Presenting NCR SARE Research Results in the Context of Whole Farm Planning

Project Overview

LNC99-145
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 1999: $85,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2003
Region: North Central
State: Minnesota
Project Coordinator:
Diane Jensen
The Minnesota Project
Co-Coordinators:
John Lamb
The Minnesota Project Inc

Annual Reports

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Animal Production: housing, parasite control, free-range, manure management, pasture fertility, pasture renovation, grazing - rotational
  • Crop Production: agroforestry, continuous cropping, cover crops, double cropping, intercropping, multiple cropping, no-till, nutrient cycling, organic fertilizers, application rate management, conservation tillage
  • Education and Training: decision support system, on-farm/ranch research
  • Farm Business Management: new enterprise development, cooperatives, marketing management, whole farm planning
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
  • Pest Management: biological control, botanical pesticides, mulching - plastic
  • Production Systems: transitioning to organic, integrated crop and livestock systems
  • Soil Management: earthworms, green manures, organic matter, soil analysis, soil quality/health
  • Sustainable Communities: partnerships, analysis of personal/family life, sustainability measures

    Abstract:

    “Presenting NCR-SARE Research Results in the Context of Whole Farm Planning” engaged in integrating SARE research findings in a whole farm planning context for farmers and farm service providers to use while they develop whole farm plans. A report was produced and distributed in five states and beyond.

    Introduction:

    Much SARE research had been conducted prior to 1999, little of it accessible, less of it written in a farmer friendly manner, and none of it with an eye to collecting the best examples of whole farm systems planning and implementation.

    “Presenting NCR-SARE Research Results in the Context of Whole Farm Planning” was the first attempt to review and present NCR-SARE research within a systems approach, and cull out some of the best examples on a regionalized basis, with examples for each state.

    Project objectives:

    The objective of the project was to take the best of NCR-SARE research through 1999, summarize the projects and results, link the projects to the emerging discipline of whole farm planning, and prepare for anticipated changes in the Farm Bill that would call for this type of knowledge and systems thinking.

    Each of five states had a collaborator to assist in writing, editing and distributing the publication to farmers through field days, events, the web and direct mailings.

    The project would be deemed a success if the materials that came into farmers’ hands were read, thus stimulating an interest in both whole farm planning and NCR-SARE research, which could be replicated on the land in the participating states. Furthermore, the work called for additional research in areas where projects clearly were not completed, or had subsequent phases, which would yield key points for implementation of whole farm planning.

    The project was to distribute 2,000 copies of a publication and post the publication for web access.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.