Final report for WSP20-006
Project Information
NM WSARE PDP will coordinate the annual NM Sustainable Agriculture Conference, a Sustainable Agriculture Field Day, and provide a WSARE informational booth at major commodity conferences in New Mexico. Conferences being targeted include the NM Organic Farming Conference (~ 1000 attendees); NM Hay Conference (~250 attendees), NM Chile Growers Conference (~300 attendees) and NM Cotton Growers Conference (~100 attendees). Information about WSARE grants and SARE publications will be shared with producers, educators and stakeholders at these conferences. We will also seek opportunity to give short presentations about WSARE grants in some of these conferences if possible.
The objectives of NM WSARE PDP include:
1) Train at least 50 participants in potential alternative crops for New Mexico at the NM Sustainable Agriculture Conference in person and through on-line streaming.
2) Provide research field tours and presentations for at least 25 participants at the Sustainable Agriculture Field Day.
3) Through NM WSARE PDP booth display, provide outreach for the WSARE program at major commodity conferences or more in the state.
Advisors
Education
The NM WSARE PDP coordinated an on-line conference in 2021. Due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, we continued to pivot away from previously planned in-person training. The theme of the conference was ‘Local Food for Community Resilience’. It was presented live on December 9, 2021 and was offered free of charge to participants. Following the live, on-line event, the recorded presentations were posted to the NMSU WSARE web site for additional viewing (https://nmsare.nmsu.edu/conference/2021.html).
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Train at least 50 agricultural professionals in critical areas identified by the NM WSARE Advisory Committee.
Topics presented at the conference were those determined to be current priority training needs by the NM WSARE Advisory Committee members. These topics included “Irrigation Efficiency in Pecans” - Dr. Richard Heerema; “Science, Community, & Seed at the NMSU Jose Fernandez Garden” – Dr. Brad Tonnessen; “Promoting Beneficial Insects” – Miranda Kersten; “The Trials and Triumphs of Organic Production, From a Farmers Perspective” – Ed Curry (this presentation could not be posted to our web site because of its large size); “NMDA’s Healthy Soil Program” – Katie Goetz and Dean Bruce; and “Seed to Supper: A Beginning Vegetable Garden Program” – Sally Cassady”. We were pleased to have Dr. Rolando Flores, Dean of New Mexico State University College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, provide the conference welcome and opening remarks.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
The global pandemic upended our plans for in-person, hands-on training, conference booths, and other activities originally planned for the NM WSARE professional development program in 2021. We pivoted to an on-line conference that provided important training topics that was highly valued by attendees. In addition, by archiving conference talks, these trainings continue to provide guidance to state clientele. We look forward to resuming in-person professional development activities in 2022.
Face of SARE
The NM WSARE PDP on-line conference was publicized through the email listserve compiled from participants of past programming efforts. NM Dept. of Ag. and NRCS Advisory Committee members also shared information with their respective offices.