You haven’t missed your chance! The first round of applications for the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program was due in July, but the next round will accept applications until September 30.

Did something historic happen in Ankeny, Iowa, on Friday, March 12, or was it much ado about nothing? Over 700 farmers, ranchers and concerned rural citizens from at least a dozen states gathered at the Des Moines Area Community College’s FFA Enrichment Center for the first in a series of agricultural antitrust and competition policy workshops hosted by the Justice Department and USDA.

We applaud the Obama Administration investigation of seed industry competition. It has already prompted Monsanto to announce it will not enforce contracts prohibiting farmers from replanting Roundup Ready 1 soybeans when the patent expires in 2014, though that announcement may be less significant that it appears.

The climate is changing at a quickening pace, and most climate scientists believe human activity is contributing. Leading nations of the world are beginning to respond.

We have invited local elected officials and Nebraskans involved in rural development to join us on a letter to senators supporting a strong federal standard requiring large utilities to acquire a set share of their electricity from renewable sources.

Anna Jones-Crabtree commented that, “As beginning farmers, Doug and I could have benefited greatly if the CRP Transition Option had been in place when we were purchasing our farm last year.” If you need information about beginning farmer programs visit our website: www.cfra.org.

In March, Doug Crabtree and Anna Jones-Crabtree traveled from Helena, Montana, to Washington D.C. to participate in a “New Farmer Fly-In.”

New farmers and ranchers from eight states went to discuss beginning farmer and rancher credit and conservation issues with USDA and Congress. The fly-in was spearheaded by the Center for Rural Affairs, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and several other organizations.

“The 2008 farm bill created opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers in a number of conservation programs – like the CRP transition option, EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program. And we want to make sure those victories for beginners are as effective in practice as was intended when the farm bill passed,” said Doug Crabtree.

An extraordinary program called Farm to School (www.farmtoschool.org) is gaining momentum. Through this program of putting food grown by farmers from our own communities on our children’s lunch trays, schools and farmers are given the tools to re-connect and provide for one another.

An educational workshop for food-service directors, farmers, community members and interested individuals is coming to Cedar Falls, Iowa, on April 15.

Are you interested in learning how you could play a part in moving local foods into larger grocery stores?

The Center for Rural Affairs recently signed on to support the Formula Fairness Campaign. The campaign objective is to end Title I formula discrimination against disadvantaged rural students.

Florida: Water authorities in South Florida voted to continue to allow public money to be used to buy land owned by Florida sugar companies.

Most rural communities are trying to figure out how to attract under-40’s folks. These are young families with school-aged children; young farmers and ranchers who will bring new life to our communities. They are business owners and future leaders.

How do we strengthen our state and build stronger rural economies? One answer lies in development of a Small Business Network.

This is my favorite time of year. Heading out to plant trees and get the garden ready is a spring rite across much of the country.

This month Lance Evans joins the Center for Rural Affairs family as our Rural Outreach and Organizing Program intern.