Progress 09/15/07 to 08/31/11
Outputs
Sustainable Agriculture in Western Wisconsin hopes to increase the number of students pursuing agriculture and ag-related degrees throughout the upper Midwest; increase the awareness of sustainable agriculture among students, producers, and the general public; and contribute to the growth of markets for sustainably grown products throughout the region. Objectives include establishing a Sustainable Agriculture (SA) minor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) and offering courses to 10+ students within this minor by 10/01/2010 and up to 50 students in the minor by 10/01/2015; creating experiential learning opportunities for students at both UWRF and Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC); creating or recreating courses devoted to sustainable agriculture topics; as well as creating and offering credit and non-credit workshops, seminars, and presentations addressing sustainable ag topics. Related to Objective 1, UWRF approved the SA minor in 2010; it also approved a Sustainable Studies minor. UWRF Faculty began to develop a Specialty Crop Systems Minor for those interested in local food crop/small farm production, distribution, marketing, and processing. Related to Objective 2, CVTC students constructed a season extending high tunnel on their campus, which is used for teaching and research purposes. They have also been growing, harvesting and pressing crops for biodiesel. UWRF students have conducted feasibility studies for local food systems, analyzed local food self sufficiency models, and prepared business plans for small-scale sustainable dairy processing operations. Related to Objective 3, UWRF and CVTC faculty continued to develop and/or revise, as well as offer to their students courses with a focus on agricultural sustainability. UWRF faculty sought university approval to change the status of UWRF's Sustainable Agriculture course to a General Education course. To support continued development of courses at both institutions, the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) provided numerous books and other reference materials related to organic and sustainable systems to UWRF and CVTC faculty. Related to Objective 4, UWRF and CVTC faculty and students attended various sustainability-related conferences, including, but not limited to, Organic University, the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, Corn & Soybean Conference, WSBDF Grazing Conference, as well as the High Tunnel and Local Foods Workshops. MOSES sponsored a number of these, most notably on-farm field days that attracted students, faculty, farmers, and the general public. PRODUCTS: Objective 1: Sustainable Agriculture (SA) and Sustainable Studies (SS) minors now exist at UWRF; another Sustainability minor is in the development process. Two students have chosen the SA minor, and four have chosen the SS minor. Seven have chosen the SA option within the Crop and Soil Science major, an option put in place in 2009. Objective 2: A new high tunnel at CVTC for educating students and for outreach purposes has been constructed; CVTC students have prepared biodiesel from a variety of crops at their new energy center. Objective 3: CVTC faculty completed course curriculum projects focusing on sustainable practices for the following classes: Landscape Design and Construction, Vegetable and Fruit Production, Precision Agronomics & Energy Management, Row Crops Production, Introduction to Soils, and Forage Crop Management. CVTC faculty have created or recreated six courses to include sustainability: Principles and Methods of Sustainability in Horticulture, Sustainable Meat Production, Obtaining Organic Certification, Lawn and Turf Management, Pesticide Applicator Training, and Introduction to Soils. UWRF faculty completed and/or revised four courses: Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Animal Production, Organic Production Systems, and Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law. UWRF now offers Sustainable Agriculture on-line as well as face-to-face. MOSES developed six topics related to sustainable and/or organic agriculture for infusions into existing UWRF and CVTC courses. Objective 4: MOSES now offers a variety of on-farm field days; during the last year of the grant, over 900 people attended them. The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, in collaboration with selected UWRF faculty (and others), completed its Price Tag project, which promotes use of locally grown foods; our grant intern drafted the revisions and Co-PI Anderson edited them. CIAS distributes these tags nationally. OUTCOMES: Objective 1: UWRF approved the Sustainable Agriculture (SA) minor in 2010. Our original objective was to create a SA major, but college budgetary constraints prevented that. Objective 2: CVTC students constructed a high tunnel; they learned plant production, harvesting and marketing techniques as well. Harvesting of high tunnel fruits and vegetables has begun, and profits are being allocated to funding future production and research efforts within the high tunnel. CVTC students learned to grow, harvest and now press oil from soybeans, canola, sunflower and camelina to produce bio-diesel. UWRF faculty collaborated with a land stewardship organization to offer local productions of a play that questions land ethics and the moral dilemma between by selling one's land for maximum profits vs. the social purpose of helping the next generation of farmers start farming. Nine students in UWRF's Experiential Learning course developed feasibility studies for potential UWRF student gardens, featuring conventional production, organic production, or organic production using a high tunnel. Five UWRF students researched the feasibility of using campus dairy farm milk in the university dining facilities; students learned about infrastructure changes, local processing and direct marketing of products. Eight UWRF students analyzed a local food self sufficiency model for Osceola, WI; they inventoried cropland use and calculated food needs for the town's population to determine how much needed food could be grown locally. Three UWRF students prepared a business plan for a small scale on-farm dairy processing plant to produce ice cream. Objective 3: UWRF's Sustainable Ag class, offered both face-to-face and on-line, attracts about 30 students annually; if the University approves it as a General Education couse, the numbers may double or triple. The Organic Production Systems, Sustainable Animal Production and Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law courses attract a total of about 50 annually. CVTC expects about 170 of its students to enroll in its new courses next year, courses that focus on sustainable practices. MOSES staff, as part of its infusion efforts, presented sustainability lectures in several UWRF and CVTC classes. Objective 4: Partners sponsored a Local Foods Conference and a High Tunnel Conference, together attracting 475 people. The success of the High Tunnel Conference convinced grant partners to erect the high tunnel facility at CVTC, rather than establish a community kitchen at UWRF. After conversations with current stakeholders, partners' assessment was that a high tunnel would be more valuable than the kitchen and that there would be no reduction of grant effort as a result. Partners viewed this as a satisfactory project redirection, one that has resonated with our broader audience. In addition to these conferences, CVTC faculty hosted a Soil Management Seminar for 190 attendees that focused on sustainable soil practices. CVTC hosted a speaker to present a Farm Financial Seminar to 100 students, bankers and farmers, who learned about the global agricultural economy. MOSES offered 20 on-farm field days on various agricultural sustainability topics. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Grant partners UWRF, CVTC and MOSES advertised newly prepared, as well as revised, courses and programs to prospective students, fellow faculty, community members and industry representatives throughout the duration of the grant. In addition, they promoted grant-related efforts to nearly 3000 participants that attended the annual Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conferences. MOSES and UWRF staff promoted the Sustainable Ag minor and other sustainability efforts at the 2010 Farm Technology Days, which attacts around 50,000 people. UWRF students interacted with visitors in a cropping display. Our graduate intern distributed questionnaires to CVTC and UWRF faculty regarding which MOSES-developed topic treatments they might wish to infuse into existing courses; this survey served also to make the faculty more aware of grant activities. Co-PIs Anderson and Tomkins presented a poster at the 2010 NACTA/SERD conference about grant activities and outcomes. FUTURE INITIATIVES: UWRF faculty are seeking to put in place a third sustainability-related minor entitled Specialty Crop Systems. They hope, as well, to gain university approval for including the existing Sustainable Agriculture course in the General Education Curriculum. UWRF students will continue to develop self-sufficiency models for local food systems within various regional communities; their next project will involve the city of River Falls, WI. UWRF students will be working with UWRF in an attempt to create a system of food production on campus that will be used in the University's dining facilities. CVTC students will continue to make biodiesel and grow crops in the high tunnel. Both UWRF and CVTC students will take advantage of the new and/or revised courses and programs that focus on sustainability. MOSES will continue to provide on-farm field day opportunities to farmers, students and others, and it will continue to disseminate written materials through in-person events and from its website. Partners will promote both the new Sustainable Agriculture minor at UWRF as well as CVTC's new Horticulture program.
Impacts
The grant-supported activities have improved students' understanding of sustainable agricultural systems in Western Wisconsin; these activities have also attracted students to newly developed courses and newly developed minors. The activities have improved job skills of our graduates as they enter agricultural fields, provided training for employees in the region's agricultural industry, provided new curricula and academic programs for those interested in agricultural sustainability, and strongly strengthened the roles and reputations of UWRF, CVTC and MOSES in servicing those interested in sustainable agriculture.
Publications
- W. A. Anderson, M. Crotser, F. Durham, S. Frame, F. Jones, and J. Tomkins. June 22-25 2010 NACTA/SERD Conference (State College, PA). Sustainable Agriculture in Western Wisconsin. Poster Presentation.
- MOSES 2011 Guidebook to Organic Certification (http://www.mosesorganic.org/certificationguide.html)
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Progress 09/15/09 to 09/14/10
Outputs
Sustainable Agriculture in Western Wisconsin hopes to increase the number of students pursuing ag and ag-related degrees throughout the upper Midwest; increase the awareness of sustainable agriculture among students, producers, and the general public; and contribute to the growth of markets for sustainably grown products throughout the region. Objectives include establishing a Sustainable Agriculture minor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) and offering courses to 10+ minors by 10/01/2010 and up to 50 minors by 10/01/2015; creating experiential learning opportunities for students at both UWRF and Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC); creating or recreating courses devoted to sustainable agriculture topics by 09/30/2010; as well as creating and offering credit and non-credit workshops, seminars, and presentations addressing sustainable ag topics by 09/30/2010. During year 3 of the grant, partners created a 30' x 48' high tunnel on the CVTC campus; CVTC students and area growers provided most of the labor, learning construction techniques; in follow up classes, CVTC students learned management practices. UWRF's proposed Sustainable Ag minor received university approval and Plant and Earth Science Department sponsorship; students may select this minor beginning Fall semester, 2010. After surveying UWRF and CVTC faculty, the Outreach Coordinator for MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service) developed and offered several topics related to sustainable and/or organic agriculture (e.g. Soil Biology & Fertility, Organic Vegetable Production, and Organic Livestock) for infusions into existing UWRF and CVTC courses. CVTC faculty continued to teach several new courses (Sustainable Land Use, Integrated Plant Pest Management, Landscape Design and Construction, as well as Pesticide and Fertilizer Applications), as did UWRF faculty (Sustainable Animal Production, Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law, as well as Organic Production Systems). CVTC enrolled 52 students in its Associate degree in Horticulture emphasizing sustainability. MOSES' intern drafted revisions of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems Price Tags, the purpose of which has been to promote local food purchases. When completed, these tags will continue to be distributed at a wide array of conferences and in various collegiate settings. UWRF faculty and students, along with MOSES staff, promoted the Sustainable Agriculture minor at the 2010 Pierce County, WI Farm Technology Days event, which attracted over 50,000 people. Grant efforts and outcomes were promoted as well at the 2010 Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, sponsored by MOSES, as well as other events during Year 3. The Land Stewardship Project offered a Farm Beginnings course on the UWRF campus from October 2009 through March 2010; our grant intern provided logistics assistance and co-PI Tomkins assisted with facilities set up. PRODUCTS: New minor: Sustainable Ag minor at UWRF; Facilities: 30' x 40' high tunnel at CVTC for educating college students, as well as for Outreach efforts, where local producers can learn about sustainable local high tunnel production systems during an extended growing season; Workshops and Conferences: CVTC staff accepted about 200 registrations for a Dec 2009 Soil Management Seminar, but had to cancel it due to a snow storm; this has been rescheduled for Dec 2010. OUTCOMES: Due to University budgetary constraints, UWRF abandoned its quest for a Sustainable Agriculture major and refocused its efforts on a 24-credit Sustainable Agriculture minor, which the University approved during Year 3. The later onset of the minor made it impossible to offer courses to 10+ minors by 10/01/2010, but we will attempt to meet this goal within the next two years. CVTC and UWRF students engaged in experiential learning activities in Year 3. Visitors to the July 2010 Pierce County Farm Technology Days learned about Wisconsin grain, processing and energy crops at the UWRF crop display, staffed by UWRF Crop and Soil Science majors; the public also learned about soil characterization and properties in a 50-foot long soil pit. Fifty CVTC students and area growers constructed a season-extending high tunnel. UWRF students continued to enroll in three new courses: Organic Production Systems, Sustainable Animal Production, as well as Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law. Revised Center for Integrated Agricultural System Price Tags were drafted by an intern for final approval and national distribution by December 2010. Attendees at the February 2010 Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference interacted with grant partners about partner-created sustainable agriculture programming. CVTC staff offered a Soil Management Seminar in December 2009. UWRF students learning about organic certification procedures from MOSES-sponsored speakers in two courses: Sustainable Animal Production and Vegetable & Fruit Production; course participants responded correctly to 80% of the topic-related questions on a follow up exam. Students learned about organic poultry and dairy production from MOSES guest speakers in other UWRF courses. Students attending the American Society of Agronomy meetings learned about UWRF student involvement in the River Falls Grow to Share Community Gardens effort. Since Fall semester 2008, 292 CVTC students have enrolled in CVTC's newly created Sustainable Land Use, Integrated Plant Pest Management, Landscape Design and Construction, as well as Pesticide and Fertilizer Applications courses. Fifteen UWRF students enrolled in Sustainable Animal Production and 11 enrolled in Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law; Organic Production Systems is scheduled to be taught again during Spring 2011. Grant dollars paid for two other classes: Turfgrass & irrigation Management as well as Vegetable & Fruit Production. Since the 2008-2009 school year, 52 students have enrolled in CVTC's new Horticulture Associate Degree program that emphasizes sustainability. Our proposed CSA failed to materialize; however, we found other ways to work toward the same objectives, e.g. a grass fed beef activity, the development of a two-acre plot of certifiable organic mixed hay, and student course-related grower interviews at Wisconsin and Minnesota farmer's markets. Five UWRF students marketed UWRF grass fed beef steers as part of special projects; in addition, groundwork has been laid for nine students to do feasibility studies on a UWRF student garden that will produce vegetables for sale to the UWRF Dining Services. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: In October, 2009, our graduate student intern constructed and disseminated a survey to the UWRF and CVTC faculty seeking a listing of sustainable ag topics faculty would like to receive information on for the purpose of infusing into their existing courses. The new Outreach Coordinator at the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) generated a list of topics related to sustainable plant and animal systems, as well as organic systems, and then sent them to faculty at the onset of Year 3 . MOSES staff presented in two classes, and they will continue to make presentations during the upcoming academic year. MOSES has developed packets of information for the presenters to take with them and distribute to students for the purpose of increasing the awareness among students of the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture and to contribute to the growth of markets for organic and natural products throughout the region. Co-PIs Anderson and Tomkins presented a poster at the 2010 NACTA/SERD conference about grant activities and outcomes. Co-PI Anderson and Asst Professor H. Dolliver presented a Soil Physical Properties workshop on 02/27/2010 the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, while co-PI Tomkins staffed a booth in the exhibit area promoting grant activities. FUTURE INITIATIVES: We sought and received approval for a no-cost extension for one additional year. Partners intend to employ the use of guest speakers in a broader array of classes to infuse sustainable agricultural - related topics into current classes. Partners will promote both UWRF's new Sustainable Agriculture minor, as well as CVTC's new Horticulture program. CVTC will use its remaining guest speaker funds for the rescheduled (Dec 2010) soils seminar, which will be open to the public and CVTC students majoring in Agribusiness, Farm Business & Landscape, Plant and Turf Management. CVTC's remaining travel dollars will fund five CVTC faculty to attend the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference in February 2011.
Impacts
The activities previously mentioned have improved job skills of the students entering agricultural fields at UWRF and CVTC, provided training to agricultural industry, provided new curricula and academic programs for those interested in agricultural sustainability, and strongly strengthened the roles and reputations of UWRF, CVTC and MOSES in servicing those interested in sustainable agriculture.
Publications
- W. A. Anderson, M. Crotser, F. Durham, S. Frame, F. Jones, and J. Tomkins. June 22-25 2010 NACTA/SERD Conference (State College, PA). Sustainable Agriculture in Western Wisconsin. Poster Presentation.
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Progress 09/15/08 to 09/14/09
Outputs
Sustainable Agriculture in Western Wisconsin hopes to increase the number of students pursuing ag and ag-related degrees throughout the upper Midwest; increase the awareness of sustainable agriculture among students, producers, and the general public; and contribute to the growth of markets for sustainably grown products throughout the region. Revised objectives include establishing a Sustainable Ag minor at the UWRF and offering courses to at least 10 minors by 10/01/2010 and as many as 50 minors by 10/01/2015; creating experiential learning opportunities for students at both UWRF and CVTC; creating or recreating courses devoted to sustainable agriculture topics by 09/30/2010; as well as creating and offering credit and non-credit workshops, seminars, and presentations addressing sustainable ag topics by 09/30/2010. During year 2 of the grant, we created several products. A High Tunnel Production conference for Beginning and Medium-Sized Commercial Growers was held 10/03/2008 and drew 250 growers, students, faculty and extension agents, who heard presentations on growing season extension. A UWRF Local Foods Conference, held 04/30/2009, attracted 225 participants and 16 exhibitors. UWRF drafted a new Sustainable Ag minor that received departmental approval and sponsorship; it is currently under review by the College Curriculum Committee. CVTC staff developed Sustainable Land Use, Integrated Plant Pest Management, Landscape Design and Construction, as well as Pesticide and Fertilizer Applications. During grant year 1, UWRF developed new courses as well, including Natural Animal Systems, Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law, as well as Organic Production Systems. CVTC completed an Associate degree in Horticulture emphasizing sustainability. CVTC established a perennial switchgrass plot to demonstrate sustainable alternative fuel production on marginal western WI crop land. Grant collaborators funded a graduate student intern to construct, and then disseminate, a faculty survey regarding sustainable ag topics faculty would like to receive information about for the purpose of course infusion. The new MOSES Outreach Coordinator generated a topic list related to sustainable, as well as organic, systems. MOSES has made plans to develop packets of information for presenters to distribute to students. The intern also began to secure feedback and revise the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems Price Tags. The general purpose of these tags has been to promote local food purchases. Several university scientists were contacted to review the tags, suggest changes and references for updating, and approve the revised tags. These tags have been and will continue to be distributed at a wide array of conferences and in various collegiate settings. UWRF tried and failed to attract a high school audience to learn more about sustainable agricultural practices at the campus instructional farm. While there were no takers, we did gain some exposure among those who wandered by the booth. Also at the booth, the on-line version of UWRFs Sustainable Ag course was promoted. PRODUCTS: Conferences: 1) High Tunnel Production for Beginning and Medium-Sized Commercial Growers held 10/31/2008. The conference drew a wide audience of growers, students, faculty and extension agents. Over 250 attendees heard presentations by nationally reknowned speakers on growing season extension using high tunnels. 2) UWRF Local Foods Conference, held 04/30/2009. This conference attracted 225 participants and 16 exhibitors. New minor: A draft of the new Sustainable Ag minor at UWRF received departmental approval and sponsorship; it is currently under review by the College Curriculum Committee. New Courses: CVTC staff developed Sustainable Land Use, Integrated Plant/Pest Management, Landscape Design and Construction, as well as Pesticide and Fertilizer Applications. During the first year of the grant, UWRF developed new courses as well: Natural Animal Systems, Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law, as well as Organic Production Systems. New Program: CVTC completed the development a formal Associate degree horticulture program emphasizing sustainability. Faculty train students in five different horticulture industries: landscaping, turf, greenhouse, fruit & vegetables and interior plants. In each facet of the program sustainability is highlighted. New Demonstration Plot: CVTC has established a perennial switchgrass plot to demonstrate sustainable alternative fuel production on marginal western WI crop land. The demonstration includes sustainable production (planting, harvest, & maintenance), pelletizing processing (to improve transportability and materials handling capabilities), carbon reduction quantification, and follow-up exploration of alternate processing of pelletized biomass to allow for cost effective ethanol production and gasification processes. Collaboration will occur with the CVTC Nanotechnology program for subsequent follow-up exploration processing practices. OUTCOMES: Due to University cutbacks, UWRF abandoned its quest for a Sustainable Ag major, and has refocused its efforts on a Sustainable Ag minor. During year 2, faculty drafted a proposed multidisciplinary curriculum for a 24-credit minor. The Plant and Earth Science Dept. agreed to serve as the academic home for the minor, and the department's curriculum committee approved the minor. It currently awaits college level curricululm committee action. Hopefully, final approval will occur no later than 03/31/2010. UWRF faculty taught 3 new courses: Organic Production Systems, Natural Animal Systems, as well as Land Use and Sustainable Ag Law. All 3 courses will be offered again in the upcoming year. We employed a graduate student intern to secue feedback for and revise the Center for Integrated Agricultural System Price Tags, which promote local food purchases. We secure the help of several scientists to review the tags, suggest changes and/or references, and to put their stamp of approval on the revisions. These tags will continue to be distributed at conferences and in various collegiate settings. Grantees staffed a booth at the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference 02/15/2009 to promote sustainable ag programming. We collaborated with the UW-RF St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Community Development to staff a booth at the Wisconsin Local Food Summit 01/15/2009. CVTC faculty have fine-tuned basil production using convention hydroponic solutions compared to aerobically treated waste water. The Agri-science Dept is exploring crops that can be grown profitably on marginal land and still meet conservation guidelines. CVTC students process some of these crops in a small oil press to obtain oil and produce bio diesel. CVTC staff made plans to host a Soil Management Seminar in December 2009. CVTC faculty and students attended the Midwest Value Added Conference in Rochester, MN as well as the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, WI. MOSES arranged for a guest speaker to give an organic poultry and dairy presentation at UWRF. PI Anderson provided support for the River Falls Grow to Share Community Gardens effort during the summer of 2009. He and several UWRF students collected garden site soil samples, sent them to a soil testing lab, analyzed some of them at the UWRF campus, and made recommendations to the community group. The students also helped with site preparation and harvest. UWRF, CVTC and MOSES formed a sustainable agriculture advisory council during Grant Year 1. This councils continuing presence has been valuable in improving our colleges interaction and networking with relevant stakeholders. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: We tried and failed to attract a high school audience to learn more about sustainable agricultural practices at the UWRF Mann Valley instructional farms. Co-PI Anderson attended the Western Wisconsin Ag Educators Conference and staffed a booth where he promoted sustainability education at UWRF and CVTC, plus offered high schools reimbursement on travel expenses to the campus, where they would view and hear about UWRF's management intensive grazing operation and the colleges new Dairy Learning Centers composting operation. While there were no takers, we did gain some exposure among those who wandered by the booth. Also at the booth, the on-line version of UWRFs Crop 368/568 Sustainable Agriculture course was promoted. The Land Stewardship Project offered a Farm Beginnings course on the UWRF campus beginning in October 2009. It will continue through March 2010. Our grant intern has provided logistics assistance. Co-PI Tomkins has assisted with the facilities set up. A graduate student intern staffed a booth at the River Falls Chamber of Commerce Farm/City Day, where the interactions of these residential groups were promoted. The purpose was to help promote local foods, e.g. products at the local Farmers Market. In October, 2009, the grant collaborators provided grant funding for a graduate student intern to construct, and then disseminate, a survey to the UWRF and CVTC faculty regarding which sustainable ag topics they would like to receive information on for the purpose of infusing into their existing courses. The new Outreach Coordinator at the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) generated a list of topics related to sustainable plant and animal systems, as well as organic systems. These surveys will be sent to faculty at the onset of Year 3 of the grant. One faculty member, already aware of the survey, has already expressed interest in securing presenters to guest lecture in his class Crop Sustainable Agriculture. MOSES has made plans to develop packets of information for the presenters to take with them and distribute to students - to increase the awareness among students of the principles and practices of sustainable agriculture and to contribute to the growth of markets for organic and natural products throughout the region. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The grant partners decided to reallocate some of the awarded funds from speaker fees and community kitchen development to construct a high tunnel educational facility at CVTCs west campus. This planned reallocation of grant dollars resulted from two notable activities that resulted in considerable regional interest. One was a day-long conference entitled High Tunnel Production for Beginning and Medium-Sized Commercial Growers, held 10/31/2008. The conference drew a wide audience of growers, students, faculty and extension agents. Over 250 attendees heard presentations by nationally reknowned speakers on growing season extension using high tunnels. The second event, the UWRF Local Foods Conference, occurred in April 30, 2009; it attracted approximately 225 participants and 16 exhibitors. Those in attendance heard a presentation by Winona LaDuke, a noted rural development economist. The purpose of the funds reallocation was to build upon the success of those two events. The new high tunnel, when constructed by CVTC students with the help of a consultant, will serve to educate both CVTC and UWRF students; it will be a site where local producers can learn about sustainable local high tunnel production systems during an extended growing season. We intend to publicize its construction so that others in the region may observe its erection and gain some hands-on experiences as well. The grant partners still like the concept and see a need for a community kitchen, but after conversations with various stakeholders, our assessment became very clear that a high tunnel would be far more valuable at this point in time. We will continue moving the Sustainable Agriculture Minor at UWRF through appropriate channels, and hopefully begin accepting students into the minor in the very near future. PI Anderson and Asst Professor Dolliver will attend the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference 02/27/2010 and present a Soil Physical Properties workshop. Co-PI Tomkins will attend help to staff a booth focused on partner programs and sustainability concepts. We hope to complete the Price Tag project in year three of the grant. We plan to present our findings at the 2010 NACTA Conference.
Impacts
The activities previously mentioned have improved job skills of the students entering agricultural fields at UWRF and CVTC, provided training to agricultural industry, and strongly strengthened the roles and reputations of UWRF, CVTC and MOSES in servicing those interested in sustainable agriculture.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/15/07 to 09/14/08
Outputs
Goals of the Sustainable Agriculture in Western Wisconsin grant are to increase the number of graduates to service the sustainable agriculture industry, and provide training to improve the job skills of current workers in the industry. Cooperators include the University of Wisconsin at River Falls (UWRF) and Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC). PRODUCTS: Sustainable Agriculture major, UWRF. We will create a broadfield major and/or emphasis in Sustainable Agriculture designed to help mainstream college students attending UWRF earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Agriculture. We will also infuse sustainable agriculture principles and practices into other courses throughout agriculture science programs at the university. We will create sustainable agriculture courses in CVTC's Landscape Horticulture diploma program and infuse sustainability concepts and tools in courses throughout the college's associate's programs in agriculture. Outreach. We will offer the residents of Wisconsin and Minnesota a range of outreach opportunities to learn the principles of sustainability, develop skills in organic/natural food and fiber production, and connect with current practitioners. In addition, we will reach out to high school teachers and their students, introducing them to the concepts of sustainability. OUTCOMES: UWRF, CVTC and MOSES have formed a sustainable agriculture advisory council. Their guidance has allowed us to make proper choices in workshop topics, and identified necessary job skills for our graduates. In addition, they have been valuable in improving our colleges' interaction and networking with the stakeholders and players in the sustainable agriculture arena. Outreach programs have been very successful in training our faculty and students in sustainable agriculture, allowing faculty to infuse sustainable agriculture topics into many existing courses across college disciplines. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Sustainable Agriculture Workshop: Kickoff workshop for faculty, students, advisory council members, and agri-professionals. Topics included the history of sustainable agriculture, soil health/ecology, rotational grazing, alternative hog structures, crop rotation comparisons, vegetable crop production, and alternative weed control measures. 90 attendees. Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators Annual Conference: This two day workshop covered key principles on sustainable and organic agriculture, and how they apply to production, processing, and marketing of field crops, livestock, and horticultural products to teaching. Participants tried out classroom activities, looked at case studies from Wisconsin and around the world, and received teaching resources to use in the classroom. The workshop utilized UW- Madison Center for Integrated Agriculture Studies online curriculum titled Towards as Sustainable Agriculture. 12 attendees. 1st Annual Cultivation Sustainable Agriculture Conference: Topics included session on experiential learning, student run farm enterprises, curriculum development and building professional relationships of the stakeholders and players of sustainable agriculture. It was organized by UW-River Falls UW-Madison's Center for Integrated Agricultural Studies and Department of Rural Sociology. UWRF Lab Farm tour for Rocky Branch Elementary School in River Falls, April 2008: This tour included visiting animal and crop enterprises, equipment shed, and dairy learning center. UWRF's College of agriculture food and environmental science student volunteers organized and provided small-group tours for sixty fourth grade students. CVTC Farm City Days, October 2008: Demonstrations included large scale precision farming techniques to promote variable rate input use. Interactions with the participants included a trade show and social activities for the participants. There were 450 participants. FUTURE INITIATIVES: The development of a stand alone major at UWRF will be actively pursued in the upcoming year. CVTC will develop a formal horticulture program, emphasizing sustainability. Outreach programs on pressing topics of sustainable agriculture will continue to be offered. UWRF will offer a workshop on Developing Models for Local Food Systems. Two UWRF graduate interns will work in conjunction with UWRF and MOSES to successfully organize this program. In addition, UWRF and The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems in Madison will offer a workshop titled Sustainable Agriculture Literacy for Secondary Educators. Faculty will also be attending the Organic Farming Conference and the Local Foods Summit.
Impacts
All of these activities previously mentioned have improved job skills of our students entering agricultural fields, provided training to agricultural industry, and strongly strengthened the University of Wisconsin at River Falls' role and reputation in servicing sustainable agriculture.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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