Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Animal Production: grazing management, processing regulations, watering systems, winter forage
- Crop Production: agroforestry, conservation tillage, continuous cropping, cover crops, cropping systems, crop rotation, forest farming, greenhouses, high tunnels or hoop houses, pollinator habitat, pollinator health, row covers (for season extension), season extension, varieties and cultivars
- Education and Training: demonstration, display, extension, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, study circle, technical assistance, workshop
- Farm Business Management: agritourism, cooperatives, farm-to-institution, grant making, market study, marketing management, new enterprise development, risk management
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, hedgerows, riparian buffers, soil stabilization
- Pest Management: cultivation, cultural control, integrated pest management, mulches - general, mulches - killed, mulches - living, mulching - vegetative, mulching - plastic, precision herbicide use
- Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems, organic agriculture, permaculture
- Soil Management: organic matter, soil microbiology, soil physics, soil quality/health
- Sustainable Communities: leadership development, local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, partnerships, social networks, urban agriculture, urban/rural integration
Proposal abstract:
This project will support the ongoing development of a Sustainable Agriculture Community of Practice among Agriculture Outreach and Technical Assistance Providers in Kentucky. This will be accomplished through quarterly convenings of agricultural professionals to receive education from experts in the field, as well as ample structured and unstructured networking time for these professionals to learn from each other and build stronger partnerships to better serve Sustainable Agriculture producers and marketers across the commonwealth. We will also encourage attending professionals to seek outside additional sustainable agriculture professional development through travel scholarships. Scholarship recipients will be expected to report back on their experiences and expanded knowledge at a quarterly meeting.
Project objectives from proposal:
Our focus for this year is on strengthening relationships between sustainable agriculture outreach and technical service providers as well as increasing their knowledge AND their ability to communicate that information to their clientele. We will accomplish this through 4 in-person intensive lecture and networking workshops. We plan to focus on programming related to:
- Soil health
- Balancing Environmental Sustainability with Economic Profitability
- Climate Resilience
- Water Conservation and Management.
We will also support professionals in pursuing other professional development through attendance at an event or conference of their choosing.
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