Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience:This project specifically addresses the needs of underserved Hispanic/Latina/o farmers with constrained resources, as well as farmworkers. Its unique approach targets Hispanic/Latino individuals transitioning from roles in industrial and agricultural labor to the ownership of small fruit and vegetable farms. The project's success is underpinned by the bilingual and bicultural expertise of the Michigan State University and Telamon Corporation teams. Changes/Problems:A slight delay in funding delayed some of the activities. Nonetheless, we are confident of our ability to rectify this situation and resume full operational capacity during the grant's second year of funding. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Our program provides opportunities for Latina/o farmers and farm workers from various skill levels (beginning, intermediate, and advanced) to continue their training by attending workshops and/or individual instruction on climate-smart agriculture, IPM, pesticide education, fruit varieties, USDA programs, Good Agricultural Practices, pesticide education, business and marketing, packaging, pollinators, crop diversification, and access to food systems (hubs). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Cultural and linguistic approaches have been used to disseminate knowledge. Information dissemination was conducted through text messages, e-mails, websites, WhatsApp groups, and working meetings, among other methods. The initiative received a highly positive response from Latino farmers, farm workers, youth, and other farming groups. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project's establishment is gaining traction, and in the forthcoming year, we anticipate alignment with all activities outlined in the proposed timeline.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1, Objective 1. Training in Forest/Agroforestry Carbon Management and Climate Change mitigation. Outcome. Dr. David MacFarlane, Professor of Forest Measurements and Modeling at the Department of Forestry, conducted a training session for 18 Latino farmers on activities pertinent to this objective. The workshop provided an overview of forest carbon science and the impact of climate change, as well as opportunities for forest and agroforestry management aimed at generating carbon credits. The event was held at a Latino-owned farm in southern MI that incorporated both blueberry production and adjacent forested land. Growers are now cognizant of the potential for utilizing forest areas for conservation services, and efforts are being made to identify opportunities for state agencies to provide additional access to forest services. Goal 1. Objective 2. The Director of Community Engagement (MDARD) convened a meeting with 27 Latino farmers on Latino-owned farms. During the discussion, the farmers articulated their needs to the director and received feedback on potential solutions, including information about the USDA services. The Director of Community Engagement committed to providing translated materials in Spanish regarding available programs and support to facilitate farmer applications. This will be implemented through the "Great Lakes Latina/o Farmers' program, as the farmers indicated that this is the most effective method of information dissemination given their communication practices with the La Cosecha team in person and via a WhatsApp group. Workshops to access federal services under the USDA will be conducted in the early spring of 2025. Outcome: Increased awareness of state programs. Goal 1, Objective 3. Provide training in pollination services to increase fruit productivity Outcome. Eleven Latino farmers attended the 2024 pollination meeting at Trevor Nicholl's Research and Extension center which included a workshop followed by field demonstrations. These covered topics such as honeybees, hives, and honey production, assessing whether sufficient pollination occurs in blueberry fields, sampling bushes for pollinator activity, new technologies for blueberry pollination, and sampling and management of thrips. Farmers are aware of the positive effects of pollinators on blueberry production. Goal 2, Objective 1. Outcome. Dr. John Wise, an expert in pest management in fruits, provided a workshop on Optimizing Insecticide Performance on Blueberry Pests to 23 farmers. Farmers are now aware of the critical use and timing of these tools to manage pests in their orchards. Goal 2, Objective 1 Antonio Castro-Escobar from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development provided pesticide education training conducted at the agricultural facility of a Latino farmer in Michigan. Twenty-eight Latino farmers attended this event. Furthermore, to ensure compliance with the Worker Protection Standard, agronomist Angelica Solorio from Telamon TRC conducted a workshop for 12 Latino farmers at the same location, with subsequent plans to ensure that all requirements were met. The "Manual de la ley de proteccion al trabajador Agricola para empleadores agricolas" by PERC was distributed in Spanish to all participants. As a consequence of attending these workshops, 21 Latino farmers received credit for pesticide certification. Outcome: The majority of farmers implemented the recommended practices from these workshops. Goal 2, Objective 1 Educational materials on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) were disseminated, including 30 fruit and 20 Vegetable Management Guides. Furthermore, articles on pest management from universities and other national centers were distributed to Latino farmers to maintain their awareness of crop-protection strategies. A total of 23 producers received guidance on irrigation systems, and three irrigation systems were implemented in the orchards. Additionally, four fertilizer injectors were used for fertigation. These interventions are components of nutrient management and irrigation practices designed to mitigate the risk of biotic and abiotic stresses and ensure optimal crop health and productivity. The outcome of these educational initiatives is increased awareness and implementation of fertilization and irrigation practices by farmers. Goal 2, Objective 3 Outcome. Florencia Colella from MSU Extension conducted a Business and Marketing workshop at Lake Michigan College in South Haven. Eleven Latino farmers attended the event. This workshop provided essential knowledge on business and marketing, which is crucial for the long-term viability and sustainability of agricultural operations. Acquiring these skills enables farmers to enhance their business strategies, improve market access, and position their products for future growth. Outcome. The "Access to Regional Food Hubs" workshop was delivered online by Mariel Borgman (MSU Community Food Systems Educator). The workshop focused on assisting farmers in identifying opportunities for direct marketing and selling through value-based supply chains, such as regional food hubs, enabling them to sell their products at higher prices. Both workshops were very appreciated by the farmers, and the outcome of these workshops varied from awareness to implementation. Goal 2, Objective 3. Provide training in packaging that will add value to harvested fruits. Outcome. Dr. Eva Almenar, a professor at the School of Packaging at MSU, conducted a blueberry packaging workshop at Lake Michigan College. Twenty-one Latino farmers attended the workshop. The workshop encompassed various aspects of fruit packaging and provided valuable insights into packaging materials and techniques to enhance product presentation and preservation. Goal 2, Objective 3 Telamon TRC services: Angelica Solorio Mendez, the Community Outreach Recruitment Specialist from Telamon TRC, conducted two workshops for the program and provided pesticide safety training for 78 farmworkers. Additionally, she performed outreach activities with 1,015 individuals, predominantly farm workers, by disseminating flyers and information about the Great Lakes Latina/o program. She emphasized the program's capacity to assist individuals in transitioning to farming careers, offering guidance from agricultural experts to beggining farmers. The specialist also conducted 16 in-person visits to provide individualized advisory services to Latino farmers on various topics including integrated pest management, nutrition, and fertigation. She managed phone call inquiries to address program-related questions, responded to messages, transmitted emails containing documents, and shared WhatsApp messages within the group to disseminate workshop information and updates. Furthermore, she assisted with the implementation of four fertigation systems. Aditionally, the agronomists from the Great Lakes Latina/o program conducted 175 visits to individual farms to address critical aspects, including fertilization, irrigation, pest management and crop production. All participating farmers reported a high level of satisfaction with the one-on-one field training.

Publications