SVA17-001 Model State Program

View the project final report

Commodities

• Agronomic: barley, clovers, corn, grass (misc. annual), hay, radish (oilseed, daikon, forage), rye
• Fruits: apples, berries (brambles), melons, peaches
• Vegetables: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, cucurbits, greens (leafy), greens (lettuces), peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes
• Additional Plants: ginger, herbs
• Animals: bovine, poultry
• Animal Products: dairy, eggs, meat

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing management
• Crop Production: agroforestry, conservation tillage, cover crops, cropping systems, crop rotation, food processing facilities/community kitchens, greenhouses, high tunnels or hoop houses, multiple cropping, no-till, nutrient management, pollinator habitat, season extension, silvopasture, water management
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension, networking, technical assistance, workshop, youth education
• Energy: renewable energy, solar energy
• Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns, business planning, cooperatives, farm-to-institution, farm-to-restaurant, marketing management, value added, whole farm planning
• Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity, carbon sequestration, soil stabilization
• Pest Management: integrated pest management
• Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems, organic agriculture, permaculture
• Soil Management: composting, earthworms, organic matter, soil analysis, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: community development, food hubs, local and regional food systems, social capital, sustainability measures, values-based supply chains

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech and the School of Agriculture at Virginia State University are strongly committed to the objectives of the SARE Professional Development Program. Virginia Tech and Virginia State University 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, practices, and research across Virginia, especially in the areas of ecological soil management, cover cropping, community food systems, and overall market diversification for meat, milk, vegetable and fruit producers. There is 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 more community-focused farm-to-market and value chain connections, which can strengthen and foster sustainable agriculture and food systems 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 social, economic and environmental components of sustainability throughout the food system. We continue to provide the most current and best scientific information and research so producers and citizens can make choices which best suit their individual and community 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' (NRCS, FSA, SWCD, Farm Credit) existing training programs to reach the following:
• One hundred twenty Agriculture Extension Agents (VCE)
• Twenty Farm Service Agency (FSA) personnel and Farm Credit system personnel
• Eighty Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) personnel

2) Annually conduct train-the-trainer training on a statewide basis and in conjunction within existing annual conferences and/or field meetings to reach at least 300 persons including farmer, military veterans, landowners, farming associations, state government agency personnel, county government personnel, non-government organizations (NGO's) and community-based organizations (CBOs).

3) Annually conduct training with at least 75 socially disadvantaged farmers, landowners and community leaders, including military veterans, 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.