1995 Annual Report for ENE95-010
Education of Extension Workers in Sustainable Agriculture Practices Utilizing the PASA Conference and Farm Visits
Summary
Key Findings
Extension workers are much better informed about sustainable farming practices after attending the 1996 and 1997 Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) conferences and participating in two tours which highlighted sustainable agriculture production in the Mid-Atlantic region. These forums promoted discussion between farmers, extension workers, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel about economic and environmental trade-offs as well as the underlying principles of farmer practices. Agents are incorporating this knowledge in their programming and increasingly target sustainable agriculture as a planning objective.
Objectives
1. Further the understanding of Pennsylvania extension workers about sustainable farming practices.
2. Provide extension workers with first-hand observations and discussion of sustainable practices implemented in Pennsylvania.
Project Activities and Results
This project promoted the attendance and participation of county agents at the annual Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) conference and hosted two tours which highlighted sustainable agriculture production in the Mid-Atlantic region.
The PASA conference was well attended in both 1996 and 1997 by extension workers. In 1996, 41 Pennsylvania State University (PSU) extension workers attended the PASA conference and 30
PSU extension workers attended in 1997. Funds were provided for travel and lodging.
The first of the two tours focused on sustainable fruit production and included sessions on sustainable production research which is being conducted at the Penn State Research and Extension Center, and on-farm discussions and tours with two fruit growers on the impact that production and marketing have on sustaining fruit production in the area. The second tour highlighted sustainable dairy and agronomic farming and included visits with Lancaster County farmers and to Rodale's soil research plots.
Participants had the opportunity to visit research sites and farms where sustainable agriculture practices are being implemented. They learned about the technical aspects and had access to information and discussion on the practicality and productivity of these practices. Participants observed first-hand the soil health, crop vitality, livestock health, pest pressure levels, and farm family's economic well-being. The farm visits continued the co-learning model among extension workers and farmers by focusing on real-world examples.
In this forum, the economic and environmental trade-offs of particular practices and their long-term sustainability were discussed. We also explored the underlying principles of the farmer practices and the transferability of these practices to other farms. We visited selected farms to see different levels of implementing sustainable agriculture practices. The range of farms illustrated the transition process toward a more sustainable farming and food system from initial steps in sustainability to organic production.
Farmers discussed select practices on an individual level and then related them to the whole farm system. By focusing on individual components, such as the use of cover crops, participants learned first hand how a farmer manages a particular practice. On the other hand, discussions about the whole farm system, such as a dairy farm that produces crops without chemicals, composts manure and relies on rotational grazing, illustrated the synergy that individual components create. The tours portion of this project involved 44 extension workers from six states. Participants included 24 extension workers from Pennsylvania, six from Maryland, four from New York, three from New Jersey, and one from New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Participants also included six NRCS staff, seven farmers, and two state government employees.
One of the main objectives of this project was to make sustainable agriculture practices a part of extension planning. There are currently 26 Plans of Work at PSU which target sustainable agriculture as an objective.
Survey Results
A survey was sent out within a few weeks of the final tour. Participants were asked if the things they had learned on the tours will be useful to them in their programming. Some responses follow.
"One small organic farm is using piglets to root around his compost. I've become more aware of manure management."
"Being a fruit grower most of my life, without livestock crops, everything was new and different. Surely the need is there to keep our soil in the best condition so our farmland doesn't turn
into desert."
"Working on a winter meeting to present issues to help NJ and area dairymen make the transition to sustainable/organic dairying."
"Pasture alley improvement."
"Discussed Groff farm activities with fellow agent dealing with this client group. Will use information during fall and winter meeting including web site. Great!"
"Developing a program on production of organic dairy products."
"I've recommended use of a rotary hoe as a weed management tool as demonstrated at Weavers. I also used some of the rotational grazing information from Enos Hoover in a presentation on rotational grazing."
"Working with no-till vegetable transplanter demonstration plots on research farm and producers' farm."
Reported December 1997