Chamber Innovation Luncheon

The Morrison & Company team spent part of our afternoon at the Chico Chamber of Commerce Innovation Luncheon today.

It was great to connect with so many innovative business leaders and to hear from keynote speaker Holly Green.

We were also impressed to hear the remarkable story of one of Chico’s very own innovators.

Tim O’Connell, founder of Rescue 42, was awarded the Chamber’s Innovator of the Year Award.

O’Connell, who has a long history as a local volunteer firefighter, is famous for his tool that improves the function of Jaws of Life equipment. He has come out with another astounding invention.

O’Connell’s VAULT, a mobile command center, is the latest winning idea that is certain to put Rescue 42 on the map once again. Check out his company and the product here.

Thinking about ways to innovate your company or bring a new product to the market? Check out Morrison & Company’s services. We’ve worked on a broad range of innovation projects and are extremely skilled at conducting feasibility studies, business plans or even strategic planning sessions.

Vote for California Olive Ranch, Lundberg Family Farms

Morrison & Company is proud to boast a long list of amazing clients. But what makes some of our clients even more fabulous is that they are often producers of delicious products.

Here’s your chance to agree with us. Both California Olive Ranch and Lundberg Family Farms have been nominated for a 2011 ‘Best of’ Foodie Award by Vegetarian Times magazine. Visit this link to vote for them in categories 16 and 17.

And when you’re done, check out our website to see some of our other selected clients. We are honored to work with some of the most respected agribusinesses in the world, who also happen to produce some of the tastiest products.

Using grant funding for farm innovations

As active bloggers here at Morrison & Company, we also spend time reading other blogs.

Companies, individuals and even state and federal agencies have found blogs to be an important way to interface with their clients and the public.

The USDA maintains a fairly prolific blog, averaging a few posts a day, complete with pictures.

We love learning what farmers and ranchers are doing on their operations and were encouraged to read today’s USDA blog post about hay farmer Roger Barton.

With federal grant funding, Barton was able to help design and install a hydroturbine system to irrigate his farm, replacing his old expensive diesel-powered system.

The new cost efficient and environmentally friendly equipment generates enough electricity to power Barton’s irrigation system and he says he was able to eliminate his $3,500 a year fuel bill.

Read Barton’s full story here and if you’re inspired, check out Morrison & Company for more information on how we can help you take some of the same efforts on your farming operation. Morrison & Company has been extremely successful in helping to secure federal grant funding for farmers and ranchers who want to save energy costs and improve farm efficiency.   

                                                                                                                                       

Morrison & Company featured in Chico Enterprise Record

Some exciting changes at Morrison & Company were formally announced in today’s Chico Enterprise Record.

Geoff Chinnock has been named a principal with Morrison & Company and Toni Scott was recently hired as a consultant.

In the press release sent to the E-R, managing principal Brent Morrison touted Chinnock’s dedication to the company’s clients.

“Geoff gets it,” Brent said. “He knows we are here to serve our clients straight-forwardly and efficiently, and they really appreciate him for it. Geoff epitomizes exactly what we want to be at Morrison & Company.” 

Brent also said he was enthusiastic to add Toni to the Morrison & Company team. Toni was most recently employed as a reporter for the Enterprise Record.

“From her work at the paper it was no surprise that Toni is a talented writer and a terrific researcher, but she is also a gifted analyst and a people person,” Brent said. “She is creative, efficient, understands pressure and deadlines, and handles it all in a way that people come away liking her. Toni is just a great addition and we see her being an important part of Morrison & Company for years to come.”

Visit the link to see the write-up in the paper or check out the pdf version of the story.

USDA seeking comments to help improve programs

With many of our clients hailing from the agribusiness sector, Morrison & Company has become extremely experienced in a number of USDA programs over the years.

Like aspects of any company or organization, there is always room for improvement in these programs.  

Recognizing that fact, the USDA is asking for public comment on program rules as it moves forward in reviewing Rural Development, the Risk Management Agency, the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The USDA says it is particularly interested in receiving public input on how it can simplify and reduce the reporting burden for entry and access to USDA programs, while reducing its administrative and operating costs by sharing similar data across participating agencies.

If you have comments or ideas, visit www.regulations.gov.

As of the date of this blog, the site doesn’t seem to be accepting comments related to the regulatory review of the programs, but we expect that portion to go live soon.

Federal funding for renewable energy projects available

USDA Rural Development is now accepting applications for its Rural Energy for America Program.

The federal program provides grants and loan guarantees to agriculture producers and small rural businesses for energy efficiency improvement projects and renewable energy projects.

Farmers and ranchers looking to install solar, wind, bioenergy, anaerobic digesters, hydropower or other renewable energy sources on their operations may qualify for the program.

USDA is providing funding for up to $61 million in guaranteed loans and $42 million in grants through the program.  

This year’s grant program includes a clarification that agricultural producers in non-rural areas are eligible for REAP assistance. Small businesses must still be located in rural areas.

Morrison and Company has been successful in secure grant funding and loan guarantees through the REAP program for many clients. For more information on how Morrison and Company can help you, contact Brent Morrison at 530-893-4764 ext. 202 or visit morrisonco.net.

The full text of the grant announcement is available at:

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2011/04/0164.xml

On-Farm Renewable Energy

With fuel and energy prices continually rising and farming operations striving for sustainability, on-farm renewable energy is becoming a popular alternative for farmers across the nation. 

 

At the recent California Climate & Agriculture Network Summit, Brent Morrison, Morrison & Company’s managing principal, joined a panel discussion about on-farm renewable energy.

 

Brent provided an overview of existing technologies, a preview of those in the pipeline, and discussed how Morrison & Company helps farming operations and others get grant  funding and loan guarantees for renewable energy projects.

 

Morrison & Company’s expertise in grant writing and experience with alternative energy sources equips us to serve clients looking to go green. The projects Morrison & Company has worked on range from a small family farm solar array to a proposed $100 million wind farm.

 

Check out Brent’s PowerPoint presentation and note that the Rural Energy for America grant application period is expected to open soon.

http://www.morrisonco.net/CalCAN_Presentation.pdf.