• Basic Information
• Additional Info

Basic Information

• Project No. and Title: SERA45 : Crop diversification opportunities to enhance the viability of small farms
• Period Covered: 10/01/2018 to 09/30/2019
• Date of Report: 11/26/2019
• Annual Meeting Dates: 09/27/2019 to 09/27/2019

Participants

Cassady, Christy (cgcass0@uky.edu) - University of Kentucky; Dugger, Troy (pdugger2@utk.edu) - Center for Profitable Agriculture, Tennessee; Jacobsen, Krista (Chair) (krista.jacobsen@uky.edu) - University of Kentucky; Jett, Lewis (Lewis.Jett@mail.wvu.edu) - West Virginia University; Langenhoven, Petrus (plangenh@purdue.edu) - Purdue University; Oliver, Lesley (AA) (lesley.oliver@uky.edu) - University of Kentucky; Rogers, Mary (roge0168@umn.edu) - University of Minnesota; Rudolph, Rachel (rachel.rudolph@uky.edu) - University of Kentucky; Stock, Melanie (melanie.stock@usu.edu) - Utah State University; Velandia, Margarita (mvelandia@utk.edu) - University of Tennessee; Wolff, Brett (brett.wolff@uky.edu) - University of Kentucky; Woods, Tim (tim.woods@uky.edu) - University of Kentucky; Wright, Shawn (shawn.wright@uky.edu), University of Kentucky; Wszelaki, Annette (annettew@utk.edu) - University of Tennessee. Also attending: Knight, Joshua (joshua.knight@uky.edu)

Accomplishments

Impacts

1. Objective 2: coordinating research and extension activities among participants Accomplishments: Growers using high tunnels were surveyed in early 2019 to identify high tunnel practices and use on farms in Kentucky and surrounding states. Survey responses collected online (Survey Monkey) and from print surveys collected from Kentucky growers without internet access provide a snapshot of 106 producers using high tunnels, including high tunnel production practices and channels used to market products grown in high tunnels. Nearly three-fourths of responding producers operated high tunnels in Kentucky. Illinois accounted for 10 percent of respondents and other states (Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama) accounted for 17 percent. The survey showed that growers in the region have used high tunnels to lengthen their season and expand farm production for established markets, while also entering smaller-volume wholesale markets with high tunnel products. University of Tennessee participants did a presentation at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Conference in February of 2019 on their biodegradable mulch research. The University of Kentucky’s Center for Crop Diversification (CCD) has promoted activities in the participating states through its monthly newsletter, website and Facebook page. These include research projects, webinars, conferences, field days and workshops. SERA 45 participants from the University of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, the University of Tennessee and West Virginia University have reviewed specialty crop and marketing fact sheets for the CCD during the past year. The CCD has begun developing six fact sheets for specialty crops and/or production and marketing systems for the Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA) in Tennessee as part of a Tennessee Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant. Potential outcomes and impacts: 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 regional fact sheets based on production and marketing research. Collaboration among participants in developing webinars and videos will help farmers throughout the region diversify their operations. The high tunnel survey indicated that pest control and soil health remain challenges for many growers, who rank online tools and demonstrations by other growers as useful sources of information for solving challenges. Growers indicated they continue to explore ways to realize more production efficiencies for utilizing high tunnel space to its greatest potential. These responses will help extension personnel in the participating states develop resources and programming to better serve the needs of high tunnel growers. The CPA received a Tennessee Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant, Developing and Utilizing Crop Profiles for Tennessee Specialty Crop Growers, ($36,000, 11/1/2018 – 8/1/2021) to collaborate with the CCD on a project to develop six fact sheets for Tennessee growers. The published fact sheets will be utilized in six workshops/trainings with extension agents, specialty crop growers and other agriculture leaders in Tennessee. An estimated 22 county extension agents will be trained to use the fact sheets with specialty crop growers. The fact sheets will also be distributed to 1,400 specialty crop growers through workshops, seminars, conferences, producer meetings and trade shows, and will be used in on-site instruction with 86 growers through workshop and educational meetings. This project will develop tools for county extension agents, other agriculture leaders and growers to use in the evaluation, development and marketing of specialty crops. The fact sheets will provide a strong learning foundation for specialty crop growers who are considering the production of alternative crops and alternative production systems. The project also expands opportunities for marketing success of specialty crops in Tennessee.
2. Objective 3: expanding the activities of the Center for Crop Diversification to include price reports (farmers markets, produce auctions, farm to school, retail) from the participating states Accomplishments: Participants from Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee continued partnering with the Center for Crop Diversification at the University of Kentucky to provide price reports from farmers markets in their states. Illinois resumed providing farmers market price reports from May through August in 2019, and continued to provide reports from an Illinois produce auction during the same time frame. The CCD continued coordinating price reporting from farmers markets and produce auctions around Kentucky. Purdue developed a price reporting system in Indiana in 2017; the Indiana Farmers Market Price Report is available online at https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/hortbusiness/price-reports/. Price reports from Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee, as well as a link to the Indiana price report, and a link to an Ohio produce auction price report, are available on the CCD website at http://www.uky.edu/ccd/pricereports. Tennessee has developed an app to facilitate reporting prices from farmers markets. Kentucky began developing a Farmers Market Price Reporting Tool in 2019 to streamline the process for aggregating and analyzing farmers market prices with the goal of expanding participation without adding additional labor to the aggregation process. The tool will be a mobile responsive and intuitive website using Qualtrics survey software to collect basic geographic and economic data from program participants. Potential outcomes and impacts: Price information gathered from farmers markets and produce auctions will help farmers in the region determine how to price their products. Expanded price reporting resulting from this project will help fulfill the need for direct market prices for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
3. Objective 4: conducting research in the participating states on consumer preferences and marketing channels that are most effective and profitable for small farms Accomplishments: Kentucky and Tennessee are involved in a Southern SARE-funded project, Extending Roots of Fresh Stop Markets across the Southeast Region. The project is looking at the economics of Fresh Stop Markets, which have had success in Kentucky, and the goal is to expand that success throughout the Southeast. Fresh Stop Markets allow higher income families to subsidize lower income families buying fresh food. Work still needs to be done to make the program successful from an economic perspective. A progress report is available at https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/ls18-300/. Potential outcomes and impacts: Research on consumer preferences and marketing channels will help farmers in the region determine the most appropriate channels for selling their products.

Publications