Rapid Rise in Seed Prices Draws U.S. Scrutiny 

 

During the depths of the economic crisis last year, the prices for many goods held steady or even dropped. But on American farms, the picture was far different, as farmers watched the price they paid for seeds skyrocket. Corn seed prices rose 32 percent; soybean seeds were up 24 percent.

 

Such price increases for seeds — the most important purchase a farmer makes each year — are part of an unprecedented climb that began more than a decade ago, stemming from the advent of genetically engineered crops and the rapid concentration in the seed industry that accompanied it.

 

The price increases have not only irritated many farmers, they have caught the attention of the Obama administration. The Justice Department began an antitrust investigation of the seed industry last year, with an apparent focus on Monsanto, which controls much of the market for the expensive bioengineered traits that make crops resistant to insect pests and herbicides.

 

The investigation is just one facet of a push by the Obama administration to take a closer look at competition — or the lack thereof — in agriculture, from the dairy industry to livestock to commodity crops, like corn and soybeans.

 

To read article > 

Also: 

Justice Dept. Tells Farmers It Will Press Agriculture on Antitrust

ANKENY, Iowa — The attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., traveled to the heart of Midwestern farm country on Friday to declare that the Obama administration was serious about rooting out anticompetitive practices in agriculture.

 

“Is today’s agricultural industry suffering from a lack of free and fair competition in the marketplace? That’s the central question,” Mr. Holder said.

 

He spoke at an unusual public meeting called to discuss the concerns of some farmers and ranchers that a few large companies had come to dominate many agricultural markets, controlling the seed that farmers plant and the milk they sell and the livestock ranchers raise.

 

Mr. Holder and the agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, who co-hosted the event, said their agencies would work together on antitrust enforcement.

 

To read article >

Maple Griddle Cakes

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 eggs

1½ cups milk (plus ½ cup to thin batter)

2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)

Butter or cooking oil for frying

1. Mix the dry ingredients together.

2. In separate bowl, beat the eggs into 1½ cups of milk, then stir in melted butter (if using). Gently stir this mixture into dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten flour; batter will be lumpy. Add more milk to thin batter, if desired.

3. Heat skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; skillet is ready when a few drops of water skids across surface before evaporating. Add a little butter; when butter foam subsides, ladle batter onto the skillet.

4. Flip pancake when bubbles appear in center of pancakes and bottoms are browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Cook until second side is browned, a few more minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to keep pancakes from burning.

5. Serve immediately or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200°F oven for up to 15 minutes. Serve with warm maple syrup. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Notes:

- Buttermilk or yogurt may be substituted for the milk. If using either, reduce the baking powder to 1-1/2 teaspoons, and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

- Do not add too much butter or oil to skillet, just enough to film the bottom.

- Batter can be prepared the night before and may be preferable, especially if using whole grain flours.

- Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.

Many farms still have CSA openings available but they are filling up fast. Secure a spot with the CSA of your choice by signing up soon. If you still have some questions or missed CSA+CSF Day, come this Saturday to the Winter Farmers’ Market at Exeter — a number of those offering shares will be there.

A list of those who participated in CSA+CSF Day (with brief descriptions of each) and information on “Choosing a CSA” may be found on the Winter Farmers’ Market website.

One sugarhouse that will be welcoming guests during New Hampshire Maple Weekend is Sugarmomma’s Maple Farm, 213 Ridge Road, Northwood, also a vendor at the Winter Farmers’ Markets. Sugarmomma’s will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine, on March 27th and 28th.  There will be hayrides, a pancake breakfast, pony rides, and much more. See Sugarmomma’s website for more details.   
 

Chef Jeffrey Paige said it’s amazing that right now in New Hampshire you can find venison, buffalo, beef, pork and chicken raised locally, and probably eight or 10 different kinds of cheeses.

But although everyone is excited about local food, there remain many challenges to fully stocked restaurants. Masek says:

These [farms] are usually family businesses, though, and producers are working so hard on products that a lot of them don’t have time to market or distribute. “That’s the hard part of this whole process. The average chef works 60 hours per week,” Paige said. They need sourcing simplified.

And that’s one of the things a group of 50 to 75 people–farmers, producers, distributors, chefs, and others–met to work on in January at Cotton Restaurant in Manchester. It was a New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection meeting and they were starting to figure out ways to get more local products into Manchester restaurants. 

The bottom line of what the New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection does is to sustain New Hampshire farms — provide farmers with a reason not to sell to real estate brokers, Charlie Burke said. However, local foods are also safer, better and fresher.

Of course, there’s a lot more where this came from. The article also takes a look at what groups in all parts of the state and even over into Vermont are doing. It’s worth taking a few minutes to read the whole article on the Hippo’s website.

And remember, you can always find local food near you in Rockingham, Strafford, and York counties with the help of Seacoast Harvest.

A full 2009 share ($300) is approximately:

• • 30lbs of wheat (spring and winter wheat)
  • 10lbs of black beans
  • 10lbs of oats
  • 20lbs of corn
  • 5lbs of barley
  • 6lbs of rye
  • 15lbs of spelt
  • 4lbs of emmer

Fine Print

• • A half share ($175) is half of the above quantities
  • Grains are unmilled for keeping quality.
  • Milling is available weekday afternoons at Wheatberry Bakery,
  • or a home sized mill can be used and cost between $50 and $200.

With locally grown beans already available and more locally grown wheat on the horizon, one can’t help but imagine that a grain CSA can’t be too far off from being offered here on the Seacoast!

Another benefit is that these plants are grown in Farmfield Greenhouses, Lebanon, ME, and Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford, NH. So this sale supports local conservation, local greenhouses, and gives people a more affordable way to plant their own decorative and edible plants. Wondering just what they’re selling? A lot! The main types of items are evergreens; deciduous trees; fruit trees; shrubs; wildflowers, ground covers, vines, and ferns; small fruits and roots; and perennials, herbs, vegetables, annuals, and flower baskets. The SCCD has produced a six-page document of all the options, which is packed full with information about each item, like what type of soil the plant flourishes in or if it’s native to the area. SCCD Plant Sale Info

Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Orders should be placed by March 25, 2010. Fill out the SCCD Plant Sale Order Form and send, along with your payment, to the Strafford County Conservation District, 259 County Farm Road Unit #3, Dover, NH 03820-6015.

Wild Miller Gardens