Building Capacity to Support Diverse and New Farming Audiences in Vermont

Year 1: Prior to offering this online orientation, the project director engaged in discussions with 12 individuals representing project partners, advisors and other colleagues to help shape both content and a delivery format for the professional development program. Their thoughtful feedback raised concerns about the model of having a single cohort over the three years, given the range of topics to be covered and the general sense among potential participants that they and their colleagues have limited time/capacity to engage in professional development activities. While some individuals indicated willingness to make a multi-year professional development commitment, the majority indicated that they were more interested in being able to access shorter-term training and professional development on the topics most relevant to their work. Additionally, these interviews indicated that it was likely there were going to be a number of new hires (both filling vacant positions and new positions) who would likely be interested in and strongly benefit from the professional development this project would be offering but would not have been hired at the time the cohort would be formed.

As a result, the project coordinator modified the program to increase flexibility for participants and allows ASPs for a shorter time period. No significant changes were made to expectations about attending trainings, contributing to small-cohort discussion groups, completing and sharing actions plans and responding to surveys to provide ongoing feedback about impact on their programs and work with farming audiences.

Year 2:

Adding flexibility to the program has resulted in increased participation in year 2, particularly among Extension professionals. Individuals whose work is grant-funded, and who work with marginalized audiences, including BIPOC farm workers, report that providing more flexibility has made the program both more accessible and more meaningful to them.

Year 3:

At the end of the first year, four cohorts, involving 20 individuals, formed for co-learning/training and/or resource development related to specific topic areas/interests. Topic areas are:

1. implicit bias training and its application to agricultural programs and services for women and non-binary and trans audiences (8 ASPs);
2. best practices for collecting demographic information and using it in service of diversity, equity, and inclusion (5 ASPs);
3. developing resources to support a network of ASPs for beginning farmer services (4 ASPs);
4. addressing racism in the food and agriculture system (7 ASPs). 

Based on inquiries from other ASPs, the project director expects that the cohort focusing on new farmer resources and networks will likely expand in the second project year, and the cohort focusing on racism in the food an agriculture system will either expand (or a second cohort may form). Finally, the project director will recruit participants for and launch a new cohort focused on farm transfer and succession.

Note - the number of individual ASPs is less than the sum of participants in the cohort groups because some ASPs are participating in more than one cohort.

Year 2

No significant modifications were made in the second year.

Individuals participating in cohorts 1 and 2 provided feedback about the program and the changes they experienced in knowledge, skill and confidence. Feedback showed participants were satisfied with the education, resources and peer learning format and reported increased knowledge, skill and confidence. 

Surveys/interviews of participants in the two other active cohorts are planned for the fall/winter of 2023.

Year 2:

Individuals participating in cohorts 1 and 2 provided feedback about the programs and the changes they experienced in knowledge, skill and confidence. Feedback showed participations were satisfied with the education, resources and peer learning format, and reported increased knowledge, skill and confidence. Participants also expressed appreciation for facilitation geared to make spaces safer for discussion of difficult topics, and opportunities to build connections and community with other educators and service providers exploring DEIJ topics.

The project coordinator facilitated a training on implicit bias for the eight people in cohort 1 in October 2021. Two weeks later, the cohort had a follow-up discussion session in which they debriefed on important take-aways related to gender and underserved audiences. Those concepts and approaches were integrated into interactive workshops, field demonstrations and other educational programming for women farmers and landowners. Note: Their educational programming is ongoing, and they will share information about their participant numbers and impacts at a later date.

Cohort 2 was comprised entirely of Extension employees who were seeking to learn more about best practices for collecting demographic information from clients in ways that are respectful, and ways to use that information in service of diversity, equity and inclusion. The group met 5 times during the project  sharing learning they did individually through readings, interviews with specialists in the field, and participation in online education offered through external organizations with expertise in the subject matter. The group documented their learning in a guidance document that was completed in June 2022, and has now been adopted by UVM Extension as guidance for developing many registration forms and evaluation surveys. 

The interviews were conducted in the fall of 2022 and are being integrated into year 2 planning. 

Development of the survey tool is in process. This element has been complicated by different cohorts working on different topic areas and along different timelines.

During year 2, only minor progress was made on this milestone. In addition to the cohorts working on different topic areas and timelines, they are also differences in delivery format. Synthesizing ideas across the cohorts has proved to be challenging.

In Year 2, Cohort 1 expanded its focus into disrupting bias, harassment and micro-aggressions that culminated in a June 2023 peer learning session entitled "Let's Have Each Other's Backs." Attended by 20 agricultural service providers, this session invited participants to explore and practice a variety of techniques to disrupt harassment and disrespectful behavior in the context of the agricultural education workplace. After introductions and review of the group agreements for the session, facilitators led a brief discussion on Right to Be’s approach to responding to disrespect and harassment – which emphasizes supporting the person who is experiencing the harm through 5 “D”s – Distract, Delegate; Document; Delay; and Direct. Most of the session was spent in small groups exploring (including possible role-plays)  scenarios related to Extension field work. One of the two scenarios participants engaged in presented a situation in which Extension employees observe disrespect based on implicit racial bias. The other presented a situation involving both disrespect and harassment based on gender identity. Participants were invited to consider the kinds of concerns they had about intervening, and various options for responding.

In end-of-session action planning, all 16 participants who shared said they were either “extremely likely” (10) or “likely” (6) to use something from the session to intervene the next time they witnessed disrespect or harassment at work. Participants said that they found the 5 Ds approach relevant to situations that arise in Extension work, and that they appreciated the opportunity to explore the topic in a peer-learning setting. All 16 identified the approaches to disruption that they were likely to use, and also some preemptive strategies.

The majority expressed interest in further professional development on bystander intervention, and were interested in a longer session with a consultant specializing in the topic. For example, one participant said: "I really appreciate thinking through realistic scenarios and their nuances and would like more time to wrestle with this and hear others’ perspectives." Said another: “It’s important for me to attend to be able to share insights with my staff and guide them. This is an important topic, and the more I participate in these trainings the more natural it will be for me to intervene and hopefully help others.” 

Cohort 2's work culminated in a "Let's Talk Demographic Data" peer learning session (September 2023) which invited agricultural extension employees to explore considerations and choices related to the collection of demographic data from program participants, clients, volunteers and others. Session attendees (16) were encouraged to review the guidance document in advance. Participants explored question and considerations related to confidentiality, accountability and purpose when it comes to collecting -- and using -- demographic data, particularly when working with vulnerable audiences. At the end of the session, 80% of participants said they were likely to use something they learned in the session. Action steps included: having a system that ensures confidentiality of information and then explicitly sharing that with the audience; developing relationships first, asking demographic data after registration; maintaining an opt-out option; using culturally appropriate language; only asking necessary questions. The group generated a substantive and thoughtful list of things they want to learn more more about, which we will be using in the development of year three learning sessions and materials. 

Cohort 3 has been focused on continuing to develop and update new farmer resources and post them at the UVM New Farmer Project online resource hub. 

Cohort 4's activities included developing a participatory DEIJ module that is being integrated into every UVM Extension new employee orientation (attended by 30+ people in 2023) and conducting a listening session (attended by 28 people)  to document the experiences and challenges employees navigate and the professional development, guidance, support and resources that are needed. 

The orientation module, which has been delivered twice in 2023, offers a brief introduction to the DEIJ work under way within UVM Extension within the context of how the Morrill Act expropriated land from tribal nations to endow the 1860 land grants, and the ongoing inequities between the different generations of land grant universities. Most of the session is devoted to participatory "Shared Language" exercise adapted from an Interaction Institute for Social Chang training activity. The exercise invites participants to explore the meaning and definitions of key terms used in equity work - accountability, equity, marginalization and power -- and to consider what those terms might mean in the context of their work. 

During the listening session, participants shared stories about both challenges and successes in responding to situations in which they experienced or witnessed bias, disrespect, or harassment related to ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, country of origin, religion, age, ability, and family. Their stories provide insights into the ways that clients, program partcipants, volunteers, constituents, and employees may experience exclusion, discrimination and disempowerment – as well as inclusion, privilege, power and belonging – in their interactons with UVM Extension and its programs.  After listening to each other's experiences, participants were asked to identify priorities for UVM Extension to address. These recommendations were highlighted in a follow-up report about the listening session which was shared with UVM Extension leadership. The report is currently under review by UVM's Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Senior Executive Director of Inclusive Excellence and Faculty Engagement.

Participants left the session with gratitude for what they learned and heard and motivation to learn more and make change. There were also expressions of anger, sadness and frustration with the difficulty of addressing these topics. Almost all participants articulated at least one specific acton they intended to undertake within six months. 

Common themes around action steps include:

• using 5D strategies to disrupt bias, harrassment, disrespect -- in the office and in the field
• Allyship with colleagues - speaking up, supporting, advocating, and sometimes stepping back
• Speaking up about/documenting issues witnessed in the field 
• continuing conversations/exploration of what accountability looks like 
• implementing data collection methods that ensure confidentiality
• rethinking the timing of asking for demographic data, particularly with vulnerable audiences;
• maintaining opt-out options (data)
• providing IDs, signage that can address safety issues for BIPOC employees who work in the field

This milestone is no longer relevant under the revised project design, allowing participants more flexibility to opt in (and sometimes out) as their position, supervisor and responsibilities allow. However, it is worth noting that some individuals who have been actively engaged in project activities in years 1 and 2 have recently changed employment and are therefore no longer able to participate in the project.