Education for Veterinarians, Extension Educators and Other Agricultural Professionals on Organic Livestock Health

Education for Veterinarians, Extension Educators and Other Agricultural Professionals on Organic Livestock Health

Summary

At the conclusion of the original 24 month performance period for this grant, which primarily targeted veterinarians and other agricultural professionals involved in organic livestock health care, there were remaining funds.  We requested a no cost extension as well as a modified scope as follows to:

• Extend our trainings on organics to other agricultural professionals, including those from Ohio Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Ohio Farm Service Agency (FSA), Ohio State University (OSU), OSU-Extension (OSU-E), and others, in order to build their respective staffs’ capacity to serve organic producers. 
• Facilitate formation of an inter-agency and multi-stakeholder “organic team” for the state in order to foster communication, coordination, and collaboration.

In keeping with the original project goals, the aim was to build agricultural professionals’ capacity to work with organic producers by increasing their knowledge of the National Organic Program standards, organic production practices, and the process of organic certification.  Additionally, recognizing that many of these professionals have limited knowledge of how their counterparts in other agencies and organizations were working with organic producers, we targeted increasing communication and collaboration among these professionals as an additional goal under our modified scope.

Objectives/Performance Targets

We targeted three agencies for potential trainings on organics and inclusion in an “organic team” for the state:  OH-NRCS, OH-FSA, and OSU-E.

Accomplishments/Milestones

During the performance period, we had substantive and productive meetings with multiple representatives of each of these groups of stakeholders.  As a result:

• We provided trainings on organic standards and the certification process to NRCS District personnel in each of the five NRCS regions of Ohio.  A total of approximately 175 NRCS personnel were trained.
• We had two very productive meetings that included all of the division chiefs of Ohio FSA.  We discussed specific training needs and have begun to move forward with these.  We have a training scheduled for late March with District Managers in Northwest Ohio and are discussing training for  staff in other regions of the State.
• We also had two productive meetings that included the (relatively new) Director of Extension for Ohio State University; one of those meetings also included the Assistant Director for Agriculture and Natural Resources.  They affirmed interest in an organic training for County extension educators, we roughed out an agenda, and identified other parameters such as venue and timing.  This training will take place during calendar year 2017.
• We hosted an inaugural meeting of the “organic team” for Ohio and included in that meeting the expertise of Jim Riddle, Minnesota organic farmer and whose career includes work as organic inspector, educator, policy analyst and author and who serves as the Chair of the Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force, and Vicki Morrone, Michigan State University organic field crop and vegetable specialist, and current North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR SARE) Administrative Council member.  They were able to share the ways in which inter-agency cooperation is fostered in their respective home states.  We had representatives at that meeting from: Ohio State, Ohio State Extension, Ohio State School of Veterinary Medicine, Central State University Extension, FSA, NRCS, USDA-Rural Development, and Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

As a result of this work, we have established or strengthened relationships with key personnel, which has led to:

• OEFFA being a welcomed resource on organics to agricultural staff (who in some cases were previously unaware of our existence) as they carry out their program work;
• A more positive attitude toward organic agriculture and working with organic farmers or those considering transitioning to organics;
• Opportunities to discuss current programs offered by these agencies, to troubleshoot issues and work to better serve organic producers or those contemplating transitioning to organic production in Ohio;
• OEFFA taking a leadership role in connecting agriculture professionals across government programs and extension services in Ohio to build a network of support and information-sharing;
• Greater success in connecting transitioning producers with resources available through NRCS, FSA, and RMA that can aid in a support a successful transition to organic;
• OEFFA having a greater understanding of USDA agency programs in order to better connect organic and transitioning producers with resources available through NRCS and FSA;
• Facilitating increased applications for CAP 138 TSP designation;
• Continuing requests for additional group trainings;
• Further dissemination of the availability of OEFFA as a resource for organic expertise and education.
• Additional steps in the formation of the “organic team” for Ohio have been identified and include periodic conference calls.  The agenda for the initial call includes presentation by OH-FSA and discussion of establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (modeled after Minnesota) for our collaboration around organics. 

Collaborators: