SMALL FARM CENTER • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION • UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

—CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 —CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

VOLUME 1 2001

IN THIS ISSUE

Mats Ando: A KingsburgFarming Legend

Managing Farm StressDuring Crisis Times

Mats Ando: AKingsburgFarming Legendby Jeannette Warnert, public informationrepresentative, University of California

Managing Farm StressDuring Crisis Timesexcerpted from USDA Small Farm DigestVolume 4, No.1-Fall 2000

Program News

Conference Update

News Notes

UC Small Farm ProgramPresents 2000 Awards

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Small Farm News

Mats Ando greets customers at his family farm stand inKingsburg, California.

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Mats Ando is something of a leg-end in Kingsburg, California, asmall Fresno County town

known for its Swedish roots. He is a fix-ture at a small roadside stand, where long-time customers who know him by his firstname stop to buy strawberries, boysen-berries and other crops harvested on thefamily farm.

“You won’t find better berries any-where,” Ando tells his visitors.

Born in California to Japanese immigrant parents, Ando bought the 20-acre parcelon 10th Street, now across from the modern Rafer Johnson Middle School, when theAlien Land Law prohibited his non-citizen parents from doing so. Despite encounter-ing racism, spending two years in an Arizona internment camp, battling with persis-tent nematodes and enduring the daily hardships of farming for most of his 86 years,Ando speaks with no bitterness.

“I’d do it all again, but I’d try to make a little more money,” he says with a smile.The family acquired the farm where Ando still makes his home in 1938 for $3,000.

Just three years later, with World War II hostilities toward Japan intensifying, the fam-ily was sent to the Gila River Relocation Center in the Arizona desert.

“A lot of Japanese sold their land before they went, some getting just 10 cents onthe dollar,” Ando said.

Instead, the Andos rented out their Kingsburg plot, and kept on farming at theinternment camp. “At the relocation center, we had good, level land. You could runwater in a furrow for half a mile,” he said.

The detainees planted watermelon, squash and cucumber, even though an Arizona

“We are one of thousands of familyfarmers across the nation who havechosen an agricultural way of life and

done everything right, yet are facing ahuge financial and emotional dilemma,”says New York farmer Chalene Fleming.

“Our every financial resource hasbeen tapped, cash flow is poor, and myhusband and I are screaming at each otherour frustrations and anxieties, while vent-ing our concerns about the present andfuture.”

“Farmers must rise to nature’s dailychallenges, taking in stride floods, fires,droughts, and climatic changes, demandsof juggling family and farm, market shifts,and the pressures of large, corporate sup-pliers who can produce it ‘faster andcheaper.’ It’s a daily struggle to try to stayon the cutting edge of what is new, haschanged, and is coming.

“We are resourceful people who areproud of what we do, but we’re askingthese days, ‘Where do we go from here?,who can help us?, and how do we sur-vive in the interim?’”

The current farm crisis has madefarming a stressful business in every state.Yet farmers continue to work hard whileknowing they can do little against the

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SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME 1 2001

Desmond Jolly

Director’s Message

Stress and Distress in Farm Country

Farming has a long and romantichistory, perhaps more so nowthat the bulk of our population

has, over two or three generations, sepa-rated itself from the land. We long for amore pastoral, more peaceful, lessstressful existence away from the traf-fic of urban living. So we look at farm-ing through rose-, or shall we say, green-

c o l o r e dglasses. Butoften behindthe pastoralfaçade residesstress. Farmstress origi-nates from avariety ofsources.

Farmersare now a

small minority of the population. Manyfeel isolated and under-appreciated,believing that consumers have a muchhigher regard for, and appreciation of,supermarkets than they do farmers.They don’t feel the empathy of the pub-lic.

The much touted economic boomof the 1990s largely bypassed farmcountry. Prices and market-derived in-comes nose-dived for agriculture dur-ing the 90s. Absent of government-direct income supports, there mighthave been a bloodbath in agriculturewith serious political and social fallout.

According to information generatedby USDA’s 1999 Agricultural ResourceManagement Study, 41.6 percent of allfarms received government payments, anincrease over the 1998 figure of 36 per-cent. Gross cash incomes for farms receiv-ing government payments averaged$126,000 – twice the level of farms thatdid not receive government payments.Total direct government payments tofarmers grew from $7.3 billion in 1996 to$23.2 billion in 2000. Between 1996 and2000, government direct paymentsamounted to $70.5 billion.

These large and growing governmentpayments imply several important things.First, they imply excess capacity in agri-culture: at least some farmers are redun-dant. No one can feel a sense of height-ened self esteem with the realization thatone is redundant. Secondly, they gener-ate feelings of dependency and a loss ofcontrol. One’s destiny rests with a distantpower. These perceptions and feelingslead to stress — even distress.

Structural ChangesStructural changes accelerated at a

dizzying pace in the 1990s. Firms mergedand consolidated at record rates. Moreoften than not, this led to a loss of marketpower by farmers. Banks, supermarketchains, food distributors and processorsdeclined in numbers and grew in marketpower. In Yolo County, California, threelarge processing plants closed during the

last two years, leaving workers and grow-ers stranded. In Tulare County, a host ofsmall olive growers lost the right to de-liver their olives to the processor aftertwo olive processing companies merged.Urbanization and access to water andenergy also pose continuing challenges.

Add to these stressors the normalwear and tear of life. The median age offarmers is now past 50. Children aregrowing up and leaving the farm. Col-leagues are passing away. Aging and ill-nesses are taking their toll.

The bottom line is not a pretty pic-ture. Some farms that have managed tofind and occupy a hospitable niche inthe marketplace have done relativelywell. But this is not a widespread phe-nomenon. Too many farmers still find itnecessary to subsidize their farming op-erations with non-farm incomes.

In any case, among the interventions— technical, financial and political —that may be necessary, assistance in rec-ognizing and managing stress might beconsidered. This issue of our newsletterfollows the USDA Small Farm Digest inbringing this concern to light and in le-gitimizing it as an important issue infarm country. We hope you find someuseful insights and can use the informa-tion to create positive results.

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 (F) Change from 1999 to 2000

$ million $ billion Percent

Total direct payments 7,340 7,495 12,209 20,594 23,285 2.7 13.1

Commodity programs -732 -575 -5 na na 0.0 na

Production flexibility 5,973 6,120 6,001 5,046 4,851 -0.2 -3.9

Loan deficiency payments na na 1,792 5,895 7,561 1.7 28.3

CRP and other 2,099 1,950 1,623 1,851 2,004 0.2 8.3

Emergency assistance 0 0 2,841 7,804 8,870 1.1 13.7

DIRECT GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS, 1996-2000 (FORECAST)

Source: USDA Agricultural Income and Finance Report. September 2000.

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VOLUME 1 2001 SMALL FARM NEWS

SMALL FARM NEWS is published by the Small FarmCenter, University of California, Davis, CA 95616-8699;phone: (530) 752-8136; fax: (530) 752-7716;e-mail: sfcenter@ucdavis.eduweb site: http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu

Director: Desmond Jolly, dajolly@ucdavis.eduSecretary: Birgit Hempel, sfcenter@ucdavis.eduEditor/Designer: Susan McCue, semccue@ucdavis.eduTechnical Assistant: Solomon Teklu, steklu@ucdavis.eduAdministrative Assistant: Linda Vieira,lmvieira@ucdavis.eduStudent Intern: Scott Whittington

The Small Farm Center links those who need informationon small-scale farming with those who have the informa-tion. The Center produces publications and a newsletter;sponsors conferences and seminars; holds a library ofperiodicals, reports and books; gives referrals; and answersrequests for information.

Readers are encouraged to send us information, expressviews, and contact us for assistance. Mention of a specificproduct is intended for the reader’s information or as anexample of a similar product — not a recommendation forthat specific product.

Small FarmCenter

prog

ram

new

s VisitorsYasuto Oishi of the Zen Noh Company of

Japan met with Solomon Teklu, technical assis-tant, Small Farm Center, to discuss topics includ-ing methods of classifying farm scale; organicand health safety; and options for Japanese cattleranchers who must acquire feed on the exportmarket.

The Small Farm Center also hosted HiroshiAsao, agricultural extension specialist at theNara Prefecture Agricultural Experiment Stationof Japan; and a delegation from the AgriculturalLeadership Foundation of Hawaii, who vis-ited the center to discuss center functions, agri-tourism, and principles of direct marketing.

Sabbatical LeaveBenny Fouche, farm advisor, UC Coopera-

tive Extension, San Joaquin County, is on sab-batical leave from November 15, 2000 to May15, 2001. He is living and traveling in Costa Ricato improve his Spanish-speaking skills anddeepen his understanding of the problems fac-ing small scale producers. He plans to return withknowledge of specialty crops and the possibilityof growing new and interesting fruits and veg-etables in California’s Central Valley.

AwardsRichard Molinar, farm advisor, UC Coop-

erative Extension, Fresno County, received a UCDivision of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesDistinguished Service Award for coordinatingmultiple workshops, tours and radio broadcasts

in several languages for his diverse Fresno Countyclientele.

Advisory Committee MeetingMembers of the Small Farm Program Advi-

sory Committee, including Randii MacNear,Vashek Cervinka, Richard Molinar, JoeSantellano, Marion Kalb, Leonard Diggs, LynnBagley, Cynthia Cory, and guest Rudy Platzek,met in October 2000 with program directorDesmond Jolly and staff to discuss several program-matic issues including educating growers aboutmarketing, building the urban/farm connection,and creating new uses for existing farm products.

PresentationsDesmond Jolly, Small Farm Program director,

attended the 1st World Forum on Agricultural andRural Tourism in Perugia, Italy, September 21-26,2000. Jolly presented a paper, co-authored by MarioMoratorio, UC Cooperative Extension farm advi-sor, Solano and Yolo counties, entitled, “El Dorado:From Gold Rush to Agri-tourism.” Jolly also be-came a founding member of the International As-sociation of Experts in Agricultural and Rural Tour-ism.

ElectedAt its October 2000 meeting, members of the

USDA National Agricultural Research, Extension,Education and Economics Advisory Board electedDesmond Jolly to serve on its executive commit-tee. The board advises the USDA Secretary onUSDA's research and education portfolio.

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SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME 1 2001

Mats Ando –FROM PAGE 1

farm advisor assured them cucumberscouldn’t be grown in the Arizona desert.

“We put in 10 acres anyway and grewthe most beautiful cucumbers you’ve everseen,” Ando said. “The next year, weplanted 100 acres and didn’t have one vineworth picking. It just wouldn’t grow.”

Ando is still mystified.After two years, Ando enlisted in the

Army and was sent to Minnesota to teachAmerican soldiers how to speak Japanese.They were good students, he said, untilJapan surrendered. Shortly thereafter,Ando returned to the family farm. He at-tended “Veteran’s Farm Classes,” an alter-native to the GI Bill that was offered tofarmers.

“My dad was a clean farmer. Everymorning he left the house with a matchso he could scrape up the weeds and burnthem. The spot got sterile,” Ando said.“The Thompson (grapes) crop was goingdownhill.”

Carrying on the TraditionIn the early 1960s, after his father’s

death, Ando took over and began apply-ing the scientific farming methods helearned in high school agriculture classes,the Veteran’s Farm Classes and UC SmallFarm Program meetings. To this day, Andoseeks to further his farming knowledgeby attending UC Cooperative Extensionsmall farm advisor Richard Molinar’s an-nual strawberry meetings and calling theCooperative Extension office for specificinformation.

During the past 40 years, Ando hasstrived to return organic matter to thefarm’s sandy soil by turning weeds intothe ground and using organic fertilizers.

“I always tried to use manure, untillately. There used to be a lot of chickenfarms around here. But the chicken farmshave disappeared so it’s hard to get a holdof chicken manure now,” Ando said.

Growing EnterpriseUnlike the disappearing chicken

farms, Ando has expanded the family en-terprise by acquiring additional 40-acrefarms near Selma and Lone Star, Califor-nia. He's also grown crops on vacant land

across 10th Street in Fresno that wasowned by the Kingsburg School District.Ando has grown a variety of crops, includ-ing Thompson seedless grapes, Zante Cur-rants, strawberries, boysenberries, water-melon, onions and others.

He figures he could’ve made moremoney just growing the Thompson seed-less grapes, but, “It wouldn’t have beenas interesting.” Nevertheless, he says hecould’ve done without his struggle with30 acres of Zante Currants, which heplanted on Harmony rootstock.

“I lost $100,000 on that,” he said.“But you’re not a farmer if you can’t take

that. A farmer just wants to make a kill-ing one year and go broke the next year.He enjoys that.”

Ando said he wanted to take advan-tage of the good prices offered for ZanteCurrants. Unfortunately, “Everybodythought the same thing,” he said.

Planting the grapes on a rootstockthat didn’t protect the vine from soil-borneviruses worsened the loss.

His saving grace was Thompson seed-less grapes, which have done well on theSelma and Lone Star properties. All theThompsons are dried into raisins, “exceptfor what I make into wine,” he said.

“Dad made wine every year,” Andosaid. “Of course, some of the time it was

Mats Ando studies his handouts at Richard Molinar's annualstrawberry workshop in Fresno.

illegal. All the neighbors would come overand dip into it. They were scared to makeit themselves, but they didn’t mind drink-ing Dad’s.”

The Next GenerationAlthough Ando continues to help out

on the farm, he has passed the torch tohis children, particularly his son, whomanages the operation. “I could still do itwhen I was 80,” he said. “But now, whenI bend over to pull a weed, I can’t get upwithout leaning on a shovel.”

The Andos still grow a half-acre ofstrawberries, but the majority of Japanesefarmers have moved on to other cropswhile immigrants from Southeast Asiahave taken up farming what Ando calls a“back-breaking truck crop.”

“When the Hmongs came in, I won-dered,” Ando said, ‘will they have to gothrough what we went through?’”

Fortunately, he concludes, withchanging attitudes about immigrants andthe help of government supported edu-cational programs like the UC Small FarmProgram, they won’t. ■

Visit the Small Farm Center web sitefor more farmer profiles, newsletterback issues, research, and related

information at www.sfc.ucdavis.edu

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VOLUME 1 2001 SMALL FARM NEWS

Growers and ranchers from aroundthe state recently attended con-ferences co-sponsored or co-

organized by members of the Small FarmProgram and Center.

These conferences reached a broadspectrum of farmers and ranchers in-volved in a variety of related activities.Following are updates of the conferences.

Limited Resource ConferencePacked with participants from across

the country, including more than 100 con-ference scholarship recipients, the “Mar-kets, Tools, and Opportunities for Lim-ited Resource Farmers Conference” washeld October 31-November 2, 2000, inModesto, California.

The UC Small Farm Programpartnered with USDA and Cal Poly, SanLuis Obispo to co-sponsor the event,which featured workshops and tours pre-sented by successful growers, ranchers,agency and extension staff on a variety oftopics ranging from the challenges of pur-chasing inputs to direct marketing toschools.

Farm Conference 2000Held this year November 17-19,

2000, in Santa Rosa, California, FarmConference 2000 presented workshopsand farm tours covering issues rangingfrom managing soil fertility to protectingthe future of small farms. On November

17, 2000, the Small Farm Center and theAgri-tourism Workgroup presented anagri-tourism short course, where partici-pants interacted with experienced farm-ers and ranchers who discussed the chal-lenges and rewards inherent in agri-tour-ism operations.

Spanish Language ConferenceIn the fast-paced world of agriculture,

the latest news on crop information, re-search and marketing is critical to sur-vival. To reach Spanish-speaking farmerswith current information, the University

of California held a farm conference en-tirely in Spanish at the Kearney Agricul-tural Center December 12, 2000.

About 70 farmers and farm manag-ers listened to experts addressing topics

A Farm Conference 2000 tour stop at Kozlowski Farms inForestville, California, included a visit to its vineyards andgift shop, where the Kozlowskis sell their value-addedproducts including jams, jellies, sauces, and salad dressings.

including weed control, vegetable dis-eases, marketing, and insect control. Con-ference organizers, including UC Coop-erative Extension farm advisors RichardMolinar and Manuel Jimenez; Joe

Santellano of Sunnyside Packing; and JoseQuezada from USDA Natural ResourceConservation Service, said they have of-fered single-topic workshops for non-English-speaking farmers before, oftentranslating up to three languages simul-taneously, including Spanish, Hmong, andMien. But this is one of the first efforts toreach Spanish-speaking farmers — inSpanish — on a broad range of subjects.

Molinar and Jimenez hope to form aworking group of Spanish-speaking farm-ers who will meet on a regular basis toexplore a range of issues from pest pro-tection to marketing. ■

The Farm Conference 2000 agri-tourism short course drew50 participants from across the state.

Painted by one of Laguna Farm's CSA members, this muralgraces an entire wall of the farm's barn.

Scott Matheson, right, owner of Laguna Farms in Sebastopol,California, shares his Community Supported Agriculture(CSA) experience with Farm Conference 2000 tourparticipants.

During a Limited Resource Conference tour stop at NickSciabica & Sons' olive oil tasting room in Modesto,California, participants tasted and rated varietal olive oilsranging in flavor from orange to jalapeno.

Conferences Update and Educate Growers/Ranchers

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SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME 1 2001

financial pressures caused by outsideforces. Many are delaying purchases, leav-ing bills unpaid, and even losing farmsthrough no fault of their own.

What is Stress?Stress is physical or emotional ten-

sion. It’s a reaction to situations or circum-stances that seem unfamiliar, threatening,or harmful.

Major life events or many small dailyhassles can trigger stress. Everyone re-sponds differently to it. A moderateamount of stress can prompt needed ac-tion. However, severe or prolonged stress-ful events can lead to physical or mentalhealth problems, substance abuse, andinterpersonal strain.

Farm StressFarm family stress is due, in large part

to forces that farmers do not control —like the weather or shifting markets. Yetfarmers and ranchers tend to blame them-selves when crops fail or their livestock iswiped out. Stress also makes farmers moreaccident prone.

When things go well, a farmer feelsthat he or she has been successful. When

things go wrong, the loss can feel like adeath in the family.

Dealing with StressFarmers and ranchers believe in be-

ing strong, independent, stoic, and moral— and in handling problems themselves.

Within farm culture, there is a reluc-tance to air problems outside the familyor to seek professional help for mentalhealth problems. While farm families canoften bounce back from most stresses,extraordinary situations may require out-side help.

When migrant workers traveled lastyear to harvest in states affected by citrusfreeze or drought, they found no crop toharvest. There was no work, wages, or

housing. Worker stress was high as theybecame stranded far from home, return-ing without pay. Workers may hesitate totravel again unless they know that workexists. If farmers lose this traditional la-bor force, it strains the larger agriculturalsystem.

How to Recognize StressPeople who work with farmers, such

as extension specialists, farm advocates,pastors, family doctors, bankers, veteri-narians, agribusiness people, and others,need to understand farmer stressors.

Sustained stress, life crisis, exhaus-tion, and demoralization may cause physi-cal symptoms like depression, anxiety, orsuicidal thoughts; headaches; sleep orappetite problems; chronic fatigue; fre-quent sickness; poor concentration; heartdisease; ulcers; cancer; gastrointestinal orbladder problems; immune system disor-ders; obesity; hair loss; muscle twitches;or backaches.

Stress Overload: Behavioral Signs Stress strains relationships. Stress

symptoms include atypical, uncontrol-lable, and irrational behavior; irritability;

Managing –FROM PAGE 1

Farmer-related Stressors Include:● Death of a family member or

farm worker, or valuable animal

● Foreclosure notice

● Mounting bills, low cash flow,middleman profits

● Divorce or marital separation

● Major illness or accident, insuffi-cient insurance

● Care of elder or special-needs fam-ily member

● Holding down both off-farm job andon-farm responsibilities

● Bad weather or natural disaster

● Lower than expected crop yields orlivestock production

● High costs of land, machinery, fuel,essential farm services, and otherinputs

● Changes in government laws andregulations, resulting in farm-relatedexpenses

● Rejection of farm loan or inaccessibleloan programs

● Discrimination practiced by farmprogram officials

● Heirs who don’t want to run fam-ily farm business(es)

● Depletion of retirement savings tosustain farm operation

● Nearing retirement age but can’tafford to stop farming

● Farm numbers dwindling in com-munity, farm families feel isolated

● Housing development encroach-ment, complaints about farm odors

● Outside population doesn't under-stand farm culture

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VOLUME 1 2001 SMALL FARM NEWS

—CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

violence or abuse toward family membersor animals; loss of interest and withdrawalfrom family or community events; re-peated irrational or normal activity at anirrational rate. Other symptoms includepassive aggressiveness; self-destructive be-havior; talk of suicide; excessive drink-ing; being more emotional; difficulty con-centrating and making decisions; accidentproneness; and feelings of worthlessness,inadequacy, or failure.

Farmer Suicide“Farmer suicide is an inter-

national calamity, not justan individual problem,”says Kentucky film-maker Joe TerranceGray in his compel-ling documentary,“Green Blood, RedTears.”

Gray investigatedfarmer suicide causesafter his farmer nephew,James Gray Goodman,killed himself in 1995, stunning his fam-ily and community. “Farmer suicide spansmid-America and is often misreported ashunting, traffic, or stalled truck on rail-road accidents,” says Gray. “Farmers aremore likely than are other workers tocommit suicide, especially in the Midwest.There is not enough talk about farmersuicide.”

Gray’s film aims to open up that dia-logue.

Biochemical Links?American and European scientists

offer convincing evidence of a link be-tween organophosphate exposure amongfarmers and symptoms of depression andsuicidal thoughts.

Most physicians are not trained toidentify toxic chemical exposure symp-toms in their patients. When traditionalantidepressant medication is prescribedfor depression among poisoned patients,suicidal thoughts may increase. Gray’snephew reported headaches, numb hands,troubled sleep, and depression after us-ing chemicals in crop spraying.

Lorann Stallones, professor, Depart-ment of Environmental Health, ColoradoState University, has studied farmer sui-cide rates in Kentucky and Colorado.

“Gray’s film introduces research neverlinked together before,” she says. “Whenfarmers experience depressive symptoms,it is critical that they tell their physiciansthe specific chemicals they use.

“Physicians working with farmersexposed to organophosphate chemicalsshould monitor these patients when theyprescribe standard anti-depression medi-

cations,” she adds.“Immediate symp-

toms of acute poison-ing can be detected,but it is difficult formany doctors tocorrelate symp-

toms with low-level, long-term ex-

posure. Vague symp-toms of chronic expo-

sure are more likely to berecognized by occupational

medicine physicians.“Many farmers do not wear adequate

protective clothing when working withpesticides and herbicides. We want to getthe message out that they need protec-tion.”

Other organophosphate exposuresymptoms include exhaustion, weakness,numbness, confusion, dizziness, blurredand dark vision, cold sweating, salivating,watery eyes, stuffy or runny nose, twitch-ing eyelids and tongue, vomiting, cramp-like abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficultybreathing, and chest tightness.

Extension agents and state pesticideapplicator training program coordinatorsteach safe pesticide application proce-dures.

DisastersDisaster victims may express disbe-

lief, anger, sadness, anxiety, and depres-sion afterwards. Children need extra at-tention, love, support, and reassurance.

● Acknowledge the reality of

the situation.

● Understand what causes you

stress.

● Focus energy on situations

you can control.

● Set realistic goals for your

farm operation.

● Have a yearly physical

checkup.

● Take time for quiet moments

and music.

● Take short work breaks.

● Practice breathing deeply

and relaxing muscles.

● Exercise, eat nutritious food,

and get enough sleep.

● Stay in close relationship

with family and community.

● Create more relaxation time

with significant others.

● Be kinder and gentler with

words and actions to family.

● Find outlets for anxiety and

frustration like prayer, social

gatherings, sports, or hobbies.

● Use humor.

● See your minister, priest, rabbi,

or other spiritual leader for

counseling.

Managing Stress

“Many farmers do not wearadequate protective clothing

when working with pesti-cides and herbicides. We

want to get the message outthat they need protection.”

— Lorann Stallones

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SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME 1 2001

Farm DeathsFarm deaths can happen suddenly

and unexpectedly. Feelings of numbness,sadness, depression, anger, fear, empti-ness, aching, hopelessness, and low en-ergy are natural reactions.

A minister or grief counselor canhelp. A hug, knowing look, touch, pray-ing together, or making a sacred memo-rial spot on the farm to honor the indi-vidual can mean a lot. Grief is a naturalhealing process that lessens over time.

Managing RiskFinancial stress immobilizes people.

A financial analysis of your operation bya farm business association or other ex-pert can pinpoint strengths and weak-nesses.

Software programs designed specifi-cally for agriculture, like FarmWin, jointlydeveloped by Sunrise Software, farmers,and USDA’s Agricultural Research Service,offer farmers a tool to maintain their ownaccurate farm records. Farms vary in theirability to weather shocks, as operationsvary widely with enterprise mix, finan-cial situations, and business and house-hold characteristics. Managing risk in-volves combining farm activities to maxi-mize return at a manageable level of risk.

A risk management strategy might in-clude enterprise diversification, verticalintegration, production contracts, cropyield and crop revenue insurance, or off-farm jobs.

Fiscal skills are critical. Successfulfarmers may not produce more thanneighbors, but manage resources well andmake money on cost efficiencies. Theycarefully watch inputs and family costs,purchasing a new part or equipment onlywhen absolutely necessary.

Survival may not be possible in se-verely stressed farm businesses. Financialadvisors can help farmers determine if thefarm business can survive with operatingcharges and restructured assets or debts,whether cash flow is sufficient in the longterm, or if resources warrant expansion.

Helping a Farmer Friend inCrisis

People in crisis need someone to re-ally listen so that they can tell what is hap-pening and affirm the difficulty of the situ-ation.

Be available, give full attention, makeeye contact, and focus on what people aresaying with their faces, eyes, voice, body,words, and feelings, more than their story.Give them ample time to talk. Don’t pro-

tect people in crisis from reality. Peopleneed to learn the truth. Give accurate in-formation, even if it is negative.

It makes sense to most people to fo-cus their energy on predictable life fac-tors. Help farmers identify their majorstressors and develop a plan to minimizeeffects. Ask them to specify symptoms.Brainstorm about solutions. Watch andlisten for potential suicide behaviors likegiving away cherished possessions orvoicing suicidal thoughts.

Familiarize yourself with communitymental health resources to offer options.Urge professional help if needed. Offer tocontact the professional and accompanythe person to the appointment. Follow upto show you care.

Community ResourcesCommunity counseling resources in-

clude community mental health depart-ments, medical centers, churches, andarchdiocesan centers; county extensionoffices, rural health departments, the Sal-vation Army, department of health andhuman services field offices, and commu-nity food banks. ■

Managing –FROM PAGE 7

National Suicide Hopeline Network(800) 784-2433. Connects to staffskilled in helping farmers and ranchers.

National Domestic Violence Hotline(800) 799-7233

National Pesticide TelecommunicationNetwork for Consumer and MedicalInformation on Pesticides(800) 858-7378

Pesticide Accident Hotline(800) 424- 9300

For additional resources, see page 9.

● Routine changes — social withdrawal

● Increase in illness or accidents

● Decline in personal, farm, home appearance

● Neglect or abuse of children or animals

● Dramatic change in the children’s behavior

● Substance abuse, spousal abuse, verbal abuse and/or physical abuse

Farmer Help Lines Signs That a FarmFamily Needs Support

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VOLUME 1 2001 SMALL FARM NEWS

Farmer SuccessStoriesUSDA Risk Management Agencyh t t p : / / w w w. rm a . u s d a . g o v / n e w s /archive.html

Family Relationship Fact SheetsColorado State Universityhttp://www.colostate.edu/depts/CoopExt/PUBS/CONSUMER/pubcons.html#relat

Strengthening Families and YouthClemson Universityhttp://Fyd.clemson.edu/famlife.htm

Disaster Response InformationNorth Carolina State Universityhttp://www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster

Rural Response ProgramUniversity of Minnesotah t t p : / / w w w. e x t e n s i o n . u m n . e d u /ruralresponse

Home and FamilyPurdue Universityhttp://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agtransition/family.html

HealthfinderU.S. Department of Health and HumanServiceshttp://www.healthfinder.gov

UC Agricultural Health and SafetyCenter at Davishttp://agcenter.ucdavis.edu/

California Department of PesticideRegulationhttp://www.cdpr.ca.gov

UC Integrated Pest ManagementProgramhttp://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu

The Extension Toxicology Networkhttp://www.ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet

ResourcesWeb Sites Publications/Videos

Updated in English fromits first edition, the PesticideSafety for Small Farms publica-tion is part of an ongoing farmsafety project that providesgrowers with step-by-stepsafety information on topics in-cluding handling, transporting,and disposing of pesticides.

In collaboration with theUC Integrated Pest Manage-ment Program and supportedby the UC Agricultural Healthand Safety Center at Davis, theUC Small Farm Program andpartners also have developedpesticide safety videos and au-dio cassettes available inHmong, Lao, Spanish, andEnglish languages.

A CD containing Spanish-language pesticide safety pub-lic service announcements alsohas been developed and distrib-uted for the project by MyriamGrajales-Hall, public informa-tion representative, SpanishBroadcast and Media Services,University of California.

For more informationabout the project and its publi-cations or other forms of me-dia, please call the Small FarmCenter at (530) 752-8136.

Pesticide Safetyfor Small Farms

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The Responding to Farm Stressvideo teaches family members and othershow to respond to farmer stress. Cost:$15. Contact: Mercy Medical Center, 250Mercy Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001; (319)589-8035.

Healing Stories, a video produced bythe Farm Women Network, deals withself-worth and changes in agriculture.Cost: $35. Contact: Dorothy Rosemeier,West Central Research and OutreachCenter, State Hwy. 329, Box 471, Morris,MN 56267; (320) 589-1711.

The video Green Blood, Red Tearsdocuments the interaction betweenfarmer suicide risk and economic andother pressures. Cost: $95 plus $5shipping. Contact: Colorado InjuryControl Research Center, Colorado StateUniversity, Department of EnvironmentalHealth, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1676;(970) 491-0670.

The print publication, Federal Disas-ter Assistance for Farmers 2000 edition,describes all major types of federal disas-ter assistance available to farmers. Cost:$18 to farmers, ranchers, and non-profitorganizations. Contact: Farmer’s Legal Ac-tion Group, Inc., 46 East 4th St., Suite1301, St. Paul, MN 55101 (651) 223-5400.

An American Farm Tale videoaddresses ways to avoid organophosphateinsecticide poisoning. Cost: $20 plus $3shipping. Contact: Rutgers University,Pest Management Office, Blake Hall, 93Lipman Dr., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8524; (732) 932-9801.

The 2001 National Organic Direc-tory is the directory’s final edition. Cost:$49.95, plus tax and shipping. Contact:CAFF, P.O. Box 363, Davis, CA 95617-0363; (800) 852-3832.

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SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME 1 2001

News Notes

■ “Protección de su salud,” is a Spanish-language publi-cation created in comic book format that provides farm-ers with information about pesticide rules and dangers.Created by Sacramento artist Javier Juarez and publishedby the Western Crop Protection Association and the Coa-lition for Rural and Environmental Stewardship, more than100,000 copies of the Spanish-language booklet are being dis-tributed free of charge in California and several other states.

The publication is endorsed by organizations including theEnvironmental Protection Agency, the California Departmentof Pesticide Regulation, and the departments of agriculture inCalifornia, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Utah, and Washington. TheSmall Farm Center is assisting in distribution of the free publi-cation, which can be ordered by calling the center at (530) 752-8136 or e-mailing sfcenter@ucdavis.edu.

■ A draft report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)says that more than two dozen cows and calves in the pettingarea of Merrymead Farm in Worcester, Pennsylvania, have testedpositive for carrying the strain of E. coli that sickened 16 chil-dren who visited the farm. The 150 year-old family farm opera-tors said they have relied on the county to provide appropriateguidelines so the farmers can serve the county in a healthy andsafe manner, and were surprised when they were told of the re-port by the media rather than by officials of Montgomery County,where the farm is located.

The CDC is working to develop national guidelines for op-erators of petting zoos, farms, and animal exhibits. Among thoserecommendations would be adequate hand-washing facilities onsite, eating areas separate from areas in which animals are kept,and warnings to visitors of the risk of infection.

The Small Farm Center provides on-farm food and pesti-cide safety information in a variety of formats, including publi-cations, audio and video cassettes, and web site documents andlinks. For more information, see page 9.

■ The Small Farm Center Agri-Tourism Database, which guidesconsumers to your on-farm site, is now online at http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/database. To add your agri-tourism farm site to the database, contact the Small Farm Cen-ter at (530) 752-8136.

■ Small producers who want to incorporate the web into theirbusinesses may be interested in the online course, “InternetMarketing: Food and Fiber Products.” Taught by Greg Whitethrough the University of Maine web site, the course starts stu-dents with an introduction to the web, followed by site design

and techniques on how to market theirfood products online. The course is taughtentirely via the web site, so out-of-statecourse fees do not apply. For more infor-mation, contact Greg White, course instruc-

tor, at (207) 581-3159 or visit the course web site at: http://webct.umaine.edu/public/REP466/index.html

■ Retiring farmers interested in selling or leasing farms to aspir-ing farmers can contact California Farmlink, a non-profit orga-nization dedicated to ensuring the existence of family farming.The organization provides information, workshops, and techni-cal assistance to match landowners and aspiring farmers, andalso assists retiring or new farmers with financial planning andresources. Contact California Farmlink, 1823 Eleventh Street,Sacramento, CA 95814; phone: (916) 443-4225; fax: (916) 447-8689; e-mail: farmlink@tomatoweb.com.

■ Freshnex, a new online enterprise, offers farmers and ranch-ers a free direct link to restaurant chefs through its web site athttp://www.freshnex.com/index.jhtml. Frankie Whitman, aFreshnex representative, notes that chefs are looking for unusual,flavorful products, with heirloom varieties and baby vegetablesparticularly in demand. For more information, visit thewww.freshnex.com web site or contact Frankie Whitman at (510)527-8171.

■ USDA released the final national organic standards in Decem-ber 2000, available on the web at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop.The standards offer a national definition for the term “organic”and detail the methods, practices, and substances that can beused in producing and handling organic crops and livestock, aswell as processed products. The standards also establish clearorganic labeling criteria, and prohibit the use of genetic engi-neering methods, ionized radiation, and sewage sludge for fer-tilization, three highly protested points that were submitted inan earlier proposed rule. Organic farmers and processors willhave 18 months to comply with the new standards.

■ A listing of seed and plant suppliers that have signed a safeseed pledge indicating that they will not knowlingly buy or sellgenetically engineered seeds or plants is available at http://www.gene-watch.org/programs/SafeSeeds.html. The Safe SeedSourcebook list is on the web site for the Council for Respon-sible Genetics, in Cambridge, Massechusetts, which also can bereached via phone: (617) 868-0870; or e-mail: crg@gene-watch.org.

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VOLUME 1 2001 SMALL FARM NEWS

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MARCH1New and Specialty Crop Development and ProductionSanta Cruz, CAUC Cooperative Extension farm advisors present this workshop on topicsincluding new crop development, economic essentials, and specialty cropproduction of Asian vegetables, capers, edemame, and purslane. Spanishtranslation will be provided.Contact: Laura Tourte, UC Cooperative Extension, Santa Cruz County, 1432Freedom Blvd., Watsonville, CA 95076; (831) 763-8040.

5Small Farm Management and AccountingSan Luis Obispo, CAThis UC Cooperative Extension workshop covers small farm accountingand bookkeeping, provides a fresh fruit and vegetable marketing review,and includes a presentation from a USDA Farm Service Agencyrepresentative. Spanish translation will be provided.Contact: Mark Gaskell, farm advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, SantaBarbara County, 624 W. Foster Rd, Suite A, Santa Maria, CA 93455;(805) 934-6240.

6Food Safety Workshop for Small FarmersWatsonville, CAPresented in Spanish by UC Cooperative Extension, this workshop will helpsmall-scale growers develop a comprehensive on-farm food safety plan.Contact: Shantana Goerge, Department of Vegetable Crops, University ofCalifornia, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616; (530) 752-4501.

13Growing and Marketing Gourmet Olive OilSan Luis Obispo, CAUC Cooperative Extension hosts this one-day workshop that presents anoverview of olive production and markets; orchard establishment andmanagement costs; cultural practices; and the viability of Central Coastolive oil production.Contact: Mark Gaskell, farm advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, SantaBarbara County, 624 W. Foster Rd, Suite A, Santa Maria, CA 93455;(805) 934-6240.

27-28Partnerships for Sustaining California Agriculture:Profit, Environment and CommunityWoodland, CACo-sponsored by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and EducationProgram, Western Region SARE, California Department of PesticideRegulation, and U.S. EPA Region 9, this conference will explore innovativefarming and ranching systems in California and features lectures, paneldiscussions, and hands-on workshops. Contact: University Extension,University of California, 1333 Research Park Drive, Davis, CA 95616-4852; (800) 752-0881.

APRIL20Precision Agriculture for Row CropsUC DavisLearn more about precision agriculture techniques in this course, gearedtowards small and large-scale agricultural operations and annual crops.Contact: University Extension, University of California, 1333 Research ParkDrive, Davis, CA 95616-4852; (800) 752-0881.

27-28Sensory Evaluation of Olive OilUC DavisUC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Paul Vossen and other speakersteach participants to make objective assessments of olive oil qualitythrough tastings and lectures.Contact: University Extension, University of California, 1333 Research ParkDrive, Davis, CA 95616-4852; (800) 752-0881.

MAY 5-9California Grazing Academy/Low-Stress Livestock HandlingSchoolSwanton Ranch, Santa Cruz, CADuring this four-day course, participants learn about controlled grazing andrange ecology as well as low stress livestock handling principles, includingcontrolling movement, sorting, and placing animals on the range withoutfences.Contact: Roger Ingram, UC Cooperative Extension, Placer and NevadaCounties, 11477 E Ave., Auburn, CA 95603; (530) 889-7385.

17-19Organic Trade Association Trade ShowAustin, TXOpen for anyone interested in the organic industry, this event includeseducational forums and OTA committee meetings along with the organic-only trade show.Contact: Eurich Management Services, 3721 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 200,Lansing, MI 48917; (517) 327-9207.

JUNE23Herbal Salve MakingUC Santa Cruz FarmLearn how to choose herbs from the garden to make herbal salves that canbe used for bruises, sprains and chapped skin.Contact: Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, UC SantaCruz, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064; (831) 459-3376.

Add your calendar event to our web site at http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/cgi-win/sfcweb.exe/listevents

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SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME 1 2001

Small Farm CenterUniversity of CaliforniaDavis, CA 95616

Official Business610W

Address Correction Requested

The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability,age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. The University also prohibits sexualharassment. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111Franklin St., 6th Floor, Oakland, CA. 94607-5200. (510) 987-0096.

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UC Small Farm Program Presents 2000 Awards

From left to right: Joe Santellano, Sibella Kraus, Richard Molinar, Joe Santellano, Michael Yang, Desmond Jolly,and Nita Gizdich at the UC Small Farm Program 2000 Awards presentation.

UC Small Farm Program Director Desmond Jollypresented several deserving recipients with Small FarmProgram 2000 Awards during the Farm Conference

2000 banquet November 18, 2000.The Pedro Ilic Award for Outstanding Farmer was pre-

sented to Fresno County farmer Joe Santellano, who tests newvarieties of vegetables every year on his 10-acre ranch and shareshis research with other farmers. In addition, he manages a 200-acre farm in his position as fieldman for Sunnyside Packing inSelma, California, where he organizes farmer workshops in co-operation with UC Cooperative Extension in Fresno and Tularecounties.

The Pedro Ilic Award for Outstanding Educators was pre-sented jointly to Richard Molinar, farm advisor, UC Coopera-

tive Extension, Fresno County, and his as-sistant, Michael Yang. Molinar and Yangwork to serve the county’s small-scale farm-ers, half of whom are Southeast Asian, Afri-can-American, or Hispanic. The duo main-tain outreach efforts that include one-on-one consultations, field days, workshops,and radio programs.

Santa Cruz County farmer Nita Gizdichreceived the Pioneer Agriculturist Awardfor her outstanding contributions to theagri-tourism movement in California, and

her considerable outreach efforts to fellow farmers and urbandwellers. Gizdich owns a 50-acre family farm near Watsonvillethat includes a successful u-pick operation and a thriving giftshop.

Sibella Kraus, an innovative Bay Area food marketing prac-titioner and educator, is the recipient of the Kathleen BarsottiPioneer Agriculturist Award. Kraus, who started the San Fran-cisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market in her role as director of theCenter for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, hashad a major impact on the connection between family farmersand urban communities in the last 20 years.

For more award details, visit our web site at http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/news/awards2000.html ■