Tag: MOFGA

Maine Currents 10/5/16

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: John Greenman

Today we welcome visitors from El Salvador and local residents who are working together through US-El Salvador Sister Cities. The right wing death squads in El Salvador’s civil war (1980-1992) were funded and trained by the US government, so alliances between citizens of these two countries may seem unlikely – but our guests explain how they are strong and mutually beneficial. We also look at some of the issues facing El Salvador today, and hear what Salvadorans are saying about the US presidential elections.

Guests:
Zulma Tobar, US-El Salvador Sister Cities staff, based in El Salvador
Carly Roach, Volunteer with US-El Salvador Sister Cities, based in El Salvador
Dennis Chinoy, PICA and City of Bangor Sister City Committee (with Carasque, El Salvador)
Karen Volckhausen, Maine farmer and member of the MOFGA committee that has a sistering relationship with CCR, a rural communities organization in El Salvador
Willie Marquart, WERU Finance Manager and former Sister Cities staff member- has worked with MOFGA committee and the sister stations WERU and Radio Sumpul in El Salvador

Maine Currents is a weekly show featuring independent local news, views and culture. Catch us on WERU-FM every Wednesday at 4pm. Send story ideas, suggestions and comments to news@weru.org

FMI:

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http://www.mofga.org/Programs/MOFGAElSalvadorSisteringProject/tabid/371/Default.aspx
https://weru.org/radio-sumpul

Past WERU reporting on El Salvador may be found here: http://weru.macrevival.com/?s=el+salvador

Maine Currents 10/21/15

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: John Greenman

Steven Druker is a public interest attorney, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Bio-Integrity, and author of “Altered Genes, Twisted Truth”. He delivered a keynote speech at MOFGA’s Common Ground Fair in September, called “Why Genetically Engineered Foods Are Unacceptably Risky – and How Their Survival Has Been Chronically and Crucially Dependent on Fraud”.

FMI: http://www.biointegrity.org/

Common Ground Radio 3/4/11

Producers/Hosts: Cheryl Wixson & Russell Libby, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association staff

Topic: Organic. What is the meaning of organic? What is organic certification? Why is it important?

Guests: Mary Yurlina, Director of MOFGA Organic Certification ; Nicolas Lindhom, Hackmatack Farm & Blueberry Hill Berry Company

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Common Ground Radio 9/3/10

Producers/Hosts: Melissa White Pillsbury, Russell Libby, Andrew Marshall and Cheryl Wixson of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)

Topic:  Common Ground Country Fair

What are options for getting to the fair?  What special speakers or events are happening at the fair this year?  What volunteer opportunities are there?

Guests:  Jim Ahearne, Common Ground Country Fair Director;  Mary Chamberlin, Common Ground Country Fair Volunteer

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Common Ground Radio 7/2/10

Producers/Hosts: Russell Libby, Cheryl Wilson, Melissa White Pillsbury, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardener’s Association

Topic: Food Independence Day!

What is the history of the local food movement in Hancock County and in Maine?  What are the challenges and opportunities for eating more Maine foods year ’round?  What are you going to eat on Food Independence Day?

Guests:  Paul Volckhausen, Owner/farmer, Happytown Farm;  Cary Hansen, co-owner, Cleonice & Table Restaurants

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Common Ground Radio DEBUT! 6/3/10

Producers/Hosts:  Andrew Marshall, Melissa White, Cheryl Wixson and Russell Libby of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)

Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic:  Intro to the new show

What local foods are available and in season?  How can they be found?  What resources are available for new and beginning farmers in Maine?  What options for local foods access are available for low-income folks?

Guest: Jo Barrett, King Hill Farm, www.kinghillfarm.org

FMI: www.mofga.org

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RadioActive 2/11/10

Producers/Hosts: Amy Browne & Meredith DeFrancesco

Segment 1: A deadline is looming for those hoping to get a public hearing on a large scale industrial wind project in Western Maine.  Today we talk with Jonathan Carter of the Forest Ecology Network, a group that vocally opposes the project.   (FMI: www.forestecologynetwork.org)  Requests for a public hearing on the Highland Wind Power Project (DP 4862) can be emailed by 2/19/10 to Marcia.Spencer-Famous@maine.gov

And we talk with Heather Spaulding of MOFGA, about LD1547, “An Act to Revise Notification Requirements for Pesticides Applications Using Aircraft and Air Carrier Equipment, which would Streamline Maine’s Pesticide Notification System.  FMI:  www. mofga.org , www.thinkfirstspraylast.org

Link to bill:  http://www.legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1547&snum=124

RadioActive 6/25/09

Producers/Hosts: Meredith DeFrancesco and Amy Browne

Today we look at a stand Maine health care providers are taking against climate change, we hear about shifting policy on the application of industrial pesticides in the state and we look at Congressman Michaud’s TRADE Act which would reorganize US trade priorities.

1.On Monday, Governor Baldacci signed a bill which will create a statewide registry for notification of agricultural pesticide application by aerial spray or air carrier application equipment.
Guest: executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) Russel Libby discusses what the legislation does and where it has fallen short on the protection of people and organic crops from pesticide drift. FMI www.mofga.org

2.On Tuesday, 100 healthcare professionals from across the state sent Maine’s Congressional delegation a letter urging them to take decisive action to address climate change specifically the United States production of green house gases. The focus of the letter was the public health implications of climate change. We speak with Dr Lani Grahm, the co-president of the Maine Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Her organization ,as well as the Maine Medical Association have stressed their deep concern on the issue. FMI www.psr.org/chapters/maine www.cleanandhealthyme.org

3. A bill which would establish stringent standards for future free trade agreements, and the review and potential renegotiation of current free trade agreements, was introduced yesterday in Congress.
HR 3012, the “Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment” or “TRADE” Act was introduced, with 106 co-sponsors, by Maine Congressman Mike Michaud, the Chairman of the House Trade Working Group.
The TRADE Act would require adherence by country signatories to labor, environmental and human rights standards, as well as addressing the privatization of public services, intellectual property rights and procurement policies.
Even more significantly, the Act would require a review, and potential renegotiation, of a number of current trade agreements, including NAFTA, CAFTA and the World Trade Organization’s Uruguay Round agreements, based on the Act’s new trade standards.

Guest: Sarah Bigney, Maine Fair Trade Campaign www.mainefairtrade.org