Progress report for ENE23-182
Project Information
Problem or Opportunity and Justification
Adoption of well-managed grazing includes technical knowledge, interfamily and agricultural service provider dynamics, economic indicators, and changing regulations. Well-managed grazing systems are organic, evolving ecological structures that require both an understanding of when to apply techniques and why particular tools are appropriate. The techniques and tools for new systems are often called into question by seasoned practitioners who have relied on traditional techniques for decades, which can often be a significant barrier for service providers.
Sustained effort is needed on a farmer-by-farmer basis to reach and support their goal of securely expanding their current reach to more compliant, well-managed pastures. Additionally, technical assistance professionals in Vermont and New Hampshire lack mentorship, opportunities for professional development, and are in high demand, resulting in limited availability and diminished capacity. The lack of an organized network to share best practices has resulted in mixed messaging, conflicting advice, and few opportunities for professional growth.
Regional surveying and data collection allows this project to address a demonstrated need for a foundational education program that will allow all technical service providers to acquire fundamental knowledge about agronomic principles of hayland and pastures, and a professional development cohort to expand upon that knowledge, retain experts in the field, and create a support system for new and incoming professionals.
Solution and Approach:
Our project aims to improve the professional abilities of forage-related service providers in Vermont and New Hampshire, thereby increasing the acreage of highly productive, well-managed, homegrown forages in the Northeast. We seek to support and retain active grazing professionals, enhance the grazing acumen of the lesser experienced TA providers, and foster a supportive environment to encourage a new wave of professionals in the Northeast.
Part One of our project is the Agronomic Principles for Hayland and Pasture Management Education Program, where service professionals will receive expert, localized education for successful and sustainable forage systems which comply with efforts to improve the quality of soil and waterways in the Northeast. Part Two of our project, the Grazing TA Professional Development Cohort, will bring together regional service providers to generate more effective communication, sharing of resources, and new opportunities for on-going professional development.
Our project will result in new tools, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness that will benefit service providers by reducing the discrepancies in advice and education being provided to farmers from partner organizations working in similar spaces. We believe our project will create a future of knowledgeable service providers who can assist farmers in achieving the beneficial impacts of these systems due to the rigorous and thorough complexity of content within our education program combined with a well-structured and supported professional development cohort.
30 technical assistance service providers in Vermont and New Hampshire, including soil conservationists, conservation district staff, and Extension professionals will participate in an Agronomic Principles for Hayland and Pasture Management Education Program and Grazing TA Professional Development Cohort to enhance their capacity to provide professional expertise to farmers interested in increasing their ability to implement successful and sustainable forage systems.
Sustained effort is needed on a farmer-by-farmer basis to reach and support goals of securely expanding their current reach to more compliant, well-managed pastures. The service providers in this cohort will use their existing and newly developed skills and knowledge to help bring farm operations to a demonstrable level of grazing management to comply with State and Federal efforts to improve the quality of soil and waterways in Vermont, while increasing farm profitability.
As a result, we expect 10 service providers each year over three years to impact 5 farms each. We anticipate approximately 150 farmers will adopt an improved understanding and adoption of agronomic principles for hayland and pasture management that will increase their ability to develop a sustainable forage system on 7,500 acres between Vermont and New Hampshire. Implementation and understanding will be tracked during service provider evaluations.
Context: The project aims to enhance the professional abilities of forage-related service providers in Vermont and New Hampshire, fostering a supportive environment to promote sustainable and well-managed grazing systems. Recognizing the challenges in technical knowledge, provider dynamics, and limited professional development opportunities, the project seeks to address these issues through a comprehensive education program and a professional development cohort.
Problem or Opportunity: The adoption of well-managed grazing faces challenges due to lack of common understanding of available education and resources for seasoned practitioners, lack of mentorship for technical assistance professionals, and the absence of a network for sharing best practices. The sustained effort required to expand well-managed pastures on a farmer-by-farmer basis highlights the need for a targeted approach. The identified problem is substantiated by regional survey data, indicating a lack of foundational education and professional development opportunities. The absence of an organized network contributes to mixed messaging and conflicting advice, hindering the effectiveness of technical assistance, which the project aims to address.
Solution and Approach: The project proposes a two-part solution. The "Agronomic Principles for Hayland and Pasture Management Education Program," provides expert education on successful and sustainable forage systems while the "Grazing TA Professional Development Cohort" brings regional service providers together to improve communication, resource-sharing, and professional development opportunities.
The expected outcomes include new tools, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness that reduce discrepancies in advice to farmers. The project anticipates creating a future cadre of knowledgeable service providers capable of aiding farmers in implementing beneficial grazing systems. The performance target aims to involve 30 technical assistance service providers, impacting 150 farmers and 7,500 acres across Vermont and New Hampshire.
Cooperators
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator and Researcher)
- (Educator)
Educational Approach
Synopsis:
Engagement: The educational approach involved targeted invitations to leaders and staff of federal and state agencies, local conservation districts, agricultural organizations, and Extension services. Promotion occurred through service provider meetings and direct email invitation. A total of 24 technical service providers engaged in the program during this first year. A professional development cohort of 28 individuals were invited to participate in the inaugural meeting of the Professional Development Cohort in December 2023, with 18 individuals attending. During this first meeting, the Cohort was able to discuss current agricultural issues and explored further professional development opportunities. Resources, including books by Fred Magdoff and Sarah Flack, as well as various handout sheets from Cornell University and the University of Vermont served as resources for the curriculum of the Education Program .
Learning: The program covered three main subject areas - soils, forage crops, and grazing. Classroom and field-based learning opportunities were provided to teach applied science usable in the field. The focus was on practical applications, such as interpreting soil tests and understanding nutrient recommendation, amongst other content. The curriculum included topics like soil sampling, nutrient management, plant physiology, forage species, and grazing system design. Classroom sessions aligned with associated readings, while field learning emphasized hands-on experiences in soil sampling, plant identification, and grazing system design.
Evaluation: Participants completed evaluations after each in-classroom and in-field learning event, identifying new knowledge and rating increases in their understanding. They assessed the comprehensiveness of the course and suggested topics for more in-depth exploration. After each event, participants had readings to complete to enhance their learning experience. This process aided project leaders in understanding challenging topics and areas requiring additional explanation.
Engagement:
Invitations to participate will be sent to leaders and staff of federal and state agencies such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), local conservation districts, state agencies of agriculture, Extension, and other organizations. The program will be promoted at various service provider meetings and through online newsletters and agricultural publications.
A total of 30 service providers will complete the program, with 10 providers participating per year of the project. Within this group 4-5 service providers will form a professional development cohort and have regular meetings to discuss current agricultural issues and explore further professional development opportunities.
All program participants will receive three resources at the start of the program:
- Book - Building Soils for Better Crops, by Fred Magdoff
- Book - The Art and Science of Grazing, by Sarah Flack
- Booklet - Recommendations for Field Crops in Vermont, by Heather Darby
These resources will serve as textbooks for the course curriculum and as useful references after course completion. After each learning event (classroom or field-based), participants will have the opportunity for phone call or email correspondence for clarification on any of the topics presented. Cohort members will have the opportunity to obtain stipends for additional training and conferences.
Learning:
There are three main subject areas to the educational content: soils, forage crops, and grazing. There will be a combination of classroom and field-based learning opportunities. The goal is to teach applied science that can be used in the field. For example, while participants will learn the basics of soil science, the focus will be on how to use this information to read a soil test and understand the nutrient recommendations so that farmers can be assisted with accurate advice. While this course will not replace a four-year degree in agronomy, it will provide service providers more awareness and confidence in understanding the tools farmers use in decision-making. It will also help service providers understand who the experts and resources are so that they can feel more comfortable directing farmers to the expertise needed to make sound financial decisions on the farm.
Curriculum topics include:
Soils
- Soil sampling protocols
- Reading a soil test and making recommendations
- N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and micronutrients
- Optimum pH for various crops
- Understanding organic matter in different soil types
- Compaction – limitations and strategies to address it
- Water infiltration, runoff, erosion
- Soil health indicators (cover, residue/manure breakdown, crust, ponding, penetrometer, aggregation, structure, rooting depth, biology)
- Nutrient management with a basic overview of the 4 R’s
- Nitrogen cycle and manure as a fertilizer
Forages
- Plant physiology
- Common species of perennial and annual forages
- Legumes and nitrogen fixation
- Plant identification
- Reading a forage test to understand protein, energy levels, digestibility, and other indicators
- Storage of feed and nutrient/leaching concerns
Grazing
- Types of grazing systems
- Common species of pasture plants
- Managing pasture plants
- Basic ruminant physiology
- Grazing animal behavior
- Basic nutrition and feed rations
- Calculating dry matter intake from pasture
- Understanding dry matter demand, paddock sizing, and acreage requirements
- Stocking rate versus stock density
- Potential health concerns
- Grazing system design
Classroom sessions will correspond with associated readings from the reference materials provided with sessions focused on soil science, forage crop management and grazing fundamentals.
In field learning will focus on applied topics such as soil sampling, plant identification, and grazing system design so that participants will have tangible learning experiences putting knowledge learned in the classroom to work.
Evaluation:
Participants will complete course evaluations after each learning event. They will identify new information they learned and rate their increases in knowledge level, as well as rating the comprehensiveness of the course and topics to explore in more detail.
Additionally, after each learning event, participants will complete a take home quiz on the topics covered. This will allow participants to re-visit the information presented so they may self-identify areas for further study. It will also allow the key individuals of the project to gain a deeper understanding of which topic areas are most challenging or need additional time and explanation
The small group professional development cohort will report to the key individuals on new knowledge gained from the additional trainings and conferences attended.
Milestones
Accomplishments
The greatest change to the milestones is that we had more individuals participate in this first year than expected. We were hoping for 10 people and had 24 people participate. As such, we anticipate that we will exceed the 30 person target over the 3 year timeline of this project. Additionally, we plan to expand the reach of the project to incorporate service providers from across all 6 New England states, moving beyond just Vermont and New Hampshire.
A total of 24 participants attended Day 1 through Day 4 sessions in Fall 2023. Days 5 through 8 session, whcih constitutes the second half of Year 1 Education Program, will take place in Spring 2024. Participants were asked about the impact of the sessions on their understanding, effectiveness, awareness, and confidence in the field of hayland and pasture-related technical assistance. The responses yielded the following insights:
-
Understanding of Experts and Resources:
- Approximately 95% of participants indicated a better understanding of experts in the Vermont/New England grazing space and the available resources.
-
Effectiveness in Providing Technical Assistance:
- Over 92% of respondents expressed confidence in being more effective in providing hayland and pasture-related technical assistance to farmers.
-
Awareness and Confidence in Decision-Making Tools:
- Approximately 90% of participants reported an increased awareness and confidence in understanding the tools farmers use in decision-making.
-
Directing Farmers to Financial Expertise:
- A significant majority, around 89%, felt more comfortable directing farmers to the expertise needed for sound financial decisions on their farms.
-
Dietary Needs Met:
- All respondents answered positively regarding their dietary needs during the provided lunch, indicating 100% satisfaction.
Additionally, specific comments were provided by participants:
- Many expressed appreciation for meeting experts like Bill Kipp, Sid Bosworth, and Mike Marten.
- Some suggested a need for more grounding in when to engage experts and preparing farmers for questions.
- Others highlighted specific learnings, such as plant species identification, reading hay and silage tests, and gaining insights into the role of economics in pasture-based operations.
- Despite the overall positive feedback, a few participants (approximately 15%) expressed a desire for more financial analysis discussions related to pasture-based operations.
Milestones
Year 1 (2023-2024)
- First year cohort recruited (up to 10 service providers from geographically diverse regions of Vermont and New Hampshire, representing at least 3 different organizations, showing willingness to participate in both education program during Year 1, and in the professional development cohort indefinitely) (Complete)
- First year Education Program successfully completed (provide up to 10 service providers with more awareness and confidence in understanding the tools farmers use in decision-making, help service providers understand who the experts and resources are so that they can feel more comfortable directing farmers to the expertise needed to make sound financial decisions on the farm.) (Complete)
- First year of Professional Development Cohort (Beginning Fall 2023)
- 2 cohort meetings in year 1 (quarterly every year thereafter and as needed) (In Progress)
- 2 coordinated and shared professional development opportunities shared with and amongst cohort (by December 2024) (In Progress)
- First year post-Education Program Survey (December 2023) (In Progress)
- Minimum of 5 farms reached per service provider during and following Education Program (In Progress)
- Majority of service providers cite increased effectiveness of hayland and pasture-related technical assistance provided to farms as a result of Education Program and/or Professional Development Cohort (Complete)
- Majority of service providers cite increased communication in peer network, increased sense of support from service provider community, and an increase in resource sharing between their organization and at least one other organization in their state or region. (Complete)
Year 2 (2024-2025)
- Second year cohort recruited (up to 10 service providers from geographically diverse regions of Vermont and New Hampshire, representing at least 3 different organizations, showing willingness to participate in both education program during Year 2, and in the professional development cohort indefinitely)
- Second year Education Program successfully completed (provide up to 10 service providers with more awareness and confidence in understanding the tools farmers use in decision-making, help service providers understand who the experts and resources are so that they can feel more comfortable directing farmers to the expertise needed to make sound financial decisions on the farm.)
- Second year of Professional Development Cohort (Beginning Fall 2024)
- 4 cohort meetings in year 2
- 2 coordinated and shared professional development opportunities shared with and amongst cohort (By December 2025)
- Second year post post-Education Program Survey (December 2024)
- Minimum of 5 farms reached per service provider during and following Education Program
- Majority of service providers cite increased effectiveness of hayland and pasture-related technical assistance provided to farms as a result of Education Program and/or Professional Development Cohort
- Majority of existing service providers cite a reduction in the number of miles traveled for on-farm visits from an increase in total service providers statewide
- Majority of service providers cite increased communication in peer network, increased sense of support from service provider community, and an increase in resource sharing between their organization and at least one other organization in their state or region
Year 3 (2025-2026)
- Third year cohort recruited (up to 10 service providers from geographically diverse regions of Vermont and New Hampshire, representing at least 3 different organizations, showing willingness to participate in both education program during Year 3, and in the professional development cohort indefinitely)
- Third year Education Program successfully completed (provide up to 10 service providers with more awareness and confidence in understanding the tools farmers use in decision-making, help service providers understand who the experts and resources are so that they can feel more comfortable directing farmers to the expertise needed to make sound financial decisions on the farm.)
- Third year of Professional Development Cohort (Beginning Fall 2025)
- 4 cohort meetings in year 3
- 2 coordinated and shared professional development opportunities shared with and amongst cohort (By November 2026)
- Third year post post-Education Program Survey (December 2025)
- Minimum of 5 farms reached per service provider during and following Education Program
- Majority of service providers cite increased effectiveness of hayland and pasture-related technical assistance provided to farms as a result of Education Program and/or Professional Development Cohort
- Majority of existing service providers cite a reduction in the number of miles traveled for on-farm visits from an increase in total service providers statewide
- Majority of service providers cite increased communication in peer network, increased sense of support from service provider community, and an increase in resource sharing between their organization and at least one other organization in their state or region
Milestone Activities and Participation Summary
Educational activities and events conducted by the project team:
Participants in the project’s educational activities:
Learning Outcomes
Performance Target Outcomes
Performance Target Outcomes - Service Providers
Target #1
30
The service providers in this cohort will use their existing and newly developed skills and knowledge to help bring farm operations to a demonstrable level of grazing management to comply with State and Federal efforts to improve the quality of soil and waterways in Vermont, while increasing farm profitability.
We expect 10 service providers each year over three years to impact 5 farms each.
150
7500 acres
24
We will not be completing this verification until the end of our Year 1 Education Program in June 2024.
Performance target verification will take place through online survey tools of participants in Education Programming. Verification through participant surveys will take place at the end of each Education Program. Year One Education Program will end in June 2024, with surveying to place place immediately following. We will then complete annual end-of-year surveys to collect data on farmers serviced, farmer adoption, and size/scale of farms.
Performance Target Outcomes - Farmers
Target #1
150
We anticipate approximately 150 farmers will adopt an improved understanding and adoption of agronomic principles for hayland and pasture management that will increase their ability to develop a sustainable forage system on 7,500 acres between Vermont and New Hampshire.
7,500
0
unknown
Additional Project Outcomes
As a result of this project, UVM Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Vermont Grass Farmers Association have developed a new working partnership with the organization American Farmland Trust. This will allow the project to extend beyond the initially anticipated geographic scope of Vermont and New Hampshire to encompass all 6 New England states for participation in the Education Program and Professional Development Cohort.
2 grants were applied for that would have allowed us to receive new funds to cover costs of this expansion in education provided, but were unfortunately unsuccessful.
Quotes from Education Program Participants:
- I feel a lot more able to read and understand hay and silage tests to help farmers hone their management.
- I learned things in the nutrition, forage analysis, plant ID, and hay evaluation lessons.
- Economics plays a bigger role than anything else except for peer pressure.
- I feel better about plant species identification on grazing pastures.
- really enjoyed the forage analysis work, the forage ID trainings.
- Despite the good info, I feel more comfortable making 'suggestions' rather than 'directing'
- This was fantastic! Great mix of presenters and in-class/on farm time. I am looking forward to the rest of the days!
- New Technology (virtual fence).
- I am much more knowledgeable about compaction and overall soil health
- I was able to put some items into practice immediately to assist farmers with decision making concerning pasture needs and improvements.
- I knew many resources already but there were a few new ones discussed.
- These trainings are some of the best I've been to all year! All of the content and presenters have been fantastic!
- I liked that we had soil tests to write on. I think it was great. Abigail did great job fielding questions on nitrogen and phosphorus during classroom work.
- I wanted to comment on the quality of sessions 3 and 4 versus 1 and 2. Sarah and Heather are excellent teachers who encouraged a lot of engagement and brought a lot of excitement. Although they are clear leaders in their field, they did not speak down to us or start having side conversations with members of the group. I really appreciated their style and I learned more because they are so transparent and free with their information and not afraid to say when they don't know the answer. Cheryl is a great teacher too. I really appreciate when she brings the information back around to how you will use it with farmers in a TA/service provider setting.
We believe our grounded approach in meeting service providers where they existed currently in their capacity to provided assistance made the first half of Year 1 successful. We do not "talk down" to providers, and aim to help in any way possible. We worked hard to schedule during participant's availability and provide resources for those traveling out of state.
We aim to continue this for the second half of Year 1 and into future years of the Education Program.