Southern Region SARE Sustainable Agriculture Training Program Professional Development Program 2026-2027 Model State Program – University of Florida

Commodities

Practices

Florida activities for 2026-2027 will build upon the basic framework for the model state program integrating results of SARE funded research and Extension activities, and other relevant research, and using this information as resources for educational programs. We also 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 three 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. Our expected outcomes are: (1) Extension faculty will participate in 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.

Outreach Objectives:

1. Maintain existing and establish new collaborative Extension trainings and programs with faculty members and county agents at the University of Florida and Florida A&M University whose work addresses sustainability in production agriculture.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Florida SARE Expected Outcomes:

1. County faculty members will participate in regional and national training programs in sustainable agriculture and will apply the lessons learned in their own programs.
2. 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.
3. Extension agents and farmers will identify opportunities, such as SARE-funded Research & Education, Professional Development, and On-Farm Research projects, for the development of alternative crops and enterprises and will play key roles in outreach and research projects that focus on alternative crops and enterprises.
4. Regional and local county agents will develop new collaborations with organizations, agencies, and groups working in sustainable agriculture, including non-profit and for-profit organizations involved in post-farm gate food processing, marketing and distribution, and policy development.
5. State, regional, and county Extension faculty members and agents will make increased use of resources to support programming in sustainable agriculture, including fiscal resources such as Southern SARE grants.

Subject Matter Topics:

1. Sustainable Solutions for Florida Agricultural Production: Agronomic and horticultural production systems increasingly face emerging pest threats, competition with other uses for scarce resources, and increasing international competition in traditionally high-value crops. The rapidity with which new challenges emerge requires that service providers be knowledgeable not only of technologies and strategies that are fully tested and "ready for use", but also of the most promising solutions under development. Equally important, we need to shorten the distance between research and application, and imperative long recognized by SARE.
2. Advancing Extension Capacity in Sustainable Agriculture: This initiative provides individualized training in specialized topics in sustainable agriculture. County and state faculty can participate in training relevant to their state and county programs that may not be a focus or an emphasis on the other Florida SARE initiatives. We allow county and state faculty to develop their own training objectives and propose venues that will provide the training they need. We also advertise training opportunities that may be of interest to Florida faculty.
3. Entrepreneurial Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture: This initiative focuses on advancing Extension that provides support for nontraditional agricultural businesses and promotes sustainable food systems to address social and economic community issues. Healthy growing agricultural and natural resource-based businesses can contribute to local development and economic vitality if barriers to the establishment and growth of businesses are addressed. We will facilitate workshops, strategic planning, and joint programmatic development for Extension and community partners.

Training Events:

1. Building Soil Health with Cover Crops Demonstration Series: The target audience for this demonstration series includes farmers, gardeners, students, and county Extension faculty. Cover crops are a cost-effective strategy to enhance soil health, suppress weeds and diseases, and enhance nutrient cycling. This demonstration will provide participants with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in selecting, planting, and managing cover crops for Florida's unique seasonal conditions. Participants will learn how to integrate cover crops into crop rotations, identify cover crop management strategies, and explore whole-farm regenerative practices in agricultural production systems.
2. Alternatives to Soil Fumigation - Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation and Vegetable Grafting: The target audience for this training includes farmers, Extension faculty, and horticultural professionals seeking alternative strategies for managing soilborne pests and pathogens. Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) is a non-chemical approach with proven effectiveness for controlling several soilborne pathogens and weeds across a wide range of horticultural crops and environments. Grafting with resistant rootstocks can be used to effectively manage some major soilborne diseases in the production of solanaceous vegetables and cucurbits. This demonstration will provide participants with practical knowledge on ASD principles, implementation steps, vegetable grafting techniques, and their integrated applications for addressing site-specific challenges and enhancing the production of Florida's specialty crops.
3. Practical Approaches to Composting for Horticultural Production: The target audience for this training includes farmers, gardeners, Extension faculty, and community-based organizations interested in recycling organic waste and improving soil health. Composting is a key component of sustainable horticulture, transforming organic waste into soil amendments that improve soil quality and promote nutrient cycling on-farm. This demonstration will provide participants with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in composting and compost application.

Revision of State Strategic Plan:

The 2026-2027 Florida SARE programming continues building upon our previous years' work. We focus on outreach and training that enhances the environmental and economic benefits of production agriculture. We develop trainings that emphasize local and regional food systems to address issues and policies that impact our food system. We adapt to the changing training needs of state and county faculty. County, regional, and state Extension personnel continue to press for more training in how to develop research and outreach proposals and how to assemble and train teams to implement their projects. We will continue to expand this training to include identification of potential funding sources (public and private). County faculty want access to cutting-edge research in sustainable agriculture to reduce the time between research and adoption. We are accommodating this need by involving county faculty in field assessments of various research projects. Through this venue, county faculty have a voice in the development of research projects and in the data generation process. We will expand our training program that integrates grower and technical advisor input into ecological and biological research to enhance research outcomes to include farmer-designed on-farm trials and stakeholder advisory panels. This program helps Extension faculty strengthen the outreach and evaluation components of Extension projects. One of the most useful roles we play is to gather preliminary data regarding grower needs, barriers, and priorities. We will develop protocols for this kind of data collection and work with faculty members to facilitate the data collection. These data are often critical to the development of successful grant proposals.