2023-2024 MODEL STATE PROGRAM UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Commodities

Practices

The UGA SARE program is in the process of developing a new logic model and a 5-year plan to address upcoming needs for professional development opportunities. We will continue to provide support for Extension professionals to attend conferences and educational programming in addition to providing more opportunities to support the UGA Journeyman Farmer program, which has seen renewed interest in urban and peri urban regions of the state.  Further, the program will address needs in urban food production, which were not part of the prior logic model.  The new SARE program assistant is housed in the Center for Urban Agriculture at UGA in an effort to provide a greater connection to urban audiences.  Further, we will support programming efforts that seek to engage non-traditional audiences for outreach. The new logic model will be completed during the 2023-2024 project year.

The Georgia Model State Program previously developed a Logic Model to guide our training efforts. The Logic Model, was last updated in 2015 and is in the process of being updated to reflect more current, reflects needs of Georgia as directed by the SARE Advisory Committee as well as clientele throughout the state.  We seek to include input from a broad range of clientele, who may not have the time to participate in the advisory committee, but whose input can help strengthen the UGA SARE program.  Our overall goal is still to promote “Increased use of sustainable agriculture practices by producers at multiple scales supported by a knowledgeable network of agricultural professionals ensuring a high proportion of diverse, profitable, and environmentally-friendly farm operations”.  We are currently looking to identify a new complement of educational areas to support training workshops.  

Each year, we develop training opportunities to address one or more of the SARE Logic Model training objectives. The 2023-2024 cycle will build upon previous cycles in the areas of diversified farm production, direct marketing, organic production (all commodities), and urban food production. After suspension of travel activities in 2020-2021, we have observed an increase in the need for travel support and our budgets for the Model State Program will reflect this.

We will again be providing support for Extension professions to attend both the SE regional fruit and vegetable conference and GA organics. We will provide support for up to 4 total attendees (2 per conference). This is a repeat of prior years, but we feel that these are important conferences for agents to attend to gain valuable professional development.  They are central to our mission of training the trainers.

We will also be providing support for the Journeyman Farmer Program in Georgia.  This program has been very successful and is the only program of its type in Georgia. Recently the business portion of the program was improved and we are including an honorarium for speakers from Ag. South/Farm Credit to speak when invited.  A program currently underway in Henry County GA has nearly 30 participants for Business and Fruit and Vegetable Production portions of the program and we anticipate continued interest.

We are requesting an additional honorarium for grower speakers to present at hands-on field days. We are currently arranging a program with the Athens Area Sustainable Growers Network for an upcoming training at 3-Porch Flower and Vegetable Farm. We feel that grower-led discussion can be highly impactful. 

We are requesting materials and supplies to hold hands-on learning opportunities for agents and growers in the field at UGA Research Centers. An example is an upcoming program that is being conducted on March 9, 2023 (although prior to the 23/24 programming year it is an example of the type of programs we are supporting).

Our current SARE program assistant is housed at the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture and we anticipate increased involvement and support for Urban Agriculture programming throughout the year.