Final report for WCO21-001
Project Information
The Colorado SARE Professional Development Program provides knowledge and communication of SARE information throughout the state. The development of sound agriculture practices should involve not just changes in the technology, but also a transformation of producers' attitude towards farming and modifications within the practice.The goals of the 2020 Colorado PDP program project proposal are to:
- Increase the knowledge level and understanding of sustainable agriculture practices,
- Provide sustainable agriculture in-depth training for agricultural educators and producers across the state through mini-grants, training,
- Provide support promoting and potentially hosting educational workshops and travel grants,
- Facilitate grant proposal development opportunities, and
- State agriculture professionals will have a better understanding of Western SARE programs and grant opportunities.
Specific topics that will be covered include, but are not limited to, food and cropping system diversification, energy efficiency, farmer networks, meat production and its supply chain, range and livestock integrated resource management and education programs supporting farm and ranch legacy planning. The intent of legacy planning is to support family farming and ranching in Colorado.
- Enhancement of the knowledge and skills of Colorado agricultural professionals interested in sustainable practices: Provide a competitive-mini grants program and the Colorado County Agents Association Professional Development Conference in sustainable agriculture. We expect to support, annually, three competitive mini-grants annually to conduct demonstrations projects, workshops, and/or farm tours. Provide, annually, ten travel scholarships to regional and national conferences/workshops related to sustainable agriculture. Travel scholarships may include paid registrations to virtual conferences when travel is restricted.
- Meat Summit work to advance market opportunities, build connections, and support collective skills development and learning across many segments and scales of Colorado and the Western U.S.’s agricultural and food system. Western U.S. Meat Summit: to be held annually during the winter of 2021 and 2023.
- The Legacy Program is to help participants develop the skills and learn about resources necessary for farmers and ranchers to make informed decisions about end-of-life issues, their estates, and transitioning their farms and ranches to the next generation. The increase in understanding/awareness and skills will help Colorado’s farm and ranches be sustainable across the generations.
- Increase clientele's understanding of sustainable agriculture practices through educational methods: A comprehensive review of the existing needs assessments and evaluations among the Colorado’s sustainable community will help design approaches to develop and deliver information related to alternative management practices. This will be accomplished through workshops, training, and interaction with professionals and producers by, a sustainable conference focusing on the effects climate variability on range, livestock and crop production.
- Promote awareness of SARE grant opportunities: To increase the level of involvement of agricultural professional across Colorado we will distribute materials and promote activities related to sustainable agriculture through the SARE web page, which will require extensive updating. The Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference and other conferences will provide information about SARE.
Advisors
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Education
Mini-grant were awarded to advance project objectives. All educational projects funded developed short and medium term desired educational outcomes and an evaluation instrument to measure those educational outcomes, then reported on education outcomes as a condition of expense reimbursement.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
In our performance period we will increase knowledge and foster intent to use knowledge gained among ag professionals, farmers and ranchers, and other food system stakeholders. This objective will be accomplished through award mini-grants, detailed further in the methods section
Each mini-grant will report educational outcomes and those will be aggregated to a state level for reporting on this objective. Our past three year performance provides a clear road map for achievement with a formal system developed for two cycles annual of proposals submitted, reviewed, awarded and reimbursed, requiring evaluation and reporting for all awardees prior to reimbursement for allowable and approved expenses.
The SC and AC believe that those invested in local communities know the needs of farmers and ranchers and can find solutions to addressing those needs.
Proposals are due February and August of each year and calls are advertised through CSU Extension email lists and refer to PDP program website: https://extension.colostate.edu/wsare-at-csu/ By requesting mini-grants awardees pay costs first and then get reimbursed, we ensure local investment and oversight in each project funded. Lead applicants must be Extension campus and field faculty (educators, specialists and professors) to better ensure accountability and follow through on projects, invoicing and reporting of outcomes.
When reviewing proposals, we score based five key criteria: 1) target audience fits intended WSARE audience, 2) proposal meets a demonstrated local need, 3) short and medium term desired measurable outcomes are appropriate, 4) evaluation plan is clear, and 5) engages partners outside of CSU. Applicants must submit a copy of their evaluation instrument and questions must address the educational outcomes proposed.
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Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Souther Rocky Mountain Ag Conference (SRMAC) is an annual educational event for agriculture producers, industry professionals, agency professionals, and consultants. For the 2024 conference, 640 participants registered plus 40 teachers and students.
Everything about SRMAC is designed to foster profitable farms, ranches, and businesses and strong, resilient communities. This conference featured 46 different educational sessions and demonstrations ranging from potato research to estate planning, from drones to virtual livestock fencing, and from neonatal lamb and calf health to agriculture family mental health.
List participants, partners and/or collaborators:
SLV Ag Producers
SLV Area Extension
SLV Research Center
Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce
SRMAC Educational Program Planning Committee
CSU State Extension Specialists
CSU Regional Extension Specialists
CSU Department of Ag Science Researchers and Professors
Rio Grande Water Conservation District
San Luis Valley Water Conservation District
Mosca Hooper Conservation district
Rio Grande Conservation District
Center Conservation District
Colorado Potato Administrative Committee
NMSU Extension
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
Colorado Farm Bureau
SLVGO
Colorado Department of Agriculture
NRCS
Forest Service
We collected evaluations on 28 session with 506 total responses. Overall, quality of presentation scored 4.5 out of 5, value scored 4.6. 96% reported an increase in knowledge and 87% reported they expected to use what they had learned.
Face of SARE
Each mini-grant recipient was requested to acknowledge the WSARE PDP mini-grant award with the WSARE logo and acknowledgement statement on all outreach materials.
Additionally, recipients were asked to distribute the WSARE 2020 flyer to their project participants.