Sustainable Farming with Tea & Alternative Crops: A Professional Training System for Enhancing Southeastern Specialty Crop Production

Project Overview

SPDP26-046

Project Type: PDP State Program

Funds awarded in 2026: $85,565.00

Projected End Date: 08/31/2028

Grant Recipient: Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

Region: Southern

State: Louisiana

State Coordinators:

Dr. Yan Chen

Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

Co-Coordinators:

Dr. Guihong Bi

Mississippi State University

Dr. Craig Gautreaux

LSU AgCente

Dr. Carl Motsenbocker

Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

Dr. Kit Chin

Southern University Agricultural Center

Commodities

No commodities identified

Practices

No practices identified

Proposal abstract:

Specialty crop growers in the Southeastern U.S. are increasingly seeking alternative crops to diversify production in response to pest and disease pressures such as citrus greening, extreme weather, and the need for higher profitability. While Camellia sinensis (tea) and related specialty crops are well-suited to the region's climate, a recent online survey of vegetable and fruit producers identified a critical knowledge gap preventing adoption.

Led by the LSU AgCenter (1862) in collaboration with Mississippi State University (1862), Southern University (1890), and specialty crop industry leaders, this project addresses this need through a robust "train-the-trainer" approach. The program targets extension agents, mentor farmers, and NGO leaders to build regional capacity for sustainable specialty crop systems.

Key activities include two intensive, on-farm workshops hosted at Fleur de Lis Tea Company (Amite, LA) and The Great Mississippi Tea Company (Brookhaven, MS). These workshops, alongside a new digital curriculum, will provide hands-on training in agroforestry designs that integrate tea with high-value companion crops, including ginger, turmeric, roselle hibiscus, pawpaw, jujube, and flowering shade trees. The curriculum emphasizes sustainability through integrated cropping systems, shade/microclimate management, agritourism, economics and market analysis, and the cyclic use of locally available resources.

The project's impact will be measured through a comprehensive evaluation plan, including pre- and post-training knowledge-gain assessments and a one-year follow-up to track the adoption of sustainable practices and subsequent outreach performed by the trainees. By equipping agricultural professionals with evidence-based tools, this project enhances the long-term economic and environmental viability of Southeastern specialty crop systems.

Project objectives from proposal:

Our primary project goal is to develop a multi-disciplinary taskforce of Extension agents, mentor farmers, and NGO professionals to support the increasing demand for sustainable specialty tea and alternative crop systems in the Southeastern United States. Our learning objectives focus on knowledge gain; by the end of the project, 60 agricultural professionals will demonstrate increased technical competency in: (1) sustainable soil and nutrient management, including site-specific composting, mulching, and organic fertility strategies using local resources; (2) diversified agroforestry design, specifically the ability to plan multi-story systems integrating Camellia sinensis with high-value companion crops (ginger, turmeric, roselle) and specialty shade trees (pawpaw, jujube), or utilizing existing timber stands for these systems; (3) economic and operational viability, including domestic/international market trends, food safety compliance, and the ROI of selective mechanical harvesting; and (4) the development of tailored strategies to support new farmers in specialty crop adoption.

Our behavioral objectives focus on performance and action. At one year post-training, participants will demonstrate the application of knowledge by: (1) transferring gained expertise through at least 10 local "mini-workshops" or field day activities, reaching an estimated 200+ regional specialty crop producers; (2) formally incorporating tea and alternative crop modules into annual Extension Plans of Work (for extension agents) or NGO educational calendars; and (3) utilizing the digital curriculum and "The Southern Tea & Specialty Crop Manual" within local programming.

Additionally, we aim to strengthen institutional relationships to ensure program longevity. To achieve this, we will: (1) finalize a research-based training curriculum by synthesizing existing data into an actionable format combining classroom theory, hands-on labs, and on-farm demonstrations at two distinct production sites; (2) digitalize assets via an open-access LSU AgCenter portal featuring instructional videos and the manual, "The Southern Tea & Specialty Crop Manual: A Systems Approach to Diversified Agroforestry and Agritourism"; (3) implement a robust evaluation framework, including pre/post-learning surveys and 6- and 12-month follow-ups to measure trainee execution and farmer-level adoption; and (4) participate in a new 1862/1890 regional peer-to-peer technical support network.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.