India Increasing Use Of Organic Farming

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar believes that Indias swiftly expanding production of organic agricultural goods can play a critical role in the future of the countys organic food trade.

Organic agriculture in India has fictional good progress during the last six years, Pawar stated pace talking in front of the parliamentary consultative committee for his ministry on Wednesday. With a combined effect of farmers efforts, NGOs work, government interventions and market forces, Indian organic agriculture has reached a stage where it can play a significant role not only in the growing domestic market, but also in global organic food trade.

Pawar said his ministry is promoting and spreading organic farming throughout the country with a variety of state - funded projects like the National Horticulture Mission, the National Project on Organic Farming, the Technology Mission for the Northeast and Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

In India, as against 42, 000 hectares under certified organic farming during the 2003 - 04, initial estimates for 2009 - 10 indicate organic agriculture under certification has grown to 1. 05 million hectares. Out of this, nearly 750, 000 hectares are fully certified while the remaining 300, 000 hectares are under various stages of conversion.

Pawar believes that organic farming is an ideal option for raid - fed, marginal land, and hilly areas and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has initiated an All India Network Project on organic farming to scientifically test and prove the most effective methodologies in organic farming.

Promotion of organic farming will not only ensure increased availability of organic and biological sources of nutrients, but will also provide technologies and information which help other forms of agriculture in restoring soil health and conservation of resources, the minister said.

In addition to national initiatives in the organic farming field, a collection of state governments have also initiated their own organic farming promotion programs. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand have drafted policies for the promotion of organic farming and, of those, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand have declared that they wish to go 100 percent organic in the future.

Increasing Farmers & Ranchers - Reach USA Agriculture and Livestock Ranchers with USFarmData

Farmers markets are an integral part of the urban / farm linkage and have lingering to rise in credit, chiefly due to the growing consumer interest in getting fresh products any more from the farm. Farmers markets own consumers to have access to locally grown, farm fresh produce, enables farmers the occasion to mature a personal relationship with their customers, and cultivate consumer loyalty with the farmers who grows the produce. Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for agricultural producers nationwide. As of mid - 2011, there were 7, 175 farmers markets operating throughout the U. S. This is a 17 percent increase from 2010.

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More than 1, 000 new farmers markets have been recorded across the country, according to results released today in the U. S. Department of Agriculture ' s2011 National Farmers Market Directory.

The annual report indicates a total of 7, 175 farmers markets operate throughout the United States as more farmers are marketing their products directly to consumers than ever before. Last year, the USDA reported that 6, 132 markets were operating across the country.

- The remarkable growth in farmers markets is an excellent indicator of the staying power of local and regional foods, - said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. - These outlets provide economic benefits for producers to grow their businesses and also to communities by providing increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables and other foods. In short, they are a critical ingredient in our nation ' s food system. -

Updated market listings were submitted to USDA ' s Agricultural Marketing Service by farmers market managers on a voluntary, self - reported basis between April 18 and June 24, 2011, as part of USDA ' s annual outreach effort. USDA invited market managers to submit desired changes in their market ' s Directory profile as well as new market listings. Information in the Directory is also continually updated throughout the year in response to incoming requests.

The 2011 National Farmers Market Directory results were released in advance of National Farmers Market Week, which takes place from Aug. 7 to 13 as declared by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

The Directory reveals that several states have experienced rapid growth in farmers markets since 2010, reflecting a growing interest outside of the Far West and Northeast states, where the popularity of farmers markets is more well - established. Alaska and Texas ranked at the top for most growth in farmers markets at 46 and 38 percent, respectively. The top - 10 list for growth includes:

Alaska ( 35 markets, up 46 percent ) Texas ( 166 markets, up 38 percent ) Colorado ( 130 markets, up 38 percent ) New Mexico ( 80 markets, up 38 percent ) Indiana ( 171markets, up 37 percent ) Oklahoma ( 61 markets, up 32 percent ) South Dakota ( 29 markets, up 32 percent ) Pennsylvania ( 266 markets, up 31 percent ) Ohio ( 278 markets, up 31 percent ) Michigan ( 349 markets, up30 percent )

The top - 10 states for number of recorded farmers markets in 2011 were spread across the country:

California ( 729 markets ) New York ( 520 ) Michigan ( 349 ) Illinois ( 305 ) Ohio ( 278 ) Pennsylvania ( 266 ) Massachusetts ( 255 ) Iowa ( 237 ) Wisconsin ( 231 ) North Carolina ( 217 )

Of the total number of farmers markets reported by market managers, nearly 12 percent indicate they have the capability of accepting SNAP ( formerly known as food stamp ) benefits onsite. This represents a 16 percent increase in the number of markets accepting SNAP benefits since 2010. While SNAP redemption data are not available for farmers markets specifically, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service recently reported that SNAP redemptions in 2010 totaled $7. 5 million at all certified farmers market and direct - to - consumer food retail establishments. Program participants made 453, 711 purchases at farmers markets and direct farm marketing outlets nationwide, with an average purchase amount of $16. 69.

The USDA National Farmers Market Directory is available athttp: / / farmersmarkets. usda. gov. Since the beginning of 2011 the site has more than 1. 8 million page views. Users can search for markets based on location, available products, and types of payment accepted, including participation in Federal nutrition programs. Additionally, new features allow Directory users to locate markets based on proximity to zip code and to see links to active farmers market websites. Customized datasets can also be built for website and application designers. Source: http: / / www. ams. usda. gov Be sure to check out our Sales Leads and Mailing Lists at www. salesleads - mailinglists. com www. usfarmdata. com www. goleads. com

What Does the Increasing Demand For Forestry and Agriculture Equipment Indicate

Despite the ever increasing figure of people who opt to move from the rural to have a taste of the urban life, it cannot be denied that farming is something that will not be a total threat to urbanization.

Identical if more people regulate to migrate from their rural areas, there are still people who won ' t concession their lands in exchange for the urban life. For as long as food and fresh air are still part of our basic necessities, farming and agriculture would not or should not be left in careless abandon.

Even if the world is constantly developing or progressing, it will not make any sense if food, healthy food at that, will no longer be accessible to all. Because of progress, the world may be able to afford to pay for the food they are going to eat but if the farmers gradually start to lose interest in farming or agriculture, then people might have to endure the consequences of modernization and urbanization. Our hope lies on the rest of the farmers who weren ' t thinking about switching to a different career. Fortunately, because of progress and modernization, technology has made way for efficient forestry and agriculture equipment such as farm tractors ( John Deere, Caterpillar and other famous brands ), plows, tillers, loaders and other farming related innovations to help them deliver the best of their production.

Even rich people who decide to move out of the city because they want to live in a peaceful, healthy and stress - free suburb would also know the importance of eating healthy food that they are also into farming themselves. Some of them are buying large hectares of land and devote a large area for farming and agriculture, both for consumption and commercial purposes. Soon enough, we will already solve shortage of food production if we ourselves will put an effort to produce our own food, even if our planting or farming be limited only to growing selected vegetables, crops and fruit - bearing trees in our backyard.

For the record, there is an increasing demand for forestry and agriculture equipment, like tractors, loaders, wagons and other farm machinery. This is hopefully an indication that we are getting better towards balancing modernization, industrialization, livelihood, farming and agriculture.