Agroforestry Training for Professionals in Missouri and the Midwest

Agroforestry Training for Professionals in Missouri and the Midwest

Summary

Four agroforestry trainings were held in 2007.

-The “Windbreaks to Help Manage Livestock Odors”, February 20, 2007 in Memphis, MO drew fifteen landowners and natural resource professionals;

-a “Forum on the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri”, March 20, 2007, Cook Station, MO drew twenty-one landowners and natural resource professionals;

-the “Missouri Exchange Workshop” July 19, 2007, Columbia, MO. drew twenty-four specialty crop entrepreneurs;

-and a “Windbreak Workshop” July 25, 2007, New Franklin, MO. drew fourteen landowners and natural resource professionals.

Surveys before/after events provided feedback as to knowledge gain and workshop effectiveness.

Objectives/Performance Targets

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

Outcomes
The overriding outcomes of the proposed stage 1-2 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.

A quantitative outcome of Stage 2 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

Stage 2: Ongoing

Note: Selected portions of the agroforestry training manual launched in January, 2006, are being used in all subsequent training activities.

Windbreaks to Help Manage Livestock Odor, Memphis, MO. February 20, 2007

The training was jointly organized by Northeast Missouri RC&D, the Missouri NRCS and the Center for Agroforestry. Topics included: A History and Background of Silvopasture; Management-Intensive Grazing and Trees; Selecting Appropriate Forages; Results of Grazing and Yield Studies; Missouri EQIP and Silvopasture Practice Standards; a lunch presentation “ Know Your Soils: An introduction to soil resources on the internet; and Shortleaf Pine and Warm-Season Grass Silvopasture. Fifteen landowners and natural resource professionals attended.

Agroforestry Workshop: Forum on the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri, Cook station, Missouri
March 20, 2007

Outcome Evaluation Report
The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) developed a set of surveys to evaluate the results of the Forum on the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri, held at Cook Station, MO. on the MU Wurdack Farm on March 20, 2007. The workshop represented a stage 2 training in the SARE Professional Development Project “Agroforestry Training for Professionals in Missouri and in the Midwest”.

The objective of this workshop was to provide information to resource professionals on the history and background of silvopasture practice, recent studies on forages and grazing systems and inform participants of current silvopasture research performed at MU Wurdack Farm.
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 silvopasture. Presentations were concluded with a tour of the MU Wurdack Farm and a presentation of the current silvopasture research at MU.
At the beginning of the workshop, a survey was administered to all 21 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 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 design new programs that will provide training, guidance and support for natural resource professionals and individuals interested in developing agroforestry related businesses. (Full survey details are included as an appendix to this annual report).

The surveys had the following objectives:
1. Document the demographic characteristics of the participants at the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri Workshop.
2. Identify how participants learned about the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri 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 workshop.
6. Identify participants’ perceived benefits gained from the workshop.
7. Obtain suggestions that will help better organize similar events.

The most important conclusions from the training were:
• Most participants learned about the workshop from UMCA (67%) — directly (43%) or by mail/email (24%).
• All presented topics were of interest to participants (86% were motivated by topics to attend).
• Participants came to the workshop with some knowledge about silvopasture. However, a significant gain in knowledge was obtained for all topics presented.
• Participants were very satisfied with the organization and content of the workshop (50% rated the workshop overall excellent and 50% good).
• Information about grazing systems used in silvopasture, information about the best forages to be used in silvopasture, information about incentive programs and information about current research in silvopasture were the most mentioned benefits of this workshop. In addition to that, participants appreciated the new and integrated perspective on silvopasture that was offered during the workshop.

The workshop provided the basic knowledge and informational support for motivating natural resource professionals to get more involved in implementation of silvopasture practices.
Full details of the pre- and post-workshop survey results are included in the hard copy appendix to this annual report.

Missouri Exchange Workshop, Columbia, MO
July 19, 2007

The Missouri Exchange workshop, held July 19 at Memorial Union on the University of Missouri campus, featured information on selling fresh and niche agricultural products, a Web site tutorial, local food and agricultural product samples, and networking among attendees and speakers.
Missouri Exchange, http://www.missouriexchange.com/, is a free Web site that broadens marketing opportunities for Missouri producers who specialize in niche market products. Producers who list merchandise on the Web site have 24-hour access to potential buyers throughout the state, the country and even around the world. The site showcases Missouri’s diverse agricultural products, links sellers to the market, helps source hard to find products and educates consumers and producers. Users can buy and sell timber, nuts, fruits, botanicals, native plants, mushrooms and other agricultural products.
The web site is open to commercial and hobby sellers from Missouri and to buyers around the world. The site provides product and market information for the general public and market participants, helps initiate contact between buyer and seller without handling actual transactions and contains: user account registration and authentication, user account management, product search engine, member directory with personalized web pages, a dynamic listing of items for sale, a dynamic listing of items wanted, information about products (definitions, information that will help a buyer make the purchase decision and be satisfied with the product, information for sellers, resources and quality standards if available or information that identifies product quality), a feedback rating system, and terms of use and privacy statement created with the collaboration of University of Missouri attorneys.

The Missouri Exchange workshop attracted 24 participants, some of them already members of the Missouri Exchange online marketplace. Knowledgeable speakers discussed opportunities for marketing niche and fresh agricultural products to restaurants, marketing of alternative products, native plants and the GrowNative! program, and the rise of the local food movement in the United States. Participants and speakers also had the chance to exhibit their services and products, which included pickled walnuts, honey ice cream, mustard, fresh produce and herbs, native plants and pecan candies.

The luncheon of fried chicken, stuffed peppers, vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, fresh rolls and cheesecake promoted local foods – all ingredients were brought in from area farms before preparation by University of Missouri chefs.

The workshop was well received by attendees. Participant Lorraine Barnicle of Barnicle Farms, Mary’s Home, Mo., has already recommended the Web site to her neighbors, who grow grapes and are now planting elderberries. “I had no idea what to expect,” she said of the workshop. “But I was very excited with the information given, especially the Web sites that the University has created.” Barnicle plans to market her pickled walnuts through the Web site and see if any of the other products listed interest her.

To assess members’ satisfaction with the web site and obtain feedback that will be used to improve web site’s design and functionality, we developed an online survey that was administered to Missouri Exchange members in September 2007. Based on 48 completed surveys, 65% of respondents search information about products, 46% browse the member directory, 23% post offers to sell and 13% post requests to buy. Survey respondents were satisfied with the web site (ratings from 3.58 to 4.02 on a 1 to 5 scale) and 92% of respondents would recommend the web site to a friend. Respondents value the fact that the web site promotes Missouri grown products, reaches more people than using traditional marketing methods, reduces search time when trying to locate unique products or supplies, and is cost advantageous. Respondents provided very good suggestions. They recommended getting more people involved, creating a better position in the search engines and more advertising on the site.
Note: The financial sponsor of the workshop was the Center for Agroforestry supported through a Federal State Market Improvement Program grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Other workshop sponsors included GrowNative!, the MU Missouri Alternatives Center, and the MU Community Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Program.

Windbreak Workshop, Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC), New Franklin, Missouri July 25, 2007

The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry (UMCA) developed a set of two surveys to evaluate the results of the workshop called “Windbreak Workshop” held in New Franklin, Missouri on July 25, 2007.

The objective of this workshop was to provide information to landowners on the use of windbreaks 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 presentations on the latest research about odor control and windbreak benefits and design.

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 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:
1. Document the demographic characteristics of the participants at the Windbreak Workshop.
2. Identify how participants learned about the 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 workshop.
6. Identify participants’ perceived benefits gained from the workshop.
7. Obtain suggestions that will help better organize similar events.

The most important conclusions from the windbreak workshop were:
• Most participants (57%) were directly contacted to participate and 36% learned about the workshop through email.
• All presented topics were of high interest to participants.
• For the large majority of respondents, the expectations before the conference were met or exceeded on all the topics.
• A significant gain in knowledge was registered for all topics presented.
• The workshop overall was rated excellent by 92% of participants.
• All quality aspects received very high ratings. The majority of participants (77%) considered that the organization of the workshop was excellent; that the content was useful that presenters created a stimulating interest in topics.
• All participants (100%) considered the length of the program just fine.
• Participants considered the workshop very interesting and recommended more detail on species selection.

Full details of the pre- and post-workshop survey are results included in the hard copy appendix to this annual report. To obtain a copy of the appendix, send an email to ncrsare@umn.edu.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

A scheduled Forum on the Silvopasture Practice in Missouri, originally scheduled for Nov. 30, 2006 was rescheduled and held on March 20, 2007 due to bad weather. This workshop was held at the MU Wurdack Farm. In addition, a Windbreak Workshop was held at the MU HARC Farm on July 25, 2007. Two additional trainings were held, Windbreaks to Help Manage Livestock Odors was held on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at the Scotland County Community Fitness Center, Memphis, Missouri and the Missouri Exchange Workshop, held on July 19, 2007 on the MU Campus, Columbia, MO.

1) The SARE PDP agroforestry trainings are having a direct impact on both research and future training activities at the Center for Agroforestry and in the State of Missouri. Building on training activities described in the 2006 Annual Report, mentioned last year:
(The Windbreak and Other Practices to Manage Livestock Odors workshop, July 2006, resulted in important changes to Missouri NRCS cost share programs. These changes included additional dollars for windbreaks through the EQIP program. 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).

In 2007, the Center for Agroforestry received a grant of $111,000 from the Missouri Department of Agriculture to install a windbreak around a large confined animal feeding operation in northern Missouri. The role of the Center for Agroforestry is to test the science of windbreaks for odor control and to report whatever findings are revealed. Specific testing and quantification of air quality (downwind) changes due to the windbreak will be documented. In addition, proposals are planned (not yet funded) to study changes in water quality that may result from the knifing in of collected animal waste. All of this is taking place within 10 miles of the MU Greenley Research Center where the Center for Agroforestry has been conducted a long-term paired watershed study to determine the impacts of agroforestry and grass buffers on water quality. The windbreak for odor control location will serve as an excellent training and demonstration location once we have documented impacts over the next 3 years.

2) As a direct follow up to the above mentioned July 2006 workshop and in line with Stage 2 trainings, the Windbreaks to Help Manage Livestock Odor training (Memphis, MO. February 20, 2007) was another direct spinoff that was jointly organized, and co-hosted and co-taught by natural resource professionals who attended previously sponsored NCR-SARE agroforestry trainings. The training was jointly organized by Northeast Missouri RC&D, the Missouri NRCS and the Center for Agroforestry. Fifteen landowners and natural resource professionals attended. This is an issue of major concern in Missouri and surrounding states and is drawing considerable interest at all levels, from landowners to natural resource professionals to state and federal agencies.

3) Because landowners practicing agroforestry must focus as much on the marketing of their specialty niche products as on the production, the Center for Agroforestry is working to support and help grow the market for locally produced niche products. Leveraging NCR-SARE agroforestry training support, the Center for Agroforestry hosted the Missouri Exchange Workshop (Columbia, MO., July 19, 2007) to bring together knowledgeable speakers who discussed opportunities for marketing niche and fresh agricultural products to restaurants, marketing of alternative products, native plants and the GrowNative! program and the rise of the local food movement in the United States. Participants and speakers also had the chance to exhibit their services and products. Participant Vera Gelder, of Walk-About Acres in Columbia, Mo., said she enjoyed the programs and the chance to chat with other producers. “As always, the presenters had some worthwhile information to share about marketing and where to find needed information,” she said. “We learned about blogging and hoop-house tomatoes from a couple of the participants. The networking is invaluable!”

Statistics for the site have recorded between 300 and 600 unique visitors per month and between 6,000 and 22,000 hits per month. The site’s exposure is broad, attracting visitors from all over the world. The web site was launched at the end of January 2007. Membership increased monthly. By the end of 2007, there were 303 members and 108 directory listings with membership increasing almost daily.

4) During 2007, regional agroforestry workshop spinoffs took place including trainings in Illinois and Kansas. Copies of the Agroforestry Training Manual CD were distributed to all participants at both trainings.

5) With the resources from an additional NCR-SARE RC&D Training Grant, and in joint collaboration with three regional RC&D’s in Wisconsin, Iowa and SW Missouri, agroforestry workshops are in the planning stages for 2008.

6) Building on the momentum and knowledge gain from both agroforestry research and agroforestry training, the Center for Agroforestry will host the 11th North American Agroforestry Conference from May 30 – June 2, 2009. The theme of the conference is “Agroforestry Comes of Age: Putting Science into Practice”. We hope to be able to collaborate with NCR-SARE and National SARE to bring in landowners practicing agroforestry to serve as keynote speakers during the conference plenary sessions.

Collaborators: