Progress report for NCSD22-001
Project Information
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Advisors
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Education
In the year 2023, we awarded 11 mini-grants ranging from $500 to $4500 to educational events that focused on using compost extracts as soil nutrient amendments, challenges and opportunities centered in local foods, sustainable forage production, managing rangeland in healthy ways, soil health, cover crops, alternative crops, incorporation of small grains in row crop systems, no-till, and maximizing profits in healthy soils systems. During these events, we sponsored a SARE booth that displayed SARE educational resources and promoted several grant opportunities. It was unusual for us to not receive any request for travel scholarship/s in 2023.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
To put particular efforts on adapting to a changing climate and other food system disruptions.
As a part of NCR-SARE regional initiative for 2023-24, we will focus particular efforts on adapting to a changing climate and other food system disruptions. Climate change has made our weather patterns highly unpredictable in recent years. Not only the comprehensive understanding of factors that contribute to undesirable changes in climate is needed, but also the wide adoption of production practices that can help mitigate those changes are of utmost necessity to build resilient food systems. A major non-climatic factor that disrupted our food system is the COVID pandemic.
‘Crop Hour’, a 3-day/week webinar series hosted by SDSU extension during winter months included talks related to several commodities and production aspects. The ‘Climate & Business Management’ was attended by a total of 51 participants.
Mini Grant awarded to a field day ‘Biological Agronomy Field Day’ that focused on applying biological soil amendments to minimize fossil fuel derived synthetic fertilizers, thus reducing carbon footprint. The field day occurred in Aug 2023. Attendance were smaller than expected (15) but everyone attended learned about composting and making extracts to be used on crop fields as nutrients and seed treatments. Prominent farmers, NRCS staff, and SDSU Extension staff attended the event. Education events hosted by Extension and partner organizations have slowly started discussing carbon cycles and effects of changing climates on local ag production systems.
At the 2023 ‘Watertown Crops Expo’, several topics related to soil and cover crops discussed the resiliency of conservation practices on weather variability. This event was attended by 200 ag students from Lake Area Technical College. Promoted SARE during the talk.
Empower beginning farmer/ranchers and under-served communities.
The NCR-SARE had identified strengthening beginner farmer/ranchers as their major initiative for the 2021-22 work plan. The 2017 Census of Agriculture reported that 45% of vegetable growers, 36% of fruit growers, and 32% of sheep growers in South Dakota are beginning growers (less than 10 years). Other farming categories (oilseed/grain, hay, beef, and hogs) range around 20% for beginning producers.
Local Foods Conference held in November 2023 attracted 145 attendees of which at least 26 were students. We provided mini-grant to host the event and also had a booth.
Several discussions highlighted ethnic way of producing and preserving foods that were utilized by Native Americans. We provided mini-grant and a copy of ‘Building Soils for Better Crops’ book for each attendee. Several speakers and participants were from Native American background.
Although programs were not solely designed for beginning farmer/ranchers, we have observed several attendees from that group in various Extension events. Many students who attended ‘Watertown Crops Expo’ are expected to return to farm.
To enhance knowledge about soil health and related topics
Interest in Soil Health has increased in recent years, however, the producers, stakeholders, and other ag advisors are still looking for specific indicators to define a healthy soil. Programs related to this initiative will focus on various aspects of soil health and how to enhance and maintain a healthy soil in our ag production systems.
‘Crop Hour’, a 3-day/week webinar series hosted by SDSU extension during winter months included talks related to several commodities and production aspects. The ‘Soil Health Week’ was attended by a total of 104 participants.
South Dakota Soil Health Coalition conducted ‘2023 Soil Health Conference’ in January and ‘Soil Health School’ in August. We provided mini-grant to both events and had SARE booth at these events. About 350 attended the conference and 35 students enrolled (capped at 35) for the school. Topics focused on soil health indicators, grazing plans, grazing cover crops, role of carbon in our system, soil horizons, cover crops-herbicide interaction, and general discussions on healthy soils. We had SARE booth at both events.
Managing Soils Maximizing Profit hosted in December had about 50 attendees of producers, NRCS staff, local business personnel, industry staff, and SDSU Extension staff. We had a SARE booth.
To increase the awareness about incorporating livestock in cropping systems
Integrated livestock systems enhance and maintain the farm sustainability and improve economic and ecological benefits.
We awarded a mini-grant to host a two phase (bus-tour in June) and 3 day workshop in November that focused on managing healthy rangeland. The event was attended by 27 ranchers, soil health coalition staff, and SDSU Extension staff.
Forage Field Day was held in August and had an audience size of 40. Awarded mini-grant for the event.
New organization Norther Plains Forage Assoc. had their first winter meeting in Brandon SD which was attended by 80 people from various states that included SDSU Extension staff, industry, and NRCS staff. We provided mini-grant for the event.
Due to climate favorable for small grains production, there are programs that have focused in small grains and other alternative crop incorporation to add diversity, add supplemental forages, cover crop incorporation, and soil health. During the ‘crop hour’, there were total of 45 and 47 participants respectively who attended ‘small grains week’ and ‘pulse crop week’.
To educate ag advisors on local vegetable and fruit hubs, production techniques, marketing, and pest management.
Local foods are a critical component our society. Advisors were provided with opportunities for training on local vegetable and fruit hubs, production techniques, marketing, and pest management
Local Foods Conference is the largest education event that takes place in SD. This year, there were 145 participants. We also had SARE Farmers Forum during the event. We had booth at the event and provided 'Building Soils for Better Crops' book to all attendees.
We also promoted SARE as booth vendor at ‘Specialty Crops Field Day’ attended by 84 people. SARE booth and resources were also promoted at the ‘Monarch Summit’ at which we had 75 attendees.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Learning Outcomes
Face of SARE
We sponsored and attended SARE booth at educational events 'Soil Health Conference', 'Soil Health School', 'Forage Field Day', 'Managing Soils Maximizing Profit', 'Specialty Crops Field Day', and 'Monarch Summit'.