OLD SERA45: Crop diversification opportunities to enhance the viability of small farms
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
OLD SERA45: Crop diversification opportunities to enhance the viability of small farms
Duration: 10/01/2014 to 09/30/2015
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Agricultural production is an important part of the economy of Kentucky and surrounding states. The growth of the local foods movement offers farmers with small acreages an opportunity to develop profitable enterprises, but only if they have the production and marketing expertise required to grow crops that are in high demand. The region is home to 277,067 small farms that encompass 179 or fewer acres (Census of Agriculture, 2012). Increasing development of direct marketing channels, including dramatic growth in the number of farmers markets and growth of farm to school programs in the region, provides small farmers new opportunities to market their products. Meanwhile, high tunnel production has been increasing in Kentucky and other states because it offers farmers an opportunity to extend the growing season, enabling them to sell fresh produce earlier and after the growing season ends. The Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative within the USDA-NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers financial assistance to agricultural producers interested in pursuing high tunnel crop production. The program began in Kentucky in 2012, and more than 426 high tunnels have either been built or are planned for implementation (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ky/newsroom/releases/?cid=nrcs142p2_009534). Stakeholders for crop diversification information include farmers interested in both field and high tunnel production of horticulture crops and county Extension agents. The Center for Crop Diversification at the University of Kentucky conducted a survey in June of 2014 to assess crop diversification needs in the region. The survey was sent to more than 400 county, regional, Extension, and state department of agriculture professionals in Kentucky and neighboring states who help producers with questions about specialty crops. This project will conduct assessments of resources and resource needs on a regular basis with a view toward Extension, education and publications/products related to crop diversification
Objectives
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To conduct applied research on several crops that have potential to be profitable for small farms. These include a) lettuce and other leafy greens for field and year-round production in high tunnels, b) specialty crops with high nutritional value, and c) new and emerging specialty crops.
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To coordinate research and Extension activities among participants, including a) development and presentation of webinars on production and marketing of the aforementioned crops, b) development of print publications that will be made available electronically on the production and marketing of the crops, c) development of podcasts to accompany print publications, and d) development of videos illustrating production practices and marketing options for these crops. Webinars, podcasts, videos, and print publications will be disseminated via the University of Kentucky’s Center for Crop Diversification website (www.uky.edu/ag/CCD/), as well as through the Center’s newsletters and social media outlets. Research results and Extension products will also be disseminated via field days and meetings in participating states.
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To expand the activities of the Center for Crop Diversification to include price reports (farmers markets, produce auctions, farm to school, and retail) from the participating states to assist growers in those states in determining prices for their products.
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To conduct market research in the participating states on consumer preferences and marketing channels that are most effective and profitable for small farms.
Procedures and Activities
Objective 1: Participants in Kentucky and surrounding states, including Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia, will conduct applied research on lettuce and other leafy greens both in the field and year-round in high tunnels. At the University of Kentucky, fruit researchers will investigate the potential of haskap, also called honeyberry, a native to Japan known for its high nutritional value. At the University of Tennessee, researchers will continue work with the specialty crop stevia. At the University of Kentucky and The Ohio State University, research on production of hops will continue, and Kentucky hop growers will be encouraged to collaborate with Ohio’s hop growers association to provide an opportunity to share production and marketing information. Participants will identify additional specialty crops that offer profit potential for growers, and will conduct applied research on production of those crops.
Objective 2: Participants will develop webinars to aid farmers and Extension agents in the production and marketing of the crops that are being studied as part of this project. Print publications will also be developed on production and marketing of these and other specialty crops. Podcasts will be recorded to accompany print publications, and videos will be developed to illustrate production practices and marketing options for these crops. Participants will collaborate on the development of a print publication to deal with new enterprise startups. Questions it will address include: What crops should I grow? How do I make those crops profitable? Sustainable? How do I determine the combination of crops that will work best? What is the profitability of each crop? Where do I market these crops? How do I engage those markets? Webinars, podcasts, videos, and print publications will be made available on the University of Kentucky’s Center for Crop Diversification website (www.uky.edu/ag/CCD/), and will be promoted through the Center’s newsletter and its social media outlets. Participants will disseminate research results and Extension products at field days and meetings throughout the region.
Objective 3: The Center for Crop Diversification has begun the process of expanding its price reports by working with faculty and Extension personnel to add farmers market price reports from Tennessee and Illinois. The Center will continue to expand its price reports (farmers markets, produce auctions, farm to school, and retail) from the participating states to assist growers in those states in setting prices for their products.
Objective 4: Agricultural economists in the participating states will develop surveys to determine consumer preferences and marketing channels that are most effective and profitable for small farms in the region.
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Outcomes of this activity will include coordination of research and Extension activities in regard to crop diversification in Kentucky and other states in the region.
- This will include applied research on crops and production systems, and marketing research to aid farmers in determining the most appropriate channels for selling their products.
- This activity will allow for exchange of ideas and information among researchers and Extension personnel in the participating states, and will result in publication of journal articles and fact sheets on production and marketing research.
- This activity is expected to result in increasing incomes among small farmers in the region and fulfilling the needs of consumers seeking to increase their purchases of local foods. Extension personnel in each participating state will devise methods to collect pricing information from farmers markets, produce auctions, farm to school programs, and food retailers in their states to help farmers determine how to price their products.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Farmers and Extension personnel in the participating states will be informed of the activities of this project via a website, which will be built around the online resources of the Center for Crop Diversification at the University of Kentucky; through webinars, both live and archived, on topics related to the production and marketing research that this project encompasses; through podcasts, which will be used to complement fact sheets on production and marketing of specific crops; and through fact sheets, which will be disseminated at field days and meetings in the participating states. Webinars will be promoted to county Extension offices in all states to allow farmers who do not have high-speed Internet access to participate. To increase access by underserved communities, project participants will disseminate information at field days and meetings at 1890 Land Grant universities in the region.
Organization/Governance
A chairman and vice chairman for the proposed group will be selected on an annual basis. The group will have a formal meeting annually to be held at a mutually agreed upon time and location. Additional meetings, face-to-face or virtual, may be held on an as-needed basis to facilitate collaborative research and Extension activities of the group.
Literature Cited
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture, 2012 Census Volume 1, Chapter 2:State Level Data http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_001_001.pdf
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kentucky Environmental Quality Incentives Program (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ky/newsroom/releases/?cid=nrcs142p2_009534).