Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
Land grant universities can play an important role in developing an educated workforce that is prepared to address the multi-faceted components of organic production. Stakeholders, including current students and organic farmers, value multidisciplinary instruction and opportunities to put skills to practice. At the University of Minnesota, we have nationally recognized research and teaching programs focused on plant and animal science for undergraduate students specifically within organic production frameworks, however there are no cross-disciplinary activities connecting these two academic programs. Like many student farm programs across the country, our current curriculum in organic agriculture is plant production-oriented and lacks opportunities for students to learn more about the financial management aspects of these systems. We will address this by working across departments to update and expand our current discipline-specific curriculum into a more holistic framework supporting diversified organic production systems. We will integrate organic plant and animal production systems while providing students with valuable skills in financial management and marketing. This approach better reflects the realities of small-scale, organic farms in the upper Midwest and will better equip our undergraduate students with the leadership skills and knowledge needed to support and launch new organic farms. The objectives of this proposal are to 1) expand organic agriculture curriculum for undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota; 2) disseminate new resources and knowledge beyond Minnesota to students at other institutions and to the broader organic educator community; and 3) reinforce connections between the Student Organic Farm and outreach and Extension programs in organic agriculture.
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 overarching goal addressed in this proposal is to foster undergraduate education, leadership skills and professional development to benefit the organic agriculture industry in Minnesota and beyond. The organic industry is the fastest-growing segment of U.S. agriculture, with farmers and ranchers selling $11.2 billion in certified organic products in 2021 (USDA NASS 2022). To continue to meet the expanding increase in consumer demand for organic products, it is critical that barriers to production and marketing are addressed. In large part, this entails access to technical resources and education centered on organic production systems. The Organic Farming Research Foundation's comprehensive National Organic Research Agenda report for 2022 identified the "clear need for more extension personnel and other service providers trained specifically in organic farming systems" (Snyder et al. 2022). Lack of technical assistance was identified as a key challenge for organic systems nationwide, and recommendations in the report include building the capacity of Extension, NRCS, and other agricultural professionals to serve the organic farming sector (Snyder et al. 2022). Organic programs at land grant universities are well positioned to do this. Organic production systems are complex in nature and rely on a basic understanding of soil science, nutrient cycling, integrated insect/weed/disease management, landscape and habitat management, biodiversity, and ecosystem services; concepts related to the biological and ecological components of organic production. However, production is only one component in building a thriving, long-lived organic farm business. To be successful, farmers need to be skilled at managing budgets and finances, recordkeeping, marketing, risk management, use of technology, and interpersonal skills. Organic farmers, particularly those who are beginning or transitioning to organic production, need reputable sources of information and training to manage these complex farm businesses efficiently. University programs in organic agriculture can play an important role in developing an educated workforce that is prepared to address the multi-faceted components of organic production. Additionally, well-designed programming can help build leadership and professional skills among students and provide opportunities for shared learning with leaders in the organic farming community.The University of Minnesota (UMN) is a national leader in organic agriculture, both in research and teaching. Our current undergraduate curriculum in organic horticulture on the St. Paul campus includes a formal course with a laboratory component, HORT 3131 Student Organic Farm Planning, Growing and Marketing (taught by Co-PI Grossman). This course is a requirement for students in the 'Organic and Local Food Production' track of our Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems major, and a popular elective for other undergraduate programs in our college. HORT 3131 provides hands-on learning with labs that take place on the UMN Student Organic Farm (SOF). In addition, all undergraduate students in our college are required to complete an internship and 6-7 students per year complete summer internships at the SOF.The SOF was formed by student initiative in 2004 as a space for experiential learning on campus (Markhart 2006). Originally a 1-acre plot of certified organic land on the edge of the UMN research plots maintained by the MN Agricultural Experiment Station on the St. Paul campus, the SOF now encompasses the organic systems plan for 5.5 acres of organic land used for research while still maintaining 1 acre of annual vegetables for student learning. In addition, the SOF manages "The Commons," a 0.5 acre gathering space with plaza, perennial fruit and native wildflowers used for field days, workshops, and other community events. The SOF sells produce to the campus community via three distinct marketing channels from July through September, including the UMN farmers market (Minneapolis campus) organized by our campus wellness center, the Campus Club restaurant, and at our farm stand on the nearby St. Paul campus. Revenue from farm sales (~$20k/year) helps offset the costs of materials and supplies, field plot maintenance, and greenhouse fees, while also providing wages for undergraduate student interns.Traditionally, the UMN organic curriculum has focused on the production of annual vegetable crops. Our curriculum does not include livestock production, or the economic aspects of farming as a business. Although business management is more frequently included in traditional agriculture curricula at the university level, few instructors report including business management skills and concepts in their organic agriculture courses (Jabbour and Pellissier 2019). Similarly, organic livestock production has not been prioritized within organic programming at universities, with an outsized focus on specialty crops (Jabbour and Pellissier 2019). Colleagues in the Dept. of Animal Science at the UMN including Co-PD Johny recently received a curriculum development grant from the OREI program (2023-51300-40911) to address this gap and develop new courses in organic animal production. The objectives in this proposal will complement these activities while allowing expansion of our current curriculum in organic horticulture.The integration of vegetable production knowledge and animal production, financial literacy, and marketing basics is critical for small farm business management. We will pilot our proposed curriculum on the UMN SOF by uniting these interdisciplinary ideas in an enriched student experience. The hands-on learning modules developed here will be validated by students enrolled at the UMN, then scaled up and made available to other institutions via development of an online course. In addition to serving undergraduates students, the SOF provides a valuable space for demonstration, outreach, and extension events to reach the larger organic grower community, allowing us to extend our deliverables beyond the university walls. In 2023, for example, 75 community members, many self-described as "beginning" or "aspiring" farmers, attended a fruit and vegetable organic field day on the UMN St. Paul campus, which included tours and extension education about the SOF. Those who attended the field day reported they would attend another UMN event (75%), use UMN Extension online resources (60%), and reach out to UMN Extension with a question (41%). We recognize a critical need for basic knowledge related to organic agriculture among a broader audience of undergraduate students, emerging farmers, extension educators, and other technical assistants within and external to our state.Our team has developed three objectives to address these educational needs:Objective 1: Expand organic agriculture curriculum for undergraduate students at the University of MinnesotaObjective 2: Disseminate new resources and knowledge beyond Minnesota to students at other institutions, and to the broader organic educator communityObjective 3: Reinforce connections between the Student Organic Farm and outreach and Extension programs in organic agriculture
Project Methods
Activity 1.1.1: Develop a new business planning basics module for current Student Organic FarmclassA new curricular module will be developed for the HORT 3131 Student Organic Farm Planning, Growing and Marketing (3 cr) course,covering business planning basics.The modulewill include one 1-hour online lecture and two 2-hour in-person labs focused on business planning, marketing, and finance basics, led by Key Personnel DiGiacomo. Business planning with a special emphasis on marketing and finance strategies will be introduced during the class lecture and through assigned readings.A second lab will focus on finance basics such as start-up costs and on-going operating expenses. DiGiacomo will utilize records compiled by summer SOF interns for the lab activities. Marketing and production records needed for the fall class will come from information compiled by the SOF manager and interns during the preceding summer.Activity 1.1.2:Revise and update a practicum course for the SOFBy partnering with Key Personnel DiGiacomo and Co-PD Johny, and by retaining a SOF educator, we propose to integrate new content on small farm profitability and organic livestock production content into a pre-existing course and to expand the course to a full semester (15 week), 2 credit offering. The new course will be offered as a Food Systems (FDSY) designator to reflect the interdisciplinary learning outcomes and renamed FDSY 3093: Practical Approaches to Diversified Organic Production Systems.The course will be divided into three separate modules: module 1: Planning for Success: Small Farm Finances and Marketing; module 2: Small Flock Organic Meat Chicken Production; and module 3: Organic Vegetable Production. See Table 1 attached for the draft of the syllabus. The class will be offered starting in spring, 2025.Activity 1.2.1: DiversifyStudent Organic Farmvia integrated horticulture and small-flock meat chickensWe will make the SOF a model for an integrated organic crop-livestock system,focusing on meat-type chickens.SOF interns will receive expert guidance and mentorship from Wayne Martin (see letter of support), a retired Extension Educator with decades of experience in livestock production for small farms, including certified organic operations. With assistance from our new Extension Educator Sabrina Florentino, Martin will provide teaching, mentorship, and support to interns in all aspects of small flock production.The small flock will consist of 250 meat chickens (i.e. 'Freedom Rangers') which students will raise in two batches per season (250 chicks per batch, 500 chickens per year).Activity 1.2.2: Co-create robust recordkeeping skills to guide economics-based decision making within a diversified farming systemDiGiacomo and the SOF educator will work with students in FDSY 3093 to develop a robust recordkeeping plan, starting with our current Organic Systems Plan (OSP) to identify the types of data that are needed (i.e. crop rotation plan, soil tests, planting and harvesting dates, seed inventory, input and amendment receipts, yield, and sales data). Identification of critical data needs and the creation of a financial and production recordkeeping system for the SOF will be major assignments for the FDSY 3093 course. Interns in the summer will receive training from the SOF educator on implementing the recordkeeping system and will be assigned specific tasks to complete (i.e. enter harvest data and market sales into a spreadsheet).Activity 1.2.3: Provide opportunities for learning from more experienced organic growers via a "work & learn" summer seriesWe will partner with Barthelemy (see letter of collaboration) to develop an Organic Farm Buds series for SOF interns to visit organic farms in Minnesota during four "work and learn" events during each summer of the project period (2025-2027). The work and learn events will be day-long visits to organic farms in our region. The rough schedule for these events includes introductions and general background information on the farm history, a tour around the farm, collective work on a predetermined farm task (i.e. weeding, mulching, planting, harvesting, high tunnel erection), and a shared community meal (lunch or dinner, depending on schedule).Activity 2.1: Develop an online Coursera course on 'Foundations of Organic Agriculture'We will develop a 10-week long beginning Coursera course on the "Foundations of Organic Agriculture". This course will provide an overview of organic agriculture within a small to midsize farming system framework for local and direct markets.By the end of the course students will be able to: 1) explain the agroecological principles underpinning organic agriculture and how certification is obtained; 2) describe basic production components of organic vegetable, fruit, and livestock systems (using chickens as a model); 3) acquire practical skills necessary to maintain records, profitability, and organic certification standards. The list of modules to be developed is included in Table 2 (attached).Activity 2.2: Share outcomes from our curriculum development activitiesWe will disseminate the impacts and findings of our new educational activities with other organic agriculture educators in higher education via presentations at academic and professional conferences and preparation of a refereed publication for submission to a journal focusing on scholarship of teaching and learning in agricultural science.Activity 3.1: Expand our organic field day to include producers interested in learning more about chickensWith the new activities focused on small flock meat chicken system described in this proposal.With Extension Educator Sabrina Florentino, we willexpand our organic field day to include producers interested in learning more about chickens or integrating crop and livestock operations as well as reach the numerous home gardeners and hobbyist interested in backyard chickens.Activity 3.2: Generate short videos on small flock meat chicken production for new and current organic producersFlorentino will also use the SOF chickens to demonstrate the new organic livestock standards for outdoor space requirements and will generate at least two short videos for new and current organic producers to be posted on the UMN Extension Small-scale poultry website. These videos can also be integrated into our Coursera course materials for undergraduate students and will be developed starting in 2025.Activity 3.3: Connect online resources to the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)Key personnelMurray will convene a team of organic researchers and Extension specialists at the UMN to help address priorities of the TOPP program, including technical assistance, community building, and workforce development activities.In year 3 after our Coursera course has launched, we will issue 25 vouchers for free access to the Foundations in Organic Agriculture course and make these available to non-student learners who express interest in the course following our annual field day in 2027.