Louisiana State University Training Grant- MSP22

Project Overview

SLA22-001
Project Type: PDP State Program
Funds awarded in 2022: $11,000.00
Projected End Date: 06/30/2023
Grant Recipient: Louisiana State University
Region: Southern
State: Louisiana
State Coordinator:
Dr. Carl Motsenbocker
Email
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Animal Production: feed/forage, grazing - rotational, housing, meat processing facilities, preventive practices
  • Crop Production: conservation tillage, cover crops, crop improvement and selection, crop rotation, drainage systems, fertilizers, foliar feeding, food product quality/safety, greenhouses, high tunnels or hoop houses, irrigation, no-till, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, pollinator habitat, postharvest treatment, row covers (for season extension), season extension, varieties and cultivars, water management, windbreaks
  • Education and Training: decision support system, demonstration, display, extension, farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking
  • Energy: byproduct utilization, energy conservation/efficiency
  • Farm Business Management: agricultural finance, agritourism, apprentice/intern training, budgets/cost and returns, business planning, community-supported agriculture, e-commerce, farm-to-institution, farm-to-restaurant, farmers' markets/farm stands, financial management, labor/employment, marketing management, risk management, value added, whole farm planning
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, drift/runoff buffers, habitat enhancement, indicators, soil stabilization, wildlife
  • Pest Management: allelopathy, botanical pesticides, cultural control, disease vectors, economic threshold, field monitoring/scouting, genetic resistance, integrated pest management, mulches - general, mulching - plastic, physical control, precision herbicide use, prevention, row covers (for pests), sanitation, soil solarization, trap crops, weed ecology
  • Production Systems: hydroponics, organic agriculture, organic certification, transitioning to organic
  • Soil Management: composting, green manures, nutrient mineralization, organic matter, soil analysis, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, soil physics, soil quality/health
  • Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, infrastructure analysis, local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, public participation, quality of life, social networks, sustainability measures, urban agriculture, values-based supply chains

    Abstract:

    The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSUAC) will implement programs that enhance the capabilities of Louisiana's agricultural professionals in the area of sustainable agriculture. For the 2022 to 2023 grant period, the following topics have been proposed: sustainable postharvest training, sustainable pest management training, sustainable urban farm tour in New Orleans, LA, and travel to attend the 2023 Georgia Organics Conference & Expo. Extension personnel and other agricultural professionals are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in the training events as well as travel to the conference. Information delivery systems to be utilized by LSUAC will be trainings, workshops, conferences, networking sessions, farm tours / field days, and hands-on demonstrations. Handouts, resource manuals, SARE publications and informational bulletins will also be used. The Louisiana SARE Advisory Board will meet twice annually for programmatic planning and evaluation. The program assistant (halt-time), funded by this project, will be responsible for maintaining the state SARE website (http://www.southernsare.org/SARE-in-Your- State/Louisiana) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaSARE/).
    The other duties for this position include coordination of state workshops and field days, travel awards and arrangements, promotion of SARE resources and grant opportunities, promotion of related sustainable agriculture resources, events, and opportunities across the state, management and reporting of the PDP organization of advisory board, and collaboration with advisory board members' programs when applicable.

    Project objectives:

    For the 2022 to 2023 grant period, the following objectives have been set:

    • Plan, organize, and implement trainings or workshops on sustainable agriculture topics for extension personnel and agricultural professionals.
    • Maintain the state SARE website with sustainable agriculture materials and resources and links to related state organizations.
    • Conduct bi-annual state advisory board meetings with the purpose of revising and modifying the strategic plan.
    • Identify annual training objectives with the input from the Louisiana SARE Advisory Board.
    • Encourage extension personnel and agricultural professionals to continue to attend sustainable agriculture trainings, meetings, and conferences.
    • Continue participation in trainings, workshops, meetings, farm tours / field days, and conferences that highlight sustainable agriculture practices.
    • Promote the SARE program results, resources, and grant opportunities in the state of Louisiana.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.