Farm Energy IQ Training Program

Farm Energy IQ Training Program

Summary

                                   Farm Energy IQ 2014 Annual Report

                                    Submitted by: Edward V. Johnstonbaugh

1. Summary

Northeast farms are often constricted by capital and staff resources and do not have the knowledge to address energy issues that are central to farm economic and environmental sustainability. Energy is often underrepresented in farm outreach activities in the Northeast due to a lack of energy literacy among agricultural service providers, a lack of comprehensive, regionally-appropriate, and practical support materials, and a disjointed network of experts and stakeholders to support field service providers.

The need and desire for energy-related information in the region is prevalent, as demonstrated by two recent surveys of the agricultural service provider and farming communities. To address this gap, the Farm Energy IQ program will develop a comprehensive curriculum and practical toolkit for educators’ use. The curriculum will be designed to increase knowledge among Northeast regional agricultural educators and service providers (ASPs) in wide-ranging energy topics including energy efficiency, energy use and procurement, and on-farm power generation; the toolkit will bolster educators’ ability to provide energy programing in their communities. The train-the-trainer approach goes beyond simple workshops; incorporating a toolkit and lesson plans for community energy programming, hosting monthly interactive webinars to enforce content matter and engage participants, supporting outreach assignments that will result in measurable on-farm energy use and cost savings, and fostering an active network of support for regional farm energy issues.

This project aims to improve energy literacy among 120 participating ASPs, provide hands-on outreach to at least 120 farms, triple the amount of energy-related community programming in the Northeast, and foster a network of awareness and support throughout the Northeast region’s community of 135,000 farms. Expected outcomes include development of an accurate and relevant energy toolkit for Northeast ASPs, increased confidence among participants to speak to the community about energy, participants’ use of practical resources through the Toolkit and a peer network to aid energy-related project implementation, and the implementation of 60 regional farm energy projects resulting in 500 kW demand savings across the region.

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/farm-energy-iq-training-for-ne-ag-service-providers-in-vt-tickets-13270176455

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective/performance targets

(December 2013) Research-based, peer-reviewed curriculum and Farm Energy IQ Toolkit are ready to support ASPs in their farm energy programming activities.

(December 2013) Publicity targeted to ASPs raises awareness of scheduled Farm Energy IQ workshops.

(December 2014) 120 ASPs develop increased knowledge and confidence in teaching energy topics through training in one of three, 3-day Farm Energy IQ workshops located in three Northeastern states coordinated with regional sponsors.

(June 2015) 120 ASPs increase confidence in subject matter and attain practical experience using program materials by delivering energy programming throughout their respective communities (e.g., Farm Bureau, Rotary Club)

(June 2015) 60 ASPs engage two or more farm operators to the decision-making process in implementing energy-related changes and establishing pre-implementation metrics.

(June 2015) 60 ASPs complete the first round analysis and measure implementation with farm owners/operators. ASPs will engage the support network as needed for guidance and help. Upon measure implementation, ASPs document program results and report savings towards meeting performance target goals.

Performance Targets

– 120 Northeast ASPs will demonstrate increased confidence in discussing agricultural energy issues

– Project participants will triple the aggregate hours spent conducting energy-related educational programming in the Northeast from their pre-workshop levels

– 60 ASPs will provide energy-related services to at least 120 regional farmers with support of regional network

– At least 60 farm operators will make changes (50% adoption rate) that produce 500 kW of demand reduction (using generally accepted engineering calculations)

Accomplishments/Milestones

Milestones:

(December 2013) Research-based, peer-reviewed curriculum and Farm Energy IQ Toolkit are ready to support ASPs in their farm energy programming activities.

Over the course of 2014 the FEIQ team worked diligently to originate the curriculum for the 18 module program. As modules were developed the draft work was shared amongst the team members for review and check for clarity, and conformance to FEIQ standards. Once the review process was completed modules that includes two slide decks, one for the Agricultural Service Provider (ASP) training the second (as short version of the first) for use by the ASP for use in presenting to their clients, a case study on the topic, lesson plans for both sets of slides, a topic fact sheet and an exercise for applying the material in the field where sent to editing.

Editing consists of review by two team members of the content and language use to ensure a consistent approach and “feel” to the FEIQ programming as well as ease of understanding and readability. Once the editing process is completed the recommended edits were handed back to the author for final approval. At this point once editing was final the module content underwent layout in preparation for publishing.

(December 2013) Publicity targeted to ASPs raises awareness of scheduled Farm Energy IQ workshops.

The publicity campaign is currently underway targeting ASPs in the northern states of the target region for the workshop to be conducted in Vermont in the latter part of February. The web site for information is available at ……………..

(December 2014) 120 ASPs develop increased knowledge and confidence in teaching energy topics through training in one of three, 3-day Farm Energy IQ workshops located in three Northeastern states coordinated with regional sponsors.

The first of the three workshop is scheduled for the week of February 22, 2015 at Lake Morey resort in Vermont. The other two workshops are scheduled later in the first quarter, with one scheduled in New Jersey and the third in central Pennsylvania

(June 2015) 120 ASPs increase confidence in subject matter and attain practical experience using program materials by delivering energy programming throughout their respective communities (e.g., Farm Bureau, Rotary Club)

This milestone will follow the three regional workshops scheduled in the first quarter of 2015.

(June 2015) 60 ASPs engage two or more farm operators to the decision-making process in implementing energy-related changes and establishing pre-implementation metrics.

This milestone will follow the three regional workshops to be held in the first quarter.

(June 2015) 60 ASPs complete the first round analysis and measure implementation with farm owners/operators. ASPs will engage the support network as needed for guidance and help. Upon measure implementation, ASPs document program results and report savings towards meeting performance target goals.

This milestone will follow the outreach effort that will take place after the three regional workshops in the first quarter.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Impacts and contributions/outcomes

The reporting of any impacts or contribution/outcomes at this point in time is premature as the delivery of the programming hasn’t  taken place.

FEIQ Seminar Registration site: 

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/farm-energy-iq-training-for-ne-ag-service-providers-in-vt-tickets-13270176455

• Sample Module Files
• Sample FEIQ Module
• Sample FEIQ Module
• Sample Module
• Sample FEIQ Module
• Sample FEIQ Module

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