The Decency Foundation

12/27/2023

I am excited to announce Farmer's Against Hunger's first delivery of fresh produce to the Chubby's Project in Hopewell, NJ.

Our weekly deliveries to Chubby's will help provide John Haney and Lyn Farrugia and the team at Aunt Chubby's a regular supply of fresh, nutritious, and healthy fruits and vegetables to prepare and serve to those in need in Hopewell Valley.

To learn more about Farmers Against Hunger and the NJ Agricultural Society: https://lnkd.in/e9A2NRUx

To learn more about Aunt Chubby's Project: https://lnkd.in/ervHq4Tx

Happy New Year to All.

08/24/2023

Rutgers University—New Brunswick’s RU Ready to Farm program has been running for three years now, with the goal of educating a new generation of beginner farmers. The program is tackling two issues at once: the rising average age of farmers across the nation, including New Jersey farmers, and the inexperience of young but interested parties who are drawn to agriculture as a profession. Now 130 participants strong, Professor William Hlubik states that “now is the time to encourage beginner farmers to harvest the wisdom of our current generation.”

“Farm families and farm businesses provide invaluable resources to their surrounding communities. Much of farming involves communication and community interaction. One of the most important concepts to understand is that you are not on your own. There is an extraordinary network of farmers that are willing to help one another become successful.”

Read the full article below:

ewswise.com/articles/the-future-of-farming-looks-bright?channel=

Three years ago, administrative and faculty leaders at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment St

08/17/2023

Recently, the Soil Health Institute released the results of a study about soil health and profitability for farmers. "Farmers and ranchers are businesspeople, and the questions that often present the most significant barrier to adoption of soil health management systems pertain to the business case." According to the study, conducted on 30 farms across the nation, the net income increased by $65 an acre across 29 of the 30 farms. Proper soil management and regenerative techniques work AND can ensure farmers are supported financially! Read about the study below:

https://soilhealthinstitute.org/our-work/initiatives/economics-of-soil-health-systems-on-30-u-s-farms/

Farmers and ranchers are businesspeople, and the questions that often present the most significant barrier to adoption of soil health management systems pertain to the business case. The Soil Health Institute partnered with the National Association of Conservation Districts and the United States Nat...

08/04/2023

As farmers market season continues, we want to emphasize how important they are for local food systems. They promote purchasing fresh, locally grown foods, and allow folks to interact directly with the farmers who grow that food. Though these things may seem like they’re on a small scale, they can have a large impact. During a recent U.N. summit, Food Tank reported that their World Farmers Markets Coalition emphasized how important supporting farmers markets could be to achieving sustainability goals. “When managed successfully, they believe that markets can yield many benefits including preserving biodiversity, empowering women, providing agency to consumers, and mitigating risks for farmers.” Check out the article here:

https://foodtank.com/news/2023/07/investing-in-farmers-markets-as-vehicles-for-innovation/

During the U.N. Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment, speakers underscored the resilience of farmers markets.

07/31/2023

The demand for organic farming has risen greatly in recent years, and nearby Pennsylvania is prioritizing funding, infrastructure, and support of organic farms more than ever. The Keystone State “ranks third in the nation in organic sales and fourth in organic farms,” with over 1,100 organic farms across the state, and lawmakers are invested in continuing this progress. Governor Josh Shapiro “proposed another $1 million investment in organics in the 2023/2024 fiscal year budget,” and some of that budget is allocated to starting the Organic Center of Excellence, which will aid farmers in switching over to organic practices. Switching to regenerative agriculture practices, like organic farming, can be a challenge, but with the right funding and resources, small farmers can make it happen.

As demand for organically grown food continues to increase across the country, Pennsylvania is bolstering its efforts to capitalize on the trend and position itself as a leader in the organic sector through substantial investments at the state level.

07/27/2023

We are dedicated to supporting farmers of all generations, and are thrilled to see more young farmers entering the agriculture space. The average age of farmers was 57.7 years old in 2017 and continues to rise, and we need to ensure the next generation of farmers is set up for a successful, regenerative future. “Ensuring that young people have paths to become farmers and stay farmers is important in keeping the profession robust. Young farmers bring unique abilities and perspectives to the field, including a dedication to sustainable farming methods.”

This article by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) highlights the challenges young farmers face, including student loan debt, access to credit and land, and issues of equity. It also discusses the ways in which the 2023 Farm Bill could aid these farmers and ensure a new generation is ready to feed the country and work towards a greener future. “Young farmers ultimately represent the future of agriculture, not only due to their age but also because they come into the industry with new ideas and practices that can help lessen the impact of agriculture on the environment and build resilience against climate change.

The upcoming Farm Bill presents an opportunity to support young farmers who are facing new challenges to finding a successful career in agriculture.

07/21/2023

This recent article highlights the different ways dairy farmers across the nation are working towards a more sustainable future. Dairy Farmers of America works to support small farms and ensures that the farmers they work with are taking care of their land and animals while providing fresh, healthy foods to their local communities. As we bring on-farm processing to our pilot project, which happens to be a dairy farm, we want to emphasize the good that small dairy farms do.

“Dairy farmers are stewards of their land and animals, and sustainability is a way of life to them. They invest in sustainable dairy farming practices to continue their family’s legacies and pass their land down to a new generation of farmers, ready to feed the world with nutritious dairy products with a focus on healthy soil, clean water and renewable energy.”

DFA's farmer-owners care about a sustainable future and are taking measures to reduce their environmental impactthrough regenerative agriculture, water conservation and making renewable energy from unexpected sources (manure!)

07/20/2023

Tomorrow, the Rodale Institute's annual Organic Field Day is taking place! Researchers and staff from Rodale will have around 20 demonstration stations around their headquarters in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Experts will be sharing the latest research and projects surrounding organic agriculture all around the farm. Rodale is doing fantastic work in the agriculture world and we applaud their efforts as we work towards a more organic, regenerative, healthy future!

Participants who aren’t yet registered can arrive at the farm before 8:30AM and pay at the registration table. If you’re in the area, please consider attending this great event!

Join Rodale Institute’s staff for Organic Field Day to learn the latest results of our research projects on our Kutztown experimental farm.

07/14/2023

Be sure to check your inbox TODAY for the latest updates on Nu Ag and our summer fundraising campaign! The first phase of Nu Ag, bringing on-farm processing to a dairy farm, is close to completion. We’re hoping to get milk flowing from the farm and move onto the second phase in the fall. In order to reach that goal, we’re asking for your assistance! Any donations made to Nu Ag go directly into supporting small farmers, bringing processing back to the farm, and funding a local, fresh food system. Any amount helps, so please consider donating through the link below!

https://thedecencyfoundation.org/donate

07/11/2023

Recently, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition reported that the USDA's Local Food Purchase Assistance program has greatly increased market access for regional farmers. The program, started by the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in 2021, is shown to strengthen regional supply chains, financially support small farmers, and bring more local, healthy food to those in need. Since its inception two years ago, "the program has offered more than a new market opportunity for farmers; it helps farmers maintain and create jobs and expand and invest in their businesses by securing large institutional contracts." As a nonprofit dedicated to bringing local, fresh, healthy food to New Jersey, this is great progress to see, and we hope to see more widespread implementation of the program!

https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/report-illustrates-initial-success-of-local-food-purchasing-agreements/

In the short time since its inception in 2021, the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program has demonstrated its capacity to create economic opportunities for producers, scale regional supply chains, and deliver healthy, culturally relevant food to those ...

07/06/2023

We encourage you to listen to this great podcast episode from the Cow-Side Conversation, made by the Dairy Excellence Foundation. As an organization who works with small farmers in New Jersey, the more education and resources we can give to local farmers, the better!

This podcast has great insight from small dairy farmers across Pennsylvania, with their most recent episode with Tricia Adams of Hoffman Family Farms, LLC. The farm has been giving tours to people of all ages for nearly three decades, which includes tasting some of their fresh products and feeding the cows, in an effort to connect with the locals and be transparent in their practices. Adams discusses the importance of education and community at her farm:

“We have to operate and farm in the community. It’s so much better to have good relations than bad relations. Obviously not everybody is going to understand, but if you bring them along for the ride and share what you’re doing, and you give to the community, it seems to be so much better in the end.”

Listen to the episode here: https://www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/podcast/

The Center for Dairy Excellence assists dairy farm families in the decision-making process and serves as a catalyst for collaboration to strengthen the broader industry. The Dairy Excellence Foundation supports programs that cultivate and inspire that next generation of Pennsylvania dairy.

06/29/2023

Recently, New Food’s podcast Food To Go interviewed a Wisconsin dairy farmer named Tina Hinchley about her farm’s sustainability efforts, as well as the reputation dairy farmers have. Though industrialized dairy farming harms both the cows and the planet, many small farms take huge strides to take care of their animals and implement green practices.

In this podcast episode, Hinchley discusses the sustainable practices she uses on the farm, which include reusing manure, prairie strips, and precision planting. She also touches on the tours the farm has run for over 25 years, so folks can learn more about the cows and crops, and connect with the community. By bringing locals onto her farm and giving insight to the farm’s humane and sustainable practices, she’s educating folks on the good small dairy farms like hers are doing.

“A lot of the families… they’re going to use their buying power to monitor what their family eats, based on what [products] are the most sustainable.” Hinchley is shifting people’s perceptions of dairy farms by “being able to show them what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

As Nu Ag continues to work towards a more local food system, we want to applaud the efforts being made by small dairy farmers to minimize their impact on the planet!

Check out the full podcast episode here:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/food-to-go/episodes/Episode-41---Do-we-treat-dairy-farmers-fairly-e263pii/a-aa1rmi0

Josh and Grace are talking all things dairy in this episode of Food to Go, and more impotantly asking whether we're a little too harsh on the farmers that produce our milk and cheese. Josh interviews Tina Hinchley, a dairy farmer from Wisconsin who is trying her level best to reconnect consumers fro...