Project Overview
Information Products
Commodities
- Agronomic: annual ryegrass, buckwheat, clovers, corn, grass (misc. perennial), hay, radish (oilseed, daikon, forage), vetches, wheat
- Animals: bovine, poultry
- Animal Products: dairy, eggs, meat
Practices
- Animal Production: grazing - rotational, pasture renovation, pasture fertility
- Crop Production: agroforestry, conservation tillage, cover crops, cropping systems, crop rotation, drought tolerance, no-till, nutrient management, pollination, pollinator habitat, pollinator health, season extension, silvopasture, zone till
- Education and Training: demonstration, extension, farmer to farmer, networking, participatory research, technical assistance, workshop
- Energy: bioenergy and biofuels, byproduct utilization, energy conservation/efficiency, renewable energy, solar energy
- Farm Business Management: agricultural finance, business planning, cooperatives, farm-to-institution, marketing management, whole farm planning
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, drift/runoff buffers, grass waterways, riparian buffers, soil stabilization
- Pest Management: biological control, integrated pest management, mulches - living, prevention, weed ecology
- Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems, organic agriculture
- Soil Management: composting, earthworms, organic matter, soil quality/health
- Sustainable Communities: community development, community planning, food hubs, leadership development, local and regional food systems, partnerships, social networks, sustainability measures, values-based supply chains
Abstract:
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech and the School of Agriculture at Virginia State University are strongly committed to the SARE Professional Development Program. Virginia Tech and Virginia State University through Virginia Cooperative Extension, along with community and organizational partners, continue to host and sponsor professional development workshops and programs each year. These workshops and programs help build interest and strengthen the implementation of sustainable methods and practices across Virginia, especially in the areas of ecological soil management, cover cropping, community food systems, grassland agriculture, and overall market diversification for meat, milk, vegetable and fruit producers. There continues to be strong consumer interest in how food is produced and where food comes from. Additionally, there is more interest in community, local and regional food systems that encourage local and regional connections, which can strengthen and foster sustainable agriculture efforts. Virginia Cooperative Extension, through our SARE initiatives, organizational partnerships, and professional development program, seeks to serve all of agriculture and fully integrate sustainable farming practices that emphasize the community, economic and ecological components of sustainability throughout the food and agricultural system. We will continue to provide the most current and best scientific information and research so that producers and citizens can meet their individual and community objectives for sustainability and resilience.
Project objectives:
1) Annually conduct training regarding sustainable agricultural practices and Southern Region SARE programs on a statewide basis and in conjunction with other planned agent and partnering agencies (i.e., NRCS, FSA, SWCD, Farm Credit) existing training programs to reach the following:.
• at least one hundred Extension Agents (VCE)
• Twenty Farm Service Agency (FSA) personnel and Farm Credit system personnel
• Fifty Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Soil and Water Conservation District personnel
2) Annually conduct train-the-trainer training on a statewide basis and in conjunction with existing annual conferences and/or field meetings to reach at least 400 persons including farmer, landowners, farming associations, state government agency personnel, county government personnel, nongovernment organizations (NGO's) and community-based organizations (CBOs).
3) Annually conduct training with at least 80 underserved limited resource farmers, landowners and community leaders, including African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, women, and persons who have limited access to land, labor, and capital regarding sustainable agriculture practices and Southern Region SARE programs and resources.