Final report for NCND19-001
Project Information
North Dakota SARE Professional Development Program continues to expand its development of partnerships with the non- governmental organizations, Tribal colleges, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Soil Conservation Districts. ND SARE provides a close relationship with the university outreach through educating and collaborating with NDSU Extension educators. The greatest successes for the ND SARE PDP in North Dakota have been with educators working with NGOs and NDSU. Limited success has occurred with Tribal College outreach programs due to turn over in tribal leadership but efforts to seek partners and expanded outreach will continue. Partnerships will continue with Soil Conservation Districts and the Natural Resource Conservation Service which have resulted in several successful projects. Extension in North Dakota continues to be county-based and regionally supported with Research Extension Centers and state faculty at NDSU Fargo Campus. Extension activities at the 1994 Land grant Tribal colleges in North Dakota are encouraged and were expanded though the addition of Co-Coordinator focusing on Tribal interaction. NDSU continues to be a strong supporter of the SARE program and sustainable agriculture across departments and research extension centers. While NDSU doesn’t have specific state funding for sustainable agriculture education and outreach, NDSU does have faculty who conduct research on soil health, organic agriculture and livestock/environmental stewardship.
The transition in the ND SARE PDP program to the appointment of Co-Coordinators to lead the project continues to work well. More outreach, enhanced communication, and an increase in funded professional development program projects have occurred with the change to three co-coordinators. These co-coordinators are based in a county office (1) and regionally at Research Extension Centers (2).
The goals and objectives of the program have not changed over time. ND SARE PDP continues to enhance sustainable agriculture education in the state and increase the knowledge base of educators and clientele.
The four initiatives provided in this professional development plan included the regional Beginning Farmers and Ranchers initiative, three initiatives that build on previous PDP efforts with revisions identified by the ND SARE advisory board. Within each initiative there is an objective to further involve and build our relationship with the ND tribal colleges and youth. The broad objective for SARE PDP in North Dakota will continue to support sustainable agriculture via well trained agricultural extension educators.
Initiatives for 2019-2020
1) Soil Health, Cover Crops, and Water Quality
- The NDSU soil health team creates a variety of learning experiences for farmers to improve saline and sodic soils and advance the concept of improved soil health leads to improved water quality. This team addresses research and educational issues related to soil health and underlying water quality issues in ND. ND SARE will cooperate with the team to support their efforts that meet our goals and support funds with professional development projects.
- Outcomes include increased knowledge about soil health and improving water quality including: use of cover crops to enhance soil health, saline soil management and general soil health management aspects and effects on water quality. Tours and virtual tours of cover crop plantings and outreach meetings and virtual tours were provided to visually share the effects of cover crops. Café and shop and virtual meetings were used to expand the soil heath discussion among farmers to advance new ideas in soil health and water quality.
- The objectives of this initiative also include a proactive approach to involve tribal college educators throughout the project.
- Evaluation of these outcomes were accomplished via NCR SARE PDP evaluation forms to determine changes in program delivery and new collaborations.
- Travel and mini grant support for NDSU/tribal educators, 319 water quality coordinators and farmers was requested to make possible their participation in soil health and water quality workshops held throughout the state and at national trainings. The State co-Coordinators will provide SARE printed materials for support.
2) Local Agriculture serving Diverse Communities and Meeting Nutritional Needs
- The North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association meets annually and conducts outreach efforts to the public. The State Co-Coordinators will help facilitate these efforts when appropriate.
- Short term outcomes include increased knowledge about small farms-local foods and scaling up initiatives by the advancing the Local Foods effort. We anticipate increased delivery of local foods programming by the educators involved as well as collaborative efforts to find funds for additional research and outreach to support scaling up initiatives.
- Efforts to increase partnership with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Local Foods program to enhance outreach and education in limited access areas.
- This initiative also includes a proactive approach to involve tribal college educators throughout the project. Tribal youth and college students will participate in gardening workshops and then grow food locally at home or school. They will expose tribal members to opportunities for locally growing food.
- Evaluation of these outcomes were via NCR SARE PDP evaluation forms to determine changes in program delivery and any new collaboration.
- Virtual and teleconference expenses were requested. Other Extension, Tribal College, and NGO funds were needed for staff time and travel. State Coordinator time will also be used for facilitation. Travel and mini grant support for educators to attend training events were utilized from existing and requested ND SARE funds.
3) Integrated Production Systems – Livestock and Crops
- Farmers markets are finding a demand for locally sourced meat and crops. While limits on processing facilities impede growth of the market, ND SARE will provide information on developing local markets. Market support will be addressed with collaboration from the ND Department of Agriculture.
- Outcomes include increasing knowledge about North Dakota livestock marketing, providing educational support for raising livestock and poultry with a local food and sustainable emphasis, and working with Food coops and Food Hubs to increase ND meat in their markets. Develop trainings and activities showing benefits from integrating livestock with crops including organic production. Farmers and extension personnel were trained with a 60% increase in knowledge of synergies from integrating crops and livestock. Cover crops and grazing mentoring networks will be used to advance sustainable
production through synergies of crops and livestock.
- The initiative sought opportunity to work with and provide education and experiences to tribal college educators and youth about sustainable livestock production and purveying.
- The interaction of soil health, cover crops and livestock was demonstrated through on farm projects. Field days were hosted by NDSU extension agents to teach sustainability with a soil and livestock aspect.
- Evaluation of these outcomes will be via NCR SARE PDP evaluations. Evaluations will also identify strengths and weaknesses in program delivery and collaborations.
- Travel and mini grant support for NDSU/tribal educators and farmers was used for providing educational programs about sustainability with livestock for meat production and crop production integration.
4) Beginning Farmers and Ranchers — regional training initiative
- Several representatives from North Dakota will participate in a regional professional development event organized by NCR-SARE on beginning farmers and ranchers, to be offered during calendar year 2019. Educators who are given support from our state SARE funds to travel to this regional training will provide educational programming to other educators and/or beginning farmers and ranchers. This will include workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming. During the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that increases the sustainability and success of beginning farmers and ranchers.
- Short term outcomes will include increased knowledge about beginning farmer and rancher issues/problems and how to overcome these issues/problems with sustainable practices. These outcomes were to be reached through seminars to be conducted in this topic area within NDSU Extension programming for 2019-20. Educators reached out to Tribal entities involving beginning farmers and ranchers and identify opportunities for programming.
- Increase profitability and knowledge of beginning farmers and ranchers. Program knowledge increased in participants.
· Evaluation of these outcomes were held via surveys held at workshops and via follow-up meetings
Advisors
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
- (Educator)
Education
Multiple educational approaches were utilized in delivery of the 2019-2020 North Dakota State PDP SARE initiatives. The Soil health, cover crops and water quality initiative used team building to delivery large group and small group education via large conference speaker support, tours, and small farmer/county shop conversations. The initiative Local agriculture serving diverse communities and meeting nutritional needs used one-on-one educational outreach to tribal partners, speaker support for workshops and conferences, and travel support for train the trainer events The Integrated production systems - livestock and crops initiative used large group conferences, small group discussions, speaker support, and ag agent travel or virtual support to provide professional development. The Beginning famers and ranchers initiative used train-the-trainer approach for county agents to attend regional training workshop and then build local networking and increase local education through local agent educational programs
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Create learning experiences for farmers to improve saline and sodic soils and advance the concept of improved soil health leads to improved water quality.
The NDSU soil health team is creating a variety of learning experience for farmers to improve saline and sodic soils and advance the concept of improved soil health leads to improved water quality. This team addresses research and educational issues related to soil health and underlying water quality issues in ND. ND SARE cooperates with the team to support their efforts that meet our goals and support funds with professional development projects
Outcomes include increased knowledge about soil health and improving water quality including: use of cover crops to enhance soil health, saline soil management and general soil health management aspects and effects on water quality. Tours of cover crop plantings and outreach meetings are provided to visually share the effects of cover crops. Café meetings are used to expand the soil heath discussion among farmers to advance new ideas in soil health and water quality. Large group meetings and conferences provide education and foster interaction between producers and provide information exchange. Widespread use of cover crops across North Dakota shows the increased effort to increase soil health.
To increase partnership with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Local Foods programs to enhance outreach and education in limited access areas including tribal areas.
In collaboration with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, growing local food access is accomplished through leadership development and education. Educational support is provided to the North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association to increase production opportunities and marketing effectiveness. Tribal outreach efforts are focused in individual tribal leadership conversations. Local foods are a highly regarded in tribal regions and developing SARE outreach in these regions is a continual process due to leadership turnover.
Reaching out to the several tribal regions in North Dakota to build awareness for SARE has created a working relationship. Awareness of information is the first step in building SARE support in tribal regions. Providing education to local food producers is accomplished by assisting the North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association in their annual conference. Local extension educators are using SARE funds for professional development to improve knowledge and teaching skills.
Increase farm diversity through livestock and crop integration.
North Dakota agriculture has developed into either 'crops only' farming or livestock based ranching. Integrating livestock into 'crops only' farming enterprises to improve soil heath and add economic diversity is being considered. However, owning livestock and livestock infrastructure is a cost that 'crop only' farms find prohibitive and/or lack the skill set to maintain or provide stewardship for livestock. Provide forums and discussions for improving soil health via livestock is changing farming perspectives on livestock integration.
Outcomes include increasing knowledge about North Dakota livestock marketing, providing educational support for raising livestock and poultry with a local food and sustainable emphasis, and working to increase ND meat in their markets. Develop trainings and activities showing benefits from integrating livestock with crops including organic production. Cover crops and grazing mentoring networks will be used to advance sustainable production through synergies of crops and livestock
Increase knowledge about beginning farmer and rancher issues/problems and how to overcome these issues/problems with sustainable practices
North Dakota extension agents participated in a regional professional development event organized by NCR-SARE on beginning farmers and ranchers. These educators are provided support from state PDP SARE funds to provide educational programming to other educators and/or beginning farmers and ranchers. These workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming is provided during the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that increases the sustainability and success of beginning farmers and ranchers
North Dakota extension agents that participated in the regional initiative training workshop have increased their knowledge base of beginning farmer rancher issues. A state wide workshop for extension agents is developed to create a better understanding of business and liability issues facing new farmers and ranchers.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Face of SARE
The North Dakota SARE program brings SARE to the public via the northcentral.sare.org/State-Programs/North-Dakota website, email notices, interviews, displays at meetings, speaker sponsorship at meetings, professional development activities, and news releases. The North Dakota State Co-Coordinators promote North Central SARE grant and information opportunities and provide assistance to grant writers, usually via the telephone or email. There will be continued outreach to youth, youth educator, graduate student, farmer- rancher, and partnership grant writers with increased involvement and applicants. Additional attention is provided to promote greater inclusion of 1994 Land Grant colleges and staff with SARE awareness and programs.