Celebrate Farmers Market Month in South Carolina in August

COLUMBIA, SC – July 29, 2009 –  Hugh Weathers, South Carolina’s Commissioner of Agriculture, is pleased to announce that Governor Mark Sanford has proclaimed the month of August as Farmers Market Month in South Carolina, an extension of National Farmers Market Week, August 2-8.

To celebrate farmers markets as a valuable part of the state’s food distribution system and to encourage consumers to buy local produce and products, Commissioner Weathers encourages everyone to eat local by shopping at any of the Departments three farmers markets or the nearly 90 community-based markets across the state.

“The local farmers market is a great place to teach children about the origin of their food,” Commissioner Weathers said. “It’s also a great way to support your local farmers by buying locally grown.”

He added consumers should look for the Certified SC Grown logo. “If you don’t see it then ask for it,” Weathers said.

Farmers markets allow consumers to have access to locally grown, farm fresh produce and products and enable farmers the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with their customers. Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for agricultural producers throughout the state and nation.

Economists say that every $100,000 increase in farm sales creates up to five new jobs and generates another $200,000 in economic activity. “When people buy from farmers markets, they add to the farm income and help them stay in business,” Commissioner Weathers said. “It also helps the environment because their food travels a shorter distance to get to the market.”

Commissioner Weathers asks the people of South Carolina to connect with their agricultural roots by visiting their local farmers market or stopping by one of the three state farmers markets at 1001 Bluff Road in Columbia, 2513 W. Lucas Street in Florence and at 1354 Rutherford Road in Greenville. Discover the wide variety of fruits and vegetables as well as plants, flowers, and other agricultural products available.

To find the nearest farmers market, visit www.agriculture.sc.gov and click on Farmers Markets Directory under Publications and to find those who grow, produce, and sell local products, click on the Certified SC logo.

 

 

 

SC Ag Council to Focus on how the economy has affected agriculture in SC

COLUMBIA, SC – July 29, 2009 –  The quarterly meeting of the South Carolina Ag Council is scheduled to be held on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at the SC Farm Bureau Office, 724 Knox Abbot Drive, Cayce, SC. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the program at 10:00 a.m. followed by a catered lunch.

We are making the final preparations for our next Ag Council meeting. The program will focus on how the state of the economy has affected agriculture in South Carolina. Speakers and subjects to be covered will be: Larry Rodgers (Farm Loan Program Specialist with Farm Service Agency) and Doug Baldwin (Regional Credit Administrator with AgSouth Farm Credit), “Lending/Credit Issues in Agriculture Industry Following the Economic Downturn”; Cathy Novinger (Vice President, Palmetto AgriBusiness Council), “AgriBusiness/Marketing Side of the Current Economy”; Harry Ott (Farmer and SC House of Representatives), “SC Legislation/Farmer’s Perspective of the Current Economy”; Tom Arthur, Territory Manager for Deere & Company in SC, “South Carolina Agricultural Equipment Business 2009”; and Tim Adams, Economic Development with the SC Forestry Commission, “Current Status of the SC Timber Industry.

Friends and guests are welcomed and encouraged. Anyone who has an interest in the affects of the current economic climate on SC agriculture does not want to miss this enlightening and engaging meeting.

Deadline for advanced reservations of $8 for Ag Council members is Friday, August 7. Registration for anyone at the door or for non-members is $12 per person. The registration fee includes the catered lunch.

To pre-register or for more information call, Steve Slice, 803-806-3843, or e-mail [email protected].

 

FSA Biomass Crop Assistance Program Introduced

COLUMBIA, SC – July 29, 2009 –  The U.S.D.A. Farm Service Agency Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to producers or entities that deliver eligible biomass material to designated biomass conversion facilities for use as heat, power, biobased products or biofuels. Initial assistance will be for the collection, harvest, storage and transportation costs associated with the delivery of eligible materials.

Producers or entities will be eligible for up to a dollar per dollar match, up to $45 per dry ton, for the value of the biomass that is delivered to a designated biomass conversion facility.

For example: if a producer is paid $30 per dry ton for the biomass by the conversion facility the producer would be eligible for a $30 per dry ton payment for the costs associated with collecting, harvesting, transporting and storing the product.

Producers will be eligible for up to two years of payments.

This program will benefit producers, the developing biomass industry, the general public and the environment to generate clean and sustainable biomass energy.

FSA will be moving forward with rulemaking later this year to fully implement BCAP. A fact sheet, application documents and a list of participating facilities will be available in the coming weeks at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA. Contact a local FSA county office for more information.