Professional development project in weed and forage identification and management

Professional development project in weed and forage identification and management

Summary

Because high quality perennial forages in pastures and hayland are critical to sustaining our livestock agriculture in New England, proper identification and management of both weed and forage species are needed. Weeds in these systems pose important management challenges for livestock farmers as they often compete for both above- and below-ground resources that may reduce forage yields, seasonal pasture distribution, and stand life. Most weeds mature very quickly, reducing the quality of the forages at times of optimum harvests. Some weed species can also serve as indicator plants, suggesting mismanagement of pasture and haycrops such as soil compaction, low fertility, and overgrazing. Being able to identify weeds and understanding their biology, as well as understanding forage quality, are key in helping farmers develop effective forage management strategies. However, survey results indicate that New England agriculture service providers lack the proper knowledge, skills, and confidence to identify both weed and forage species, as well as developing appropriate strategies to manage them on our livestock farms.

This project will help Extension educators, USDA NRCS and non-profit personnel throughout New England better identify weed and forage species and study pasture and haycrop management strategies to optimize forage quality on livestock farms. Trainings will be conducted through in-person sessions (which will include classroom and in-field components) and webinars (delivered live but also archived as online resources). Participants will be expected to conduct a self-study of assigned forage and/or weed species and develop management “help” factsheets; these will be compiled into a resource guide for use among trainees as well as farmers. Participants will also be expected to conduct a farmer educational activity (e.g., workshop, field day, video, etc.) to solidify their knowledge, skill, and confidence levels.

Objectives/Performance Targets

20 agricultural service providers in New England who gain skills in weed and forage identification and biology, and integrated weed management techniques will provide educational programs and services to 200 experienced and beginning farmers who manage an average of 120 acres; 100 farmers will adopt integrated weed control and forage management practices that extend the grazing season, decrease herbicide usage, reduce purchased feed inputs, and improve animal performance on 100 acres each (10,000 acres total).

Accomplishments/Milestones

Milestone 1 [20 Ag Service Providers Learn about the project and commit to participate by completing an online survey which includes information about the project, participant expectations, and a pretest in weed and forage (as a benchmark from which to measure change in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behavior).]

Project participation was solicited through email to a variety of listserv and direct emails to the target audience. Interested parties applied through an online application. A total of 43 agricultural service providers across New England submitted applications to participate in the project. Of those, 21 were selected as project participants based on experience, location, and organizational representation, and include a balance of trainees from Extension, USDA, and non-profits; and at least one trainee from every New England state.

Milestone 2 [20 Participants attend first annual in-person training. Learn forage and weed species identification and management.]

The initial project training was offered in-person on September 10-11, 2014 in Portsmouth, NH. All 21 trainees plus the four organizers attended. The training blended classroom and field instruction. Field instruction included small group activity work to help participants solidify their knowledge of plant identification. As a result of the training, a post-event evaluation revealed that 90% of the trainees increase their knowledge about forage and weed species and storage forage quality, especially forage plant species. Evaluation results showed that 80% increased the confidence in their abilities to identify weeds and forages on farm. All respondents said they would likely or definitely integrate what they learned at the training into their work with farmers. For example, one participant said, “I already have integrated some of my training in a course that I am teaching.” Another said, “[I’m] working with another participant to set up a forage series next month.”

Milestone 3 [40 professionals begin monthly webinar training series. Learn forage management and weed control strategies—biological, chemical, cultural, and mechanical.]

The project team has scheduled a series of five webinar trainings for year 1 activities. Topics were selected based on feedback from participants on subjects for which they identified as knowledge gaps. Two webinar trainings have been offered to date:

November 13, 2014: Forage Physiology and Management

            As a result of the webinar, 92% of survey respondents said they learned new information, particularly regarding plant growing points, species maturity, and plant response to defoliation (n=12).

December 11, 2014: Pasture and Field Renovation

            As a result of the webinar, 100% of survey respondents said they learned new information, particularly regarding reseeding, and no-till options (n=11).

Collaborators: