2026 Model State Program-University of Arkansas

Commodities

Practices

The Arkansas 2026-2027 SARE PDP Model State Program will focus on increasing knowledge and developing skills of new producers on different sustainable commodities such as specialty crops, livestock, poultry, etc. The developed events will be made available to new producers, Cooperative Extension staff, UA and UAPB faculty, staff and students, USDA staff, farmers' market managers, other agriculture professionals, and farmer leaders. Proposed activities include a series of trainings designed to provide new producers with research-based information and resources from UA and UAPB faculty and staff as well as provide travel scholarships for agriculture leaders to attend regional meetings focuses on sustainable agriculture. Program participants will be assessed for changes in their knowledge, confidence, and ability to share new information related to sustainable agriculture. As a result of these trainings, the knowledge of, interest in, and application of sustainable practices by Arkansas farmers and agriculture professionals will continue to expand in Arkansas, leading to thriving farms and vibrant communities.

The overall goal of the AR SARE PDP program is to expand the understanding and application of sustainable agriculture concepts by agriculture professionals including Extension agents and specialists, farmers market managers, farmer leaders and others, to facilitate the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices among Arkansas farmers. We accomplish this through program training events, supporting externally organized training events, providing travel scholarships to sustainable agriculture events, and communicating SARE resources, grant results, and opportunities. Our secondary goal is 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.

Our annual SARE-PDP plan is developed through the input of the state advisory board, county extension agents and specialists, and previous workshop participants. The 2026-2027 program builds on past programs and relationships and addresses areas of interest by producers and ag leaders. We continue to invest in sending agents and farmer mentors to conferences that provide sustainable agriculture-focused training including the Mid-South Berry Conference, Arkansas Vegetable Growers Conference, Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable conference, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's Sustainable Agriculture Conference, Organic Association of Kentucky's Organic Farming Conference, and the Great Lakes Expo. These conferences are well-received by our agents and farmer leaders and are opportunities for them to gain new information and engage in sustainable agriculture networks.

There is a growing interest in sustainable agriculture across Arkansas, with producers increasingly seeking to adopt practices that enhance environmental stewardship, improve profitability, and address consumer demand for sustainably produced goods. However, many new producers are unaware of the resources and personnel available through the University of Arkansas System, Cooperative Extension Service, etc. To bridge this gap, we plan to host a series of trainings for new producers on different commodities such as specialty crops, livestock, poultry, etc. These trainings are designed to empower small-scale, beginning producers by connecting them with practical tools, trusted resources, and peer learning opportunities from farmers who have successfully built sustainable production systems.

Based on this information, our outreach objectives for the AR-SARE PDP program include:

1. 1. UADA-CES agents, farmers, and other agricultural professionals will increase their knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices across diverse production systems.
   2. UADA-CES agents will travel to the Mid-South Berry Conference, Arkansas Vegetable Growers Conference, Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable conference, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's Sustainable Agriculture Conference, Organic Association of Kentucky's Organic Farming Conference, and the Great Lakes Expo to increase their awareness and knowledge of sustainable agriculture concepts and will be better equipped to provide farmers with guidance on implementing new practices on their farm.
   3. Agriculture professionals in Arkansas (UADA-CES agents and specialists, NRCS staff, farmers market managers, farmer leaders) will increase their recognition of the SARE program through promotion of SARE and SSARE resources, AR-SARE PDP activities on listservs, website, and blog through increased visibility at events around the state.