Building a sustainable agriculture Extension network in Minnesota

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: cropping systems, water management
• Education and Training: decision support system, extension, mentoring, networking, study circle
• Farm Business Management: financial management, whole farm planning
• Pest Management: integrated pest management
• Production Systems: agroecosystems, integrated crop and livestock systems
• Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, local and regional food systems, sustainability measures

Modeled loosely after the SARE Fellows program, this project created a network of University of Minnesota Extension educators with a common understanding and framework to help Minnesota farmers address sustainability issues. Using a cohort model, the goals of the project were to increase their understanding of sustainability issues in agriculture, increase their skills and tools to help farmers make decisions, and increase their network of peers to support farmers further. Activities included one online overview meeting, 3 learning sessions (each with an online meeting and on-farm learning laboratory) related to common agricultural operations in Minnesota(horticulture, row crops, and livestock), and a reflection and planning meeting. Participation was lower than expected, due to the COVID19 pandemic, so remaining funds were used by soliciting project ideas from cohort members. This resulted in three member-led projects; beneficial insect identification training, cover crop utilization field day, and small and beginning livestock farmer resource toolkit. Twenty seven educators participated in the cohort and could choose which of the three sessions to attend. Each session had roughly twelve participants. Cohort membership survey responses indicate they did build knowledge regarding sustainable agriculture issues, have used knowledge from this project in their work, and have grown their peer networks.

• Increase 25 University of Minnesota Extension educators’ fundamental knowledge of sustainable agriculture concepts related to Minnesota’s most common types of agriculture horticultural crops, row crops, and livestock.
• Increase the skills and tools of 25 University of Minnesota Extension educators to help farmers make decisions about sustainability issues.
• Increase the working networks of 25 Extension educators across Minnesota to increase their capacity in supporting farmers with sustainability issues.