Project Overview
Annual Reports
Information Products
Commodities
- Animals: poultry
Practices
- Animal Production: housing, free-range, manure management, grazing - multispecies, pasture fertility
- Education and Training: workshop
- Farm Business Management: new enterprise development
Abstract:
Small-scale commercial poultry production with outdoor access or “pasture-based” is an emerging alternative farm enterprise in many southern states. Traditionally, most poultry information has been aimed at either large-scale production or backyard production. Information geared for operations “in the middle”--small commercial flock production--has been scarce. In addition, material is needed on a natural or organic approach. Through this project, key leaders in sustainable poultry production, including Heifer International, the National Center for Appropriate Technology, and key producers carried out train-the-trainer events in the southern region covering the many facets of sustainable poultry production, processing and marketing. These groups partnered with the University of Arkansas, a landgrant with a history of poultry information, on the training. Trainings were conducted for extension personnel, nonprofit educators, and other agricultural educators. Facilitators used materials developed through previous SSARE Research and Education projects as well as materials developed in this project. After attending trainings, educators had the opportunity to set up their own local trainings for producers. In addition, web-based educational materials, including written materials, video clips, and visual information on small-scale, sustainable poultry production were developed and posted on the internet to help sustain post-project learning. Key materials were translated to Spanish.
Project objectives:
Objective 1: Design a training program in sustainable poultry production for use in training educators in small commercial poultry production.
Objective 2: Increase agricultural educator knowledge and skills to train small-scale poultry producers by providing sustainable poultry production training and encourage supportive attitudes towards small poultry growers.
Objective 3: Develop web-based sustainable poultry production education modules as an ongoing resource for educators in order to add small-scale poultry to their programs.