2024-25 Southern SARE Model State Program – Program Assistant

Commodities

Practices

Florida activities for 2024-2025 will build upon the basic framework for the model state program. We plan to continue to strengthen our focus on targeted training for state and county Extension faculty, representatives of non-profit organizations, representatives of state and federal government agencies, and farmer representatives. To fulfill the priorities and objectives of our program, our training funds will be used to address programs in 5 subject matter areas: (1) new and emerging solutions for Florida agricultural production, (2) advancing Extension capacity in sustainable agriculture, and (3) entrepreneurial innovation in sustainable agriculture,

(4) quality of life for underserved farmers and ranchers (including new and beginning farmers, ranchers and military veterans) and (5) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.   Our expected outcomes are: (1) Extension faculty will benefit from SARE in-service training programs and use this information in their own programming, (2) Extension faculty will participate in regional and national training programs in sustainable agriculture and apply the lessons learned in their own programming, (3) at least two of the statewide Extension priority teams will include information and resources about sustainable agriculture and SARE in their professional development training programs and Extension programming, (4) through SARE, Extension agents and farmers will identify opportunities for the development, outreach, and research of alternative crops and enterprises, (5) regional and local county agents will develop new collaborations with organizations, agencies, and groups working in sustainable agriculture, and (6) Extension faculty and agents will make increased use of resources to support programming in sustainable agriculture.

This year, we plan to expand on the previous year's training objectives by including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and quality of life components. Training activities for this year will therefore focus on: 

1. Expanding outreach to underserved audiences, including beginning farmers and ranchers, military veterans and women farmers.
2. Inclusion of Farmer Health Related Quality of Life (FHRQOL) components into our programming, and outreach efforts
3. Maintain existing and establish new collaborative Extension trainings and programs with faculty members and county agents at University of Florida and Florida A&M University whose work addresses sustainability in production agriculture.
4. Extend collaboration with organizations that are active in the post-production components of food systems, particularly non-profit, state, and governmental organizations whose work fosters development of food and agriculture businesses.
5. Support the development of Extension programs in food systems, including Regional Specialized Agents whose work includes both on-farm production and post-farm gate aspects of food system development.
6. Expand participation of minority, women, and limited resource farmers and professionals in SARE activities and programs, ensuring that these groups are well represented in the full range of SARE-funded professional development opportunities.