All agriculture land deeds to be video recorded from today

VADODARA: In view of the increasing number of cases arising out of agriculture land deeds and power of attorney agreements, Vadodara district administration is putting a first-of-its-kind measure in place from September 1, which would act as conclusive evidence in litigations over such land deeds, and eventually, help bring down such litigations.

From Saturday onwards, all sellers and buyers of agriculture land in the district would be personally interviewed by the sub registrar to ascertain that the details of the deed are clear to both the parties at the timing of signing of the deed. The interviews would be simultaneously video-recorded as an evidence to be produced in the court, in case of litigation over the land. Deeds being registered on the power of attorney would also undergo similar treatment. The agreement would be registered only after the sub-registrar gives a certificate saying he is satisfied that the parties are fully aware about the nature and the fine print in the deed.

"If any of the parties later takes a contrary stand in the court, these video recordings can nail their lies," a district functionary said. A fee of Rs 20 would be charged from the applicant to cover the cost of video-recording .

"After we received two such cases last month, where farmers complained that they were taken for a ride by the buyers on the pretext of signing 'Banakhat' (agreement for sale of land) but were duped into signing the actual land deed at the land registrar office, we have decided to put this preventive measure in place," DC, Vinod Rao told TOI.

Sub registrar's queries would be based on a check list where he would ascertain that the buyers/ sellers are aware of the nature of the deed, particularly, whether it's a banakhat or the land deed being signed. In case of multiple buyers or sellers, each individual would be separately interviewed and video-recorded. In case of power of attorney, the sub registrar would seek clarity on whether it is a general power of attorney or a simple power of attorney meant for a specific purpose.

Vipul Thakkar, president of CREDAI hailed the step revealing that the association had helped the administration on arriving at the solution. Niramay Parikh, one of the leading lawyers of the city said the step would definitely bring down the litigation. "It's a good step, but can this be done without amending the Land Registration Act?" he asked.

The DC said it was a procedural step for which no amendment was required.

Nearly 6,000 to 8,000 land deeds are registered every month in Vadodara district. The pace has picked up in the past few years following a spree in building activities on the city's outskirts.

The new measure would also check the collusion of sub-registrar office employees, who are invariably party to exploitative or illegal deeds.

Original Article Here

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available in Kentucky Following Secretary of Agriculture Disaster Declaration for Drought By U.S. Small Business Administration

By U.S. Small Business Administration

ATLANTA, Aug. 31, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes located in the counties of Breckinridge, Hardin and Meade in Kentucky as a result of the drought that occurred between July 3 and August 27, 2012.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110909/DC65875LOGO)

"When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to eligible entities affected by the same disaster," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.

Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. With the exception of aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers. Nurseries are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions.

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 3 percent for private non-profit organizations of all sizes and 4 percent for small businesses, with terms up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA's website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth,TX 76155. 

Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than April 29, 2013.

For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

Contact: Michael Lampton Phone: 404-331-0333

Release Number: 12-814, KY 13257

SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration

Original Article Here

Farmers to harvest tech benefits under NABARD-IMD project

PUNE: About 50,000 farmers in ten districts of Maharashtra are expected to benefit from a pilot project which will disseminate weather-related inputs using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve land productivity and boost crop output. 

It is being launched jointly by the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) and India Meteorological Department (IMD), and is to be financed under the Farmers' Technology Transfer Fund (FTTF). 

The project aims at creating awareness, increasing farmers' knowhow and capacity building for enhanced income through adoption of new technologies, reduction of costs, getting better price for produce and securing technical inputs for crop management, NABARD spokesman Subodh Abhyankar said. 

In addition to Pune, the other districts to be covered under the scheme, to be launched on September 3, include Ahmednagar, Washim, Bhandara, Amravati, Jalna, Gadchiroli, Sindhudurg and Hingoli. 

"Nearly 50,000 farmers from 500 farmers' clubs promoted by NABARD will be provided weather-related information and crop advisories by way of free SMSes in the pilot initiative," he said. 

The three-year plan envisages using ICT tools for providing need-based agro-meteorological advisory services to ryots in the context of local farming and culture, and ensure a two-way communication between agriculture experts and grassroots level communities, Abhyankar maintained. 

Under the project, which will mainly focus on ICT initiative for improving productivity of land and production of crop to augment income of farmers, the IMD's Agri-Met field units will provide weather and crop-related advisories right from sowing to harvesting operations with technical expertise. 

"Weather and climate are some of the biggest risk factors impacting farm performance and management. Extreme weather and climate events such as severe droughts, floods or temperatures often lead to decline in agricultural production, particularly in arid and semi-arid zones," Abhyankar said. 

These factors contribute to the vulnerability of individual farmers and rural communities and demand development and implementation of appropriate methods that will help farmers to enhance their adaptive capacity with improved planning and better management decisions, he said. 

In this backdrop, the NABARD-IMD joint venture acquires much significance, Abhyankar noted. 

original article here

Agriculture experts assess storm damage

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) -- Even as the remnants of Isaac were leaving Mississippi on Friday, Mississippi State University Extension agents were assessing its impact on crops that were so close to harvest.

Lodging, or laying down can be a significant harvest challenge in wind-blown fields, especially corn.

Extension corn specialist Erick Larson is cautiously optimistic that most of the corn crop escaped with minimal 

damage.

“Mississippi Agricultural Statistics estimated 72 percent or more of our corn crop was harvested prior to Isaac’s arrival,” Larson said. “Most of our unharvested corn is in north and northeast Mississippi, where rainfall and winds were not excessive.”

Larson said grain sorghum may be much more vulnerable to damage.

“Mature sorghum is prone to kernel sprouting if rain and high humidity persist for several days or weeks,” he said. “Sprouting makes the grain unmarketable.”

Darrin Dodds, Extension cotton specialist, said much of the state’s cotton crop was at a critical stage when the storm came through the state. 

As of Aug. 26, about 55 percent of the crop had open bolls, and some of the crop had been defoliated.

“Defoliated cotton has no leaves that can protect open bolls from weather-related damage,” he said. “That cotton is subject to the lint stringing out of the bolls, which can result in yield losses, fiber quality degradation, and seeds sprouting in the boll, among other issues.”

Dodds said cotton that has not been defoliated but has open bolls is at risk for increased hardlock and bollrot from heavy rainfall. 

Bolls that are cracking and receive excessive moisture can rot or never properly open. 

Much like the other crops, high winds can cause cotton to lodge, making it more difficult to defoliate and harvest.

Nathan Buehring, Extension rice specialist, said lodging will be the main challenge caused by Isaac in rice fields. 

The week before the storm, Mississippi had more than 30 percent of the rice harvested. 

Growers worked around the clock before rains started to harvest as much as possible.

“We won’t lose a lot of yield from the storm, but fields with lodging will take about three times as long to harvest,” he said. “The muddy conditions at harvest will also increase land preparation costs for next year.”

Extension soybean specialist Trent Irby said portions of the later-planted crop still needed rain to finish maturing.

“However, no one wants to see excessive rains, which can influence yields in different ways this time of year,” he said. “Excessive rain can cause seed quality issues on soybeans that are ready, or nearly ready, for harvest. If pods were already compromised, the extra moisture may cause seed rot or sprouting inside the pods.”

Irby said heavy rainfall also can cause plants to die, particularly in low-lying areas where water may stand for an extended period of time.

“Strong winds that come along with tropical storms also may impact yield potential due to lodging that can occur,” Irby said. “If severe lodging occurs, there may be a decrease in harvest efficiency. In addition, moisture from the rains can be trapped under the canopy, allowing for a prime environment for disease development, which may cause issues as well.”

Original Article Here

The Agriculture Industry Goes Social

by Carolyn Baumgarten

Carolyn Baumgarten, is the community manager forSocialogic, a social media marketing agency. No stranger to the social media landscape, Carolyn brings to SociaLogic work experience in multiple industries including the arts, environment, and entertainment. Follow her @cbaumgarten.

The marriage of agriculture and social media likely conjures up images of crop seeding on Farmville, but socially savvy agribusinesses are proving that the connection runs much deeper than the popular Zynga game. A 2011 study by the American Farm Bureau Federation revealed that of the 98% of farmers and ranchers ages 18 to 25 who have internet access, 76% of them use social media.

Sure, agribusiness often gets a bad rep for being “behind the times,” but that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, agribusinesses have embraced social media as a channel that is revolutionizing both B2B and B2C communications for the industry.

It Starts with Education

The agribusiness social media movement is, in part, due to the efforts of groups like the AgChat Foundation, which serves as an educational resource designed to equip farmers and ranchers with the necessary skill set to engage with businesses and consumers via social channels. The foundation’s website is full of useful tips and information that can benefit anyone from Twitter newcomers to blogging veterans looking for new ways to interact with fellow farmers and consumers.

The takeaway is that it isn’t necessarily a resistance to technology that keeps a group or industry out of social media, but rather a lack of knowledge about how digital tools can have tangible business benefits. Marketers working in notoriously non-social media-friendly industries can learn from the way AgChat has made social channels not only accessible, but a place for focused outreach.

A Platform for Discussion

One way the AgChat Foundation is working to get people talking and building outreach is through weekly#AgChats on Twitter. These chats have seen more than 2,000 participants from seven countries and four continents. #AgChat is moderated by a different agricultural professional each week. Among the recent topics: the drought currently plaguing much of the Midwest.

Joining these Twitter chats provides participants great insight into the industry, and also gives farmers a chance to prove their thought leadership in a public forum. For farmers trying to build their businesses, looking into moderating, or even just participating in these chats can be a great way to network within the field and gain respect and recognition from peers.

Kickstarting Digital Development

Beyond the blogosphere and Twitterverse, farmers have tapped into other marketing channels to raise awareness for their causes. Maryland’s largest organic farm, One Straw Farm, has taken to Kickstarter as a way to harness digital influence and online fundraising for the development of two mobile apps. The first app would provide a way for farmers to communicate with consumers on a weekly basis throughout the harvest season, while the second app would assist farmers with keeping records. No enterprise is immune from the need for record-keeping, and for an industry where the bulk of time is spent in the field (literally), this app was meant to alleviate issues with recording procedures by enabling farmers to update their records from anywhere.

While One Straw Farm’s campaign has fallen short of its fundraising goals, a simple search for “farm” on Kickstarter shows that numerous other agribusinesses are having success using the platform to raise funds for farm-related business endeavors.

The Consumer Connection

The media coverage of “pink slime” has made clear the growing focus on the farm-to-table movement, giving those in agribusiness yet another reason to turn to social media. Ecotrust’s desire to connect professional buyers and sellers is what sparked the creation of their popular social networking platform FoodHub.

FoodHub’s purpose is to provide an online community that connects farmers and ranchers with buyers and distributors. With this connection, buyers — who can range from chefs to school dining service directors — can easily obtain background information and stories about specific farmers and ranchers, and their operations. While the network is currently only available in the western U.S., FoodHub presents a great opportunity for all types of buyers to capitalize on the farm-to-table movement by hand-picking the farmers and ranchers they want to work with.

In addition to using platforms like FoodHub, farmers are also using social media on a personal basis to tell their farm’s story, give updates during the harvest season, promote upcoming farmers markets, answering consumer questions and more.

Self-described “Farm Girl” Erin Ehnle has spent all of her life on a farm, and now uses multiple social media platforms to share her experiences with more than 13,000 Facebook fans and a loyal blog following. Through photos, tweets, infographics, Pinterest, heartfelt blog entries, and informative articles, Erin proves how agribusinesses are indeed taking their experiences from farm to Facebook,.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, shotbydave

Original Article Here

Agriculture needs modernization: FinMin Pun

KIRTIPUR: Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun has said agriculture was a foundation to economic prosperity in Nepal, so it needs modernisation as per the time.

Inaugurating the second general convention and third annual general meeting of Nepal Horticulture Entrepreneurs' Federation here on Saturday, Finance Minister Pun said it was essential to change Nepal's subsistence farming into the commercial farming with the use of modern technology to progress national economy.

The commercialisation of agriculture would reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty, he added. On the occasion, Federation Chairman Khom Prasad Ghimire said Nepal's agriculture was neglected despite geographical specificity and ample productivity.

Farmers were in need of knowledge, skill and technology to modernise their occupation and boost up agricultural productivity, he stressed. Vice-Chairman of the Chitwan Chapter of the Federation, Dhir Prasad Dhital stressed the unity among all entrepreneurs to commercialize and make respected the agriculture.

Original Article Here

New freshmen get a taste of sustainable agriculture on tour of UMD farm

By: Jana Hollingsworth, Duluth News Tribune 

Red peppers, string beans and cherry tomatoes were hot items Friday during a University of Minnesota Duluth freshmen welcome week event.

About 40 students traipsed through rows of veggie beds at the 10-acre organic transition farm and five-acre apple orchard that make up UMD’s Sustainable Agriculture Project Farm at the Research and Field Studies Center. They were there to learn about sustainability, but there was a lot of eating to do.

“I love vegetables,” said freshman Rachel Strom, who was happy to see the tour offered. “I’ve been gardening every summer with my dad my whole life. It’s second nature to me.”

The agriculture project is part of “the explosion in local foods infrastructure development,” said Randel Hanson, who teaches courses on sustainability and the environment at UMD.

The UMD farm off Jean Duluth Road opened in 1912 when the school was involved in a push to produce more food locally. It remained so until the farm was closed in 1976 as the country shifted to a more globalized industrial food system.

“It’s clear now, that was probably a pretty dumb idea,” Hanson said.

The field and farm reopened in 2009 as the Sustainable Agriculture Project, which is student-driven.

“We’re trying to figure out how to become more sustainable and eat healthier and use minimally processed food,” Hanson said. “The university is back involved in that process in how to rebuild a regional food system.”

Part of that means growing food for UMD dining services. Coming out of gardens right now and going into dishes at school are slicing and cherry tomatoes, string beans, tomatillos, peas, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, lettuce, watermelon, kale, cabbage, green peppers, basil and dill.

Relying more on local and less on industrial is good for farmers, the economy, health and the land, Hanson said.

“Every region needs to figure out how to do this,” he said.

The farm has lots of collaborations. The Northeast Minnesota Beekeepers Association has six honey bee hives at the farm; there is the Three Sisters Garden, which is an American Indian garden; bat and bird houses; an ethnobotany garden for indigenous dye and medicinal plants; and a garden for Duluth public schools. There’s a 50-tree community orchard and a corn field. This year, between 15,000 and 20,000 pounds of produce will be sold to UMD dining services, At Sara’s Table/Chester Creek Cafe, the Duluth Grill, Super One Foods, Mount Royal Fine Foods, the Whole Foods Co-op and the Duluth Farmers Market.

UMD senior Ryan Ritter works at the farm as part of UMD’s sustainable development research opportunity program. He likes bringing food closer to home, he said.

“We’ll get an order from dining services at 8 in the morning and we’ll have it there at 12,” he said. “It’s just wild.”

The farm’s offerings grow every year, he said, and he hopes demand grows with it.

Freshman Quinn Franti is a big fruit eater, and said teenagers have a bad reputation for eating junk. He’s excited that UMD’s cafeteria is buying more food from the farm; something he didn’t learn until Friday.

“This was very eye-opening,” he said.

Original Article Here