SERA4: Mechanization and Post Harvest Technology of Fruits and Vegetables
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
SERA4: Mechanization and Post Harvest Technology of Fruits and Vegetables
Duration: 10/01/2004 to 09/30/2005
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
To improve our ability to take advantage of vegetable production potential that exists in the Southern Region and to compete with outside producers, states in this region need a forum to collaborate on planned and ongoing research and related activities, including outreach. By sharing information regarding potential biosecurity safeguards the nations food supply can be better protected. On-going vegetable initiatives in the region would also benefit from sharing of research results, field experiences and observations, and other information. Stakeholders include participating Southern Region extension specialists, engineers and scientists working in the area of horticultural mechanization and post-harvest technology of fruits and vegetables. Ultimately the fruit and vegetable producers in the Southern Region will benefit through the research and extension process, by improving production efficiency, profitability and conservation of natural resources.
Objectives
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Provide a forum for exchanging research results, field experiences and observations, and other information relating to common problems facing Southern Regional extension specialist, engineers, and scientists having responsibilities in horticultural mechanization and post-harvest technology of fruits and vegetables.
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Foster the development of linkages with, and stimulate ideas among, persons representing various industries and academic disciplines and who have related common interests.
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Enable the Associations of Southern Experiment Station and Extension Directors to coordinate the diverse efforts of their personnel involved in production and post-harvest technology pursuits.
Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Vegetable production alone in the Southern Region in 2002 was estimated by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service at over 560,000 acres with an economic value of over $2.2 billion. To maintain and enhance this economic input to this regions economy, ideas and/or information and data can be exchanged among regional participants.
- Economy of effort could be realized if additional groups become aware of progress, to include successes and failures, in a mechanization or technical area involving fruit and vegetables.
- Critical/key research and education issues can be identified.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Educational activities related to the SERA-IEG group center in a number of different areas. Many of the participants are involved in the Agricultural Extension Service whose
primary emphasis is providing educational materials in a number of agricultural areas, to include fruits and vegetable production, that benefit producers on farms all across the South. The research accomplished at land grant universities and associated experiment stations is used by the extension service to educate farmers and producers through regularly scheduled meetings, through pamphlets, fact sheets, field days/expos, and individual farm visits. In this time of uncertainty in the tobacco industry, many producers are looking for alternative farm operations to replace tobacco production. How to accomplish this is already the subject of extension specialist education efforts. Greenhouse production is one area where unused facilities that are already on some tobacco farms may be modified for greenhouse vegetable production. This group can also provide expertise on ways to educate farmers on value added options for vegetable production such as on farm fresh vegetable/fruit markets as well as the option of using larger farmers' markets. As bio-terrorism has become a concern, advances made in how to combat this threat can be used to educate food producers through the extension network. A number of states also have web sites where material on fruit and vegetable production is available to producers or interested individuals.
Organization/Governance
Standard
Literature Cited
None