Message to owners of small farms: Adapt to survive

Small farmers must have an alternate source of money these days, which could come from their own fields, said leaders of the Ranches-Farm to Market workshop at the Nevada Rural Summit.

"If you've got less than 1,000 to 3,000 acres, you've got to do something to save your farm," said Rick Lattin of Lattin Farms in Fallon. "I know people from all over the county who have saved their farms."

Lattin Farms created its own marketing strategy, through selling its produce, baked goods, jams and pickles and with a cornfield maze that is the creation of international maze designer Adrian Fisher of London.

"We love Fallon. We love farming," said Lattin at the workshop Wednesday. "If you love Fallon and farming, you've got to do something different."

Although Nevada's laws regarding commercial kitchens are tough, Lattin said sometimes businesses can start by borrowing other licensed commercial kitchens.

"We started in the Elks kitchen," he said.

Approximately nine cities and towns in Northern Nevada have established farmers markets.

Ann Louhela, marketing manager for the Sparks Farmers Market, said the Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association is trying to create more.

"What we'd like to do is have year-round markets in Reno and Fallon, expand other markets, and develop new markets," said Louhela.

A marketing initiative, NevadaGrown, recently received $50,000 from the Legislature to use for marketing purposes. NevadaGrown provides banners for farmers who join farmers markets.

The biggest challenge for organizers of farmers markets is finding the producers, according to Louhela.

"We don't have enough farmers between California and Nevada," she said.

Grants are available through USDA Rural Development to assist farmers in the initial start-up of their businesses, according to Dan Johnson of USDA Rural Development.

Approximately $14.3 million was available for "value-added producer" grants in the 2005 fiscal year, and next year, the amount should be similar, he said. The grants are for marketing agricultural products or for farm-based renewable energy and are awarded in October.

Organizers of the Carson Valley meat co-op, a group of University of Nevada, Reno, officials and Valley ranchers who are trying to save their farms, are waiting for a similar USDA grant to study the feasibility of forming a co-op, according to Johnson.

"If they have a marketing plan and a feasibility study ready to go, they can apply for this grant as well," said Johnson.

The grant provides $100,000 for planning or $150,000 for working the operation. The funds must be matched and not from another federal government source.

n Jo Rafferty can be reached at jrafferty@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 213.