North Carolina State University Training Grant- MSP22

Progress report for SNC22-001

Project Type: PDP State Program
Funds awarded in 2022: $22,000.00
Projected End Date: 06/30/2024
Grant Recipient: North Carolina State University
Region: Southern
State: North Carolina
State Coordinator:
Dr. Chris Reberg-Horton
North Carolina State University
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Project Information

Abstract:

North Carolina SARE is a collaborative effort from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University (NCA&T). NC SARE promotes sustainable agriculture in North Carolina and supports sustainable agriculture trainings for agriculture professionals, which include North Carolina Cooperative Extension (NCCE) professionals and other educators defined by Southern SARE. NC SARE offers sustainable agriculture trainings primarily through competitive scholarships. These scholarships, primarily for registration and/or travel, benefit agriculture professionals at all levels, as educators may apply for trainings that best suit their service regions/counties’ needs and resources, as well as their own level of expertise. Applications for technical and educational training in any area of sustainable agriculture can be submitted. NC SARE will consider scholarship applications for both in-state and out-state trainings. Trainings may include, but not limited to, the annual Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference (CFSA SAC), the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) Workshops, the NC Choices’ Carolina Meat Conference/ Women Working in the Meat Industry (CMC/WIM), and NCSU and NCA&T Field Days. NC SARE also offers the NC SARE Outstanding NCCE Educator award, in partnership with CFSA. This year, NC SARE will be providing competitive funding to Extension Educators to provide a focused training to NCCE agents in a topic of sustainable agriculture. Guided by the Advisory Council, NC SARE has been a visible presence in NC sustainable agriculture and publicizing events through its website, the NC Extension portal, and providing sustainable agriculture educational materials, such as SARE publications, to trainers.

Project Objectives:

North Carolina SARE (NC SARE) is a collaborative effort from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University (NCA&T). NC SARE promotes sustainable agriculture in North Carolina and supports sustainable agriculture trainings for agriculture professionals, which include North Carolina Cooperative Extension (NCCE) professionals and other educators defined by Southern SARE. NC SARE offers sustainable agriculture trainings primarily through competitive scholarships. These scholarships, primarily for registration and/or travel, benefit agriculture professionals at all levels, as educators may apply for trainings that best suit their service regions/counties’ needs and resources, as well as their own level of expertise. Applications for technical and educational training in any area of sustainable agriculture can be submitted. NC SARE will consider scholarship applications for both in-state and out-state trainings. Possible trainings may include, but not limited to, the annual Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference (CFSA SAC), the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) Workshops, the NC Choices’ Carolina Meat Conference/ Women Working in the Meat Industry (CMC/WIM), and NCSU and NCA&T Field Days. NC SARE also offers the NC SARE Outstanding NCCE Educator award, in partnership with CFSA. This year, NC SARE will be providing competitive funding to Extension Educators to provide a focused training to NCCE agents in a topic of sustainable agriculture. Guided by the Advisory Council, NC SARE has been a visible presence in NC sustainable agriculture and publicizing events through its website, the NC Extension portal, and providing sustainable agriculture educational materials, such as SARE publications, to trainers.

Advisors

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  • Karen McSwain (Educator)
  • Cyndi Knudson (Educator)
  • Jim Hamilton (Educator)
  • Debbie Hamrick (Educator)
  • Craig Mauney (Educator)
  • Linette and Richard Hewlin
  • Millard and Connie Locklear
  • Jeannette and Joyce Martin

Education

Educational approach:

Our program is to provide scholarships for  registration and travel costs so that extension agents and other  sustainable agriculture educators to obtain relevant ongoing trainings.  We also provide funds to established programming to help provide enhancements at conferences and trainings so that they may provide the highest quality interactive training programs possible.  The feedback from participants is that these hands on workshops / training sessions are very impactful.

Education & Outreach Initiatives

Conferences / Workshops
Objective:

Provide funding for professional training to extension agents and other agricultural professionals.

Description:

Our SARE programming to is support those that are training, educating, and/or mentoring the agriculture growers and producers.   By providing the opportunity to attending trainings and workshops the agents are better able to provide relevant outreach to all of our agriculture communities.

Educational & Outreach Activities

25 Consultations
30 Travel Scholarships

Participation Summary:

27 Extension
1 Nonprofit
2 Farmers/ranchers

Learning Outcomes

60 Participants gained or increased knowledge, skills and/or attitudes about sustainable agriculture topics, practices, strategies, approaches
40 Ag professionals intend to use knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness learned

Project Outcomes

30 New working collaborations
60 Agricultural service provider participants who used knowledge and skills learned through this project (or incorporated project materials) in their educational activities, services, information products and/or tools for farmers
50 Farmers reached through participant's programs
Additional Outcomes:

The funds are used to provide support to extension agents and other sustainable agriculture professionals to attend professional trainings.  100% of participant responses is that these programs are appropriate as an agriculture trainer/educator.  The information gained at these trainings allow these professionals to bring updated information and more fully answer client questions around constantly changing issues.  The client base for most is growers/producers and so the number of farmers reached is incalculable.  

86% of participants plan to used gained knowledge in their current programming.

90% were able to make new working connections/relationships

15% of respondents are planning new field days/workshops

29% plan to use gained knowledge for newsletters and other media outlets to share information.

 

 

Face of SARE

Face of SARE:

NC SARE provides support for extension agents and other agriculture professionals with travel scholarships to promote ongoing training.  The North Carolina community has many excellent and beneficial programs and our support maximizes the number of educators that are able to engage in these trainings.  In addition, we work with event programmers and provide support to help enrich or expand the offerings at these conferences/workshops in a way that will benefit all those in attendance.  Through our collaboration with these event/program organizers we promote NC SARE and mission of sustainability in agricultural communities. 

20 Farmers received information about SARE grant programs and information resources
75 Ag professionals received information about SARE grant programs and information resources
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.