Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Agronomic: corn, oats, potatoes, soybeans, wheat, grass (misc. perennial), hay
- Fruits: berries (strawberries)
- Vegetables: beans, carrots, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, onions, peppers, tomatoes
- Additional Plants: herbs, native plants, ornamentals
- Animals: bees, bovine, poultry, goats, sheep
- Animal Products: dairy
Practices
- Animal Production: feed/forage, parasite control, free-range, manure management, mineral supplements, grazing - multispecies, pasture fertility, pasture renovation, range improvement, grazing - rotational, watering systems, winter forage
- Crop Production: cover crops, fallow, municipal wastes, nutrient cycling, organic fertilizers
- Education and Training: technical assistance, demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, on-farm/ranch research, participatory research
- Farm Business Management: new enterprise development, cooperatives, community-supported agriculture, marketing management, value added, whole farm planning
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, wildlife
- Pest Management: biological control, cultural control, physical control, prevention
- Production Systems: transitioning to organic, holistic management
- Soil Management: composting, green manures, soil analysis, organic matter, soil quality/health
- Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities, partnerships, urban agriculture, urban/rural integration, analysis of personal/family life, employment opportunities, social capital, social networks
Abstract:
The Nebraska Ag IMPACT Project supports local groups of beginning and established farmers in demonstrating and learning about sustainable farming systems. Three key agriculture organizations (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, and Center for Rural Affairs) collaborate to provide group organization support, design of on-farm projects, and networking linkages to other farmer groups and organizations.
The IMPACT Project recruits farmers and ranchers to form local sustainable farming IMPACT groups, which include nonfarm community members and local Extension Educators. Local groups foster community support for and increased adoption of sustainable farming systems. Groups receive staff support and cost-share funding for projects of their choosing, and participate in a statewide network of IMPACT groups.
IMPACT supported thirteen groups across Nebraska in 1996 and 18 groups in 1997, including more than 130 group members who controlled over 80,000 acres of farm and ranch land. Public demonstrations of their projects attracted more than 125 additional farmers and community members each year. Group projects have included legume cover crops, cooperative meat marketing, building stronger communities, improved grass management, consumer education, farming without chemicals, and other agronomic, marketing, and community development ideas.
Group members have credited the group process with encouraging them to try or adopt new farming practices. Over half reported adopting new practices within three years, and 30% saw profit improvement in that time. Half the participants expected improved water quality from their IMPACT activities, 40% saw decreased soil erosion, 60% increased their farm diversification (more grazing land and cattle, additional legumes and cover crops, and less tillage), and 50% reported improved wildlife habitat. Extension advisors have enthusiastically supported IMPACT group projects and have encouraged others to form their own groups. Most of the groups have plans to continue their activities in coming years.
Introduction:
The Nebraska Ag IMPACT Project supports local groups of beginning and established farmers in demonstrating and learning about sustainable farming systems. Three key agriculture organizations (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, and Center for Rural Affairs) collaborate to provide group organization support, design of on-farm projects, and networking linkages to other farmer groups and organizations.
The IMPACT Project recruits farmers and ranchers to form local sustainable farming IMPACT groups, which include nonfarm community members and local Extension Educators. Local groups foster community support for and increased adoption of sustainable farming systems. Groups receive staff and funding support for projects of their choosing.
IMPACT supported thirteen groups across Nebraska in 1996 and 18 groups in 1997, including more than 130 group members who controlled over 80,000 acres of farm and ranch land. Public demonstrations of their projects attracted more than 100 more farmers and community members each year. Group members have credited the group process with encouraging them to try or adopt new practices. Extension advisors have enthusiastically supported IMPACT group projects and have encouraged others to form their own groups. Most of the groups have plans to continue their activities in coming years.
Project objectives:
1. Establish 10 or more IMPACT groups across Nebraska and provide staff and financial support to the on-farm research/demonstration and education efforts of those groups.
2. Increase the ability of beginning farmers and ranchers to implement sustainable agriculture practices and to become established farm operators.
3. Strengthen the capacity of Nebraska institutions to provide community-level support for adoption of sustainable agriculture across the state through a collaborative effort between Nebraska farmers and ranchers, the Center for Rural Affairs (CRA), the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society (NSAS), the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).
4. Share the lessons learned in this project with farmers, organizations and institutions elsewhere.