Progress report for SNE23-001-CT
Project Information
The Tri-State project is designed to increase the knowledge, awareness, and skills of agricultural service providers (ASP) who assist livestock producers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as increase their engagement with producers on these issues. Our planning process included a comprehensive needs assessment sent to 580 ASP and farmers on the project’s listserv, feedback from the advisory committee and direct contact with many agricultural organizations and stakeholders throughout the region. They clearly identified the need for further education and support in the areas of pasture resiliency, animal productivity and in the economics of raising livestock on pasture.
Over the course of the three-year project, multiple delivery methods will be used to help participants gain knowledge, awareness, and skills through several learning environments. These include webinars, group exercises as well as discussion during all webinars, farm field days, an annual online discussion group, monthly email correspondence and online access to all presentations. Curricula for this project will be finalized with the advisory committee, which includes ASP, representatives from the agricultural industry and farmers from all involved states. Electronic pre and post evaluation questions will help the project director understand the knowledge level of the participants both before and after each program. Follow-up questionnaires administered via a Qualtrics online survey will be conducted during the project and after its completion to quantify the number of participants who used the knowledge, awareness and skills learned and applied it to their daily work with farmers.
40 agricultural service providers who learn through this project will provide education and assistance (i.e. workshops, one-on-one consultations, articles, videos, websites, factsheets, and project materials) regarding the recommended pasture management practices for sustainable livestock production to 400 farmers in CT, MA and RI who manage livestock (beef cattle, goats, sheep, poultry and swine).
Description of Problem or Opportunity:
Building and expanding pasture based systems for sustainable livestock production is a growing concern in the Southern New England region. In the last 6 years this project has established a strong foundation of knowledge and skills specific to pasture and grazing management in the areas of: establishing new and managing existing pasture, pasture plant identification, pasture renovation, pasture design, types of grazing systems, forage calculations, writing/creating grazing plans, extending the grazing season, and soil health and nutrient management with respect to pasture based systems. After receiving input from project attendees, the advisory committee, reaching out to various agricultural organizations and stakeholders and conducting a comprehensive needs assessment, the project team recognizes there is still work to be done.
ASP need and want to increase their knowledge and skills with regard to pasture raised livestock as they work with the region’s small scale, diversified livestock producers. Many work in several capacities with the producers they serve and have mentioned that while the pasture education received through this project has helped give them the confidence they need to work with farmers, they still have more to learn in this area. The needs assessment, conducted in January 2023, identified the following topics as a priority. Forty-three percent (59) of the respondents (21 ASP) selected enhanced pasture management and infrastructure as a priority area for further training. Another 45% (63) of the respondents (17 ASP) indicated that animal nutrition and product quality was a necessary area of education. Respondents were asked to elaborate on the topics they identified. Within those comments, many ASP and farmers are looking for a greater understanding of the interrelationship between raising livestock on pasture and the nutritional needs of their animals. Taking it a step further, many are also interested in understanding how that management scenario aligns with product (meat) quality. Respondents want to know more about the economics of raising animals on pasture and pasture resiliency in the face of changing weather patterns. Attention to these topics can improve efficiency, advance environmental stewardship, improve quality of life, and build resilience while reducing inputs thereby creating a more productive, profitable and sustainable production system.
Solution and Benefits:
Participants will learn concepts and practices during the three-year period that will develop and/or expand their knowledge, awareness, and skills in the area of pasture management, animal nutrition and product (meat) quality.
Participants will have the opportunity to participate in the project in ways that suit their learning style. Online training, in-person training and virtual discussion groups are all components of the project. Providing online training workshops backed up by web access to learning materials has already helped increase access to the program even when some ASP have limited time to dedicate to the project. Many service providers have multiple responsibilities/duties and cannot attend all project programming due to time constraints. The project team will continue to offer training programs during less busy times of the year. Additionally, the programming is structured in such a way that participants who attend every workshop build on the knowledge, awareness, and skills they learned at previous workshops, but a participant attending a workshop independently of any other workshops will also gain knowledge and be able to participate actively.
Another potential barrier is that this project spans a larger geographical area and travelling to attend an in-person workshop could be a challenge. The project team plans to make sure the in-person events are geographically spread and that one field event per year is sponsored in each of the three states. Despite these potential barriers our experience since 2017 has shown an increasing number of participants in our project who are attracted by the curricula content.
Service Provider Interest:
This project will gather ASP from the Tri-State region including, but not limited to: Extension, NRCS, FSA, state Departments of Agriculture and animal health care professional personnel. As the project has seen historically, it is anticipated that many past participants will continue to play an active role in the project, further developing their knowledge, awareness and skills. Throughout the three-year project, the project director will work with the participants involved to be sure that the project meets their desired training needs. The project director and facilitator will engage with and talk to participants in groups and individually, both in person and virtually. This connection with participants will encourage their continued engagement throughout the duration of the project.
DEIJ Funds:
The BIPOC community has been underserved in a number of areas including access to and an understanding of NSARE grants and resources. This project will strive to address this with a comprehensive outreach and education plan.
Advisors/Cooperators
- - Technical Advisor
- - Technical Advisor
- - Technical Advisor
Educational Approach
Engagement:
ASP recruited for this project include Extension faculty/staff, agricultural educators, personnel from federal and state agencies, animal health care professionals and nonprofit ASP. Farmers are also welcome. The project’s listserv contains approximately 580 ASP and farmers. Contact via the listserv will be the primary method for recruiting participants. 134 (73 ASP, 60 farmers, 1 student) have participated in at least one event conducted thus far in the current project. It is expected that some participants will continue to be active in the project, while also attracting new participants. Recruitment will be ongoing throughout the project.
Other recruitment strategies include website postings, appropriate publications, contacting agricultural agencies/organizations in the area and the advisory committee. The yearly certificate program will continue for those who qualify, providing an incentive for them to participate in programming. There will be opportunity for participants to provide feedback via monthly email correspondence and an annual virtual discussion group. This will allow participants to discuss challenges they’re facing, how they’ve applied the knowledge and skills to their work and topics they wish to learn more about. Participants will be given opportunities to voice their opinion, ensuring continuation of interest and participation.
Learning:
The project will introduce new topics in the area of pasture management, building on the education provided historically as outlined in the statement of need. Feedback from the participants, advisory committee, needs assessment and agricultural organizations in the region support the following work as it relates to pasture raised livestock.
- Economics of pasture raised livestock: (cost effective infrastructure, economically viable grazing management decisions)
- Pasture resiliency/alternate systems: (silvopasture, pasture adaptation during changing weather patterns, supplemental feed).
- Animal productivity/product quality: (nutritional/forage needs of livestock, forage quality implications, proper grazing for optimal meat quality, maximizing growth and finishing on pasture)
The curriculum will be finalized with the assistance of the advisory committee. The primary educational delivery methods will be webinars and farm field days. Webinars will be planned as a series but can be attended as stand-alone workshops. Field days will illustrate the concepts taught in the webinars. The project director will invite topic specialists to present. Participants may be both instructors and co-learners, building their knowledge, awareness, and skills.
Webinars will include structured and moderated breakout sessions. Participants will work through exercises that reinforce the concepts taught and engage in group discussions. Through these discussions ASP and farmers will gain an understanding of each other's perspective. The presentations and exercises will be shared in the monthly updates and posted online for further reference and for those who cannot attend. The field days will provide a practical, hands-on approach, ideal for ASP new to their positions and farmers who can see how others have applied the concepts. Participants will learn about the challenges the farm has faced in implementing the concepts and what has worked well. The host farm will be willing to answer questions and engage in discussion. On-going communication with participants will be maintained, allowing them to share questions, challenges, and successes of implementing concepts learned. Consistent communication will facilitate a community of learning and enable the formation of a cohort of Tri-State ASP allowing for cross-border networking and collaboration.
Evaluation:
Pre and post evaluation questions administered electronically at the beginning and end of each webinar will assess baseline knowledge and skills, verify participants learning and identify their needs for additional learning.
An online survey will be distributed 4 to 6 months after the completion of the project programming each year. Participants attending at least one of the workshops conducted that year would receive the survey. The survey will present questions based on the programming they attended. This survey will verify how well the participants were able to apply the knowledge and skills learned to teach and advise farmers. They will also have the chance to share comments they have and suggest future programming.
The project will offer a virtual discussion group. The group will allow participants to discuss how they have applied the skills and knowledge learned to their work. They will be expected to share information on how many farmers they have worked with and what educational tools they used when providing the training and education.
DEIJ Funds:
Outreach to the BIPOC community will be a component of our project. Our goal in year one is to identify key members of BIPOC community groups. Once identified, we’ll establish contact asking how to reach group members and secondly, address barriers and concerns about NSARE grants and resources. Another goal is to conduct a needs assessment and a minimum of six programs each year on NSARE resources.
We have met with one member of the BIPOC community to date. He is a farmer and the Project Coordinator for Leaders of Color in Conservation in Connecticut. He’ll be provided with a stipend, learning about NSARE programs and resources and serving as a co-teacher and facilitator to members of the community.
This opportunity has also been discussed with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and our goal is to include a member of the tribal nation as a key individual in the project.
DEIJ funds for the project will focus on the development and implementation of specific programs to meet the needs of the community.
Milestones
Milestone 1: (Engagement) Every January, 580 unique individuals (ASP and farmers) receive an announcement from the Project Director describing the planned webinar series. The announcement includes an invitation to provide feedback via email and the opportunity to register for any/all of the webinars to be held. Moving forward throughout the project year, planned webinars will be promoted and advertised on the project website, with the help of the advisory committee, agricultural organizations/groups and industry publications.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): An announcement was sent to 556 people on our listserv in January 2024. It included information on all 3 webinars and the link to register. Subsequently, each webinar was also promoted individually as the webinar approached through all of the channels mentioned above. 2024 SARE Webinar Flyer 2024
Milestone 2: (Learning) February-April 2024, February–April 2025, February–April 2026. A series of 3 webinars will be held each year with 15 ASP participating in each. The project director, with the help of the advisory committee, will develop curricula and invite content area specialists to increase ASP’s knowledge and skills in the area of economics, pasture resiliency and animal productivity in pasture based systems.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): 3 webinars were held. 1st: February 15th Economic Fundamentals of pasture based livestock systems. 30 participants (13 ASP, 17 Farmer). 2nd: March 19th Economic Analysis and Decision Making of pasture based livestock systems. 17 participants (10 ASP, 7 Farmer). 3rd: April 9th Practical approaches to positively impact economics of pasture based livestock systems. 13 participants ( 7 ASP, 5 Farmer, 1 unknown). 4 content are specialists were presenters during the 3 webinars. Two speakers represented Farm Credit East, 1 speaker was from American Farmland Trust and the last speaker was from the Intervale Center. Important to note here that a problem with the link to connect for the second webinar lead to reduced attendance. We believe this might have had negative effects for the 3rd webinar as well even though all registrants were notified of the new link. All webinars included a pre and post evaluation where participants were asked to verify their changes in knowledge and explain the action steps they planned to take as a result of attending. Once edited, all the recordings of the webinars are posted on the resources tab of the project website.
Milestone 3: (Learning) February-April 2024, February–April 2025, February–April 2026 During each webinar 15 ASP participate in breakout room sessions. During these sessions ASP's will work through activities that reinforce the concepts discussed by the content area specialist. These activities include but are not limited to worksheets/documents, situational scenarios, structured discussions, role playing. These sessions will help build ASP’s skills and confidence in teaching and advising farmers.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): 2 breakout sessions were held during each of the 3 webinars, for a total of 6 sessions. Content for these sessions was developed by the content area specialists in conjunction with the project director. These sessions were led by the content area specialists as well as other experts in the industry, recruited by the project director. These allowed for dialogue among the participants and free flowing conversation that is seen during in person situations. Some of the activities included case studies, working through example budget scenarios and some aspects of production that can impact the bottom line (i.e. winter feeding of animals). Some of the activities can be viewed here: Happy Acres Beef Farm - breakout session winter feeding - breakout template
Milestone 4: (Engagement) Every May, 580 unique individuals (ASP and farmers) receive an announcement from the Project Director describing the farm field days. The announcement includes an invitation to provide feedback via email and the opportunity to register for any of the field days. Moving forward throughout the project year, planned visits will be promoted and advertised on the project website and with the help of the advisory committee as well as agricultural organizations/groups and publications.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): The Project Director created and distributed individual programming announcements for each of the 3 farm field days. The first was sent in April 2024. (2024 SARE RI Field workshop, 2024 SARE MA field workshop,2024 SARE CT field workshop). These programming announcements were distributed about 6 weeks in advance of each upcoming individual field day and then again 2 weeks prior to the field day. With each distribution a link to register was also attached. These announcements were also distributed to the project advisory group and other agency representatives that the project director has connected with. All announcements were also posted on the project website and the Universities social media platforms.
Milestone 5: (Learning) June-August 2024, June-August 2025, June-August 2026. Three farm field days will be held in each of the respective states every year with 10 ASP participating in each. These visits will be coordinated by the project director and allow for continued learning in a hands-on situation, application of concepts on a working farm and further discussion on the topics taught in the webinar series.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): 3 farm field days were held. 1st: May 15th at Pat's Pastured in East Greenwich, RI. 32 participants (23 ASP, 8 Farmers, 1 other). 2nd: June 26th at Oak Hollow Livestock in Shelburne Falls, MA. 36 participants (29 ASP, 7 Farmers). 3rd: August 14th at Muddy Roots Farm in Wallingford, CT. 29 participants (23 ASP, 4 Farmers, 2 other). The project director recruited and planned each field day in advance with the farm. Preparation for the event included discussion of how the selected farms could uniquely showcase the concepts that were covered during the webinar series to ensure it was a good fit. The project director developed a list of conversation starters/discussion points (content for field workshops) that each host farm was given in advance, helping to keep the conversation focused on the content. It should be noted that the second workshop in MA was planned and coordinated with American Farmland Trust.
Milestone 6: (Engagement) Monthly during ongoing programming. All project participants will receive monthly email updates from the project director. These updates will allow for the sharing of questions and information throughout the project and facilitate a community of learning among participants.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): Monthly email updates were sent to all attendees. This email list grew as new participants joined in on workshops throughout the year. These emails contained project updates, including webinar recordings and resources as well as any other happenings in the region that pertained to the content the project was covering. This task was reassigned to the project facilitator just before the close of year 1 and will be their responsibility moving through year 2 and 3 of the grant.
Milestone 7: (Engagement, Learning and Evaluation) Once annually (August-September), the project facilitator will invite all uniquely individual participants to a live virtual discussion group. During this discussion participants will report on the steps taken to teach and advise farmers, share their successes, and have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with other project participants.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments: Year 1 (23'-24'): During individual participant interviews over the past 2 years, ASPs and farmers reported that they liked the opportunity to talk with others in the workshops about their own progress. We scheduled a live virtual discussion group following the three program webinars. Two long-term program participants engaged with staff in a lively discussion about which webinars were best received this year and why, and what ASPs and farmers are looking for in future webinars. To encourage higher attendance in the remaining grant years, we plan to set a date even further in advance and promote this opportunity in our webinars and through our monthly email correspondence in a way that illustrates the value in attending. Our goal is to model a similar style that the webinar breakout sessions follow which have historically been well received. We feel this goal may not have been made clear enough to participants from the start.
Milestone 8: (Evaluation) Once annually (October), the project director will distribute a survey to all uniquely individual participants who attended at least one of the 6 programs held. ASP will report on actions taken to teach and advise farmers using the knowledge and skills learned. They will also be given the opportunity to provide comments and feedback on their satisfaction in participating. The survey results will be sorted and used for year-end reporting purposes.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): The project director developed a year end survey via Qualtrics which was distributed to all unique participants in year 1. The survey was developed in a customized way so that each participant was only received questions for the programs they attended. The questions were tied directly to the content covered in year 1 and also asked how they have/planned to share the information learned. Respondents also had the opportunity to provide the project director with feedback on their satisfaction in participating and what they would like to see moving forward.
Milestone 9: DEIJ (Learning) Annually 2023-2024, annually 2024-2025, annually 2025-2026, Six webinars/in person programs will be conducted each year by the DEIJ representative(s). 75 unique BIPOC members will attend overall. During these sessions participants learn about NSARE grants, how to apply for an NSARE grant and how to access online materials such as NSARE fact sheets, publications and other resources.
Status: In progress
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): Jeremy Whipple, the founding Executive Director of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) Department of Agriculture and current MPTN farm manager has agreed to work with the Tri-State NSARE project to organize and conduct NSARE programming for members of MPTN, other Tribal Nations and other members of the BIPOC community. To date, one workshop was scheduled to be held at MPTN on Saturday 7/20/24. This program was cancelled due to lack of sufficient signups. A virtual meeting via Webex is being planned to be conducted on 1/15/2025. This webinar will be recorded and placed on our website.
We met with Ella Kennen, Coordinator, at the New CT Farmer Alliance (NCTFA). NCTFA is a statewide network dedicated to fostering a robust and diverse agricultural landscape in Connecticut. They have a diverse Board of Directors and have held programming for BIPOC farmers. Our goal is to develop BIPOC programming with NCTFA in 2025. We plan to attend a NCTFA program on 1/25/2025 to share information on NSARE grants and related resources.
Milestone 10: DEIJ (Evaluation) Once annually (October), a follow up survey will be distributed by the DEIJ representative(s) to all members of the BIPOC community who attended at least one of the programs held each year to collect feedback for monitoring program effectiveness.
Status: Not begun
Accomplishments:
Year 1 (23'-24'): During year 1 of this project, we were able to conduct a number of conversations with members of the BIPOC community and formalize working with Jeremy Whipple at MPTN. A portion of the DEIJ funds allocated in our current project will be paid as compensation to Jeremy to conduct programs. Jeremy is developing outreach materials and will be reaching out to other BIPOC groups and organizations in the region. Planning is currently taking place for 2025 activities. As programs are conducted, a survey of program participants is planned in year two. After talking with the Professional Development Program Coordinator, the project leaders learned that there will be a survey developed for our use to measure our DEIJ outreach to the BIPOC communities we are working with. That survey will be distributed after each program is held. The data and results gleaned from those surveys will be shared with the Northeast SARE team.
Milestone Activities and Participation Summary
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Performance Target Outcomes
Performance Target Outcomes - Service Providers
Target #1
Provide education and assistance (i.e. workshops, one-on-one consultations, articles, videos, websites, factsheets, and project materials) regarding the recommended pasture management practices for sustainable livestock production.
This was not defined in the original performance target
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 |
Consultations/One-on-one meetings
Workshops/field days/on farm demonstrations
Fact sheets/handouts/articles/newsletters etc
Distributed information/materials received at the workshops
Will elaborate on the action steps taken each year in the performance target outcome narrative below
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 35 |
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|
1,185 animals |
| Activity | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curricula, factsheets and other educational tools | 5 | 5 | ||
| Consultations | 9 | 9 | ||
| Published press, articles, newsletters | 2 | 2 | ||
| Workshops and field days | 1 | 1 | ||
| All of the recordings and resources were posted to the project page that is housed under the UConn Extension livestock website | 1 | 1 |
Year 1: 2023-2024
The project planned and hosted 6 programs in year 1. There were three 2.5-hour webinars and three 2-3 hour field workshops held in total. We welcomed 83 unique ASP to at least one of the 6 programs, though many of them attended more than one throughout the year. The project distributed an anonymous survey to 81 of those individuals (2 emails bounced back) on October 1st. In total, 27 attendees responded (33%). The survey prompted ASP to verify the knowledge and skills learned and report on actions taken to teach and advise farmers. They were also asked to provide comments and feedback on their satisfaction with participating. The survey was designed in such a way that respondents only received questions that pertained to the workshops they attended. Questions asked in the survey touched upon the following topics, all of which were discussed throughout the year: understanding the difference in economics and finance, how marketing plays a role in the success of a business, types of record keeping and financial statements that are necessary for running a viable business, the necessity of defining a business's competitive advantage, how to evaluate scenarios that affect profitability to determine the most economically feasible direction to take, how to approach business management decisions, and resources available that can help establish/further develop a farm business. As questions were presented respondents could answer with I have shared, I plan to share, I need more information before sharing and I do not plan to share this information. 1 respondent (3.7%) answered that they do not plan to share this information to one of the eight questions asked. 1 respondent (3.7%) answered that they need more information before sharing to one of the eight questions asked. All other responses were that the respondent has shared or plans to share the information learned. Numbers used above in the sections labeled as performance target outcome and activities conducted by service providers, came only from those who responded as having shared the information learned to at least one of the questions presented to them. That totaled 10 of the 27 (37%) respondents to the survey. Many other respondents (15 of 27, 56%) indicated that they plan to share the information learned, but have not done so yet and therefore weren't prompted to answer the question on how they have shared the information.
Many respondents shared what other things they learned and what action steps they have taken as a result of attending. We also collected feedback from respondents on their level of satisfaction with the learning process (both virtually and hands-on) used throughout the year and what they would like to learn more about moving forward. Lastly, we provided space for them to share any other thoughts and feedback with the project. Responses to these questions confirmed the value that participants are finding in attending the programs the project hosts.
High attendance and repeat participation, demonstrate the value the project provides. While not unsatisfied with the reporting numbers, it appears that there many be some shortfall in data collection that is leading to a disconnect in the ability of the project to illustrate its true worth. Moving forward, the project director may consider other ways to collect feedback than just the year end survey in the hope of capturing insight from the other 56 (66%) of participants. Finding a way to circle back to respondents who indicated they plan to share the information is likely of value as well. It is expected that capturing that feedback would increase project reach and impact.
*Please note, data collection for performance targets is via an anonymous year end survey. Thus it is difficult to avoid double counting of participants. At project end we will identify the number of uniquely individual ASP and farmers who attended at least one project program.
Performance Target Outcomes - Farmers
While no performance targets were written into the grant for farmers, the project never excludes them and therefore develops a year end survey specifically for them to get their feedback. We welcomed 36 unique farmers to at least one of the 6 programs, though many of them attended more than one throughout the year. The project distributed an anonymous survey to 33 of those individuals (3 emails bounced back) on October 1st. In total, 13 attendees responded (37%). The survey prompted farmers to verify the knowledge and skills learned and report on what changes they have made and steps they have taken on their farm. They were also asked to provide comments and feedback on their satisfaction in participating. The survey was designed in such a way that respondents were only presented questions that pertained to the workshops they attended. Questions asked in the survey touched upon the following topics, all of which were discussed throughout the year: understanding the difference in economics and finance, developing a marketing plan to ensure a viable business, collecting data to keep records and maintain financial statements, the necessity of defining the business's competitive advantage, evaluating scenarios that affect profitability to determine the most economically feasible direction to take, how to approach business management decisions, allocating personal time to work both in and on the business, and resources available that can help establish/further develop a farm business. As questions were presented, respondents could answer with: I was doing, I started doing, I plan to, I need more information before doing and I do not plan to do this. No respondents answered that they do not plan to use/implement the information learned on their farm. 1 respondent (7.7%) answered that they need more information before doing one of the topics that was questioned. All other respondents (92%) indicated they were either doing or plan to do the topics that we questioned.
Respondents shared what other things they learned and what action steps they have taken on their farm as a result of attending. We also collected feedback from respondents on their level of satisfaction with the learning process (both virtually and hands-on) used throughout the year and what they would like to learn more about moving forward. Lastly, we provided space for them to share any other thoughts and feedback with the project. Responses to these questions confirmed the value that participants are finding in attending the programs the project hosts.
Additional Project Outcomes
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 |
Year 1 - 2023-2024:
This year the project director made some headway in creating inroads to both NRCS and FSA within all three states. Historically, inquires made lead to marginal success in terms of gathering feedback on training needs and program attendance by agency personnel. Recently, a new position (Outreach Coordinator) was created within both agencies. In this role one is expected to be a liaison between the agency and other agricultural organizations/groups etc. After connecting with all of them, (5 in total as one person serves as the outreach coordinator for both CT and RI), the project director was directed to others within the agency that would be able to provide insight on the training needs as well as ideal timing for agency personnel to attend training. Sharing the scheduled programming for the Tri-State SARE project with both NRCS and FSA was also more successful this year. These new collaborators were happy to share the announcements though their internal system with everyone in the agency. The project team saw an increase in attendance from both agencies this year over pervious years.
Year 1 - 2023-2024:
In addition to the year end survey, the project team solicits feedback from attendees at every program held throughout the year. There is always an open ended opportunity for attendees to share the value the project provides to them. Below is some of the feedback the project received this year.
As stated by a service provider in our year end survey "Very helpful in understanding overall processes and systemic considerations as well as the lived experiences of particular farmers."
Another service provider noted that they have "... Increased understanding of farmer decision making processes, considerations and discussion needed when promoting conservation practices, such as, will adopting conservation practices fit into your budget while meeting your farm goals? Do you have the appropriate equipment and infrastructure in place to manage conservation practices? Will adopting certain practices fit into your vision for the farm?"
One service provider noted they haven't taken any action steps yet but plan to soon, saying: "Not yet. I will absolutely be utilizing this information in a course I've developed and plan to run this upcoming spring. I have not had direct contact with farmers on this topic yet but feel more confident in being able to have conversations around farm businesses as a result of this series."
A farmer provided the following feedback "you have opened my eyes in a very big way and I look forward to challenging my husband to integrate some of these ideas, into our program." after being asked an action step they plan to take as a result of attending one of the workshops.
A farmer responded to our year end survey stating "Really kept in mind the difference between economics and finances. This has helped me break down my different goals to short and long term, not solely based on financials as I have done in the past. Also, I have been making it a point to find the time to work on the business even during my busy season."
Year 1 - 2023-2024:
We are reminded regularly that our program structure and delivery methods are valuable to attendees. The 'short' duration webinars that provide time for interaction continue to be well received by participants. The on-farm experiences are another benefit to those who aren't familiar with putting practices into action. Some of the feedback the project director learned through creating the working collaborations mentioned above is that many of the current NRCS planners don't have a background in agriculture (rather in natural resources, environmental sciences etc) and benefit tremendously from being on the farm. The project plans to continue moving forward with virtual interactive webinars as well as hands on farm visits/tours to meet the variety of learning styles and level of experience the program attendees have.
SARE Outreach
Personal professional development:
Our plan is to complete an online webinar editing course during year two of the project. This training would provide the skills needed for us to edit the webinars that are held each year. In the past, these webinars were edited by other UConn Extension personnel. These webinars are attended live by program participants and are recorded. Each recorded webinar is placed on our NSARE UConn website. Before these webinars can be placed on our website, however, the webinars generally require some editing in order for the webinar to flow properly. We will continue to explore other training options that would be interesting and helpful.
Face of SARE:
Year 1: (23'-24'): NSARE materials were made available at each of the following events in year 1 (23'-24'):
1. Connecticut Farm Bureau annual meeting held in November: 11/20/24
2. Connecticut Pomological annual meeting held in November or December: 11/28/23
3. Connecticut Small Fruit and Vegetable annual meeting held in January: 1/9/24
4. Other livestock related events as they arise in CT, MA and RI: 2024 Indigenous Foodways Summit at MPTN: 7/30 – 7/31/24
A brief overview of NSARE's resources and grant opportunities was provided by the CT State SARE coordinator at the start of each Tri-State SARE project webinar (3 in total, held February-April 2024). The Project Director provided this same information at each of the Tri-State SARE project field days (3 in total, held May-August 2024).
The NSARE informational webinars and PowerPoint presentations which outline the farmer and partnership grant opportunities will be linked to the UConn Extension Livestock page which houses information about the Tri-State SARE project. The project team plans to keep the website up to date as these webinars and powerpoints are updated by NSARE.
Recieved information about SARE grant programs and information resouces:
| Audience | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service providers | 82 | 0 | 0 | 82 |
| Farmers | 96 | 0 | 0 | 96 |