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The Center |
Staff
Members Membership RSS Feeds CIFT Video Library News Archive Contact Us |
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The Center |
Staff
Members Membership RSS Feeds CIFT Video Library News Archive Contact Us |
Special Programs...
Our City in a GardenOur City in a Garden is an urban, Toledo-based system to produce, prepare, distribute, process, and preserve healthy food products in the community, and to accomplish these ends in a manner that stresses environmental sustainability.
CIFT MembershipSince 1995, CIFT has organized and managed a membership-based consortium of food industry companies, their suppliers, and academic institutions. The goal of the consortium is to enhance the economic viability of Ohio's food and agricultural sector through technology.
Energy & Environmental ManagementEnergy and environmental management initiatives can improve the bottom line for businesses through cost reduction and alternative revenue pathways, essentially enhancing market competitiveness.
Food SafetyThis page covers food safety issues ranging from safety recalls and safe food handling practices to regulatory guidelines.
Local InitiativesCIFT Local Initiatives include the Farm to School Program, Local Food Manufacturers Program, Agritourism and the Farm to Chef Program.
NOCKThe Agricultural Incubator Foundation's Northwest Ohio Cooperative Kitchen (NOCK) is a nonprofit kitchen facility designed to assist entrepreneurial efforts and expand current food-related businesses by providing access to a commercially licensed kithchen.
Northwest Ohio Energy Crop CenterThe mission of the Northern Ohio Energy Crop Center is the identification and evaluation of opportunities to involve regional growers, processors and other entrepreneurs in biofuel production.
Northwest Ohio Green Products CenterThe Northwest Ohio Green Products Center is a collaborative effort among several partnering organizations to provide the resources, technical assistance and business expertise to regional entrepreneurs or established manufacturers who currently produce, or plan to produce, green or biobased products.
USDA-ARS Technology Transfer ProgramUSDA-ARS technology transfer provides a means for moving promising technologies discovered through federal and university research into the public arena where they are developed into marketable products. USDA-ARS accomplishes this by forming partnerships with universities and private sector businesses.
In the CIFT Spotlight...
CIFT 2008 Report to IndustryA report of CIFT's 2008 programs, projects and activities Hoop HousesA CIFT hoop house feasibility study that will determine what plants are appropriate to plant and when these plants will generate the greatest economic return. Ohio Federal Stimulus Bill WebsiteAn Ohio website where parties interested in federal stimulus dollars can submit ideas. Ohio MarketMakerAn interactive mapping system that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in Ohio, providing an important link between producers and consumers. USDA Releases Beginning Farmers and Ranchers PublicationUSDA-ERS Economic Information Bulletin EIB-53 (32 pp, May 2009) draws on data from annual surveys and the Census of Agriculture to provide policymakers with a better understanding of beginning farmers and ranchers, including how they contribute to U.S. agricultural production. Vertical Hydroponic Growing SystemsA high density vertical growing system designed for non-traditional production locations. The system enables plants to grow in significantly smaller spaces and in varying ground covers from concrete to parking lots.
CIFT Resources...
CIFT News ArchiveA repository of past CIFT news stories... CIFT RSS FeedsSubscribe to CIFT RSS feeds... CIFT Video LibraryA collection of CIFT event videos... Contact UsThe CIFT contact page with phone numbers, email addresses and directions... Privacy PolicyThe CIFT website privacy policy...Other Resources...
Current FDA RecallsThe Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has jurisdiction over recalls involving food and pet & farm animal feed. This page is a list of the latest FDA food recall notices. Current USDA RecallsThe Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects and regulates meat, poultry products and eggs. This page is a list of the latest USDA food recall notices. FoodSafety.govFoodSafety.gov is your source for the latest news and information on food safety issues. Grants.govGrants.gov is your source to FIND and APPLY for federal government grants. Quick Reference Guide to Growth FinancingThis MEP guide provides information on general financing options, programs, and techniques available to small and medium-sized enterprises and companies pursuing growth oriented strategies.
CIFT News
CIFT Kicks Off the Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum with Facts on Corn - Food versus Fuel
On March 19, 2009, CIFT hosted the first Northwest Ohio Agribusiness Breakfast Forum in conjunction with the Agricultural Incubator Foundation in Bowling Green, Ohio. The informal networking breakfasts are structured to provide information on current issues, trends and programs available to agricultural businesses in order to help build business capacity.
The first forum featured guest speaker, Mark Schwiebert, a farmer from Henry County and National Corn Growers Association Corn Board member, addressed some of the confusing information often relayed through the media regarding commodity prices, food costs, and fuel production in relation to corn ethanol. Accelerated growth in corn usage for ethanol production has led critics to question the industry’s ability to satisfy demand for both renewable fuels and traditional uses like livestock feed, food processing and exports. Skeptics suggest the corn industry will have difficulty in meeting the demands of feed, food, and export markets, as well as, supply the ethanol industry.
Schwiebert stated that the topic should not be Food versus Fuel, but rather Food AND Fuel. He noted that US corn growers are growing enough to meet all current and future needs and that farmers are leaders in environmental and economic sustainability. Grower inputs (fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides) have lessened, and outputs (bushels of corn per acre) continue to increase due to increased sustainability and efficient management practices among our farmers.
In his discussion, Schweibert sited the USDA’s comment on the rising cost of food prices by stating that "higher corn prices increase animal feed and ingredient costs for farmers and food manufacturers, but pass through to retail prices at a rate less than 10 percent of the corn price change." Additionally, non-farm costs are a larger proportion of the retail food dollar - up from 59% in 1959 to 80% today. This jump is primarily due to rising labor and energy costs. And when commodity prices began to drop in the third quarter of 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported that corn and wheat prices were down 15.6% and 37.3% year-to-date, respectively, but the Consumer Price Index continued on an upward trend (October 17, 2008).
Schwiebert cited facts and figures on how US farmers are increasing their sustainability and decreasing their inputs by more efficient monitoring and management practices. Corn’s impacts from 1987-2007 show a 37% decrease for the amount of land, a 37% decrease in the energy used, and 30% decrease in emissions to produce one bushel of corn.
Schwiebert provided an update on the Ohio ethanol industry, noting that Ohio went from three to seven ethanol production plants in 2008. Four of those plants are operational - three plants operated by Poet, LLC and Andersons Marathon Ethanol, LLC and one plant operated by Altra Coshocton Biofuels, LLC in Coshocton, Ohio. The Coshocton plant is buying corn, but stopped production due to corn and ethanol market volatility. Production will resume when the market stabilizes. Due to lackluster investor interest, no new plants are planned. However, those that are operational are looking at cellulosic ethanol enhancements to make their plants more economically viable.
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