Progress report for SFL22-002
Project Information
Florida activities for 2022-23 will build upon the basic framework for the model state program. Planned activities include integrating results of SARE funded research and Extension activities, and other relevant research, and using this information as resources for educational programs. We also plan to continue to strengthen our focus on targeted training for state and county Extension faculty, representatives of non- profit organizations, representatives of state and federal government agencies, and farmer representatives. To fulfill the priorities and objectives of our program, our training funds will be used to address programs in three subject matter areas:
(1) new and emerging solutions for Florida agricultural production,
(2) advancing Extension capacity in sustainable agriculture, and
(3) entrepreneurial innovation in sustainable agriculture.
Our expected outcomes are:
(1) Extension faculty will participate in SARE in-service training programs and use this information in their own programming,
(2) Extension faculty will participate in regional and national training programs in sustainable agriculture and apply the lessons learned in their own programming,
(3) at least two of the statewide Extension priority teams will include information and resources about sustainable agriculture and SARE in their professional development training programs and Extension programming,
(4) through SARE, Extension agents and farmers will identify opportunities for the development, outreach, and research of alternative crops and enterprises,
(5) regional and local county agents will develop new collaborations with organizations, agencies, and groups working in sustainable agriculture, and (6) Extension faculty and agents will make increased use of resources to support programming in sustainable agriculture.
The 2022-23 Florida SARE programming builds upon our previous years’ work in two ways.
(1) We continue to focus on outreach and training that enhances the environmental and economic benefits of production agriculture.
(2) We continue to host trainings that emphasize local and regional food systems to address issues and policies that impact our food system.
We continue to address the changing training needs of state and county faculty.
(1) County, regional and state Extension personnel continue to press for more training in how to develop research and outreach proposals and how to assemble and train teams to implement their projects. We will continue to expand this training to include identification of potential funding sources (public and private).
(2) County faculty want more access to cutting edge research in sustainable ag to reduce the time between research and adoption. We are accommodating this need by involving county faculty in field assessments of various research projects. Through this venue, county faculty have a voice in the development of research projects and in the data generation process.
(3) We will expand our training program that integrates grower and technical advisor input into ecological and biological research to enhance research outcomes to include farmer-designed on-farm trials and stakeholder advisory panels. This program helps extension faculty strengthen the outreach and evaluation components of extension projects.
(4) One of the most useful roles we play for IFAS faculty members is to gather preliminary data regarding grower needs, barriers and priorities. We will develop protocols for this kind of data collection and continue to work with faculty members to facilitate the data collection. These data are often critical to the development of good grant proposals.
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Education
Our educational approach for this project provides:
- Practices to Improve Farm Sustainability Among Small Scale and Minority Producers
- Advancing Extension Capacity in Sustainable Agriculture
- Advancing Urban Agriculture
Education & Outreach Initiatives
The objectives of this initiative will focus on behavioral changes in participants that will enable them to bring about change in their local audiences and themselves.
Use of Soil Amendments and Cover Crops for Nutrient Availability, Soil Health, Conservation, and Water Quality Protection:
The target audience for this training is cooperative extension faculty, NGOs, service providers, and mentor farmers. This training will focus on the use of bio-based soil amendments and cover crops in production systems for water quality protection and enhancement of soil quality. Participants who complete this training will be able to:
- Explain various practices that protect water quality and enhance soil health.
- Demonstrate management practices re use of cover crops and other organic materials.
- Manufacture compost from food and crop waste
Use of Compost as soil amendment, a source of nutrients, and a climate-smart alternative in agriculture
This activity was geared towards educating urban residents about the production and utilization of compost. Participants gained knowledge about the ingredients that are suitable and appropriate for inclusion into compost piles. This is a continuing effort that will be extended into the 2024 and 2025 MSP. Upon completion of the training, participants were able to:
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Understand the benefits of compost as a soil amendment
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Select the appropriate ingredients for making compost
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Make their own compost utilizing 'safe' and appropriate materials
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understand that cost saving practices such as reducing food waste and transportation costs through reuse of organic materials can be achieved through compost making.
- Composting can be a climate-smart agricultural practice, due to its ability to reduce carbon emissions.
Two composting workshops were held, one in Tallahassee and the other in Jacksonville, FL. A total of 24 limited resource farmers participated in these workshops. Participants rated both workshops as excellent. At least two more workshops are planned for Fall 2024.
This initiative provides individualized training in specialized topics in sustainable agriculture. County and state faculty can participate in training relevant to their state and county programs that may not be a focus or an emphasis in the other Florida SARE initiatives. We allow county and state faculty to develop their own training objectives and propose venues that will provide the training they need. We also advertise training opportunities that may be of interest to Florida faculty.
Advanced Individualized Training:
The target audience consists of cooperative extension faculty, food system NGOs, and mentor farmers that host trainings or engage in peer-to-peer learning groups. Scholarships are available to support attendance to a professional development program where the participant will receive training in topics relevant to sustainable agriculture. Program objectives:
- Increase participation in trainings related to sustainable agriculture that are associated with the SSARE Program.
- Increase participation in relevant national and regional trainings offered by other programs and organizations.
- Enhance the ability of the participant to develop and deliver local programming relevant to the goals of the Florida SARE program.
- Expand the current extension responsibilities of cooperative extension faculty participants to include programming related to sustainable agriculture and food systems.
Advanced Individualized Training
We sponsor travel scholarships for Extension professionals and/or mentor farmers to attend sustainable agriculture trainings. Upon completion of the training, scholarship recipients are required to submit a report about the conference, what they learned, and how they are using or plan to use what they learned in their work.
The MSP at FAMU is under transition to a new state coordinator. Activities under the new leadership will begin in 2023/24.
This project is geared towards improving the knowledge and understanding of legal regulations for urban farming and to develop tools for educating urban farmers on municipal farming guidelines.
This is a new and ongoing project that is facilitated through a SARE grant. This is a ‘train the trainer’ initiative, geared towards training extension agents on municipal regulations.
The target audience for this project includes county extension agents and urban farmers.
Upon completion of the training, extension agents will convey the knowledge gained to urban farmers in their respective jurisdictions. Urban farmers will be aware of:
- municipal regulations that guide urban farming
- the types of agricultural practices that can be performed in urban settings.
This project aims to address injury disparities among US farmers by using interpretable machine learning techniques to understand the underlying factors related to them. It seeks evidence-based interventions to enhance farm safety and worker well-being (health-related quality of life), and to foster sustainable agricultural practices.
This is a new project that will address health disparities among farmers in the United States. A graduate student grant has been submitted, that if funded, will spearhead the project. Specifically, the project will address injury disparities between farmers of different demographic groups. Despite advancements in safety measures, agriculture remains one of the most hazardous industries, with specific demographic groups experiencing disproportionately higher injury rates. These incidents not only jeopardize the health and well-being of individuals but also pose significant challenges to farm sustainability. The significance of addressing injury disparities in agriculture extends beyond immediate health and safety concerns to impact the sustainability of agricultural systems
Agriculture ranks among the top industries for occupational fatalities and injuries, posing significant challenges to farm sustainability. Injury incidents not only jeopardize the health and well-being of individuals but also threaten the sustainability of agricultural practices. By addressing injury disparities and enhancing farm safety, this project contributes to the long-term sustainability of agriculture by improving the health-related quality of life of farmers.
All US Agricultural stakeholders (farmers, extension agents, policy makers, etc.) stand to benefit from this exercise. This research will provide evidence-based intervention strategies and policy formulations that can enhance farm safety and promote the well-being of agricultural workers.
Educational & Outreach Activities
- Advertising of SARE educational materials at the Small farm Festival (Orange Avenue, Tallahassee) in Fall 2023. A booth and table were provided for the SARE coordinator. More than 20 different sustainable agriculture topics were disseminated by way of books, leaflets and flyers. More than 2000 people attended that festival.
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
We will host our 2022 Florida SARE Advisory Council meeting in 2023. Training activities have been limited due to COVID-19 restrictions and low participation at in-person events. Virtual trainings were developed where possible and in-person events will resume in 2023/24.
This report builds on work started by the previous SARE coordinator for Florida A&M University. Three new initiatives were added. Some numbers were updated to include new clientele, collaboration and events. The work covers the period between March-April 2023 and June 2024
A greater focus on the health-related quality of life of farmers is needed as this issue has huge implications for sustainable agriculture.
Face of SARE
We distribute SARE educational materials at all of our SARE trainings and other relevant programs in Florida. SARE materials are distributed to the public by state and county faculty that participate in our programs. We also distribute SARE books and educational materials to our listserv, advisory council, and scholarship recipients.