Regional Meat Goat Production and Marketing Project: Phase 2

Regional Meat Goat Production and Marketing Project: Phase 2

Objectives/Performance Targets

Behavior Based Objectives
Providing education on sustainable meat goat production and economic systems to agricultural professionals, paraprofessionals, non-profits, state and federal agencies, veterinarians, and farmer mentors, when combined with farmer listening forums should result in these behavior changes.
Objective 1. Agricultural professionals accept meat goats as sustainable farm enterprises for small farmers. They will initiate farmer education and hands-on demonstration programs on sustainable goat production including feeds/forages, breeding programs, parasite control, brush control and environmental aspects, and economics. They will facilitate efforts to develop sustainable systems for meat goats and facilitate efforts to develop farmer cooperatives, goat associations, and to identify potential markets for goats and goat products.
Objective 2. Agricultural professionals target educational programs to nontraditional producers and consumers including Middle Eastern, Hispanic, African American, women, youth (4-H and FFA), religious groups, small and limited-resource farmers. In delivering educational programs, professionals become sensitive to social and environmental issues as well as the economic and production aspects of the goat industry. As a result, the professional strengthens his/her social and outreach skills leading to the inclusion of diverse groups in programming.
Objective 3. Agricultural professionals and farmers share expertise to: 1) develop and strengthen multi-state, multidisciplinary collaboration (agencies, 1890, 1862, and farmers) and 2) provide cross-state educational programming in sustainable goat production/economic systems. Agricultural professionals broaden their scope and become “system thinkers”.

Objective 4. Continue the work of the Phase I project, including the clearing house of information for the region and to provide web-based information that has been proofed by professionals.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Accomplishments – 081

1. At the Southern Association of Agriculture Scientists in February 2006, a working group for goats and small ruminants discussed the website and clearing house of information that was established in Phase 1. They discussed many issues related to research and extension needs and current research/extension initiatives. Of the 15 professionals, 5 were supported by this project. They also participated in the Southern Region Animal Science Association and the Southern Region Agricultural Economics meetings.
2. Kentucky State University is the site of the 2006 Regional Project meeting which will be in October. Educational sessions will include a forage discussion, parasites, a disease and disaster session, and a working with non-traditional clientele session. Participants will also work on the next phase of regional goat concerns and how to make the information available to professionals.
3. In the Spring of 2006, Kentucky State University employed a Hispanic outreach specialist who will work with the group at the regional meeting.
4. Kentucky held a Sheep and Goat Summit in June of 2006 to address needs of the state. There were 65 professionals and farmers attending.

Collaborators: