If you hire someone who was previously unemployed, or have recently done so, you probably qualify for a tax benefit.  Under a new federal program, employers who hire someone who was previously unemployed are not required to pay the employer share of social security for that employee.

Late blight has been confirmed for the first time in New England, on tomato from a backyard garden in Cheshire CT (New Haven County) this morning, 17 June 2010.  The tomato plants were grown from seed, but could have been infected from nearby greenhouse, bedding plants or market farms.

Farmer and Rancher candidate nominations will begin on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, with the election taking place between Friday, Nov. 5, and the close of business on Monday, Dec 6th.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced MFBF President Richard Bonanno as one of new members of the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee (FRRCC) for its 2010-2012 term. The FRRCC is an independent committee that advises EPA on a wide range of environmental issues of importance to agriculture and rural communities.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst has received a $179,000 grant for a three-year project to help vegetable farmers withstand extreme climate conditions and other problems through changing the way they till their fields. The effort is funded by Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), an agency of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a new permit requirement that would decrease the amount of pesticides discharged to our nation's waters and protect human health and the environment. This action is in response to an April 9, 2009 court decision that found that pesticide discharges to U.S. waters were pollutants, thus requiring a permit.
 

MFBF President Richard Bonanno & Cape & Islands Board Member Ronald Smolowitz dicuss food safety