Developing Sustainable Pasture Based Livestock Extension Educational Tools for Integrated Use

<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:<br/> To insure global food security, farmers need to stay in business. To insure food safety, environmentally-friendly farming with decreased chemical use and improved animal health and welfare (to decrease possible food pathogens) is vital. Incorporating both food security and safety goals in a "systems" or "holistic" approach allows for a more profitable farm, often with the added benefit of producing a more eco-friendly food product with less negative environmental impact. This products are also considered "healthier" or "safer" by the consumer. The resulting product can be sold in markets that often pay a premium over the traditional livestock markets. However, sustaining the farms profitably and providing the product sought at the quality and amount required by consumers is a major issue that Extension personnel must address. To do this, we
intend to develop demonstration sites for agricultural professional training as well as applied research and student education. The integration of Extension, teaching and research into the demonstration site education model introduces a new, Extension-led spin on the Land Grant mission. In addition, site use for undergraduate and graduate student education could provide sustainable agriculture training for our future agricultural professionals, such as Extension agents, vets, and USDA employees. Educational materials will be available on a national level to furthur the impact of this project. Impact will be evaluated through training surveys, farm visits to document changes and student interviews.
<p>APPROACH:<br/> The proposed project is unique in that it utilizes demonstration sites for applied research and student education, as well as for agricultural professional training, a new, Extension-led spin on the Land Grant mission. Applied research results will be used to update Extension educational materials on best management practices. The proposed project also consists of a truly whole system, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional approach to building sustainable agriculture capacity at NCA&TSU and VSU. Sites will be developed through the input of development team members consisting of farm staff, stakeholder representatives, interested teaching and research faculty and other interested parties, such as NRCS representatives. Success will be measured by the progress of development. Members of the development team will be polled for their opinion on the progress
toward achieving the objective and/or suggested changes for project methodology. Meetings will include discussions of educational materials to be developed. The PIs will work on this with other collaborators asked for input and review of materials. The materials should be started by the time the demonstration sites are 50% updated/complete. If this has not occurred, changes will be made to encourage progress. Reports will be collected for evaluation of project progress and impact. Integrated applied research and student experiential learning opportunities will be tracked and evaluated. Interested students have already been identified. Students will be surveyed to evaluate their increase in knowledge, skills and abilities after internships or work-study type programs. Training sessions in sustainable agriculture practices for pastured pork and small ruminants will be conducted for
producers and agricultural professionals, including local and regional Extension, USDA staff and veterinarians. Topics will include identifying and developing a sustainable agriculture production system, alternative markets, risk management, environmental impacts, including reducing chemicals in food animal production, animal welfare issues including nutrition, health management, housing, handling, and holistic, whole-farm decision making tools including financial and production record keeping. Additional topics will be developed through stakeholder and PI meetings. Personnel involved with the proposed project will participate in professional development. This will include travel to states known to have high numbers of successful sustainable pastured swine and small ruminant operations in order to determine future research and education at the demonstration sites. It will also include
travel to professional meetings covering related topics. At training sessions, electronic polling software will be used for impact evaluation. Electronic online surveys will also be used as applicable for follow-up evaluations of impact. Interviews and focus group meetings will also be used. When possible, information obtained throughout the project will be reported at professional meetings. Applied research results, teaching impacts and Extension impacts can be reported in refereed journals.
<p>PROGRESS: 2011/09 TO 2012/08<br/>OUTPUTS: An advisory team for the Small Ruminant Unit and Swine Unit site updates at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&TSU) was created including the PIs, researchers working at the sites, the University Farm Superintendent, and the Unit managers. A plan was created for the outdoor swine unit and signed by the advisory team. The updates that have been completed include updating the fencing at the wood lots for applied research and demonstration of rotational management and the expansion of wood lot numbers for more replications in potential applied research. Plans for further updates include expanding applied research individual paddock numbers (also used for demonstration of fencing and housing types and rotational management of outdoor plots and replication of a forage comparison plot. The site has been
used for training of agents, farmers and students. A course laboratory was held at the Unit and another is expected this year and in the future beyond the granting period. A graduate student (Capacity funded) and several undergraduates have worked at the site, including those paid with research funding. For sustainable small ruminant production demonstration, a silvopasture site was established in collaboration with Dr. Joshua Idassi, Natural Resources Specialist at NCA&TSU. He has used the site for agent and agricultural professional training from multiple 1890 Universities. A wooded pasture lot was created for use with demonstration of browsing with goats; rotational grazing paddocks were added to the NCA&TSU for use in demonstrations/trainings, applied research and teaching. Agents, farmers and students have been trained at the site. Several farm tours have been held, including a farm
tour of 80+ farmers and Extension staff from Alabama and Tennessee. A graduate student was hired to assist with small ruminant and outdoor swine work. The Virginia State University (VSU) sustainable sheep production demonstration site has conducted some applied research with student assistance on forages, alternative (cheaper) feeds for farmers and parasite management and is planning an alternative forage/rotational grazing work at the farm. A Hair Sheep Field Day was held for farmers and agents. Six students were trained in low-input hair sheep production, including pasture lambing at VSU. PARTICIPANTS: The PIs (Whitley, Wildeus, Noble, Oh and Burke) and collaborators (University farm staff and co-authors on publications) worked on the project, planning the demonstration site updates, conducting applied research at the site, teaching course laboratories, writing and presenting research
and project data, and developing and conducting field staff, student and farmer training, Field Days and other events at the sites. Students were involved in research, field days and trainings held at the site. Dr. Maria Browning from Tennessee State University brought over 80 farmers from Alabama and Tennessee to the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Farm demonstration sites (specifically interested in small ruminants) for a tour. Overall, 300+ individuals have participated at events at the sites. TARGET AUDIENCES: Small-scale, limited resource farmers and producers are the primary target audience for the workshops and educational materials created for the project through the Cooperative Extension systesm (field staff trained, then farmers trained by field and state level staff). However, students and researchers have also benefited and will continue to benefits
from the use of the demonstration sites. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: An additional hoop structure was provided for in funding, but cannot be established at the NC site due to unforeseen circumstances. In addition, the NC farm staff was not able to provide labor for much of the fencing, so funding was used to provide that service.
<p>PROGRESS: 2010/09/01 TO 2011/08/31<br/>OUTPUTS: The North Carolina A&T State University Swine Unit outdoor facilities have begun to be updated; pastures at the Small Ruminant Unit have been divided for demonstration of rotational grazing; a Silvopasture demonstrate site for Small Ruminants has also been added to the University farm to demonstration the use of integrated production methods. At least two students have worked at the Units (one in each facility) and a graduate student as been identified to possibly work at one of the the sustainable agriculture sites. At least two farm tours have been conducted with information provided on sustainable/outdoor swine production and goat production (including integrated parasite management), including a tour of 80+ minority farmers from Alabama and Tennesse interested in goat production. Research projects are being conducted
at both sites and are being expanded at the outdoor swine production site. Plans are being made at the Virginia State Site; someone was hired to assist with project work and research has been conducted there. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Small-scale, limited resource farmers and producers are the primary target audience for the workshops and educational materials for the project through the Cooperative Extension system (field staff and then farmer training). However, students and researchers also benefit from use of the demonstration sites. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: An additional Hoop structure was provided for in funding, but cannot be established at the site due to unforseen circumstances. Alternative outdoor swine housing and facilities are being discussed.