Hoping your year is off to a decent start and you’ve got good things to look forward to, even with all the challenges folks are facing right now. Despite these challenges we see a bright and essential future ahead for sustainable farming – and are focused on making it a reality with your help. We are geared up for a big year and our teams are working diligently to provide the best certification services and support possible. We always appreciate your feedback on these goals so know that our door is open; you know where to find us! Please read on for updates from the AGW program.
 
Impacted by Natural Disasters in 2021?
Deadlines are coming up for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency 2021 disaster programs. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) and Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) – have a January 30, 2022, deadline to file an application for 2021 losses.

Grant Opportunities
FACT is accepting applications for its annual Fund-a-Farmer Grants through January 20. Livestock and poultry farmers may apply for grants of up to $3,000 for a variety of projects. Grants will be awarded in March 2022. Scholarships of up to $400 are also available for livestock and poultry farmers to attend conferences, workshops and trainings. 

Featured Resource: Technical Advice Fact Sheet 23 – Feed Calculation for Ruminants 
This technical paper explains how to calculate how much animals are eating each day and how much non-forage feed to provide while maintaining compliance with AGW standards. Includes useful reference tables to aid feed calculations.
 
Making the Most of Your Certification
AGW-certified businesses are able to use some of the most valuable, meaningful labels leading the marketplace today. A quick and important read, Help Us Help You explains how we can work together to maximize your certification—and by doing so, convey your hard work and sustainable farm management practices to your customers.

Updates From Your Peers
Please catch the latest press mentions about AGW-certified producers and the program below. This week,

• Kinderhook Farm in Valatie, NY is featured in Hudson Valley Post in “Got The Meats”, as a reminder to stock up on their Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW chickens and Certified Grassfed by AGW lamb.

• Enjoy an in depth look at the farm store of Hawthorne Valley Farm in Ghent, NY, an “oasis” in update New York according to this New Hope article. Hawthorne Valley Farm is Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW for their dairy and beef cattle, as well as their pigs.

• Prepared Foods‘ 2022 predictions in the protein sector features AGW’s call for transparent labeling of lab-grown animal protein: “Honest labeling is critical, not only from a transparency, food safety, and allergenicity perspective, but also so that people can choose to support the kind of food production systems they really want, and deliver the change we need.”

 
Thank You for Helping Build a Greener World
Sincere thanks to each and every donor who helped us exceed our original end of year fundraising goal to provide resources and support to independent farmers hit hard by the pandemic. We are grateful for you and excited for everything we will accomplish together in 2022 and beyond!

You can help us reach more farmers by sharing our weekly farmer updates. Just pass this linkalong and thanks for helping us get the word out about farmer resources and AGW-certified businesses.