Progress report for WNV23-001
Project Information
The Nevada State Development Program (SDP) for Western SARE has the overall objective of helping Nevada's agricultural professionals become more familiar with the core principles of sustainable agriculture. The Nevada SDP program for WSARE will utilize grant funding for two types of programs in 2023-2025, industry-wide workshops and discussions on top agriculture sustainable needs and funding to support faculty and professionals with professional development and mini-grants.
Through stakeholder workshops and professional development travel grants, we will build stability during weather changes in livestock and food production systems. The topics of the workshops will follow top needs identified in a statewide needs assessment to be completed in early 2023. SARE funding will also support inter-agency teams (assembled by Extension) of Nevada's agricultural community, including state and federal agencies and farmers to strategically develop plans to advance sustainable agriculture in Nevada.
Nevada's State Development Program (SDP) will support training for Cooperative Extension faculty and staff, faculty from the University of Nevada's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, and Government/Non- government organizations that apply for support. Training will improve their understanding of SARE principles related to sustainable agriculture. We will also offer development and implementation grants for training program applicants through mini-grants.
The Nevada State Development Program (SDP) for Western SARE has the overall objective of helping Nevada's agricultural professionals become more familiar with the core principles of sustainable agriculture. By utilizing the excellent products already developed by the SARE program, our goal is to teach agricultural professionals how to incorporate sustainable agriculture concepts and principles. Through incorporation into individual education programs, we will successfully reach large and small agricultural producers in counties and Native American communities across our diverse state.
Due to the lack of sustainable agricultural resources available in Nevada, professionals need to seek outside training to improve their knowledge and understanding of SARE principles related to sustainable agriculture, which include profit over the long term, stewardship of our nation's land, air and water, and quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities.
Nevada's agricultural industry has been the consistent baseline industry in the state. While tourism and mining industries have had their boom-and-bust cycles or burst bubbles, agriculture has been steady and reliable. As stated in many studies, the sustainability of rural communities is at stake.
Nevada has eleven cooperative extension educators/specialists with full or partial agriculture/horticulture appointments to reach all of the communities across the state. To be effective, extension educators rely on partnerships, collaboration, and cooperation with other agencies and agricultural groups to disperse information across the state. Therefore, these funds will be utilized to help accomplish the mission of providing awareness and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.
During the 2023-2025 funding period, our advisory committee will develop priorities within sustainable agriculture topics based on a new statewide needs assessment. A statewide needs assessment is in progress, with secondary data collection nearly complete. The needs assessment's final stage will prioritize the needs through key stakeholder discussions and finalize in early 2023.
Nevada, like other states, is in unprecedented times with extended drought, flash floods, wider temperature swings, and agricultural water supplies dwindling. The essential agriculture industry (by cash receipts, 19% hay, 45% cattle, and 21% dairy, Nevada Agricultural Statistics bulletin 2021) can advance through key industry stakeholders implementing strategies and education.
The sustainable agriculture topics, likely covered by this statewide team, are adaptations to changing weather, water use and efficiency, improved forage and livestock production systems, and food resiliency for Nevada.
The Nevada team and advisory group will meet in the winter of 2023 to plan and discuss the grant's goals and identify priorities for the year. Annual meetings of the advisory group will guide the workshop topics and other activities. The Nevada WSARE Coordinator with the Extension team will plan industry discussions and the workshop for each year.
We intend to initiate a call for proposals for the professional development travel and mini-grants in each of the three years of the grant cycle in January and June. In 2023, the travel and mini-grants funds will come from the no-cost extended 2021 and 2022 WSARE grants. The Nevada Coordinator will notify interested Extension, university, government, and non-government agencies of the opportunities and activities. The State Coordinator will review travel and mini-grant program requests and be approved/disapproved by the advisory committee. Upon completion of the requested travel/mini-grant programs, participants must submit a final report and evaluation.
Successful award recipients should complete the proposed professional development activity or mini-grants will submit a progress report before December 15th of each year. The Nevada WSARE coordinator will complete a progress report in years one and two and a final report at the end of the grant award before the end of January.
Advisors
- (Educator)
Education
Nevada's SARE's State Development Program (SDP) provides training, grants, and resources for ag professionals to build their awareness, knowledge, and skills related to sustainable agriculture concepts. PDP opportunities are intended for a wide range of professionals, including Cooperative Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the private sector NGOs
SARE-SDP funds will help professionals incorporate sustainability principles in education, technical assistance,e and outreach programs. SARE funding will support inter-agency teams (assembled by Extension) to hold training workshops in Nevada with national experts from Nevada's agricultural community, including state and federal agencies and farmers.
Nevada's SARE State Development Program (SDP) for 2023-25 will continue to support professional development through travel to essential trainings for Cooperative Extension faculty and staff, faculty from the University of Nevada's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, and any other Government/Non-government agency or organizations that apply for support.
The SDP will accomplish the educational objectives by utilizing SARE resources to sponsor attendance at nationally recognized SARE events and sustainable agriculture conferences, develop video creations and publications, and provide local training in sustainable agricultural production, specific to Nevada's production operations and conditions.
We will also use SARE resources to sponsor small extension grants (mini-grants) to explore sustainable techniques specific to local needs. Local Extension professionals will be encouraged to apply for SARE grant opportunities, especially for opportunities they may have to improve their understanding and professional knowledge base on sustainable agriculture topics.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Nevada has an agriculture industry spread throughout the state with a small network of professionals who have not found the time to determine the statewide needs in agriculture and natural resources. We aim to develop a statewide needs assessment to build discussions and plans to identify how Nevada agencies can work together to address top needs during these rapidly changing times.
The steps to develop the needs assessment is first, to collect current and relevant materials to provide a basis of what is known and thought about in NEvada. Second, the information will be compelled into a background report. Third, key stateholder meetings and surveys will be used to provide feedback on what needs are top priority in sustainable agriculture for Nevada.
In 2023, students compiled collected information into a document. The document is far too long due to the large amount of material. Edits were started to make the document more consise.
Learn new ways to identify insects that are in Nevada.
Learn new insects that may be a potential threat to Nevada’s landscape
Get community members' insects identified.
How to properly report an invasive pest and what defines an invasive pest
Education for Extension staff for insects - class training.
The class was taken at the end of 2023 but is planned to be used in numerous public education functions planned in 2024.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Face of SARE
The face of SARE was directly promoted through this project as workshop participants were educated on the SARE programs, various SARE grant programs and presented results from regional projects. The state coordinator also interfaced directly with multiple producers throughout the state, informing of sustainable agriculture practices and the SARE program as part of Extension, Farm Bureau and Cattleman workshops and conferences.