Professional development for agricultural service providers in applied poultry science

Professional development for agricultural service providers in applied poultry science

Summary

This educational project, lead by a team of agricultural and poultry experts, currently involves 28 agricultural service providers in the six New England states. Twenty-four individuals were selected by application and four others from the research team comprise the entire training group. These participants come from a variety of backgrounds related to agriculture, technology, education, business and service. Each participant is employed with job responsibilities that involve working directly with farmers and farm families. Over the three-year life of this project, participants will gain knowledge and skills in basic poultry science. Topics including egg and meat production, alternative feeds, breed selection, biosecurity, health, processing, regulations, marketing, pest management, business planning, and economics for traditionally reared, organic, free-range and pastured poultry will be researched, presented and discussed. In addition, the project will focus on the development of educational materials for use with farmers and tools to measure impacts of the providers’ efforts. In July 2010, seven poultry producers from the region were selected to serve as an advisory committee to the project and to advise based on their knowledge and experience. This project involves training at least twenty agricultural service providers through annual classroom and hands-on trainings as well as regular updates via electronic media. This network of agriculture service providers is to be developed to better serve individuals who are interested in starting, adapting or expanding a poultry enterprise as a way to generate income for themselves or their families. Project participants will gain practical knowledge and skills in applied poultry science to confidently design and present educational programs to assist the owners of at least 200 small scale poultry enterprises and assess the local economic impacts of these businesses over the life of the project.

Objectives/Performance Targets

At least twenty (20) agriculture service providers in the six-state region will gain practical knowledge and skills in applied poultry science to confidently design and present educational programs to assist at least 200 small scale poultry producer enterprises and assess the local economic impacts. The annual estimated total net return is $548,750.00 (100 poultry producers with egg enterprises $273,750.00 annually; 100 poultry producers with meat enterprises $275,000.00 annually).

Accomplishments/Milestones

This project is progressing as expected. I have learned that it takes much thought, discussion, coordination and action to keep a large group of people across several states on task especially when the tasks involve both intermediate and long-range objectives. Members of the planning/research team are pleasantly surprised at the level of participant interest and enthusiasm. A solid start has been made in developing a strong cohort of excellent agriculture service providers for poultry programming in New England.

In October 2010, a twenty-hour training took place in Gray, Maine at which participants gained basic knowledge of the New England and US poultry industries, small scale poultry enterprises, poultry anatomy and physiology, nutrition, bio-security, egg-laying, and working with farmers with small scale poultry enterprises. A total of twenty-six participants demonstratively gained knowledge and skills in applied poultry science. This change was assessed with pre and post testing using an on-line exam with 50 questions. All participants had significantly higher scores following the training. The class average score for the pretest was 60% while the class average score for the post test was 80%. In addition, an on-line survey was administered immediately after the training. This survey showed that over 95% of the participants felt that the applied training helped them to a good start.

Each participant was assigned the task of identifying poultry enterprises in their areas of service. This milestone is underway at various stages by the participants. They will work with participants from their respective state in creating and updating this data base. This task was assigned in October 2010 with the expectation that the results will be submitted and discussed in the spring of 2011. In addition, each participant was charged to work with at least four farmers with poultry enterprises annually. Lastly, each participant has been assigned to write a case study of a farmer with a poultry enterprise and presenting their findings in 2011.

At least 200 poultry related enterprises will be started or enhanced over the three-year period of this project. This will occur as a result of the participants’ efforts and will be assessed each year. This milestone has not yet been accomplished.

Two hundred (200) small scale poultry producers in the region will gain skills and knowledge in starting and/or managing a profitable poultry enterprise. This will occur as a result of the participants’ efforts. This will be measured on a yearly basis. This milestone is yet to be fully accomplished. However in November 2010, teams of participants were created in the following areas to address this need: Educational Outreach/Teaching Aids; Financial Farm Management; Health/Biosecurity; Marketing; Nutrition/Feed; Egg Processing; Meat Processing; Production Practices; and Regulations. Each team is lead by a chair or co-chair and is currently developing objectives for respective team.

At least one hundred (100) poultry producers in the region will develop a written business plan for their poultry operation and a strong, local customer base for their products. This milestone is yet to be accomplished. However, the Financial Farm Management team and Marketing team for this project are putting forth effort in this area. This effort will be measured on a yearly basis.

Economic impacts to producer families and the local economy will be identified and measured. This will be accomplished through case studies. However, one or more of the participants will provide more emphasis to this theme and take it on as a special project. This milestone is yet to be accomplished.

The types and numbers of educational materials developed and used by service providers and their clients will be identified. The Educational Outreach/ Teaching Aids team is working on this effort. This will be assessed each year.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

A home page http://umaine.edu/poultry/ for this professional development project was created in July 2010. The web site presents a description of the project; participant list; assignments and other workings. It will continually be developed as needs arise and tools and other helps are ready for public access. One member of the project’s planning/research team left her Extension job in July 2010 and a substitute for her was selected from the same state institution. An advisory team made up of seven farmers from each New England state was selected (two from New Hampshire) in July 2010. Six of these farmers met with the planning team in early August 2010 to select participants from applications and to provide advice to the training schedule planned for October. Twenty-eight individuals participated in the applied poultry science training that took place in October 2010. This group was comprised of twenty-four (24) agricultural service providers and four (4) planning team members. A pretest was designed and administered to 24 applicants. The post test was administered to all after the training. Pre and post test average class scores were 60% and 80% respectively. As a supplement to the training, each participant received three poultry reference books and dvd’s for their study and use. As a result of the training, nine issue teams were established. The issue teams included the following: Educational Outreach/Teaching Aids; Financial Farm Management; Health/Biosecurity; Marketing; Nutrition/Feed; Egg Processing; Meat Processing; Production Practices; and Regulations. Each issue team has been charged with meeting by conference call and developing written objectives for their team by January 2011. In addition, a check list of needs was started by project participants at the training. These needs included helps for the participants as well as tools and training needs of area farmers. Two individuals from the training group were selected by application to represent the project by attending the International Poultry Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia in January 2011. They will report their findings from the exposition to all participants in March 2011. Dates have been set for a networking and training webinar in March 2011 and the annual training in October 2011. The October 2011 training will focus on poultry health.

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