E-M:/ Good Idea for Michigan

[John Gear <jmgear@acd.net>]

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Enviro-Mich message from John Gear <jmgear@acd.net>
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*Great idea, actually ... we could actually prepare for the coming end 
of cheap oil and petrofertilizers usefully (what a concept) --
*

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Long Overdue: Tax Breaks for Farmers Who Shift to Organic Agriculture*

*From Ag News You Can Use July 16, 2005
Amigo Cantisano <orgamigo@jps.net *

*Woodbury County Iowa offers tax breaks to organic farmers, first in 
U.S. Associated Press*

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Woodbury County is offering tax incentives to 
farmers who switch from conventional production to organic.

Woodbury County Supervisors voted June 28 to provide property tax 
rebates for those who convert from conventional to organic farming 
practices. That action will grant $50,000 a year for five years to those 
who make the
conversion.

Bob Scowcroft, executive director of the Organic Farming Research 
Foundation in Santa Cruz, Calif., said Woodbury County may be the first 
local government to offer such incentives to farmers" "Frankly, I don't 
know of any other activity that local government has taken to encourage 
organic farming,'' he said.

Marqusee said the goal of the program would be to build on local 
agriculture to spark economic development.

The program would help build a thriving organic farming industry that 
would attract organic food processors and other businesses to the area, 
he said. ``I studied the economic benefits of organic farming. It just 
seemed to fit,'' he said. ``We're looking at being part of a movement 
that is gaining ground.'' Marqusee said studies done by Iowa State 
University show organic farming can produce higher profit margins per 
acre than conventional farming, and on fewer acres.

Organic farming might save smaller family farms by offering lower 
startup costs and encouraging potential young farmers to stay in farming 
instead of leaving for higher paying jobs.

Marqusee said the organic market is growing with more grocery stores, 
such as Hy-Vee, dedicating space to organic products. ``We think 
domestic (organic) food manufacturers are going to want a reliable 
domestic supply,'' Marqusee said. ``We know that people are making 
money. It might as well be us, too.'' Holly Givens, a spokeswoman for 
the Massachusetts-based Organic Trade Association, said her group 
doesn't track local governments programs, but she believes incentives 
for farmers who switch to organic production are unusual. ``I haven't 
really heard of that before,'' she said.


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