Final report for NCMO17-001
Project Information
The 2017-18 Missouri State SARE PDP POW will focus on initiatives identified by the MO SARE PDP Advisory Board in association with the University of Missouri and Lincoln University Extension priorities. These SARE initiatives include: Integrated Pest Management, Sustainable Crop Production, and Sustainable Livestock Production. The advisory board also elected to participate in the North Central Region's Soil Health & Water Initiative. Additionally since this plan of work covers a two year time frame and it is difficult to predict future needs the Advisory Board added another initiative entitled "Emerging Issues". Two PDPs will be carried out under this initiative as detailed below. One additional PDP, with content to be determined will also be carried out under this initiative. This PDP has been calculated into the two year budget with a total expense based upon the total costs for the other PDPs. The content of this PDP will be determined as the need emerges and based upon critical training needs that arise over the next two years.
There will be five Missouri state initiatives for 2017-18, with both universities sharing in leadership roles.
• MU & LU - Integrated Pest Management
• MU & LU - Sustainable Crop Production
• MU & LU - Sustainable Livestock Production
• MU & LU - Soils Health & Water
• MU & LU - Emerging Issues
During 2018 the approach to addressing the 2017-18 initiatives changed significantly with substitute professioinal development programs being offered while still addressing and staying true to the intended initiatives. This major shift was due primarily to budget and personnel struggles within the academic institutions intending to host and/or conduct the professional development training activities. The substituted pdps are detailed below.
Additionally one face to face advisory board meeting was held and another by teleconference. Three advisory board members retired or otherwise moved on. Two of these positions have been filled with new advisory board members.
Advisors
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Education
The Missouri SARE Professional Development Program is focused on providing professional development opportunities for agricultural educators to hone or update their specific areas of professional expertise. This is primarily accomplished by offering professional development workshops (PDPs), professional development travel scholarships, and funding mini-grant projects with an emphasis on professional development.
Through a series of these opportunities detailed under Education and Outreach Initiatives section of this report state and county based Extension Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel, Missouri Department of Agriculture personnel, High School Vocational Agriculture Teachers, and other educators a total of 107 educators were involved in professional development trainings planned and carried out by the MoSARE program, 17 educators participated in workshops utilizing professional development travel scholarships, and 3 received mini-grants.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Through training, workshops, mini-grants and scholarships educators will hone their skills in integrated pest management tools and strategies.
2018
The Missouri Tomato School - was a two day workeshop offered in Jackson, Missouri with eleven MU/LU Agricultural Educatiors participating learning all aspects of Tomato production including: cultivar selection, pest control, disease control, high tunnel production techniques, field production techniques, and martket development strategies. These topics were presented by a panel of experts from throughout the midwest and the nation.
2017
Pinero-Intl-IPM-symposium-train-the-trainerThirty six educators attended the PDP: Updates on Integrated Management of Foliar and Soil borne Disease on Fruits & Vegetables : Host Resistance, Biologicals and use of Cover Crops - Leads, Dr. Zelalem Mersha - LU, Dr. David Trinklein - MU.
The two-day training followed third approaches to accomplish its objectives. First, various subject areas related to fruit and vegetable disease management were covered during the interactive presentations. Second, parts of the hands-on activity and showcases were made on research and outreach projects at LU farms: George W. Carver and Alan T. Busby Organically Certified farm. Major crops for this training will include but are not limited to solanaceous, cucurbits, and leafy vegetables as well as grape, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry. Third a walking tour of these research facilities and interactive discussion was held.
As a direct product of attending this workshop eleven educators incorporated newly gained knowledge into the ongoing programs, regular news letters, or created new programs on the topic directly reaching hundreds of producers.
Through training, workshops, mini-grants and scholarships educators will hone their skills in sustainable crop production management tools and strategies.
2018
Forest Farming - Nine MU/LU educators participated in this two day workshop conducted at the University of Missouri HARC research center at New Franklin Missouri. Presentations included all aspects of Mushroom production, Ginseng production, nut & fruit production, and medicinal plant production. Presentations and discussions also included economic opportunities and challenges.
2017
This objective for 2017 was addressed through the PDPs reported under the Topics of Integrated Pest Management and Emerging issues. In 2018 it will be addressed by and PDP Entitled Silviculuture & Timber Management Strategies.
Sustainable crop production concepts and practices were integrated into the curriculum presented at the Forest Farming workshop. Since this workshop was offered late in the year (Oct.) It is anticipated the new knowledge and resources will be encorporated into ongoing programs or new program in the coming year.
Through training, workshops, mini-grants and scholarships educators will hone their skills in sustainable livestock production management tools and strategies.
2018
No PDPs were offered in 2018 addressing this initiative. Instead two sustainable livestock production workshops were offered in 2017
2017
Beef Facilities, Animal Health/Welfare, and Manure Management - Leads - Dr. Ten Lim, MU, Dr. Joe Zulovich, MU
Twenty extension educators participated in this two day face to face pdp training. Areas discussed in this comprehensive PDP include training on: Housing - Covered feeding barns, Hoop house style calf barns, Wind Breaks, Others, Working facilities - Cattle psychology, Animal Health & Welfare, Facility Design, Environmental Considerations - Manure containment/management/water quality.
Sustainable Aquaculture - Shrimp & Fin Fish Production in the Midwest - Lead - Dr. David Brune, MU and Chuck Hicks, LU (emeritus) was presented.
This was a two day face to face training. designed to provide an overview of shrimp and fish production from low intensity ponds to super-intensive closed-system aquaculture processes. Twenty four farmers, investors, and other stake-holders participated increasing their knowledge and understanding of aquaculture production of large-mouth bass, crappie, catfish, marine and freshwater shrimp, as well as, economics of aquaculture systems, including required capital investment, cash flow, and profitability. Participates were offered a field trip to view pond production of freshwater shrimp, in-pond raceway production of crappie, and catfish, and indoor, recalculating culture of large-mouth bass, and super-intensive zero-discharge production of marine shrimp. In addition, all participates were afforded a hands-on opportunity to experience water quality analysis, animal sampling, microbial identification, and system-wide measurement of photosynthesis and water treatment capacity.
2017
As a direct result of participation the PDP Beef Facilities, Animal Health/Welfare and Manure Management ten regional extension educators have had direct consultation with seventeen beef producers interested in development of on-farm beef feed-out facilities and/or beef handling facilities. Additionally material presented at this workshop were incorporated into ongoing programs and newsletters.
Through training, workshops, mini-grants and scholarships educators will hone their skills in understanding and managing the interactions between Soil Health and Water and include a sub-focus on the use of cover crops.
2018
Professional Development Travel Scholarships
Through the use of professional development travel scholarships MU/LU Extension Educators participated in:
The Missouri Agro-forestry academyThe Midwest Cover Crops Council Conference
The One Waters Action Forum
The National Soil Health & Cover Crops Conference
The American Society of Agronomy National Meeting
2017
Through the use of MoSARE sponsorship ten Extension Educators participated in:
The Missouri Agro-forestry academy
The Midwest Cover Crops Council
The National Soil Health & Cover Crops Conference
The Missouri Non-point Source Pollution Educational Conference
The American Society of Agronomy
Through the use of a MoSARE mini-grant two educators conducted demonstration and trainings on the use of bio-char and other organically derived soil amendments with the intent of improving soil health and water holding capacity.
Soil health and water quality is a broad topic with many ways to approach the issue. MoSARE has provided professional development scholarships for educators to attend existing soil health and water related trainings and conferences rather than create and host new workshops. Extension educators took advantage of these opportunities incorporating their newly gained resources into their existing programming impacting hundreds of producers. The educators report consultations and workshops with producers on use of cover crops to improve soil overall soil health and microbial activity, soil organic matter, water holding capacity and increased yields.
To identify and quickly respond to the need for training pertaining to an emerging issue. In this case, the need for an all inclusive workshop on commercial scale tomato production.
2018
National Conference Our Farms Our Future - Missouri was well represented at this conference by numerous MU/LU educators, the Missouri SARE advisory board, and farmers participating as recipients of scholarships. The MoSARE program provided financial assistance to thirty-three of these participants. The conference featured a wide variety of presentations from farmers, agency personnel, Extension educators, and others.
2017
The issue of the need for training in the realm of commercial scale tomato production was identified
The Missouri Tomato Workshop, a one day training was held in South West Missouri, organized by Patrick Byers, Robert Balek, Nashon Bishop, and David Middleton was conducted. Of the participant one-hundred plus participant, eleve extension educators participated, four vocational agriculture instructors, and two Missouri Department of Agriculture employees participated. They received training in all aspects of tomato production including IPM, cultivar selection, growing tomatoes in-doors, in-field propagation, plasti-culture, market development strategies, use of cover crops and more.
2018
Participants in the OFOF conference networked with others from throughout the country with similar views on alternative and sustainable production techniques. As a direct result of participating in this conference follow-up inquires were made to the MoSARE co-coordinator by three individuals. Additional three others attended farmer rancher grant writing workshops. MU/LU educators have followed up with the MoSARE co-coordinators regarding additional funding and programmatic opportunities.
2017 Missouri has small but, robust vegetable production industry that is in part the result of the demand for natural and/or locally raised food products. Tomato production in Missouri mirrors this overall trend. Through this workshop educators were able to enhance their technical skills in commercial scale vegetable production and utilize this with their clientele. Since this workshop educators report having directly interacted with over one-hundred producers on IPM, cultivar selection, plant propagation, season extension, and market considerations. Additionally the educators have incorporated their new knowledge into ongoing programs, producer meetings, and newsletters.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
The emerging issue: Commercial Scale Tomato production workshop was one of the eye-opening, highlights of the year. Although the program targeted local educators and producers attendance due to interest and need was incredible. Only publicized locally the event drew small scale farm market producers to large commercial producers with participants from four states. The MoSARE state coordinators believe this level of interest is indicative of need.
Another highlight for the year was the first ever Mid-mo Backyard Garden to Small Farm Expo. The MoSARE program helped to organize this event. Previously there had been a "small farms" conference hosted in Central Missouri by a private business entity. That event moved from the area approximately five years ago leaving a void for small scale and start-up farmers. Sponsored by the local county extension office the Mid-Mo Expo is working to fill that void. Approximately 100 people participated in the first expo. The second expo is currently being developed for February of 2018.
Face of SARE
The MoSARE programs approach to the "Face of SARE" topic is to provide support, sponsorships, scholarship, and conduct educational activities that promote the core values of the SARE program. The MoSARE program displayed, exhibited at, or sponsored mini-grants in support of the following:
2018
Governors Conference on Agriculture - Display
Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation districts - Display
Cover Crops Education and Awareness - Scholarships
SARE Grant Writing Workshops - Hosting
Food Safety Modernization Act Training - Scholarships
Mid - Mo Expo - Minigrant and Scholarship
The Western Association's Western Farm Show - Display
The Great Plains Growers Conference. - Display and Scholarships
The Missouri Veteran's Association Conference
2017
Midwest Organic Association - Display and Scholarships
Governors Conference on Agriculture - Display
Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation districts - Display
Bringing Back the American Small Farm - Display and Scholarships
Heart of America Grazing Conference - Display and Scholarship
Hispanic and Latino Audiences - Agricultural Programs Awareness - Mini-grant
Cover Crops Education and Awareness - Scholarships
SARE Grant Writing Workshops - Hosting
Food Safety Modernization Act Training - Scholarships
Mid - Mo Expo - Minigrant and Scholarship
The Western Associations, Western Farm Show - Display
The Great Plains Growers Conference. - Display and Scholarships