Happy Halloween! You're probably busy, so thanks for opening this newsletter.

If you have a little time this winter, we hope you'll consider signing up for one of the Agritourism Intensive classes in Monterey, Ventura or Riverside Counties. Registration is now available online - details below.

We're excited to be starting to work with some of you to develop and promote farm trails based in Yuba, Yolo and Sacramento Counties. We'll also soon be planning one more fair exhibit, this time at a Santa Barbara fair, to promote local farms, farmers' markets and agritourism.

This issue shares news of the next California Small Farm Conference (We'll be organizing an agritourism Field Course and workshop.), the next NAFDMA convention, some funding leads, and a link to comment on the new proposed Food Safety Modernization Act. We encourage you to list your agritourism businesses and events on www.calagtour.org and post news of your events and activities, as well as thoughts relating to California agritourism, on our Facebook page.

Please stay in touch and keep sharing your stories.

Sincerely,

Penny Leff, Agritourism Coordinator
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Small Farm Program
530-752-7779

Registration now open for "Agritourism Intensive"
Classes start soon in Monterey, Ventura & Riverside Counties

Are you considering a farm stand, U-Pick operation, harvest festival, farm stay, tasting room, hunting club, tour program, guest ranch, pumpkin patch or other agritourism operation?

This class is for you!

The 3-session "Agritoruism Intensive" courses will:

Help you assess your own farm or ranch for agritourism potential and start planning or expanding your own agritourism business
Guide you in updating your risk management plan and developing a marketing strategy to connect with your target customers
Feature local experienced agritourism operators, tourism professionals and other experts as advisors
Include in-class and homework exercises, group discussions, networking, and a free comprehensive agritourism manual for each participant

Ventura County Agritourism Intensive:

    Dates: Tuesdays, Dec 3, 2013, Jan 14 & Feb 11, 2014
    Times: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. each session (lunch provided)
    Location: Center for Non-Profit Leadership, 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo
    Cost: $50 for 3-session course - registration        Ventura class flyer

Monterey County Agritourism Intensive:

    Dates: Friday, Dec 6, 2013, Wednesdays, Jan 8 and Feb 5, 2014
    Times: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. each session (lunch provided)
    Location: UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County, 1432 Abbott St, Salinas
    Cost: $50 for 3-session course - registration         Monterey class flyer

Riverside County Agritourism Intensive:

    Dates: Mondays, Dec 9, 2013, Jan 13 and Feb 10, 2014
    Times: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. each session (lunch provided)
    Location: Western Municipal Water District, 14205 Meridian Parkway, Riverside
    Cost: $40 for 3-session course - registration         Riverside class flyer

Here are some of the agendas, handouts and presentations from the previous series of classes last year. For more information, please contact Penny Leff, 530-752-7779

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2012-49200-20030.

CalAgTour.org directory and event calendar - It's yours to use!

Did you know that thousands of people each month visit the UC Agricultural Tourism Directory CalAgTour.org looking for farms and ranches to visit, most of them directed there by Google searches? Will they find you? If you are a working California farmer or rancher operating an agritourism business or organizing agritourism events, we invite you to complete the directory application or the event listing form online so we can include your business and events in the directory. It's all free.

If you're already listed in the directory, please check your listing and update it if needed. You can use the directory application form for updates. We'll contact you if we have any questions.

Let's fill up that events calendar!

Sacramento River Delta Grown Agritourism Association Map

Building a Farm Trail, or Three

We're thrilled to announce that the UC Small Farm Program has received funding from the CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to work with some of you in Yolo, Sacramento, Yuba and surrounding counties on a project called "Building a Farm Trail: Developing effective agritourism associations to enhance rural tourism and promote specialty crops."

This experiment in collaboration will bring together members of three agritourism associations - North Yuba Grown, Capay Valley Grown, and the Sacramento River Delta Agritourism Association. They will work with three economic development and agritourism marketing experts to develop dynamic farm trail maps, websites, marketing programs and collaborative events in each region. In the process, we will all learn some of what it takes to build and promote successful and sustainable regional agritourism. We'll share what we learn with all of you over the next year.

Discovering California Farms...at the fairs

We've been spending a lot of time lately at some of California's district and county fairs, helping spread the word to fair-goers in Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Riverside (and soon in Santa Barbara) Counties about local farms, healthy eating, farmers' markets, CSA operations, pumpkin patches, wineries, farm stands and other agritourism in their communities. Some more pics from the Southern California Fair.

It's been exciting to work with CDFA's Division of Fairs and Expositions, and with many of you, putting these exhibits together with different activities and partners in each community. If you'd like to learn more about the Small Farm Program's work with the Mobile Agricultural Education Exhibit project at California District Fairs, please contact Penny Leff, 530-752-7779 or Diana Paluszak (our CDFA partner),916-900-5027

California Small Farm Conference Scholarships, Photo Contest

Scholarship Application Due December 6, 2013

2011 photo contest winner - photographer Denise Neumann This year's California Small Farm Conference will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Rohnert Park, CA on March 9 - 11, 2014. Thanks in part to generous support, scholarships are available to increase the participation of eligible small-scale farmers, ranchers and their employees, student-farmers and certified farmers' market managers with limited means.

Scholarships are awarded based on a number of criteria including farm and household income. Scholarship awards include registration to the three-day conference, all workshops and networking sessions, conference meals, and a Sunday Field Course at a discounted rate of $25. Lodging and travel costs are offered depending upon the distance traveled to Rohnert Park, California. Download application here

Photographers: Enter the California Small Farm Conference Photo Contest

Those interested in attending the 27th Annual California Small Farm Conference can get all the latest news and updates by "liking" us on Facebook where we regularly post news, photos, tips, and more.

Coming Up Soon...

National Conference and educational opportunity

NAFDMA, The North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association, has a new website, a new look, and is planning its annual convention.

The 29th Annual NAFDMA Convention will be January 31 - February 5, 2014 in Kansas City. An all-inclusive Ultimate Networker Registration includes 6 nights lodging and 5 days of integrated farm visits, sessions, workshops, trade show, networking, convention meals, and makin' hey

Registration opens December 1st.

Visit farmersinspired.com throughout the month of November for more details.

Comment NOW on the Food Safety Modernization Act

Submit (or postmark) your comment by the deadline: November 15, 2013!

fresh fruit at farmers' market

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to contamination to preventing it. On January 4, 2013, FDA issued two major proposed FSMA rules regarding preventive controls in human food and produce safety.

The proposed new rules could have significant impact on how fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and processed in the U.S. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition says, "FDA's new proposed rules as written will unfairly burden family farmers, target sustainable and organic farming, and reduce the availability of fresh, local food in our communities."

Here are some resources to help you comment on the proposed rules before the Nov. 15 deadline:

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition website

Official FDA "How to comment" site

A Few Funding Opportunities

Western SARE Professional & Producer Competitive Grants - up to $50,000 - proposal due December 4, 2013 -read more

Western SARE Farmer/Rancher research and education Competitive Grants - up to $25,000 - proposals due December 4, 2013 - read more

Western SARE Professional Development Program Competitive Grants - up to $75,000 - proposal due October 30, 2013 -read more

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)'s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has surplus money and needs to spend it before the end of the year! Take advantage of this opportunity and apply for funding today before the Nov. 15th deadline. Interested farmers should go to this site and find the contact info for their local office. There is no application online, so applicants must contact their local office and make an appointment to apply. Applying is the first step to get started. There is no cost, obligation, or commitment and applications can be withdrawn at any time. Click here for more information. If you have questions and live in Marin or Sonoma county, get in touch with Ben Garland , 707-794-1242 x122

Thanks for reading to the bottom of the page. Please stay in touch!
Penny Leff
UC Small Farm Program
530-752-7779, paleff@ucdavis.edu