Farm Planning for Climate Resilience, An Oregon Train the Trainer Program

Progress report for WOR23-001

WOR23-001 (project overview)
Project Type: PDP State Program
Funds awarded in 2023: $90,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2025
Host Institution Award ID: G342-23-W9987
Grant Recipient: OSU Extension
Region: Western
State: Oregon
State Coordinator:
Maud Powell
Email
OSU Extension
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Project Information

Abstract:

We will provide three years of professional development programming on climate resilient agricultural practices to encourage good stewardship of natural resources, improve the quality of life of farmers, encourage a decrease in the use of toxic materials, and promote enterprise diversification. Professional development in climate change resiliency will be conducted in partnership with the Oregon Climate and Agricultural Network and a planning committee.

Project Objectives:
  • Work with the Advisory Committee to identify statewide priority topic in sustainable agriculture
  • Develop a strategy for delivering educational programming to address topic
  • Increase knowledge, skills and technical capacity of agricultural professionals on this topic
  • Increase knowledge, skills and technical capacity of farmers and/or ranchers on this topic
Introduction:

Growth of the organic food and agriculture industries in Oregon continues to increase every year. Organic food companies report that the limited supply of organic ingredients is restricting their growth and forcing them to purchase organic agricultural products from overseas. Market incentives, farmer values, regulatory pressure and incentive programs continue to enhance conventional and organic farmer’s interest in sustainable agriculture (SA). Leading farmers and other agricultural professionals seek ongoing opportunities to increase their knowledge of SA methods.

 

Our state stakeholder advisory committee will meet in May and discuss priority SA topics in Oregon. Based on the discussion, we will choose an SA topic to focus on for 2021 that can be applied throughout the state. Because Eastern and Western Oregon have very different climates and Oregon also has highly diverse farms, ranches and cropping systems, we will attempt to decide on a topic that is relevant to farmers and ranchers in all parts of the state.

 

 

The Oregon SARE Advisory Committee includes staff from Benton County Soil & Water Conservation District, Oregon Environmental Council, four OSU Extension faculty. Starting in 2015, the Advisory Committee was expanded to include at least one farmer or rancher. Committee members have expertise in conservation, small farms, field crops, livestock, horticulture, organic and other certification standards, marketing and Extension administration. Beginning in 2019, the Advisory Committee selected a priority topic for the year, which may be recurring over the course of two or more years. Once the priority topic has been decided, the AC and state coordinators will work together to come up with a strategy for delivering educational programming on the topic. In 2019, the AC chose the topic of hemp production in Oregon, and as a result, we organized a two-day training for agricultural professionals who will disseminate information to their counties during the spring and summer of 2020.

Timeline:

Timeline:

January-October 2023,’24, ‘25: Workshops, classes, conference, and farm tours in four regions of Oregon.

November-December 2023,’24, ‘25: Evaluate Program

Advisors

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Education

Educational approach:

In 2020 we switched from a model of disbursing SARE PDP funds for mini-grants to more in-depth work on one priority topic in sustainable agriculture and delivering education on that topic in different regions of the state. By employing this new model, we hoped to increase our responsiveness to high priority topics that are currently relevant to agricultural professional, farmers and ranchers. Additionally, by deploying education on a certain topic in four different regions of the state, we hoped to encourage collaboration in different regions of the state in an effort to provide the highest-quality programming. In 2020, State PDP funds were used to develop and deliver a two-day state-wide training on hemp production for agricultural professionals at Oregon State University. Ag professionals, especially OSU Extension faculty, were woefully undereducated on the basics of hemp production and processing. Funds were also used to develop teaching materials, with the hope that at least four of the ag professionals will go on to offer programming in their home counties after the training. At the time of writing this grant narrative, the training is two weeks away and has been changed from an on-site event to a virtual event due to concerns about Covid-19.

Funds for 2021 and 2022 were used in a similar vein— the AC chose the topic of climate change to focus on. The Oregon SARE co-coordinators subcontracted the Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network (ORCAN)to form a steering committee and organize a three day conference of climate resilient farming for Ag professionals. The conference will be held in early November. Within four days of announcing registration for the program, 154 ag professionals have registered.

2023-25 funds will be used to hire a coordinator at .05 FTE and contract with ORCAN to develop a similar professional development program on climate resilient farming.

Resources to be contributed: Advisory Committee members will participate in two two-hour meetings to decide on the statewide priority and develop a strategy for offering education programming on the chosen topic. Depending on the topic and strategy decided on, various OSU Extension and other agricultural professionals will provide venues, outreach, and technical assistance for the education workshops/classes/farm tours to be offered.

 

 

 

 

Education & Outreach Initiatives

Soil Health
Objective:

Host 2 webinars; promote 43 opportunities, events, and resources; and curate an updated resource webpage with 35 resources.

Description:

OrCAN hosted 2 webinars; promoted 43 opportunities, events, and resources; and curated an updated resource webpage with 35 resources. These resources were provided to inform 650 agricultural professionals and producers in OrCAN’s network about funding opportunities, educational events and resources, to increase their capacity to promote soil health on Oregon’s farms and ranches.

Outcomes and impacts:

Greater understanding of soil health best management practices.

Educational & Outreach Activities

2 Consultations
3 Curricula, factsheets or educational tools
2 On-farm demonstrations
6 Online trainings
2 Webinars / talks / presentations

Learning Outcomes

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

Project Outcomes

2 Grants received that built upon this project
4 New working collaborations
604 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
Additional Outcomes:

OrCAN provided a webinar series:

  • Informational webinar for farm service providers on NRCS’s Conservation Stewardship Program FY24 funding for soil health, 44 attended. Shared out the recording and follow-up resources.
  • Informational webinar for farmers on NRCS’s Conservation Stewardship Program FY24 funding for soil health, 53 attended. Shared out the recording and follow-up resources.

 

OrCAN promoted the following funding opportunities, educational events, and resources:

 

 

 

  • Research collaboration (2)
    • Ecdysis Foundation seeking vegetable producers implementing regenerative practices, for data collection
    • Cambridge researcher’s survey regarding financial incentives for cover crops

 

  • Other resources (8)
    • American Farmland Trust’s call for a “Soil Health Successful” farmer in Oregon (to be featured in a case study/profile)
    • Join the Oregon Pasture Network
    • Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Water and Climate Coordinator job announcement
    • OSU hiring Organic Soil Management Extension Specialist
    • Organic Farming and Research Foundation’s Conservation Scientist job announcement
    • Oregon Tilth Organic Conservation Planner job announcement
    • Oregon Department of Energy Natural and Working Lands job posting
    • Oregon Soil and Water Conservation District Equipment Directory,

 

 

OrCAN also maintained a Resource web page with 35 direct funding opportunities and educational resources under the following categories:

  • Soil Health in Oregon
  • The science behind soil health and climate resilient practices
    • What is soil health?
    • Soil health and climate mitigation
  • Practical Application
    • Practices and strategies
    • Opportunities and barriers to application
  • Funding Opportunities provided by:
    • S. Department of Agriculture (UDSA)
    • Oregon Community Food Systems Network (OCFSN)
    • Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)
  • Carbon Markets

 

OrCAN also contributed resources to Friends of Family Farmers (FoFF)Climate Resilience category on FoFF’s Resources for Oregon Farmers webpage

Face of SARE

Face of SARE:

All outreach material mentioned SARE and had the SARE logo.

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Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.