Project Overview
ENC99-046
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 1999: $82,994.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2002
Region: North Central
State: Kansas
Project Coordinator:
William Hargrove
Kansas State University, KCARE
Annual Reports
Commodities
Not commodity specific
Practices
- Farm Business Management: whole farm planning
- Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems
Abstract:
[Note to online version: The report for this project includes appendices that could not be included here. The regional SARE office will mail a hard copy of the entire report at your request. Just contact North Central SARE at (402) 472-7081 or ncrsare@unl.edu.]
A total of seven farms in priority watersheds were identified as sites for introducing the River Friendly Farm Environmental Assessment tool over the past two years. Cooperating farmers worked through the assessment tool on their farms, and then a farm financial analyst worked through Finpack's Long Range Budgeting (FinLRB) with each of them prior to the training sessions. Training sessions examined the cooperating farmer's notebooks, using it and FinLRB to develop options that the operator could use to address environmental issues identified. A total of 85 participants went through the seven training sessions. We surveyed key informants from the 85 participants to document follow up activities. Two extension agents hosted their own training with a total of 31 farmer participants. The original participants had recommended the assessment to over 100 individual farmers. We documented that at least 45 farmers actually completed the assessment and another 30 40 are in progress. As a result of completing the assessment we estimate at least 7 farmers have applied to the Clean Water Farms program for cost share assistance.
Project objectives:
Trainees, including Extension, NRCS, and state and federal agency personnel, will:
1. Increase their understanding of integrated decision making on potential farm business economics, family goals, and environmental impact.
2. Gain first-hand exposure to farm family goal setting, farm financial analysis and environmental farm planning tools.
3. Practice the integration of best management practices for environmental stewardship on farm level decision making.
4. Improve their understanding and skills for teaching whole farm environmental assessment,
analysis, and implementation planning.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.