Emergency Management Seminar coming to Saline

A Farm Emergency Management Seminar will take place Wednesday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor Saline Road in Saline.
Lt. Carl Hein of the Ann Arbor Fire Department and Jeff Foulke, captain and emergency medical technician for the Pittsfield Township Fire Department will present on how to save your life or the life of a loved one after an accident. Initial actions to make an area safer, first aid, how to assist emergency responders and what not to do will be discussed.

Amy Gilhouse, MAEAP water technician for Lenawee, Monroe and Washtenaw Counties will assist farmers with preparation of an emergency plan.

Also on hand will be Craig Anderson, manager of the Michigan Farm Bureau Labor and Safety Services Department; Ryan Valik, manager of Ann Arbor Crop Production Services; and Linda Osier, who has had personal experience with a fatality in a silo accident.

Participants must RSVP by March 30 to Renee at 734-426-8851 or Betsy at 734-944-1469.

Point-of-sale systems at farmers markets affect purchases of food stamp users

Read an interesting article on how point-of-sale systems at farmers markets affect sales to customers using food stamps.
Record numbers of Americans are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as food stamps are now known, and many SNAP participants live in neighborhoods with little or no access to healthy food. A study conducted at the Clark Park Farmers' Market, in Philadelphia, PA, has found that making it easier for vendors to collect SNAP payments with electronic point-of-sale systems increased fresh produce sales to SNAP recipients by 38%. However, the costs associated with such systems may put them out of reach for farmers. To read more, click here.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visiting Dundee Cabelas on Friday

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is visiting Cabelas in Dundee at 2:30 Friday with Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, Michigan Representative John Dingell and Ohio Representative Marcy Kaptur. They will be speaking about farmers' conservation efforts.

Take a look at the press release below.

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2012 – This Friday, March 16, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Michigan to join U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Sherrod Brown (OH), Representatives John Dingell (MI) and Marcy Kaptur (OH) to highlight additional support to protect the Western Lake Erie Basin and benefit hunting, fishing and recreation by boosting farmers’ conservation efforts.

Friday, March 16, 2012

2:30 p.m. EST

WHAT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), U.S. Congressman John Dingell (MI), U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (OH) and U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH) will highlight Lake Erie conservation efforts benefiting the region’s hunting, fishing and recreation.

WHERE: Cabela’s

110 Cabela’s Blvd East

Dundee, MI

Welcome to Harvesting Washtenaw

As Heritage Media's agriculture reporter, I receive e-mails daily about the latest agriculture news in the county, state, country and world. Unfortunately, I'm unable to cover all the happenings. Thanks to this blog, however, I'll now be able to share the latest news with you in a much more casual format.

For example, last week was National Agriculture week and the Washtenaw County Farm Bureau teamed up with the Chelsea District Library and St. Joesph Mercy to spread the news.

Chelsea District Library featured a display of books relating to agriculture to celebrate the week.

The Washtenaw County Farm Bureau also delivered a basket of baby items to St. Joesph Mercy to be donated to the first baby born during Ag Week, or to a baby's family that might be in need.

Thanks to Kathy Siler for the Chelsea District Library photo.