Agroforestry Training for Professionals in Missouri and the Midwest

Agroforestry Training for Professionals in Missouri and the Midwest

Summary

The target audience consists of State and Federal Government Agencies, University Extension, Non-Profit, and Professional Organizations. “Agroforestry Training for Professionals” was held on January 10-11, 2006, in Columbia, MO. Eighty-five resource professionals participated in this event using an updated and comprehensive agroforestry training manual. As a spin-off from this event, a “Windbreaks and Other Practices to Manage Livestock Odors” training was designed in conjunction with a resource professional who attended the January 2006 training, held in Paris, MO, July 25, 2006 with 38 attendees. Surveys before/after each event provided feedback as to participant demographics, knowledge gain, and workshop effectiveness.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Activities
• Stage 1-Multi-agency training
• Stage 2-Intra-agency trainings
• Stage 3-Landowner workshops
• Case study
• Field days
• Developing agroforestry networks
• Agroforestry design experience

Outcomes

The overriding outcomes of the proposed stage 1-3 trainings delivered to diverse agencies and organizations will be evidenced in greater partnering across agencies, broadened agroforestry knowledge base among resource professionals, and increased benefits to farms through adoption of agroforestry and other integrated land management practices.

Short-Term Outcomes:

Knowledge about agroforestry and communication within and between core agencies and organizations will be strengthened. The number people key individuals within each of the core groups with a working knowledge of agroforestry practices will be increased. Further, as a result of the farm tour and case study activities, participants will be given the opportunity to interact across agency and organizational boundaries that may exist, and thereby create or enhance networks.

While agencies cannot afford to send all pertinent personnel to a 1½ day training event, there is merit to having a broad spectrum of individuals within the core groups aware of, and educated about, the potential benefits to properly applied agroforestry practices. The primary outcome of Stage 2 activities will be based on the number of people from within a core group that attend the specialized agroforestry training, and partnerships that are created and enhanced as a result. Paramount to the success of core group, or intra-agency, trainings will be the input and participation from group members that attended the Stage 1 activities. These individuals will prioritize the areas of importance with respect to their agency or organization, and assist in developing an effective curriculum to communicate the impact potential of agroforestry to the priority area.

A quantitative outcome of Stage 3 trainings will be the number of landowners attending regional agroforestry workshops. A secondary outcome will be the direct benefits to the existing UMCA Technology Transfer Model as measured by the increase in regional on-farm implementation of agroforestry practices. The existing UMCA Technology Transfer Model emphasizes the merit of field days/workshops that use University of Missouri Farms and Centers to highlight current scientific research in conjunction with visits to farms where landowners are practicing agroforestry. This delivers both science and experiential knowledge to landowners attending workshops and enhances the learning opportunity for educators. Outcomes from Stage 3 activities will strengthen our existing Technology Transfer Model.

Short-term outcomes achievable within the 3-year span of this Program are: 1) an increase in the knowledge of agroforestry practices and their benefits to sustainable farming by core participants and their perspective agencies or organizations; 2) enhanced networking and partnering between core participants working with farmers; 3) a greater utilization and adoption of agroforestry practices to enhance sustainable farming by using interactions between farm resources to the benefit of farm operations.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Policy changes within agencies and organizations will reflect knowledge gained and an appreciation for the benefits of agroforestry practices applied to the farm. This will result in greater cooperation and collaboration between agencies, organizations, and natural resource disciples when recommending agroforestry and other sustainable forest and farm management practices. As agroforestry practices increase in number and mature there will be a diversification of products produced and marketed from farms.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Increased landowner adoption of agroforestry practices will result in a greater diversification on farm landscapes, enhanced farm sustainability through product diversification and enhanced stewardship of farm resources. In 2013, five years after the end of the agroforestry PDP trainings, the number of trained professionals and landowners practicing agroforestry will be reassessed. This will include a description of the types of agroforestry practices that are being adopted, where, and why. It will also revisit barriers and constraints to wider implementation by core groups and landowners. An updated Directory of Agroforestry Professionals and Landowners in Missouri will be compiled and published.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Accomplishments to date:
Stage 1: Completed
One training session for a core group of 50 to 100 professionals from approximately 6 different agencies (MU-Extension, MDNR. MDC, MDA, NRCS, RC&D). Release and distribution of updated Agroforestry Training Manual and agroforestry DVD. Establishment of regional agroforestry teams in partnership with UMCA.

In preparation for all SARE PDP trainings, a newly revised agroforestry training manual was completed:
Gold, M.A., W.D. Walter, L.D. Godsey, R.L. McCoy, H.E. Garrett, R.A Pierce, B. White, J. Robinson, R.C. Schultz. 2006. Training Manual for Applied Agroforestry Practices. University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. 425 pp. http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/pubs/training/index.asp

Agroforestry Training for Professionals, Columbia Missouri
January 10-11, 2006

Outcome Evaluation Report
The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) developed a set of surveys to evaluate the results of the Agroforestry Training for Professionals Workshop held in Columbia, Missouri on January 10-11, 2006. The workshop represented stage 1 of the SARE Professional Development Project “Agroforestry Training for Professionals in Missouri and in the Midwest”.

The objective of this workshop was to increase the knowledge about agroforestry practices and their benefits to sustainable farming of key individuals within core agencies and organizations such as natural resource professionals and educators, members of government agencies, University Extension personnel, and members of professional and non-profit organizations working with land management issues. A second objective was to foster the establishment of “social networks” so that both resource professionals and landowners know where to turn to for answers regarding agroforestry.

The workshop is part of the UMCA’s commitment to increase the knowledge and adoption of agroforestry practices across Missouri and the Midwest. The workshop included comprehensive presentations on the latest science in support of agroforestry practices and information intended to assist landowners with budgeting/ planning for agroforestry practices and marketing the products they grow. Presentations were concluded with a real life case study to facilitate the implementation of agroforestry design and to encourage collaborative agency efforts. As a part of the training session, participants toured the Center for Agroforestry Research Center that allowed them to view agroforestry research and its applications. In addition to presentations, tour and case study, an updated Agroforestry Training Manual designed to facilitate all phases of creating a successful agroforestry practice and a DVD featuring the agroforestry five practices were presented.

At the beginning of the workshop, a survey was administered to all participants to assess their motivation to participate in this event and the existing level of knowledge before being exposed to the workshop presentations. At the end of the workshop, a second survey was administered to assess the participants’ perception about the event, to determine the level of satisfaction with the content and organization of the workshop, the gain in knowledge after listening to the presentations and participating in the case study, and to get suggestions for future programming of similar events.

The surveys were designed to collect information that will guide and improve future efforts in the area of family farm development through agroforestry. The results of the survey will be used to evaluate stage 1 of the SARE Professional Development project and to design new programs that will provide training, guidance and support for natural resource professionals and individuals interested in developing agroforestry related businesses.

The surveys had the following objectives:

1. Document the demographic characteristics of the participants at the Agroforestry Training for Professionals Workshop.
2. Identify how participants learned about the Agroforestry Training for Professionals Workshop.
3. Identify the participants’ motivation to attend the workshop.
4. Assess the level of knowledge before the workshop related to specific topics and compare it with the level of knowledge after the workshop.
5. Evaluate the general perception of participants about the content and organization of the conference.
6. Identify participants’ perceived benefits gained from the workshop.
7. Obtain suggestions that will help better organize similar events.
8. Obtain participants’ input related to the implementation of agroforestry practices.

The most important conclusions from the training were:

•Most participants learned about the workshop from their agency.
•All presented topics were of interest to participants.
•Participants came to the workshop with some knowledge about agroforestry practices (more about forest management, riparian forest buffers and windbreaks and less about marketing and economics). However, a significant gain in knowledge was obtained for all topics presented.
•Participants were very satisfied about the organization and content of the workshop.
•Resource materials, information about agroforestry practices, social network, motivation to continue learning about agroforestry, information about the importance and benefit of implementing agroforestry and motivation to disseminate information about agroforestry practices were the most mentioned benefits of this workshop.
•According to workshop participants, increase of marketing/PR of agroforestry practices, training, financial assistance, information about markets and finding champions in agroforestry implementation are ways to increase landowners’ awareness, acceptance and adoption of agroforestry.
•Some barriers standing in the way of landowners’ awareness, acceptance and adoption of agroforestry mentioned were inertial thinking, lack of resources, lack of communication and lack of government support.
•Increased training efforts, more leadership involvement, better communication and partnerships together with more resources allocated to agroforestry will increase participation in the effort of increasing landowners’ awareness, acceptance and adoption of agroforestry.
•Information needed by natural resource professionals include a database of information readily available about agroforestry practices, economics and markets, resource materials and targeted training that contains real life case studies and examples of success.
•Barriers that stand in the way of the natural resource professionals and their organizations becoming more active in promoting agroforestry are agendas, funding, political support, time, lack of information and lack of expertise.
Feedback provided by participants confirmed that the short-term outcomes of phase 1 were accomplished.

Partnering: The workshop strengthened communication among the core agencies and groups represented. The case study improved participants’ ability to recognize the value of partnering with different organizations representatives.

Knowledge: There was a significant gain in knowledge that improved the understanding of the design and application of agroforestry practices.
Attitudes: Participants’ perception of agroforestry was enhanced.

Skills: The case study improved participants’ ability to recognize potential field application.
However, participant’s comments led to a plan of actions that if implemented will increase the support and involvement of natural resource professionals and their organizations in promoting agroforestry.

Some recommended actions resulted from participants comments after the first agroforestry training for professionals include:

•Organize a session of executive (VIP) agroforestry training that will target leaders of core agencies and organizations working with land management issues. The training will provide information about agroforestry practices and their benefits to sustainable farming and aims to increase leadership involvement.
•Organize in stage 2 of the SARE Professional Development Project more in depth regional training sessions. Compared to stage 1, the second round of training will offer more in depth information about agroforestry practices to more members of participant organizations. More specific marketing and economics information will be provided. The regional setting will help improve communication and partnership among different organizations.
•Review the agroforestry manual with more focus on how-to implement each of the agroforestry practice and with more specific information about marketing and economics.
•Find champions in agroforestry implementation (landowners who already have the practices established on their land) for every region. Use them as examples and real life case studies for the regional trainings.
•Use specialty forest products (e.g., woody florals, chestnuts, pecan, walnut, mushrooms, etc) to decorate the event rooms or to incorporate them into meals.

The January 2006 training built out to a stage 2 training co-developed and co-designed by Missouri natural resource professionals who attend the January 2006 training. This second training, “Windbreaks and Other Practices to Manage Livestock Odors” took place in Paris, MO, July 25, 2006.

Windbreaks and other practices to manage livestock odors
Paris, Missouri July 25th, 2006
Final Evaluation Report Summary

The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) developed a set of two surveys to evaluate the results of the workshop called “Windbreaks and other practices to manage livestock odors” held in Paris, Missouri on July 25th 2006.

The objective of this workshop was to provide natural resource professionals with information on the use of windbreaks and other management practices to help control odor from livestock operations.

The workshop was part of the UMCA’s commitment to increase the knowledge and adoption of agroforestry practices across Missouri and the Midwest. The workshop included comprehensive presentations on the latest research about odor control and windbreak design. Presentations were concluded with a real life case study and a demo visit to a farm to facilitate the implementation of topics presented and to encourage collaborative agency efforts.

At the beginning of the workshop, a survey was administered to all participants to assess both their motivation to participate in this event and the entry level of knowledge. At the end of the workshop, a second survey was administered to assess the participants’ perception about the event, to determine the level of satisfaction with the content and organization of the workshop, the gain in knowledge after listening to the presentations and participating in the case study, and to get suggestions for future programming of similar events.

The results of the survey will be used to design new programs that will provide training, guidance and support for natural resource professionals and individuals interested in developing agroforestry related businesses.

The surveys had the following objectives:
9. Document the demographic characteristics of the participants at the “Windbreaks and other practices to manage livestock odors” workshop.
10. Identify how participants learned about the workshop.
11. Identify the participants’ motivation to attend the workshop.
12. Assess the level of knowledge before the workshop related to specific topics and compare it with the level of knowledge after the workshop.
13. Evaluate the general perception of participants about the content and organization of the workshop.
14. Identify participants’ perceived benefits gained from the workshop.
15. Obtain suggestions that will help better organize similar events.

The most important conclusions from this workshop were:
•Most participants learned about the workshop from their agency.
•All presented topics were of interest to participants.
•For the large majority of respondents, the expectations before the conference were met or exceeded on almost all the topics.
•A significant gain in knowledge was registered
•The workshop overall was rated excellent or good by all participants.
•All quality aspects received very high ratings. The majority of participants considered that the organization of the workshop was excellent; that the content was useful that presenters created a stimulating interest in topics and that the time for discussion was excellent.
•Participants were very satisfied with the organization and content of the workshop and time for discussion but considered the workshop overall too long.
•Participants recommended to get producers involved and to provide more interaction during the program.

The participants’ comments and recommendations are a valuable resource for improving UMCA’s future efforts in organizing similar events and for increasing landowners’ awareness, acceptance and adoption of agroforestry.

What work is left to do?
Stage 2:
Collaborate on 6 regional trainings (50 professionals per training) joint with partners established in stage 1 training event. One completed in 2006, 5 remain.
A scheduled Forum on the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri, originally scheduled for Nov. 30, 2006 was rescheduled for March 20, 2007 due to bad weather.

Stage 3:
Conduct 4 landowner focused trainings (50 landowners per training) in conjunction with regional agroforestry teams and MU outlying farms and centers representing 4 distinct regions (in terms of agroecology and dominant farming practices) of Missouri (HARC, Wurdack, SW Center, Greenley Research Center). Publish updated Directory of Agroforestry Professionals and Landowners in Missouri at end of third year of project.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Impact and Contributions/Outcomes
Describe impacts of your work in meaningful, specific terms

1) Agroforestry training manual available on the UMCA website, hard copies and CD version distributed to all County Extension Offices in Missouri (100+).

2) Eighty five natural resource professionals representing 7 different agencies and organizations attended the January 2006 training and an additional 38 individuals representing 9 different agencies and organizations attended the July 2006 Windbreak workshop.

3) Windbreak and Other Practices to Manage Livestock Odors workshop, July 2006, resulted in important changes to Missouri NRCS cost share programs. These changes include additional dollars for windbreaks through the EQIP program and an extended landowner sign-up period.

Center for Agroforestry personnel, working with Department of Agriculture Director, Fred Ferrell and his staff, and NRCS State Conservationist, Roger Hanson and his staff, successfully created the opportunity for producers to qualify for EQIP windbreak dollars for odor abatement. The agreement calls for a significant cost share on large seedling planting stock and drip irrigation to assure fast growth of the trees. In addition to funding provided for the initial signup period which ended November 17, 2006, an additional $1-million was set aside for a special signup during January, 2007 to create windbreaks around animal feeding operations, farmsteads and headquarters.

4) Three one-day agroforestry workshops were conducted across Kentucky in April, 2006 representing a collaborative with UK Extension.

5) Regional workshop spinoffs are underway including 2007 trainings in Illinois and Kansas.

Collaborators: