Final report for LNC20-434
Project Information
According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, the total number of farms in the U.S. declined 3.2 % from the Census of 2012. Latino farm owner-operators increased 16% going from 67,000 farms in 2012 to 77,416 farms in 2017. Latino farmers are the only ethnic minority group with a significant and consistent increase in number since the Census of Agriculture 2007. In Missouri, the number of Latino producers significantly increased (100%) from 548 to 1097 farm owner-principal operators. The Latino farmer's profile matches the predominant demographic profile of Missouri farmers. In general, in Missouri, 78% of farmers averaged had farm sales of $49,999 or less per year, and 65% of farms are of less than 179 acres.
This program builds on a recent NCR-SARE program (SARE project LNC15-368) among Latino producers in Missouri. In that program, a sample of 100 Latinx producers helped to document factors constraining them to practice sustainable agriculture. The study suggests that four challenges keep Latino producers in Missouri from practicing sustainable agriculture. Including; a) farm households incomes depend on off-farm sources, b) the existence of a socio-economic farm framework system influencing farmers to opt for conventional production methods, c) lack of knowledge and skills in agro-ecological practices, and d) poor understandings of financial and managerial skills needed to follow agribusiness plans.
The program Entrepreneurial Sustainable Agriculture for Latinx and Limited Resource Producers in Missouri aims to expand those findings with an additional approach to evaluate current sustainable production methods among Latino producers. It will use a convenient sample of 50 Latino producers and document the current levels of skills, knowledge, and attitudes toward partially and fully transitioning into sustainable and organic production methods supported by a mixed- methods analysis. Then, an enhanced Entrepreneurial Sustainable Education curriculum (ESA) https://projects.sare.org/information-product/entrepreneurial-sustainable-agriculture-esa/ will directly increase engagement, skills, attitudes, and knowledge of 30 Latino producers in sustainable agriculture and organic production methods. This program will create a Latino-producer advisory group to enhance farmer's participation and communication with program activities.
New skills, knowledge, and implementation of innovative and good agricultural practices will eventually reduce farm inputs, enhance the farm's natural resources, and increase the diversity of fresh produce food into local community markets.
- To increase the entrepreneurial, production and community capacities of Latino producers by educating producers and creating an advisory/mentor group of Latino producers.
- To implement sustainable production activities on Latino producers’ farms. Successful sustainable producer mentors will join in on gatherings that implement sustainable practices on farms.
- To train 30 Latino producers and we expect 20 to implement sustainable practices, including greenhouses, geothermal systems, and regenerative soil practices.
- To evaluate gains in knowledge, attitudes, skills and on-ground activities of 50 producers transitioning into organic and agro-ecological systems use.
The global agricultural industry continues to evolve in different production systems, where large farms mainly focus on conventional ways of production, while many small and medium farms continue developing interest in sustainable and organic production systems. Conventional systems use automatized technologies and require less labor-intensive needs because of economies of scale. On the other side, limited resource producers of sustainable and organic systems continue demanding intensive labor involvement to meet their production needs. However, sustainable farming innovations continue to motivate the resilience of these limited resource producers. Most Latino farmers and ranchers in the United States are limited resource producers but most of them are unaware of how to produce sustainably and organically. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture in the U.S., seventy percent of Latino producers registered $10,000 or less in value of sales per year. This fact is also similar in Missouri where most producers diversify with livestock and crops in small plots of land. A recent NCR-SARE study (Gonzalez E. 2018) observed that more than 90% of the Latino producers interviewed (n=100) owned farms and ranches of equal or less than 50 acres and a high proportion of those owned 1 to 15 acres. After years of working with Latino farmers, we observed their resilience to remain in farming regardless, yet some complain how they must complement their farm needs with their outside farm income.
Cooperators
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Research
The program used a cross-sectional analysis to evaluate current skills, knowledge, and awareness of sustainable production methods. We aim to use multivariate analysis to test the general hypothesis that Latinx farmers significantly increased the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices over time. A 2018 (time 1) database used with an NCR-SARE grant program will help this program estimate longitudinal effects in adopting and following sustainable production methods in time 2 (2022). We are testing multiple explanatory variables aligning with sustainable agricultural conservation practices, sustainable livestock grass management practices, and community agribusiness models encouraging local and regional food production systems. We also use qualitative methodologies to validate quantitative findings. Qualitative data was collected from photovoice methodology and two focus group interviews with 13 Latino producers. Qualitative data collected points of view and perceptions on sustainable production practices and participants' perceptions of involvement and inclusion in farm policies and actions that aim to increase sustainable farming resilience among minorities and socially disadvantaged groups. We also use a photovoice methodology to validate the hypothesis of whether or not Latino farmers observed a significant transition from the level of conventional farming practices to sustainable farming practices during the span of 4 years (2018-2022). According to our research methodologies in this report, preliminary findings show a positive change in the awareness, understanding, and implementation of sustainable practices among Latino farmers in Missouri.
The field research activities started with an outreach evaluation survey to assess knowledge, skills, and on-ground sustainable systems among 50 Latino producers in 2 regions of Missouri. This initial assessment is helping the program to have a before-program evaluation tool. The program also aims to enhance collaboration with the Missouri-Granjero Cooperative (MGC), where we have a network of Latino farmers. Data helps us to gain knowledge and promote training that aligns with sustainable agriculture.
In this first stage, using a mixed-methods approach, we collected data to assess current knowledge and on-ground activities among farmers. This mixed-methods approach consisted of a survey interview to collect cross-sectional data about awareness, skills, knowledge, and attitudes towards sustainable agriculture techniques. Simultaneously, we aim to use direct observation qualitative techniques while conducting face-to-face interviews. We also used photovoice techniques to cross information regarding their understanding of sustainable production systems. Additionally, we are using focus group interview data from 13 Latino farmers.
NVivo, SPSS, and Qualtrics software were used to gather data.
We have sent preliminary findings to different venues. Current working drafts are planned to be sent to the Animal Frontier Journal with a due date of May 1, 2025.
We used a survey to collect data from Latino producers regarding their points of view, perceptions, knowledge, and understanding of sustainable production methods. This report is a document with a basic description of statistical data to inform about the responses of Latino farmers. The survey was administered face-to-face to Latino peers. The survey duration Survey data Results_50_Latino ranges from 45 minutes to one and a half hours, depending on the level of understanding of the respondents to the questions.
We try to replicate surveys with the Latino farmers who previously responded to a previous study; that way, we can use data from the last poll to measure gain in skills and knowledge.
Given the large dataset and information we collected from the Latino community, we have widened our options to document Latino farmer's progress in sustainable agriculture. We are documenting Latino farmers' understanding and adoption of sustainable production methods. We are also writing an article to evaluate sociological factors related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and extension strategies to increase sustainable agriculture and bio-circularity practices among limited resource producers. A draft manuscript will be sent to the Animal Frontier Journal.
We have been actively defusing other preliminary findings on increasing sustainable agricultural practices among Latino farmers. Initial findings were presented at the 1890 research symposium celebrated April 6 to 9, 2024, in Nashville, TN. At the research meeting, we presented the paper titled: Broadband Access Among Latino Producers In Adopting Climate-smart Sustainable Agriculture And Connecting With High-paid Markets In Missouri. Sustainable Agriculture Latino Broadband access
Recently, an abstract that documents Missouri Latino farmers' involvement in food and society was submitted to the Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS) to participate in their annual meeting on June 18-21, 2025, in Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
INTERVIEW DATA MANUAL
The questionnaire seeks to capture the most Sustainable Agriculture practices and those socioeconomic factors that directly relate to helping farmers transition to integrate sustainable practices in their operations.
Data includes variable categories and related items from the database
- Sociodemographic variables
- Social networks and broadband access
- Sustainable production practices
- Economics of Sustainable Agriculture Production
- Social sustainability
Interview Data Manual of 50 farmers interviewed in 2022-2023 is added to the "Add Media" link. Latino_Data NCRSARE responses
This research report documents the levels of understanding, skills, and knowledge of Latino farmers in Missouri. We used descriptive statistics to document qualitative information that explains Latino farmers' levels of learning, awareness, skills, and knowledge in multiple categories.
Data includes variable categories and related items from the database
- Sociodemographic variables
- Social networks and broadband access
- Sustainable production practices
- Economics of Sustainable Agriculture Production
- Social sustainability
We have been analyzing a total of 218 variables in those five categories. Preliminary findings related to documenting Latino farmers' progress in adopting sustainable production practices on farms are in progress. Our team will present two topics from this database in the upcoming 1890 Research Symposium in April. One is a research poster where we document Latino farmers' perceptions of sustainable agribusiness plans (file attached). The second is an oral presentation of preliminary findings on "broadband access and use among Latino producers in adopting climate-smart sustainable agriculture and connecting with high-paid markets in Missouri." in this study, we evaluate how Latino farmers respond to broadband access and social media use to adopt sustainable farming methods and connect with local markets.
We also used qualitative methodologies to help validate and document findings from surveys. We used two focus groups that included 13 Latino farmers to collect their views and awareness of being able to interact socially with current levels of equity and inclusion in adopting resilient, sustainable practices to stay farming and ranching. Preliminary findings indicate that communication barriers and a lack of understanding of farm policies with a feeling of belonging might become barriers to fully integrating into the agricultural system. Latino group interview data transcrip_MO
We used photovoice methodology to collect final views and perceptions of sustainable production methods. We asked five Latino producers who attended the workshop training series to take landscaping pictures of sustainable and non-sustainable production practices; they were asked to write why the farming practice in the photo was sustainable. We analyzed their responses based on their description of the farming practice. We could differentiate and document via photos a positive understanding of the principles we taught about sustainable agriculture. A survey replication among those 30 farmers who attended sessions might show an increase in the knowledge and practice of sustainable agriculture among the Latino farming community in Missouri. Photovoice exhibit Photovoice of Latino farmers
Project Activities
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
- Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Agriculture
- Social networks, social media access and agribusiness tools in sustainable agriculture
- Sustainable Water and Soil Management, cover crops, crop rotations, soil management and Natural Resources sustainability
- Business Models for Sustainable Agriculture in Small Farms and Ranches
Project Outcomes
Increase the use of natural amendments in soil
Cover crops
Minimize tilling
Composting
Seed selection and use
Pasture management
Soil testing
Direct Marketing
Local farmer market access
Crop rotations
Accessing market prices
Use of beneficial insects
There is a significant interest in this program, the initiative to offer soil testing to people who offered surveys increased their awareness on protecting their soil.
Continue with developing farmers capacity in sustaible production practices. we started increasing farmers understanding of climate change, and it has helped the program to increase awareness and interest for training.