SAR17-002 Model State Program

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Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: cover crops, food product quality/safety
• Soil Management: organic matter, soil quality/health

The Arkansas SARE PDP for 2017-2018 will focus on providing sustainable agriculture education and training opportunities for Extension agents, associates and program aides, USDA staff, farmers' market managers, farmer leaders and other agriculture professionals. Key issues in the 2017-2018 program include cover crop demonstrations and workshops, a food safety and food safety modernization act workshop, wildlife management in agriculture, and travel opportunities to sustainable agriculture events in and out of state. These priorities were identified through the AR SARE advisory committee, feedback from previous events, and conversations with extension agents and growers on emerging and current needs. These activities and opportunities will allow agriculture professionals to advance their skills, confidence and understanding of sustainable agriculture issues, allowing them to communicate and educate growers and producers on the benefits more easily.

The objectives of the Arkansas SARE PDP program are:

1) To provide learning opportunities for Extension agents and specialists, farmers market managers, and farmer
leaders in Arkansas to expand their understanding and application of sustainable agriculture, and increase their
ability to implement and share information on sustainable agriculture.

2) To increase the awareness of the SARE program among agriculture leaders in Arkansas, the resources it provides
and increase awareness of training opportunities and scholarships for Arkansas agriculture leaders interested in
sustainable agriculture.

3) To continue to employ the advisory board to provide input to the AR SARE PDP program, and share information
about the AR SARE program through their professional circles.