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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">Hi everyone,</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">There’s been some pretty big news this week from the farming & food supply chain world: General Mills is transitioning a 34,000-acre farm in South Dakota to organic. More pertinent for this list is that, as part of this change in management, the Xerces Society will be working with the farm to integrate 3,000 acres of pollinator/beneficial insect habitat into the landscape. There are links and some excerpts from a few articles below that explain more about what’s happening.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Matthew</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">*******************************</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">FROM: PR Newswire (3/6/18)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>General Mills Helps Transition 34,000 Acres into Organic Farmland</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-mills-helps-transition-34000-acres-into-organic-farmland-300608870.html">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-mills-helps-transition-34000-acres-into-organic-farmland-300608870.html</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">General Mills today announced a strategic sourcing agreement with Gunsmoke Farms LLC to convert 34,000 acres of conventional farmland to certified organic acreage by 2020. The farm, located west of Pierre, South Dakota, will grow certified organic wheat and other organic rotational crops.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">In addition to healthy soil, pollinators are critical to sustain the ecosystems on which our food and lives depend. But their habitats are under threat. Agricultural landscaping can increase biodiversity and help a variety of pollinators, including bumble bees, squash bees, honey bees and butterflies. Upwards of 3,000 acres of pollinator habitat will be planted throughout Gunsmoke Farms in cooperation with the Xerces Society. Such habitat can also improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and protect game and songbirds.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">--------------</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">FROM: AP</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>General Mills, Annie's Mac & Cheese tap South Dakota farm</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.apnews.com/c988a9e06490487dbb57e12e7f11b8cc/General-Mills,-Annie's-Mac-&-Cheese-tap-South-Dakota-farm">https://www.apnews.com/c988a9e06490487dbb57e12e7f11b8cc/General-Mills,-Annie's-Mac-&-Cheese-tap-South-Dakota-farm</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">General Mills announced a deal Tuesday to create South Dakota’s largest organic crop farm as the company works to secure enough organic ingredients to meet growing consumer demand worldwide.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Gunsmoke Farms will convert 34,000 acres — more than 53 square miles — near Pierre to organic by 2020</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Gunsmoke Farms will also carve out around 3,000 acres of pollinator habitat in cooperation with the Portland, Oregon-based Xerces Society. General Mills and Xerces announced a partnership in 2016 to add more than 100,000 acres of bee and butterfly habitat on or near existing crop lands.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">--------------</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">FROM: <span style="color:black">No-Till Farmer</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Make Sure Organic Trends Are On Your Radar</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/blogs/1-covering-no-till/post/7625-make-sure-organic-trends-are-on-your-radar">https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/blogs/1-covering-no-till/post/7625-make-sure-organic-trends-are-on-your-radar</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Converting a farm to organic culture may seem like a daunting challenge, with all the standards and paperwork that must be dealt with. Weed control is only getting more difficult, but if you’re no-tilling you don’t want to break out the plow.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">But no-tilling organically on a large scale hasn’t scared away General Mills. This week, the company announced it will convert 34,000 acres near Pierre, S.D., to organic practices by 2020 as the company works to secure enough organic ingredients to meet growing consumer demand worldwide.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">----------</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Matthew Shepherd</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Communications Director</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><img border="0" width="160" height="60" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D3B7B9.8BE882E0" alt="Email-Outlook_Xerces-logo-CMYK"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Protecting the Life That Sustains Us</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Connect: <a href="http://www.xerces.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.xerces.org</span></a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/xerces.society/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/xercessociety" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Twitter</span></a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/xercessociety/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Instagram</span></a> <a href="http://www.xerces.org/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Blog</span></a> <a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001HTk7N6nZumLPinBr8VACbNdTXCe732bGu6KpqC13JAKPti_HBe5xyr7t0p4mDfKe2dOsd-TB1qvv772s6GQfVa_SbKKfwBiwl4blH4KvCjq4dpmA2M9UNZ2axlQwu_1Gvjrl2Rb53WUZwsddwCzyorgxedLAaMy3" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">E-newsletter</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">628 NE Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232, USA</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Office: (503) 232-6639 x110</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Cell: (503) 807-1577</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a href="mailto:matthew.shepherd@xerces.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">matthew.shepherd@xerces.org</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>