Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Animal Production: rangeland/pasture management
- Education and Training: display, extension, networking, technical assistance, workshop
Proposal abstract:
The North Dakota SARE State Professional Development Program continues with 5 initiatives:
1) Soil Health, Cover Crops, and Water Quality,
2) Local Agriculture serving Diverse Communities and Meeting Nutritional Needs,
3) Integrated Production Systems - Livestock and Crops,
4) Advancing Sustainable Agriculture in 1994 Land Grant Colleges and Tribal Institutions, and
5) Adapting to a Changing Climate and other food systems disruptions (regional initiative).
These initiatives encompass a broad effort to increase knowledge and awareness of sustainable practices in County Extension agents and other agricultural professionals in North Dakota.
Project objectives from proposal:
Professional Development Initiatives
1) Soil Health, Cover Crops, and Water Quality
The NDSU soil health team has created a variety of learning experiences for farmers to improve saline and sodic soils and advance the concept that improved soil health leads to improved water quality. This team addresses research and educational issues related to soil health and underlying water quality issues in North Dakota. ND SARE will cooperate with the team to support efforts that meet our goals and provide funds for professional development workshops and projects.
Outcomes will include increased knowledge about soil health and improving water quality including use of cover crops to enhance soil health, saline soil management and general soil health management aspects and effects on water quality. Tours of cover crop plantings and outreach meetings will be provided to visually share the effects of cover crops. Café or shop meetings will be used to expand the soil heath discussion among farmers to advance new ideas in soil health and water quality. Thirty farmers and 20 extension and NRCS personnel will be trained with a 30 % increase in knowledge of cover crop and soil health.
Evaluation of these outcomes will be via NCR SARE PDP evaluation forms to determine changes in program delivery and new collaborations.
2) Local Agriculture serving Diverse Communities and Meeting Nutritional Needs
The North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association meets annually and conducts outreach efforts to the public. The state co-coordinators will help facilitate these efforts, when appropriate.
Short-term outcomes will include increased knowledge of small farms and local foods. ND SARE will work to advance the Local Foods effort of 8 educators and 12 non-team educators. We anticipate increased delivery of local foods programming by the educators involved as well as collaborative efforts to find funding for additional research and outreach to support scaling up initiatives.
Increased partnership with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Local Foods program will enhance outreach and education in limited access areas. Annual conference support and speakers will be provided.
This initiative also includes a proactive approach to involve tribal college educators throughout the project. Tribal youth and college students will participate in gardening workshops and then grow food locally at home or school. They will expose 40 tribal members to opportunities for growing food locally.
Evaluation of these outcomes will be via NCR SARE PDP evaluation forms to determine changes in program delivery and any new collaboration.
3) Integrated Production Systems - Livestock and Crops
Farmers markets are finding a demand for locally-sourced meat and crops. While limits on processing facilities impede growth of the market, ND SARE will provide information on developing local markets. Market support will be addressed in collaboration with the ND Department of Agriculture.
Outcomes will include increased knowledge of livestock marketing in North Dakota, educational support for raising livestock and poultry with a local food and sustainable emphasis, increased North Dakota meat local food co-ops and Food Hub markets, development of trainings and activities showing benefits from integrating livestock with crops including organic production. Twenty farmers and 15 extension personnel will be trained with a 40% increase in knowledge of synergies from integrating crops and livestock. Cover crops and grazing mentoring networks will be used to advance sustainable production through synergies of crops and livestock.
The initiative will seek opportunities to provide education and experiences to tribal college educators and youth about sustainable livestock production and purveying.
The interaction of soil health, cover crops and livestock will be demonstrated through on-farm projects. Field days will be hosted by NDSU Extension agents to teach sustainability with an emphasis on soil and livestock.
Evaluation of these outcomes will be via NCR SARE PDP evaluations. Evaluations will also identify strengths and weaknesses in program delivery and collaborations.
4) Advancing Sustainable Agriculture in 1994 Land Grant Colleges and Tribal Institutions
In 2019, ND SARE actively engaged tribal colleges in North Dakota. One ND SARE PDP Co-coordinator was designated to build relationships to enhance sustainable activities at North Dakota tribal reservations. While contacts and relationships with the tribal colleges were encouraging, turnover in tribal positions limited growth. ND SARE PDP will provide continued emphasis on outreach and program development.
North Dakota has five 1994 Land Grant institutions:
- Sitting Bull College, Standing Rock Reservation, Fort Yates, ND
- Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Spirit Lake Tribe, Fort Totten, ND
- United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck, ND
- Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, Three Affiliated Tribes, Fort Berthold, ND
- Turtle Mountain Community College, Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation, Belcourt, ND
Within the two-year plan of work, ND SARE PDP will provide SARE-funded travel scholarships and mini-grant support to further educational programming that increases agricultural sustainability.
North Central SARE grant funded programs will be promoted to each of the five 1994 Land Grant colleges to increase sustainable agriculture education and provide funding for tribal projects in sustainable agriculture.
Short-term outcomes will include increased knowledge of sustainable agriculture issues and how to address these issues with sustainable practices. Educators will include tribal entities in programming.
Increase profitability and knowledge of beginning farmers and ranchers. Program knowledge increase by 50% in 40 participants.
Evaluation of these outcomes will be via surveys held at workshops and via follow-up meetings.
5) Adapting to a changing climate and other food system disruptions
In order to participate in the NCR-SARE regional initiative for 2023-24, one of our state initiative focus areas will be on “Adapting to a changing climate and other food system disruptions.” Activities under this topic may include workshops, study tours, webinars, or other educational programming.
During the two-year plan of work period, we will also offer additional SARE-funded travel scholarships, and where appropriate, mini-grant support to further educational programming that provides professional development for educators working with farmers and ranchers on programs related to climate change and other major food system disruptions, such as the COVID pandemic.
Program evaluation will use regionally developed evaluation tools. Local surveys and questionnaires will be used to measure local changes. Since this is a new initiative, The first year will be used for planning and regional in-service trainings.