Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
Proposal abstract:
Silvopasture, the integration of trees, forage, and livestock, can improve farm profitability, animal comfort, and environmental stewardship. Even with growing producer interest, adoption in the Southeast remains limited in many areas, and cost-share programs are often underused, suggesting a need for more consistent, practical support from the professionals who advise farmers. North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension and NC Cooperative Extension at NC State University will partner with experienced mentor farmers to deliver a train-the-trainer program that strengthens the knowledge and hands-on skills of county Extension agents and other agricultural professionals.
Over two years, we will train 50 NC Extension professionals (two cohorts of 25) through a simple sequence: (1) a pre-training webinar to establish baseline knowledge and prepare participants, (2) a two-day hands-on bus tour of working silvopasture farms in North Carolina with producer-led farm walks and practical discussion, (3) follow-up support sessions to help participants apply what they learned in county programming, and (4) internet-ready resources that county staff can reuse, including short educational videos, an NC Silvopasture Implementation Guide, and an online hub with recordings and tools.
We will evaluate results using brief pre/post knowledge and confidence checks, short post-tour feedback, quarterly activity tracking, and 6- and 12-month follow-up surveys to document how trainees use the training in county programs and consultations. Farmers are an indirect audience and will benefit through improved county-level education and technical support, supporting long-term profitability, stewardship, and quality of life in rural communities.
Project objectives from proposal:
Target
Audience
This project will directly train 50 North Carolina Extension
professionals and other agricultural educators over two years (two
cohorts of 25). Participants will include county livestock,
agriculture and natural resource (ANR) agents, forestry
professionals, area specialized agents, and other
Extension/technical service providers who advise farmers and
deliver county programs.
Project Goals
-
Build educator capacity: Strengthen Extension professionals' knowledge and hands-on skills so they can confidently explain and support silvopasture (trees + forage + livestock) in North Carolina.
-
Increase county-level support: Increase the amount and quality of county silvopasture education and technical support delivered by trained professionals (leading to indirect producer adoption over time).
-
Sustain learning beyond the grant: Create a practical support network and ready-to-use resources that help trained professionals continue silvopasture education after the project ends.
-
Create a model that can be reused: Deliver a training approach (webinar + field tour + follow-up + online resources) that can be replicated for other sustainable agriculture topics.
Specific Objectives
Objective 1: Build educator knowledge and hands-on skills in silvopasture (training delivery)
- Deliver a pre-training webinar for each cohort to build baseline understanding and prepare participants for field training; record and post the webinar for later use.
- Conduct two intensive, two-day hands-on bus tours (one per year) to working silvopasture farms in North Carolina featuring producer-led farm walks and practical discussions on site screening, establishment steps, tree protection, grazing integration, and common management challenges.
- Measure learning gains using a baseline (pre-training) and post-training knowledge and confidence check for each cohort, plus short post-tour feedback.
Objective 2: Produce Extension-ready, internet-ready resources for county programming
- Produce a set of short educational videos featuring mentor farms and key management lessons that educators can use in county programs.
- Develop an NC Silvopasture Implementation Guide (digital + printable) with step-by-step guidance and simple checklists for use in county education and consultations.
- Organize all recordings, videos, guides, and tools in a single online hub so county staff can easily access and share them.
Objective 3: Support county implementation and document behavior change in educator practice
- Provide post-tour follow-up support sessions (virtual) to help trainees apply what they learned in county programming and consultations.
- Have each trainee complete a short county implementation plan describing how they will use the training (e.g., workshop topic, field day segment, consultation approach).
- Document behavior change through quarterly activity tracking and 6- and 12-month follow-up surveys, including the number of county educational events delivered, silvopasture consultations/inquiries handled, and use/sharing of project resources.
- Use Year 1 evaluation feedback to improve Year 2 training content, tour flow, and resources (documenting changes made).
Expected Changes in Trainees
-
Knowledge: Participants will understand silvopasture basics; the roles of trees, forage, and livestock; key establishment steps; common management challenges; basic planning/economics concepts; and where to find NC technical resources.
-
Skills: Participants will be able to complete a basic site screening, discuss design and establishment steps, identify key management considerations for different site conditions, and connect landowners to appropriate technical assistance.
-
Attitudes: Participants will view silvopasture as a practical option for appropriate farms in North Carolina and feel more prepared to discuss it with producers.
-
Behaviors: Participants will integrate silvopasture into county work by delivering educational activities, responding to producer questions with greater confidence, using project tools and resources, and collaborating with partners (mentor farmers and other professionals) when appropriate.