gardencentermagazine.com; In 2012, USDA will commemorate and celebrate the 150th anniversary of our founding in 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act of Congress establishing the United States Department of Agriculture.

Two and one-half years later, in what would be his final annual message to the Congress, Lincoln called USDA “The People’s Department.” At that time, about half of all Americans lived on farms, compared with about 2 percent today. But through our work on food, agriculture, economic development, science, natural resource conservation and a host of issues, USDA still fulfills Lincoln’s vision – touching the lives of every American, every day.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a released statement, “As we commemorate 150 years of accomplishments, USDA is learning from past experiences and looking to the future. In the years to come, we must help address the changing needs of agriculture and rural America. We must continue to help provide a safe, ample food supply for our nation and the world. To meet those goals, we are working to make USDA a more modern and effective service provider and to deliver the best possible results for all of the American people.

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* It is interesting to know that the federal Government of Canada allows :
• A monthly pension of : $1,890.00 to a simple refugee
• plus : 580.00 in social aid

==========
• A grand total of : $2,470.00 monthly
X 12 months
==========
$28,920.00 annual income

By comparison, the Old Age Pension of a senior citizen who has contributed to the development of Our Beautiful Big Country during 40 or 50 years, CANNOT receive more than :
• Amount/month $1,012.00 in Old Age Pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement
X 12 months
============
$12,144.00 annual income
• A difference of : $16,776.00 per year

This does not include child support of $500.00 per month, English language training (which they will try not to use), Free Health Care & Free schooling for their children.
* Perhaps our senior citizens should ask for the Status of Refugees instead of applying for Old Age Pension.

* Let us send this message to as many Canadians as possible, and maybe the allowance of refugee could then be reduced to $1,012.00, and that of our Canadian pensioners raised to $2,470.00 per month. (who actually deserve it) the money that they have been paying in income taxes for 40 or 50 years, AN INCREDIBLE NONSENSE !!!
OUR CANADIAN SENIORS CITIZENS, DESERVE BETTER
Please circulate this text to see the reaction of your contacts !

Urban farming is a really important trend – it not only provides fresh food locally, it eliminates greenhouse gases associated with transporting food over long distances, provides economic development opportunities, and reduces disparities in access to healthy food that’s contributed to epidemic rates of
obesity and diabetes especially among low-income populations.

On top of a 6-story warehouse in the borough of Queens sits the world’s largest rooftop
farm – at almost an acre in size, the Brooklyn Grange has been growing 40 kinds of vegetables since it opened in spring 2010. Now, it’s gettting ready to double in size as it expands to a second roof, this one
in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Read the report, The Potential for Urban Agriculture in New York City.

The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers’ Association in Leamington, ON, lobbies for and conducts research on behalf of greenhouse growers in the province. It also promotes greenhouse vegetables through various media and tradeshows.

George Gilvesy, general manager of the association, said that the organization’s goal is that its producers have continual opportunity to succeed.

“Our mission is to recognize and prioritize producer needs, allocate appropriate resources and implement solutions to advance the interests of growers,” said Mr. Gilvesy. “Our mandate is to provide market access for producers and to ensure them the opportunity for economic success.”

Ontario continues to lead North America in greenhouse vegetable production, with its over 2,000 acres devoted to tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. All Ontario greenhouse vegetable marketers, shippers and growers are required to go through a third-party certification process to ensure all the required steps are taken to reduce food safety related risks. Ontario greenhouse producers were leaders among North American growers in regulating food safety in their industry.

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Prices for Florida-grown tomatoes and imported fruit from Mexico have been at or near the basement price of 21 cents per pound set by a U.S./Mexico suspension agreement.
With ever-rising input costs, that’s not enough for growers to break even.

Meanwhile, shippers on both sides of the border are lobbing metaphorical tomatoes at each other, with the Floridians saying the Mexicans are saturating the market, and vice versa.

Markets EditorSome shippers of Mexican fruit, who acknowledge the undeniable increase in greenhouse production south of the border during the past several years, point out that not only a year ago, but a few weeks ago, tomato demand exceeded supplies.

Regardless of who’s rhetorical rotten tomato hits its target with the biggest splat, the fact remains: There really are no winners. No winners, that is, as long as you don’t take into account those millions of folks who sit at the far end of the supply chain.

Usually they’ll answer to the name of “consumer.”

Fueling attraction
I was getting the retail take on The Great Tomato War of 2012 recently from Tommy Wilkins, director of produce procurement for Lubbock, Texas-based retailer United Supermarkets LLC.

I asked him if there was any silver lining to this, and he didn’t hesitate to answer.
“It’s a good time for consumers.”

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Verti-Gro(R) hydroponic systems employ insulated stacked pots with an automated drip system that circulates nutrients through the plants. The company offers a simple economical and pesticide-free system, and supports it with a wealth of information and training for entry level home gardeners and large scale commercial farms.

“Verti-Gro’s system reduces energy and water use by more than 85 percent and saves space,” said Erik Cutter, Managing Director of EnviroIngenuity. “It also virtually eliminates greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the need to transport produce across long distances, and it doesn’t use soil which is becoming a very limited resource.”

EnviroIngenuity recently launched its vertical farming division to bring hydroponic vertical farming processes to Southern California to enable individuals and communities to grow their own food within urban areas. Through this new partnership, the company will develop job training programs for youth.

“Our curriculum and products will allow youth to develop valuable life-skills, grow their own food and ultimately start their own business in urban agriculture,” said Cutter. “This is one very healthy job opportunity that cannot be outsourced.”

About Verti-Gro(R) For 20 years, Verti-Gro, Inc. has developed tools and methods for vertical growing and vertical gardening to efficiently utilize space and energy. These methods use hydroponics which allow gardeners to grow produce without soil. Verti-Gro is based in Summerfield, FL on a 12-acre farm with a learning center. Verti-Gro(R) products are sold worldwide.

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We Clean Up Coco Water.

The Netherlands, where six per cent of the population is now Muslim, is scrapping   multiculturalism:

The Dutch government says it will abandon the long-standing model of multiculturalism that has encouraged Muslim immigrants to create a parallel
society within the Netherlands.

A new integration bill, which Dutch Interior Minister Piet Hein Donner presented to parliament on June 16, reads:

“The government shares the social dissatisfaction over the multicultural society
model and plans to shift priority to the values of the Dutch people.
In the new integration system, the values of the Dutch society play a central role.
With this change, the government steps away from the model of a multicultural society.

The letter continues:
“A more obligatory integration is justified because the government also demands that
from its own citizens. It is necessary because otherwise the society gradually grows apart
and eventually no one feels at home anymore in the Netherlands…

The new integration policy will place more demands on immigrants. For example, immigrants will be required to learn the Dutch language, and the government will take a tougher approach to immigrants who ignore Dutch values or disobey
Dutch law.

The government will also stop offering special subsidies for Muslim immigrants because,
according to Donner; ”It is not the government’s job to integrate immigrants.”

The government will introduce new legislation that outlaws forced marriages and will also impose tougher measures against Muslim immigrants who lower their chances of employment by the way they dress.

More specifically, the government will impose a ban on face-covering, Islamic burqas as of January 1, 2013.Holland has done that whole liberal thing, and realised – maybe too late – that creating a nation of tribes will kill the nation itself.

READER’S NOTE
Muslim immigrants leave their countries of birth because of civil and political unrest CREATED BY THE VERY NATURE OF THEIR CULTURE.

Countries like Holland and Australia have an established way of life that actually works, so why embrace the unworkable?
If Muslims do not wish to accept another culture, the answer is simple;
STAY WHERE YOU ARE!! This gives a whole new meaning to the term;
‘Dutch Courage’ There’s a whole lot of truth here!!!

Only 86% will send this on. Should be a 100%. What will you do?

plantagon.com; LINKÖPING, Sweden, The first Plantagon Greenhouse breaks ground. A new type of greenhouse for vertical farming, an international Centre of Excellence for Urban Agriculture, a demo-plant for Swedish clean-tech and a climate-smart way to use excess heating and CO2 from industries. The potential is tremendous and ambitions high for the new greenhouse being built in Linköping, Sweden, near the regional energy company, Tekniska Verken. Not least, it will be a new landmark for the people in Linköping to enjoy.

Today, representatives from Linköping city, Plantagon and Tekniska Verken are gathered for a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. Once the drafting stage is complete, construction of the greenhouse will take an estimated 12-16 months.

“I am immensely proud that Linköping is the chosen site for the first vertical greenhouse. We will be the first city in the world to test the new technology and the systems involved to develop sustainable agricultural solutions for future cities,” says Paul Lindvall, Mayor of Linköping.

“We are full of praise for Plantagon’s exciting project launching in Linköping. Our ambition is to support the project with smart ideas for sustainable energy systems,” says Anders Jonsson, CEO of Tekniska Verken.

“This is a historic day for Plantagon. This ceremony marks the realization of the vision of creating functional sustainable solutions for the growing cities of today and tomorrow, where we can grow food in the cities in a resource-smart way, making use of the special conditions of the city,” says Hans Hassle, CEO of Plantagon.

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One of the event features for 2012 will be the NEW Fruit & Veg Organic XPO, housed in a brand new building onsite. Show management feels strongly that launching this XPO will support the ever growing organic category through educating both organic and non-organic producers on the size and scope of the sector, and the exceptional products and services offered to support on-farm organic activities.

“This is a vibrant, significant part of agriculture that we need to take seriously and support” states founder Jordon Underhill. “Organic producers take extreme ‘Pride in Growing’ and the sector will become a forefront feature at the 2012 X-Change.”
A brand new building adjacent to the main tradeshow entrance will house organic exhibitors showcasing suppliers, equipment and specialized services for the sector.
The Organic Council of Ontario has stepped up as a Founding Partner of this XPO and will be onsite to provide guidance to both existing and new organic producers. “We are thrilled to see the organic sector get the credit and exposure it deserves in the fruit and veg category.” states Jodi Koberinski, Executive Director for the Organic Council of Ontario.“The demand at the consumer level is growing daily for organic produce, and we need quality growers to fulfill this demand.”

Various horticulture officials and predominant agricultural organizations are involved in both supporting and expanding the XPO. National Farmers Union (NFU) has also stepped up as a supporter. “NFU wishes to congratulate the X-Change team on including the organic, local small scale and CSA style production.

We sincerely hope producers will benefit by attending the XPO and investigating new ideas, techniques and tools to benefit their operation.” states Martin Driesse, NFU past president of Haldimand, Norfolk and South Oxford. Willsie Equipment of Thedford, Ontario will be showcasing through live demonstration, their line of organic tillers; and Underhill Farm Supply of Vienna, Ontario will be planting a plot of radish root to showcase the application of natural soil aeration and organic matter regeneration.

Kait Schuster is the coordinator for this new XPO and states, “We are committed to helping expose and grow the organic category anyway we can. Today’s consumer is educated and needs options when it comes to buying nutritious produce for their family”.

Producers, don’t forget to attend the “Meet the Buyers – Broker Brunch” on opening day, with a chance to meet elite organic buyers such as Whole Foods Market. Immediately following, the Organic Council of Ontario will be holding an informal seminar on farm transition to certified organic.

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