Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Agronomic: barley, canola, corn, cotton, flax, hops, millet, oats, peanuts, potatoes, rapeseed, rice, rye, safflower, spelt, soybeans, sugarbeets, sugarcane, sunflower, wheat, grass (misc. perennial), hay
- Fruits: melons, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries (other), berries (cranberries), cherries, figs, citrus, grapes, olives, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, quinces, berries (strawberries)
- Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts
- Vegetables: sweet potatoes, artichokes, asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), lentils, onions, parsnips, peas (culinary), peppers, rutabagas, sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips, brussel sprouts
- Additional Plants: tobacco, herbs, native plants, ornamentals, trees
- Animals: bovine, poultry, goats, rabbits, swine, sheep
- Animal Products: dairy
- Miscellaneous: mushrooms
Practices
- Animal Production: animal protection and health, feed additives, feed formulation, free-range, feed rations, herbal medicines, homeopathy, manure management, mineral supplements, probiotics, vaccines, feed/forage
- Crop Production: conservation tillage
- Education and Training: extension, focus group, networking
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
- Pest Management: biological control, biorational pesticides, botanical pesticides, competition, cultural control, flame, genetic resistance, integrated pest management, mulches - living, physical control, mulching - plastic, prevention, smother crops, soil solarization, trap crops, traps, mulching - vegetative, weed ecology
- Soil Management: green manures, organic matter, soil analysis, composting, nutrient mineralization, soil quality/health
Project objectives:
Objective 1: Develop Multi-Disciplinary, Multi-Institutional Training Teams. Our first objective was to develop a team of trainers in each state. These teams included state Extension specialists, representatives of certifying agencies and experienced organic producers. These teams took responsibility for developing and implementing training for field personnel in each state. The desired outcome was that each state has a functional team of experienced and knowledgeable trainers. These teams provide leadership for training programs in organic production in each state.
Objective 2: Develop a Two-Day Comprehensive Training Program for Field Personnel. Our second objective was for the three teams to work together to develop a comprehensive two-day training program in the regulations covering organic production and certification for field personnel. The desired outcome was a training program for field personnel from the Cooperative Extension Service, other USDA field agencies, collaborating state agencies, and organic certifying agencies (public or private). The desired behavior was to incorporate this training program into the formal in-service training programs provided by Cooperative Extension Service, other USDA field agencies, collaborating state agencies and training for organic certifiers offered through both the public and private sector.
Objective 3: Deliver Training to Field Personnel. Our third objective was to deliver the training program to at least 125 individuals who work directly with farmers. The desired outcome was for field service providers to understand and be able to communicate the regulations regarding organic production in the United States to agricultural producers. The desired behavior was that field service providers develop training programs about the requirements for organic production for farmers and that they provide timely, accurate information to growers about the requirements for organic production on an individual consultation basis.
Objective 4: Finalization of Training Curriculum Distributed. We develop a comprehensive training program that can be used by other land grant institutions or other agriculturally related parties in organic regulations and certification. The materials are available through the University of Florida’s Electronic Dissemination Information System (EDIS) free of charge to all users. They will also be available as a for sale publication for those who prefer a CD ROM delivery venue.
Timeline of project and trainings:
Initial Planning Meeting: January 26-27 2004, Gainesville, FL. Representatives from OMRI, ATTRA, Florida Organic Growers, University of Florida, University of Virgin Islands and Kentucky State University were present at the meeting At this meeting we determined the training strategies and the content of the modules. A timeline for the trainings was also set. The responsibilities were allocated for the development of the materials.
Pilot Workshop: July 24- 26 2004, Ft. Pierce, FL. The modules were pilot tested. 50 total trainees attended including farmers, Extension faculty from Florida. Representatives from NCAT, OMRI, FOG and the University of Virgin Islands and Kentucky State University also participated.
Major Module Revisions: July 2004 – March 2005. Modules were modified and the livestock module was added.
Training 1: April 14-15 2005, University of the Virgin Islands, St Croix. Trainers from Florida Organic Growers, OMRI, NCAT, and the University of Virgin Islands participated. 28 total trainees attended including extension faculty from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, heads of farming organizations, state employees (territorial of USDA), employees of the Department Licensing and Consumer Affairs, and employees of the Department of Natural Resources at the University of Virgin Islands.
Training 2: July 6-7 2005, Quincy, FL. 22 total trainees attended including extension faculty, farmers, University of Florida graduate students in the Doctoral program in Plant Medicine and University of Florida faculty. Trainers included University of Florida faculty and representatives of OMRI, FOG and NCAT.
Training 3: September 7-9 2005, University of the Virgin Islands, St.Thomas. Trainers included University and Virgin Islands and University of Florida faculty and representatives of Florida Organic Growers and NCAT. 16 trainees attended including extension faculty from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, heads of farming organizations, state employees (territorial of USDA), and employees of the Department Licensing and Consumer Affairs and employees of the Department of Natural Resources at the University of Virgin Islands.
Training 4: March 8-9 2006, Gainesville, FL. 20 total trainees attended including University of Florida faculty and graduate students, Florida and South Carolina Extension faculty, and Extension faculty from Auburn University, Alabama. Trainers included University of Florida faculty and representatives of OMRI, NCAT and FOG.
Trainings 5 & 6: March 2006 Lake Barkley, Kentucky with 16 total trainees and 26 total trainees at Kentucky State University, Frankfurt. Trainers included Kentucky State University faculty and representatives of OMRI, NCAT and FOG.
**Minor revisions of the modules were made as needed after some of the trainings.