Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
Proposal abstract:
The University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University look to continue the sustainable agriculture training the SARE program offers to Extension agents, specialists and other agriculture professionals. In meeting training needs we gather input from regional agriculture program leaders, Extension agents, program partners, producers and others, along with state co-coordinators. The program assistant will promote awareness of the SARE program, along with a secondary focus on the SARE grant programs, encouraging utilization and promotion of this program while tracking grant recipients within the state. The state co-coordinators working with the program assistant will seek to provide opportunities for more in-depth training related to sustainable agriculture. This will help to develop training with a more direct program focus. All training opportunities provided will be in-line with the overall mission of SARE.
We will work with agriculture professionals that find other training opportunities to participate in as long as these trainings relate to the mission of SARE. These will be treated on a case-by-case basis and the determination of these trainings in meeting the mission of SARE will be determined by the state co-coordinators and the program assistant. All trainees will be required to report on their training opportunities so program impact can be determined and reported. Impacts will be provided in the annual SARE report and the Extension reporting areas. Department information sheets will be developed on major program impacts/research.
We wish to re-vamp our advisory committee to include new members and others willing to assist with program planning and promotion.
Project objectives from proposal:
- SARE Promotion of Agriculture Planning Days, Professional Development Association Meetings, and other events to promote the TN SARE Program – Opportunities to promote, educate and offer ideas about the SARE program in TN are valuable to continue to expand the program. These planning days and events will be used to accomplish these goals. Reports on previous sustainable agriculture programs conducted, giving Extension Agents the opportunity to speak about their sustainable agriculture opportunities, and our SARE display at these meetings and events will be helpful in promotion of SARE. Included in this budget is travel expense for the Program Assistant to attend these events.
- Sustainable Agriculture Trainings for Agriculture Professional will provide an opportunity for up to six professionals to attend sustainable agriculture trainings - these trainings will feature the Pick TN Conference and a 2-day farm tour of sustainable agriculture farms in Tennessee. Farms to visit will represent a cross-section of various sustainable agriculture enterprises. This tour may be done on a regional basis over the next three years, or just various places across the state. These visits will provide agriculture professionals the opportunity to see and learn from these different farm ventures.
- These educational opportunities for agriculture professionals will focus on trainings designed by the SARE program assistant, such as the Sustainable Agriculture Training held annually the day before Pick TN. The second day of this training is held at the Pick TN Conference and allows agents to spend one day at the conference learning about different subjects relating to sustainable agriculture. Various speakers include Extension personnel, industry representatives and producers. Other professional opportunities will be considered for trainees to attend such as the SOWN Conference (the new SSWAG to begin in 2025), the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, as well as other closely related trainings and activities.
- In each of these areas we will work with Tennessee State University to reach Extension Agents and Specialists who may have an interest in these training and professional development activities.