Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
- Animal Production: rangeland/pasture management
- Crop Production: cover crops, cropping systems, forest farming, no-till
- Education and Training: extension, workshop
- Natural Resources/Environment: soil stabilization
- Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems, organic agriculture
- Soil Management: soil quality/health
- Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, partnerships, quality of life, sustainability measures
Proposal abstract:
The Washington SARE PDP is designed to help Extension, Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other agricultural professionals increase their ability to respond to the needs of farmers, ranchers, and the public regarding sustainable agriculture concepts and systems.
In Washington State, SARE PDP is housed in WSU’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR). CSANR integrates the joint responsibilities for sustainable agriculture research with extension programming in Washington. The goal of our professional development program is to assist WSU extension, Conservation Districts, NRCS, and other agency personnel to gain knowledge and skills that will help them serve their constituents in these areas to promote the health of Washington’s people, land, and communities. Using tools such as mini-grants for attending and hosting events, development of curriculum, and utilization of new communication tools provides CSANR means of sharing available information in our priority topics for 2022-2024 of soil health, climate change, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Project objectives from proposal:
- Facilitate knowledge gain for 250 agriculture professionals within the topic of soil health by developing curriculum and trainings. Curriculum and trainings will be available by the end of the grant period.
- Facilitate knowledge gain for 200 agriculture professionals within the topic of climate change through curriculum and trainings. Curriculum and trainings will be available by the end of the grant period.
- Facilitate an introductory level knowledge gain for 20 agriculture professionals within the topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion through training coordination and support.
- Facilitate knowledge gain for 20 agriculture professionals for self-designated topics in sustainable agriculture through support for travel and trainings.