Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
Proposal abstract:
The program involves a multifaceted effort that provides training opportunities for County Extension Agents, FSA personnel, NRCS personnel, producers, and other agricultural professionals and incorporates concepts of sustainable agriculture in existing, state-wide training efforts. These training opportunities include conferences, field demonstrations and workshops held at various locations in Texas.
Projects designed to train Extension agents from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension will meet agent requests for sustainable information to assist local farmers. Concepts of sustainable agriculture have been and will continue to be disseminated through new agents' training, leadership training, seminars, workshops, farm tours, publications, websites, manuals, videos, and other events (e-mail, telephone contacts, farm visits, etc.).
Sustainable agriculture training for agents, agency personnel and mentor farmers should show impacts across Texas with advances in the areas of food and fiber production, environmental awareness and protection, organic, IPM and alternative production methods, marketing, farmer cooperation and development of multi-disciplinary teams to reach common goals. Administrative success stories and awards should reflect these programs teaching sustainable practices.
Extension agents and other Extension personnel will indicate an increased knowledge of sustainable agriculture and sustainable production techniques by reporting contacts, outcomes, and narratives regarding educational activities on monthly state-wide reports available to program coordinators in the form of contacts, subject material, narratives, evaluations and on-farm contacts or sustainable demonstration projects.
Project objectives from proposal:
- Annually conduct training for new employees of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (AgriLife) regarding sustainable agricultural practices and Southern Region SARE programs. Goal of training 20 new employees.
- Annually include USDA - Farm Service Agency (FSA), USDA- Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Credit System personnel in seminars and trainings regarding sustainable agriculture practices and Southern Region SARE programs held locally or on a state-wide basis. Goal of training 20 USDA and Farm Credit personnel.
- Annually participate in three outreach efforts, such as field days and industry conferences, to inform producers and agricultural professionals regarding the SARE program. Goal of reaching 500 agricultural professionals.
- Maintain a website to provide timely and updated information related to SARE and the SARE grant program to Texas clientele. Goal of 500 "hits" on updated website.
- Annually conduct training for Extension agents and agency staffs to learn to instruct socially disadvantaged farmers, landowners, and community leaders, including African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, women and persons who have limited resources of land, labor and capital regarding sustainable agriculture practices and Southern Region SARE programs. Goal of training 20 Extension agents and/or agency personnel.
May-June Ranch Raised Beef 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, Lubbock, TX
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, Fredricksburg
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
Nelson Daniels will provide SARE educational training to 10 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Agents who will travel to College Station from across the state.
Jan. 2026 Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) Conference
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. 2026 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 2026 Cooperative Extension Program Small Farm Field Day
June 2026 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.