Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
The project supports many On-Farm Research (OFR) program activities being conducted in Pennsylvania. Faculty and staff within the Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences network with farmers to identify, develop, and conduct applied-science projects on private farms in the state. Project funding supports partial salary for principal investigators, the salary of the project coordinator, program operating supplies, travel within PA to trial sites and to neighboring states for conferences and workshops, and the second year of a labor subcontract with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). A shared-time PASA employee networks with PASA farmer members to determine needs for applied information. A collaborative project with a focus on small ruminant internal parasite management was initiated. Nearly forty sheep and goat producers have indicated interest in participating. Additionally, a novel risk assessment has been
developed to identify which areas of production, management, or environmental quality should receive the greatest attention when resources for improving the farm operation are limited. Veterinary science faculty, the OFR project coordinator, several county-based extension educators, and the PASA employee made numerous farm visits to conduct risk assessments and collect samples from the farm that provide insight into the health and productive potential of the animals and the soils supporting them. The coordinator, with assistance from county extension educators, state extension specialists, producers, and industry, identified research areas and initiated or continued over twenty on-farm trials during the 2005 growing season. Projects that were continued from previous years include weed control in organic dairy pastures, and the yield potential and economics of latest generation potato leafhopper resistant alfalfa. A multi-location (12 farms) nutrient management project is underway to
demonstrate that reducing phosphorus (P) in dairy cow diets can likewise reduce manure P levels while not adversely affecting milk production or reproductive performance. A second multi-location (6 farms) project to be conducted for three years was initiated to demonstrate potential for improving pasture productivity on challenging northern PA soils. No-till interseeding newer forage cultivars behind broadcast or band applications of herbicide are being investigated. Three field days that attracted nearly 150 people were conducted. Ten persons from university, industry, and two farms participated in a mid-June field day that addressed alternative small grains for central PA, pasture renovation, sweet corn IPM, and value-added farm processing. A mid-summer event at the PSU experiment station and a second field day in early October was held in SE Pennsylvania where six to ten PSU faculty, staff, and students along with the host farmers shared recent research involving the use of cover
crops to promote biologically-based weed management in field crop and vegetable farm rotations. The second field day was partially supported with grant funds from NE IPM and NE SARE projects begun during 2003.
Impacts
Interest in the On-Farm Research program grew as the program touched new groups of Pennsylvania producers through the research projects and field days conducted during 2005. As a result, the network of producers, county extension educators, state extension specialists and researchers, PASA, and industry continues to grow. Farmer involvement in the OFR program has increased their participation in the research process and the outreach activities often associated with the research. A more involved farmer is often a better informed farmer who will make wiser decisions that result in greater productivity or profitability or both. Most ideas for new projects continue to come from extension and farmer advisors. However, an increasing number of new ideas are originating with farmers. Projects that result from farmer suggestions usually are more successful and create greater enthusiasm within the farm community during their conduct and when the results are being shared. The
coordinator and others within the research and extension community ask producers to suggest the topics to be investigated and also to be involved in the conduct of the actual research trials on their own farms. Regardless of whose idea is developed into an on-farm research project, farmers appreciate the opportunity to have the experiment station brought to them for the purpose of fine-tuning existing or developing new recommendations. Attendance by farmers at field days and other extension events appears to be increasing as bonds are strengthened between those involved in production agriculture.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/04 to 08/31/05
Outputs
The project continued the support of the state-wide on-farm research (OFR) and extension program in Pennsylvania. The program is focused on developing, conducting, and disseminating the results of applied projects in production agriculture within the Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences. Project funding supported partial salary for principal investigators, the salary of the project coordinator, program operating supplies, travel to trial sites in PA and to neighboring states for conferences and workshops, and the second year of a subcontract with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). The subcontract provided one-half the support for a PASA employee who continues to work on several projects. The first involved determining PASA producer members cover crop information needs and to work with the OFR coordinator to develop and conduct relevant research projects. A collaborative project was initiated with faculty in the
Penn State Department of Veterinary Sciences to improve health and production of small ruminants in Pennsylvania. A risk assessment score card was developed to identify where time and resource should be allocated on a farm to improve the productivity and profitability of sheep and/or goat operations. Team members have made visits to dozens of farms to conduct risk assessments and collect forage, soil, and animal fecal samples to better identify areas in need of attention. The coordinator, with assistance from county extension educators, state extension specialists, producers, and industry, continued previous projects or identified and initiated over twenty new on-farm trials during the 2005 growing season. Subject areas of single location research studies include: 1. methods for controlling weeds in permanent pastures on an organic dairy farm, and 2. yield and economic performance of the newest potato leafhopper resistant alfalfa when compared with its non-resistant counterpart.
Multi-location projects being continued include: 1. documenting reduced environmental impact when dairy cows are fed less phosphorus by comparing performance of cows that are consuming normal and reduced levels of phosphorus. 2. investigating the potential for improving pasture productivity on challenging northern PA soils by no-till interseeding newer forage cultivars behind broadcast or band applications of herbicide. A new two-year multi-location study was begun in 2005 to measure the impact of foliar applied fungicides on soybean health and yield. The program has provided a forum wherein relationships between producers, county and state extension personnel, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), industry, and others are able to be developed. The coordinator has participated in numerous on-farm and experiment station field days, grant writing workshops, and on-farm and alternative agriculture workshops. The coordinator has participated in developing
several grant proposals to USDA NE-SARE.
Impacts
The On-Farm Research program, with emphasis on applied research and learning, continues to increase in scope of activities and the number of groups and individuals who participate in the program and learn from information being generated. The relationships being built and strengthened are developing a network through which producers, county extension educators, various producer organizations, and industry continue to be involved in the research process. This is especially important for producers. The coordinator and others within the Extension community invite producers to suggest topics to be investigated and also be involved in the conduct of the research on their own farms. Findings from the weed control studies and mid-project observations from the pasture renovation projects indicate the need to consider more than the single factor(s) being tested when making farm planning decisions; the total farming system needs to be considered when proposing change. There has
been a marked improvement in public relations between The Pennsylvania State University and the producer clientele it serves as a result of engaging clientele in the research process. Cooperative Extension has been instrumental in efforts to expand the program and by providing a forum through which the program is publicized and by which results of recently completed trials can be disseminated beyond those involved with the trials. Continued participation by the coordinator on the Pennsylvania Certified Organic board facilitates dialogue between the University and the organic community.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
The project supports the continuation of the on-farm research and extension program for the state of Pennsylvania. The program is focused on developing and conducting projects in production agriculture within the Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences. Project funding supported partial salary for principal investigators, the salary of the project coordinator, program operating supplies, travel within PA to trial sites and to neighboring states for conferences and workshops, and the second year of a subcontract with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). The subcontract provides one-half the support for a PASA employee who worked with the on-farm project to solicit PASA producer members for their need for cover crop recommendations and research. This subcontract also enabled the initiation of collaborative work with faculty in the Penn State Department of Veterinary Sciences to improve health and production of small
ruminants in Pennsylvania. With the project coordinator, the PASA employee made numerous farm visits with expectation of developing at least three to five research projects during late 2004. Two such projects have been initiated and several others were postponed due to prolonged wet weather. The coordinator, with assistance from county extension educators, state extension specialists, producers, and industry, identified research areas and initiated over twenty on-farm trials during the 2004 growing season. Subject areas of single location research studies include: 1. cultivating plant communities that encourage habitation of predators of aphids in organic vegetable production systems; 2. methods for controlling weeds in permanent pastures on an organic dairy farm, and 3. yield and economic comparison of newly-developed potato leafhopper resistant alfalfa with it non-resistant counterpart. A multi-location project is underway that will seek to reduce phosphorus levels in dairy manure
through reductions in dietary phosphorus while maintaining high levels of production. A second multi-location project was initiated to investigate the potential for improving pasture productivity on challenging northern PA soils by no-till interseeding newer forage cultivars behind broadcast or band applications of herbicide. Conclusions from many of the completed trials will soon be made available on the internet at http://onfarm.psu.edu. The program has provided a forum wherein relationships between producers, county and state extension personnel, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), industry, and others are able to be developed. The coordinator has participated in numerous local and experiment station field-days, grant writing workshops, and on-farm and alternative agriculture workshops. The coordinator has helped develop several grant proposals to USDA NE-SARE. Grant proposals developed during 2002, one to USDA NE-SARE and one to USDA NEIPM, continue to
fund projects begun during 2003.
Impacts
Interest in the On-Farm Research program is growing as groups and individuals become aware of the potential for the program to address production agriculture research needs locally. The relationships being built and strengthened are developing a network through which producers, county extension educators, PASA, and industry continue to be involved in the research process. This is especially important for producers. The coordinator and others within the Extension community ask producers to suggest the topics to be investigated and also be involved in the conduct of the actual research trials on their own farms. Findings from the weed control studies and preliminary observations from the pasture renovation projects indicate the need to consider more than the single factor being tested when making farm planning decisions. These inputs must be considered within the context of the total farming system when anticipating system performance. There has been a marked
improvement in public relations between the land grant university and the clientele it is charged to serve as a result of engaging that clientele in the research process. Cooperative Extension has been instrumental in efforts to expand the program and by providing a forum through which the program is publicized and by which results of recently completed trials can be disseminated beyond those involved with the trials. The participation by the coordinator on the Pennsylvania Certified Organic board facilitates dialogue between the University and the organic community.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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