Mark Schonbeck Mark, Author at Virginia Association for Biological Farming

Policy

April Policy Updates

By Mark Schonbeck, VABF Policy Liason Take Action A Farm Bill for All Farmers: Conservation…

Mark Schonbeck MarkApril 26, 2024

Policy

March Policy Updates

By Mark Schonbeck, VABF Policy Liason Take Action Fair Credit for Farmers Act - S.2668,…

Mark Schonbeck MarkMarch 26, 2024

Policy

February Policy Updates

By Mark Schonbeck, VABF Policy Liason What Are “Agricultural Appropriations? And what do they mean…

Mark Schonbeck MarkFebruary 25, 2024

Policy

January 2024 Policy Updates

Rest Next Farm Bill The House and Senate Agriculture Committees are still working on…

Mark Schonbeck MarkJanuary 30, 2024

Policy

December 2023 Policy Updates

Take Action! Shaping the Next Farm Bill Delays in Congressional action on the…

Mark Schonbeck MarkDecember 27, 2023

Policy

November Policy Updates

Special Conservation Opportunities Building Soil, Building Equity Initiative Earn up to $1,000 per acre…

Mark Schonbeck MarkNovember 24, 2023

Articles and Research VABF News

Sowing Hunger – Reaping Profits Report

Mark Schonbeck MarkOctober 25, 2022

Policy

October 2022 Policy Updates

Farm Bill 2023 kicks off NSAC Farmer Fly-in Success Advocating for a sustainable 2023 Farm…

Mark Schonbeck MarkOctober 25, 2022

Book Reviews

Crop Planning for Vegetable Growers

It’s the time of year to be thinking about plans for the next growing season.…

Mark Schonbeck MarkOctober 20, 2022

Garden Tips

2022 October Gardening Tips

Fall is here but for we are still enjoying sweet and hot peppers as well…

Mark Schonbeck MarkOctober 19, 2022

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VABF Virginia Association for Biological Farming

4 days ago

Action Alert! from the Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance:farmandranchfreedom.org/fight-animal-id-action-alert/ Mandatory electronic Animal ID is expensive, intrusive, and unreliable. The plan benefits two groups: the large meatpacking corporations, and the technology companies that produce electronic tags, readers, and software.We urge you to take immediate action and voice your opposition to electronic animal ID mandates! Senator Rounds has introduced a vital one-sentence bill: “The Secretary of Agriculture shall not implement any rule or regulation requiring the mandatory use of electronic identification ear tags on cattle or bison.”Call both of your U.S. Senators and urge them to sign on to Senator Rounds’ bill! Sample script: “Hi, my name is ___ and I live in [state]. I am calling to ask my Senator to sign on to S.4282 to stop electronic cattle mandates.I am concerned about this issue because [I am a rancher who relies on traditional metal tags; I am a small farmer in an isolated area without good access to tagging equipment; I am a consumer who wants to support local farmers, not international meatpackers … whatever it is, in a sentence or two, let them know why you are calling about this]" ... See MoreSee Less

ACTION ALERT: Protect Small Farmers & Ranchers from Forced Electronic ID! - Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance

farmandranchfreedom.org

Mandatory electronic Animal ID is expensive, intrusive, and unreliable. The plan benefits two groups: the large meatpacking corporations, and the technology companies that produce electronic tags,...

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VABF Virginia Association for Biological Farming

1 week ago

Looking for vegetable growers in the piedmont region of Virginia!Cover cropping in the off-season is a powerful tool for vegetable farmers to help build soil health, cycle carbon and nutrients and successfully maintain a no-till growing system, and advances in simple farm technology can allow farmers to experiment with new ways to capitalize using cover crops. Covers can be planted using a no-till drill in fall, roller-crimpers are used to terminate the cover crop in spring, and plastic mulch can be laid right on the mat of carbon that was rolled-crimped and planted into, achieving multiple benefits for the soil microbiome and spring cash crops alike.We are working directly with the Rodale Institute and partners at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA), Georgia Organics (GO) and several university research teams to quantify the benefit of cover cropping on commercial vegetable fields. From soil health metrics like aggregate stability and soil respiration to potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, our research and technical assistance teams will work directly with participating farmers to support the implementation of cover cropping and ensure that farmers are successful not just within the bounds of this project, but to build on their experience and expand the use of cover cropping across all of their farmed acreage.If you are a commercial vegetable farmer in the piedmont region of Virginia and are interested in participating in this project with the Rodale Institute, please contact Brent Wills, Program Manager—VABF, at programs@vabf.org or 540.947.0337. ... See MoreSee Less

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