Project Overview
Commodities
- Fruits: apples, peaches
Practices
- Animal Production: other
- Crop Production: cover crops, fertigation, foliar feeding, nutrient cycling, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, tissue analysis
- Education and Training: decision support system, demonstration, extension, workshop
- Production Systems: organic agriculture, transitioning to organic, other
- Soil Management: nutrient mineralization, soil analysis, soil microbiology
Proposal abstract:
Specialty crop producers across the Midwest are increasingly adopting regenerative or biologically based nutrient management practices to improve soil health, facilitate microbially enhanced nutrient cycling, improving both crop quality and long-term system adaptability. However, many Extension educators, NRCS staff, and agricultural advisors lack training in how to interpret and apply integrated crop diagnostics, including soil health indicators, plant tissue analysis, and plant sap analysis. This limits their ability to support farmers transitioning to more regenerative, biologically based nutrient management systems.
This project will build the capacity of agricultural educators and technical advisors working with specialty crop producers by providing training in integrated diagnostic interpretation and implementation. The project will center on a Kansas specialty crop demonstration site, where baseline soil and crop conditions will be assessed and a transition toward regenerative soil fertility management will be documented. Additional case studies from advanced Midwest specialty crop farms will provide comparative insight into established regenerative, biological management systems.
Project activities will include development of a regenerative diagnostic and implementation framework, hands-on field demonstrations, and educator training through workshops and field days. Training will emphasize not only interpretation of diagnostic data, but also implementation of targeted biological nutritional strategies, followed by monitoring and adaptive management.
Expected outcomes include increased educator knowledge and confidence in integrated diagnostics, improved advisory recommendations, and greater adoption of biological, regenerative fertility management practices among specialty crop producers. The project will strengthen the capacity of educators to support practical, system-based decision-making across numerous specialty crop systems.
Project objectives from proposal:
Project outputs will include a set of practical, educator-focused products and learning experiences designed to build capacity in integrated diagnostics, implementation, and adaptive management for specialty crop systems.
Project curriculum will be developed through synthesis of advanced diagnostic frameworks and translated into practical training resources for educator use.
1) Diagnostic and Implementation Field Guide (print + digital): A concise, practice-oriented guide that integrates soil, tissue, and sap diagnostics with step-by-step implementation strategies (biological amendments, mineral balancing, foliar nutrition, fertigation), monitoring protocols, and decision trees. Target distribution: 100-150 copies; digital availability via Extension networks.
2) Case Study Documentation (2-3 systems): One primary Kansas demonstration site and 1-2 comparative Midwest specialty crop systems. Each case study will include baseline diagnostics, management actions, monitoring results, and lessons learned. Target outputs: 3 written case studies and slide decks.
3) Training Curriculum and Materials: Slide decks, exercises, sampling protocols, and interpretation worksheets designed for replication by educators. Materials will be packaged for reuse in county and regional programs.
4) On-Farm Field Day (Kansas): Hands-on training in sampling (soil, tissue, sap), field observation, and linking diagnostics to management. Target participants: 20-30 educators/advisors.
5) Advanced Multi-Day Training (2-3 days): Intensive, applied training using case studies and real datasets. Includes guest farmer-educators and technical specialists. Target participants: 20-40 educators/advisors.
6) Extension Dissemination: Presentations, fact sheets, and webinar summaries distributed through Extension and partner networks to expand reach beyond direct participants.
Across activities, the project will directly engage approximately 20-40 agricultural educators and advisors (Extension, NRCS, and independent), with additional indirect reach through participant-led programming in their regions.