Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
Proposal abstract:
Texas’ Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Committee meets annually to oversee the state program for training agricultural professionals in concepts of sustainable agriculture. The program involves a multifaceted effort that provides training opportunities for County Extension Agents, FSA personnel, NRCS personnel, producers, and other agricultural professionals and also incorporates concepts of sustainable agriculture in existing, state-wide training efforts. These training opportunities include conferences, field meetings and workshops held at various locations in Texas.
Another approach of the Texas Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Committee is to support travel of selected professionals to regional and national conferences on sustainable agriculture, with the intent of participants gaining knowledge and skills that they will share with other agricultural professionals in Texas.
Program evaluation will be accomplished with pre- and post-tests designed to measure knowledge gained by participating in educational programs. A subset of attendees will be mailed an additional survey instrument four to eight months after the training to determine if participants have adopted any of the sustainable concepts presented. The aim of the evaluation is assessing knowledge gained and to determine whether new knowledge will be applied in future programs for their clientele.
Project objectives from proposal:
The following training objectives will be accomplished through the training plan also shown below.
- At least fifteen Agriculture Extension Agents and five NRCS Field Technicians will become knowledgeable about sustainable grazing systems.
- At least fifteen Agriculture Extension Agents and five NRCS Field Technicians will become knowledgeable about direct on-farm marketing and local foods sales.
- At least ten Extension Agents and five NRCS Field Technicians will become knowledgeable about organic production of field crops and inform producers of such information related to organic crop production systems.
July Texas County Agricultural Agents Association Meeting, Dallas
Vanessa Corriher-Olson and John Smith will deliver SARE educational programming and will develop, establish, and staff a booth highlighting SARE educational materials and approaches.
July Sustainable Water Quality and Quantity Training; Bowie, Cass, Lamar, Marion and Red River
John Smith will serve on the organizing committee and will deliver sustainable agriculture educational programming based on AC recommendation for Extension agent and mentor farmer education on irrigation water quality and quantity. John also will deliver programming highlighting sustainable methods and SARE educational approaches.
Aug. Sheep and Goat Expo, San Angelo
John Smith will deliver rainwater harvesting for sustainable livestock operations educational programming to attending Extension personnel and mentor farmers whose leadership is key to increased adoption of science-based management practices in sustainable and organic enterprises. The training will include SARE Producer Grant and on the Farm Research opportunities.
Aug. Sustainable Gardening, Edinburg
John Smith will deliver irrigation water quality and private water well management, rainwater harvesting and SARE educational programming to attending Extension, NRCS and Texas Dept. of Agriculture personnel and mentor farmers whose leadership is key to increased adoption of science-based management practices in sustainable and organic operations.
Aug. Texas Beef Cattle Short Course. A booth will be used to accommodate a display highlighting SARE educational materials and approaches.
Aug. Cover Crop agent training, Overton
Nelson Daniels will provide SARE educational training to 10 Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension Program agents who will travel to Hempstead from across the state.
Feb. Fort Bend Regional Vegetable Conference, Rosenberg
Joel Pigg and John Smith will deliver irrigation water quality and private water well management, rainwater harvesting and SARE educational programming to attending Extension, NRCS and Texas Dept. of Agriculture personnel and mentor farmers whose leadership is key to increased adoption of science-based management practices in sustainable and organic operations.
Feb. Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) Conference, San Antonio
John Smith will deliver irrigation water quality and private water well management, rainwater harvesting and SARE educational programming to attending Extension, NRCS and Texas Dept. of Agriculture personnel and mentor farmers whose leadership is key to increased adoption of science-based management practices in sustainable and organic operations.
April Cooperative Extension Program Small Farm Field Day
May Grass-Fed Beef Training. A booth will be used to accommodate a display highlighting SARE educational materials and approaches.
June Production, Marketing and Sales of Local Foods Training – Training will focus on food safety for cottage foods, farmers markets, on-site animal processing, and Whole Foods purchasing of locally grown produce.