Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The problem: Rural Florida is characterized by many small agricultural enterprises, many of which are owned and operated by socially disadvantaged limited resource and minority farmers. However, there is an abundance of evidence that these farms are not sustainable. For example,Less than 2 percent of socially disadvantaged farmers in Florida own farms of 500 acres or more. Farms of this size cannot guarantee the volume and consistency in supply required by commercial markets; therefore, it is not surprising that they receive less than 1 percent of farm generated income in the state.The new trend in farming for today's limited resource farmers and ranchers is a move towards urban farms. However, this too presents numerous challenges, among which are a lack of training tailored specifically for urban farms and the lack of a marketing system that can guarantee profitability for non-commercial farms.Goals/objectives: Among the goals of this project are (a). An apprenticeship system that provides targeted training in the development of both urban and commercial farms and (b) To establish marketing systems that cater for farms of different types and sizes.Approach: Our target audience is socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and military veterans in northern and central Florida. Utilizing 5 training sites across the target area, we will provide targeted training that eliminates barriers to minority farm success in Florida. Expected outcomes/Impacts: -By the end of the project, we expect at least 10model farms, identification of up to 10 high-value crops, livestock and value-added enterprises suitable for urban, small and mid-sized farms; we will identifymarkets inclusive of farmers markets, CSAs, U pick operations, local grocery stores, and even commercial markets for farmers who receive training. Overall, we anticipate at least 120 socially disadvantaged farmers, inclusive of military veterans becoming certified in key competency areas required for agribusiness success.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
The main goalof this project is to restore sustainability to farms in underserved communities in the state of Florida. The project will provide a viable alternative to the traditional 'one-size-fits-all' approach to solving farmers'problems.Among the specific objectives of this project are (a). An apprenticeship system that provides targeted training in the development of both urban and commercial farms. (b) To establish marketing systems that cater for farms of different types and sizes.
Project Methods
We will utilize a combination of experienced agricultural specialists, partnerships and institutional resources to expand and implement our programmatic efforts to best serve the needs of our target audience. Our methods will include but are not limited to:1.The establishment of an apprenticeship system that trains Beginning Farmers and Ranchers to become skilled in specialized areas of agriculture.Apprentices will be assigned to mentors at the training station(s) that best addresses the type of farming enterprise they are engaged in or plan to become engaged in. A total of 5 training stations will be utilized.All 5 training sites have the necessary resources, training staff and support technical staff to carry out required operations and activities.2. Utilizing innovative market models for urban, small and medium sized farms:Training will be provided on how to develop markets for urban, small and medium sized farms (U-pick operations, roadside stands, farmers markets, CSAs, SNAP policies, etc.).We will utilize demonstrations at the training sites to provide instruction on farming methods and best practices for these types of farms.3. Providing targeted training in established'pre-requisites' for agribusiness success:These include: Record keeping, financial literacy and PSA food safety certification.These pre-requisites have been identified as limiting factors to small farm development.4.The use of climate smart agriculture models that support year-round crop production: This includes the use of temporary structures such as modified high tunnels to control extreme temperatures while at the same time providing adequate light and other conditions for crop production.Results from several years of experimentation at our research and extension center in Quincy Florida has shown that many horticultural crops,for example strawberries, habanero peppers and leafy greens, can be produced successfully year-round in low-cost high tunnels.