2024-2025 Model State Program-Program Assistant

Commodities

Practices

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.

1. At least fifteen Agriculture Extension Agents and five NRCS Field Technicians will become knowledgeable about sustainable grazing systems.

1. At least fifteen Agriculture Extension Agents and five NRCS Field Technicians will become knowledgeable about direct on-farm marketing of livestock and poultry.

1. 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.

June     Ranch Raised, Beef Cattle Short course College Station

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.

July     Texas County Agricultural Agents Association (TCAAA) Meeting, Dallas

John Smith and Vanessa Corriher-Olson will deliver SARE educational programming and will develop, establish, and staff a booth highlighting SARE educational materials and approaches. Work closely with TCAAA to host NACAA national meeting.

July     Texas Extension Specialist Association Meeting, Port Aransas

John Smith and Joel Pigg will deliver SARE educational programming and will develop, establish, and staff a booth highlighting SARE educational materials and approaches encouraging specialist to submit PDP grants.

July     Sustainable Water Quality and Quantity Training.

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 County Agriculture Agents Association-cover crop agent training, Overton

Vanesa Corriher- Olson will provide cover crop and SARE educational training to 5 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agents who will travel to the Overton Center from across the state. Vanessa Corriher-Olson and John Smith will deliver cover crop training and SARE educational programming to attending Extension 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.

Nov.   Annual Agriculture Day at Prairie View A&M educational booth space. A booth will be used to accommodate a display highlighting SARE educational materials and approaches.

Dec.     Cooperative Extension Program ANR agent training, College Station

Prairie View A&M University or Texas A&M University SARE will provide SARE educational training to 10 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents who will travel to College Station from across the state

Jan.      Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) Conference, San Antonio

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.  Fort Bend Regional Vegetable Conference, Rosenberg

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. The program will be delivered in person Feb 2024.

April  Cooperative Extension Program Small Farm Field Day

June   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.