by sharing information about the value of SAN and how to use it with my research and extension colleagues here at UC, and with individuals and organizations throughout the state. We're working to deliver UC SAREP databases after the SAN model, in Folio Infobases and via the Internet, as well as printed publications. I would very much like to hear from Californians who are interested in electronic access to SAN and SAREP. [ Back | Search | Feedback ]