Trainer education and capacity-building to support emerging farmers’ adoption of soil health practices

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: application rate management, cover crops, fertilizers, nutrient management, organic fertilizers
• Education and Training: decision support system, demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, networking, technical assistance, workshop
• Production Systems: agroecosystems, organic agriculture
• Soil Management: composting, green manures, nutrient mineralization, organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: community development, local and regional food systems, partnerships

Immigrant and other emerging farmers constitute a vibrant and growing sector of Minnesota’s local food systems, producing vegetables on small to medium scale farms and generally using organic practices. An active network of nonprofit organizations works to serve these farmers, who face barriers to accessing traditional programs of technical support and agricultural extension. Farmers and organization personnel have identified soil health and fertility management as areas where education and hands-on training are needed to support the long-term goal of enabling emerging farmers to independently carry out research-supported soil health practices on their farms. This project, led by an established partnership between the University of Minnesota and the Food Group MN’s Big River Farms, will work to build capacity for these organizations to extend soil health knowledge and planning tools to emerging farmers. We will 1) provide in-depth training, consulting, and network building for organization staff and technical assistance providers through workshops, field days, and virtual meetings on soil health topics identified as knowledge gaps; 2) support collaborating incubator farm organizations to implement 1:1 farmer assistance for soil health planning; and 3) develop soil health education materials, decision tools, and information sharing resources tailored to emerging farmers producing diversified vegetable crops at small scales using organic practices. Outcomes from this project will include adoption of soil health practices such as cover cropping and soil test-based nutrient application by emerging farmers, and publicly available tools to facilitate technical assistance, curriculum development, and peer-to-peer information sharing.

Soil health planning template and introductory workshop. We will revise the presentation, handout, and resource materials developed for our 2024 pilot workshop, and deliver a one-day workshop attended by 25 staff and TAs serving emerging farmers, including representatives of at least 4 organizations who did not have attendees at the previous pilot workshop. We will provide the soil health planning template and instruction for using it. All participants will receive a binder of reference and resource materials and copies of the presentation slides.

In-depth curriculum on key soil health practices: We will develop and deliver curriculum (including presentations, hands-on demonstrations, in-field activities, and reference materials) on three priority topics that technical assistance providers have identified as areas of need (identifying plant problems and causes, applying inputs based on soil tests, and using cover crops). Out of the 50 total organization personnel who will have attended the 2024 and 2025 introductory workshops, a target of  80% will participate in ongoing training, with at least 30 attending each of the workshop and field day events.

Consulting assistance for TA personnel: Through monthly Zoom meetings, we will offer personalized assistance to participants in the soil health train-the-trainer program, with a target of 15 cohort members attending each Zoom session. Consulting sessions will allow TA providers to draw on the scientific and practical knowledge of Extension providers and experienced colleagues, filling gaps in their knowledge as they arise during their work to support farmers. The questions asked during the consulting sessions will also highlight topics for future curriculum development and educational programming, and may spotlight areas where new research is needed to better understand small-scale farming practices and their outcomes.

Hands-on farmer training: At least 24 emerging farmers producing crops on incubator farms will receive 1:1 assistance with developing and carrying out a soil health plan. Additionally, we will facilitate three field days for emerging farmers, hosted by partner organizations and co-led by participants in the staff/TA training cohort. At least 35 farmers will participate in each field day.

Organizational network: Through the planned educational sessions, staff/TA cohort members will have the opportunity to regularly meet and share their knowledge and experiences working with emerging farmers. This will build ties among their respective organizations, leading to new and strengthened partnerships for farmer support. Additionally, our ongoing relationship with cohort members will help orient the UMN team to the full range of programming provided by emerging farmer support organizations, highlighting opportunities for future collaboration.

Shared information resources: In addition to reference materials developed for trainer workshops, this project will develop three resources that will contribute to ongoing farm success and professional development for farmers and trainers: 1) an online tool for automated calculation of recommended applications of organic nutrient inputs; 2) photos illustrating key plant and soil issues in vegetable crops, available for use in educational materials; and 3) a simple platform for peer-to-peer sharing of sourcing information for organic inputs at small to medium farm scales.