IWMI's Food Waste Guide

Reducing food waste: How to make it work? by Tania Perera, Senior Communication Specialist at IWMI

IWMI (International Water Management Institute) reported on ways to reduce food waste based on a tier system. Top of the list is prevention, by reducing waste overall. Next up is selling what would be considered waste, whether it's less than perfect looking produce or commercially produced leftovers still fit for human consumption. Next up is feeding scraps to livestock and the last is to compost, which diverts waste from landfills.

Check out the full report here!

IWMI is an international organization dedicated to sustainable and equitable water management.

Check Out ATTRA's Guide to Incorporating Agroforestry Into Your Farm

Quick Tips for Agroforestry by Katherine Favor and Justin Morris, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialists

ATTRA has released a quick and fascinating guide to incorporating trees and forests into your farm's planning. Learn about what types of trees to plant where to improve soil quality, water retention, and nitrogen fixation, as well as how to include livestock, native fauna, and even valuable fungi.

ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) is a knowledge source for sustainable agriculture, created by the US Dept of Agriculture Rural Development and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)

OSU's Winter 2023 Small Farm News is out!

OSU’s Small Farms program just published the Winter 2023 Oregon Small Farm News digital magazine. Topics include news about the OR drought and heat resilience grant programs, how the other guys are sourcing commercial irrigation water, and how to join the Farmer-to-Farmer Willamette Valley Agritourism Network.

Browse here!

Dry Farming Collaborative's Video Series

Check out the YouTube page of the Dry Farming Collaborative, part of the OSU Small Farms Program.

Plenty to watch, including discussions with farmers and variety trial research results.

Reading Resources: Water Rights Laws in Oregon

Water Rights in Oregon: An Introduction to Oregon's Water Laws (Published in 2018 by the Oregon Water Resources Department)

Read this 52-paged primer on water laws in the state of Oregon. This covers what and how the OR Water Resources Commission and Department works to protect one of our most precious resources, water, and more specifically, fresh water. Learn about how the body is administered, its goals and actions, and how laws impact you and your community.

It's About to Get Wild in Here...

Oregon State University’s Oregon Wine Research Institute dropped an exciting paper in their Vine to Wine newsletter this month. Dr. James Osborne, a Professor and Extension Enologist at OSU, wrote about the growing interest in non-Saccharomyces yeasts in wine fermentation, including mention of several types once grouped with spoilage yeasts that are now available commercially.

Learn more about the latest developments by accessing a PDF copy of Dr. Osborne’s paper here and subscribe to their newsletter on their website to stay in the loop.

Crushed red wine grapes from La Colina Vineyard in Dundee Hills (not part of the study).

Forest Fires in the News

New Data Confirms: Forest Fires Are Getting Worse by James MacCarthy, Sasha Tyukavina, Mikaela Weisse and Nancy Harris of the World Resources Institute

The title says it all, though the maps and data say it louder...

Wondering how your farm can manage wildfires? Read CAFF's guide on wildfire and food safety here.

Water in the International News & Reports

July 2023 confirmed as hottest month on record - Report by the World Meteorological Organization

See the latest data on global temperatures.

Facing a Future of Drought, Spain Turns to Medieval Solutions and ‘Ancient Wisdom’ by Constant Méheut

[Subscription required]

Follow the IISD's report on the 38th United Nations Water Meeting taking place now by clicking here.

Reading Resources: Sustainable Agriculture

Want to learn about sustainable agriculture? Download the free guide by SARE here. The guide discusses climate resilience, soil heath, and community vitality.

Founded in 1988, SARE is a national grassroots organization emphasizing sustainable agriculture through grants, education, and outreach to farmers.

Grape pomace and amphorae at Beckham Estate

Reading Resources

A roundup of worthy water- and farming-focused reads from around the web.

WHO/UNICEF Progress Report Analyzes Gender Inequalities in WASH

Learn about how access to clean drinking water and sanitation impacts gender inequalities. This is a summary of the report by SDG Knowledge Hub, an International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) project on UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal: 6 Key Questions, Answered by Katie Lebling, Eliza Northrop and Colin McCormick of the World Resources Institute

Explore how the ocean can help CO2 capturing efforts with nascent methods and technologies.

Inside the Technical Tasting: Unlocking the Secrets of Our Award-Winning Wines by the Dundee Hills Winery Association

Raise a glass to the historic Dundee Hills, and learn how vintage reports are crafted from the annual technical tasting.

Farming with Soil Life: A Handbook for Supporting Soil Invertebrates and Soil Health on Farms by Jennifer Hopwood, Stephanie Frischie, Emily May, Eric Lee-Mader of SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) and the Xerces Society

This free handbook provides information on creating and maintaining healthy soil.

Climate Primer by Elise Haschke, NCAT Climate and Agriculture Program Manager; Lee Rinehart, NCAT Northeast Regional Director; and Darron Gaus, NCAT Sustainable Ag Specialist

Read ATTRA's climate primer, a comprehensive guide to the most pressing issue of our time. ATTRA is a knowledge source for sustainable agriculture, created by the US Dept of Agriculture Rural Development and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).