Education to extension agents, veterinarians, and other professionals in complementary treatments and preventive management for organic livestock farms

Education to extension agents, veterinarians, and other professionals in complementary treatments and preventive management for organic livestock farms

Summary

The goal of this grant is to broaden the knowledge and understanding of holistic approaches to animal health specific to the needs and requirements of organic livestock producers. The target audience will be extension agents, veterinarians, college students studying veterinary medicine and animal sciences and other resource professionals working in the field assisting organic and transitioning livestock producers.

We will organize a workshop and offer it in two locations within the Northeast. The workshops will be formatted in a way to provide classroom style learning, round table discussions, reading materials, interactive problem solving exercises, and hands-on learning. General practices and concepts will include: an overview of the National Organic Program, preventive management for optimum livestock health, complementary therapies approved for use on organic farms, continued learning resources and animal welfare. These workshops will qualify for continued education credit for veterinary professionals and extension agents.

Participants will be encouraged to initiate additional research with their farmers. Information on funding resources and training in the proper conduct and analysis of ‘on-farm clinical trials’ for the evaluation of management strategies and complementary therapies will be provided. Continued learning will be facilitated through an on-line discussion group and opportunities will be made for participants to spend a day with a practicing veterinarian knowledgeable of the National Organic Standards and willing to provide first hand experience in approved complementary therapies. Attendees will reconvene one year later to build on their knowledge base and share experiences.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Of the 80 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals attending one of the two regional organic livestock health workshops, 60 will become more knowledgeable of organic farming methods and proven therapies and treatments, 25 will reconvene in a year to discuss case studies, on farm trials and build on the new resources and information that was learned at the organic livestock health workshop, and 20 will actively engage in using at least 2 new management practices or complementary treatments with their clients.

2. Of the 80 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals that attend one of the two organic livestock health workshops, 25 participants will reconvene in a year to discuss case studies, on-farm trials and research priorities. Of those, 8 will develop research proposals and 2 will receive funding.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Our accomplishments are few at this point in time and are summarized under the first three milestones of Performance Target # 1. There have not been any accomplishments under Performance Target #2 at this time.

Performance Target #1

1) 1000 veterinarians, extension specialists, vet students and other professionals from around the Northeast receive information about the organic livestock health workshops.

Over 600 brochures were sent by direct mail to veterinarians, extension, NRCS and other professionals, and the Press Release and brochure were made available at numerous meetings and conferences in the Northeast. Information was provided through veterinary (AABP-L), dairy (Dairy-L/O-Dairy) and extension listserves.

2) 200 ask to receive registration materials, video recordings and/or written proceedings.

To date, we have had over 500 hits on our web site where the conference program, agenda, and other relevant information are listed. In addition, the NOFA-VT office gets at least 3 calls a day pertaining to the conferences and the two conference coordinators receive an equal amount of inquiries by phone or email.

3) 80 professionals attend the workshops, actively engaging in new resources and learning.

Registration is currently in progress for both conference dates.

4) 25 participants reconvene for a reunion class to share new experiences, learn new concepts and discuss possible on-farm trials.

5) 20 participants actively engage in using at least 2 new management practices or complementary treatments with their clients.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Our grant project has completed it first year of activity (actually 9 months), and much of what has been accomplished in this time is organizing and promoting the conferences and raising sponsorship monies to compensate for the partial funding (80%) that NESARE was able to award us. Registrations are coming in for the two conferences to take place February 14-16th, 2007 in Alfred,NY and March 6-8th, 2007 in Durham, NH.

Our speakers for the two conferences are:

Dr Hubert Karreman, veterinarian/dairy practitioner, Pennsylvania
Jim Gardiner, organic dairy producer, New York
Trevor Adams, veterinary homeopath, United Kingdom
Sue Miles, homeopath, United Kingdom
Dr Ann Wells, veterinarian, Arkansas
Gary Zimmer, Midwestern Bio-Ag, Wisconsin
Jerry Brunetti, Agri-Dynamics, Pennsylvania
Dr Juan Velez, veterinarian, Colorado
Dr Ynte Schukkken, veterinarian, Cornell University
Sarah Flack, NOFA-VT organic dairy and livestock advisor, VT
Lawrence Andres, organic dairy producer, Canada
Jim Riddle, University of Minnesota Outreach Coordinator, Minnesota
Dr Brian Baker, OMRI Research Director, Oregon

Our accomplishments for 2006:

1. We have raised $19,050.00 in sponsorship monies and an additional $3,275.00 in exhibitor fees to cover speaker fees and other conference expenses.

2. Our webpage is up and running and can be found at the following address: www.qmps.vet.cornell.edu/nofa/nofa.html. To date, the web page includes the press release for the conferences, our major sponsors, the conference brochure, extended 3-day agenda, workshop descriptions and speaker bios. We hope to develop the web page so that it can provide a discussion list, resources for continued learning and to promote the advanced conference that will take place in the spring of 2008.

3. The conferences have been approved for ARPAS, NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Services), State veterinary, and FSA (Farm Services Agency) education credits.

Collaborators: