Progress 09/01/10 to 02/29/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Community of Interest developed a series of assessment forms to be used to collect data for: specific description of the disaster event, duration, and location; listing for all categories of production animals, crops, ag structures and facilities, agricultural materials, and machinery and equipment. The forms are used to collect data on units of animals, or crops, injured or destroyed, qualitative data for description of damage to facilities and structures, description for materials damaged or destroyed such as harvested crops, purchased feed, medicine, fertilizer, etc., and a description of damage or destruction to agricultural equipment and machinery. Accompanying the damage assessment forms is a set of instructions and users guide to explain the use of the assessment forms. The project material was peer reviewed by academia and reviewed by ag industry. The team promoted the resources of the project nationally through a broad agency announcement that was distributed through the Extension Agricultural and Natural Resources program leaders' list-serve, the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), and through eXtension's listing of resources and training. The work team developed a PowerPoint presentation with instructor notes for training on the use of the Assessment Forms, and the method to establish an estimate of the economic loss for damage to ag products and resources. A national web-based Adobe Connect training was held on January 20, 2012. The training session reached the maximum participant level (100 ports) within five minutes of the beginning of the webinar. The training session was recorded and archived for future access. All resources developed as part of this project, including the recorded Adobe Connect webinar training are available on-line at http://extension.psu.edu/agdamage and available on the EDEN web site. Deliverables complete for this project include: a promotional flyer, Ag Damage Assessment Forms for Animals, Crops, Structures and Facilities, Stored Materials, and Machinery and Equipment; a User's Guide and Instructions, a PowerPoint training presentation with instructors notes, and a recorded Adobe Connect Ag Damage Assessment training presentation. PARTICIPANTS: A Community of Interest of EDEN Delegates and ag agency representatives with expertise in agricultural crops, animals, and facilities have developed training and related forms to be used by those charged with assessing disastrous event damage to agriculture commodities and facilities to determine a more scientific manner to assess damage, estimate yield reduction, and estimate economic loss. The COI team gathered existing scientific data on assessing damage to crops, animals, and facilities from disastrous events such as frost and freezing, flooding, drought, wind, hail, insects and diseases, and wildlife damage. These resources have been used to collect and utilize accurate data to help determine county, state, and national disaster declaration status for agricultural producers and individual loss. The project team has benefited by having a representatives of FSA and the animal health industry on the team to provide critically important advice on the process and product. FSA is the designated agency with responsibility to perform damage assessments and submission of damage report forms. Developed by Cooperative Extension faculty and staff from: DAVE FILSON, Extension State Program Leader-Animal Sciences, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, The Pennsylvania State University; TOM BALL, Governmental Training Officer, Center for Governmental Training and Technology, Mississippi State University Extension Service; THOMAS M. "TOMMY" BASS, Livestock Environment Associate Specialist, Montana State University Extension; STEPHEN C. BROWN, Ph.D., District Agriculture Agent, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Alaska Fairbanks; MICHAEL R. BUSH, Ph.D., Extension Entomologist, Interim County Director, Washington State University/ Yakima County; SCOTT COTTON, CPRM , Extension Educator - (Livestock, Range and Youth), Unit Leader - Dawes County Office , Vice Chairman, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition , University of Nebraska, Lincoln Extension; MIKE HUNTER, Field Crops Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County; MARILYN M. SIMUNICH, DVM, Dipl. ACVPM, Director, Animal Health Laboratory, Division of Animal Industries, Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture. And, FSA representative participating with the project team: REBECCA CSUTORAS, Program Chief, USDA, Pennsylvania State Farm Service Agency. Additional expertise as REVIEWERS has been solicited from faculty and staff from Land-Grant institutions who have national recognition for their work in crops, animals, or agriculture facilities, including entomology, plant pathology, agronomy, horticulture, animal science, engineering, and economics as it relates to damage assessment, yield reduction and economic loss. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary audience that will utilize this training and these educational resources are the representative from local agencies who are tasked to assess agricultural damage, estimate yield reductions, and estimate economic loss from disastrous events. Agencies included are Extension, FSA, NRCS, FS, RMA, County Conservation District, and the Emergency Management Agency. When agricultural commodities or agricultural facilities sustain damage as the result of a disastrous event, local review teams are expected to inspect and review the extent of damage, and determine the economic loss from the disaster. Information gathered by local teams can be shared through the USDA Farm Service Agency, Cooperative Extension; the local emergency management agency, or other interested entities. This Ag Damage Assessment Form and instructions is intended to provide a standardized method for individuals who are responsible for determining the extent of damages to agricultural commodities and structures. Local, third-party, independent damage assessment may be done by representatives of Farm Service Agency; APHIS; Cooperative Extension; the local Emergency Management Agency; other local, state, federal agencies; or by insurance company representatives. Regardless of the intended use of agricultural disaster loss information, the approach used by this Ag Damage Assessment Form can provide rapid and accurate information to the assessment process of determining agricultural damages and economic losses. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Over 100 participants have accessed the project materials and viewed the webinar training. The background of the participants in the live webinar training who completed a post training survey are: 37% Cooperative Extension (26); 15% Emergency Management (10), 33% USDA Agencies (23), 3% Production Agriculture or Industry (2), and 12% Other (8). Prior to the training activity 81% (51) of the participants indicated either no confidence, or being only somewhat confident, in doing agricultural damage assessment and economic loss estimation. AFTER participating in the training event and reviewing the resources of the Ag Damage Assessment Form and other project resources, 97% of the respondents (54) indicated either somewhat confident 52%, confident 38%, or very confident 7%, to do agricultural assessments and economic loss estimation. When asked to indicate the usefulness, or relative worth of the Ag Damage Assessment Forms and associated resources, 79% (48) indicated that the resources were either valuable 59% or highly valuable 20%. 95% of respondents indicated the potential ease of using the Ag Damage Assessment Forms and Users Guide as fairly easy to use 73% (45) or very easy to use 23% (14). When asked how likely they would be to use the Ag Damage Assessment Form and resources in the future, 95% indicated that they may use the material 44% (28), will likely use the material 44% (28), or will definitely use the material 8% (5). No respondents indicated that they will never use the resources and 5% indicated that doing Ag Damage Assessments was not part of their work expectation. Each of the 10 objectives outlined in the project proposal have been met. Identify and invite EDEN Delegates and Extension faculty and staff with recognized expertise to support the project. Identify existing science-based research and educational materials to support the project. Consolidate research and educational material into crop, animal, of facilities categories. Develop a stakeholder advisory group. Develop questionnaires and/or templates to facilitate the assembly of important information needed to assess damage and yield reduction and estimation for economic loss including evaluation of the process and products of this project. Develop a training module to illustrate and explain the use of the questionnaires/templates, and explain what additional local information would be needed to complete the assessment and estimation. Review/pilot material with stakeholders and select additional representatives of the agencies with interest/responsibility for agriculture damage assessment and loss estimates. Adjust and modify material and training resources. Schedule, announce, and market (nationally) and provide a training webinar on the use of the project resources. Post to the EDEN website all educational materials, questionnaires, templates, training material, and archived instructional webinar on the use of the material.
Publications
- Filson, T. D., R. Ball, T. M. Bass, S. C. Brown, M. R. Bush, S. E. Cotton, R. Csutoras, M. Hunter, and M. M. Simunich. 2012. Ag Damage Assessment. Penn State Extension. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu/agdamage
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Ag Damage Assessment project goal is to provide local or county emergency boards with simple tools and instructions to accurately assess damage to agricultural commodities, including animals, crops, facilities and structures, equipment and machinery, and stored materials that occurs as the result of any disastrous event. An invitation to participate in the project was distributed through EDEN (Extension Disaster Education Network). Based on interest and expertise, 10 individuals from 6 land grant institutions, one federal agency (FSA), and a state veterinarian were invited to participate in the project. Areas of expertise include ag economics, field crops, fruit, animal science, agricultural engineering, animal health, emergency preparedness and response, and disaster reporting. Existing agricultural disaster assessment tools were identified and reviewed. A stakeholder-advisory/review group was invited to participate. Agriculture production categories were selected: animals, contract animals, crops, structures and facilities, stored materials, and machinery and equipment. Data for assessing damage for each category was generated. A data input sheet with instructions was developed. Training material will provide basic instruction for all agency representatives that comprise the local CEB (County Emergency Board) that are responsible for generating the damage reports officially called Loss Assessment Reports (LAR). The data form provides spaces to record details needed to determine the exact location and scale of agricultural damages and losses. Sources for value determination of losses were identified and referenced in training material. The draft Ag Damage Assessment Form and instructions was pilot tested with County Extension educators in Mississippi. Their feedback indicated a consensus that the material was needed, useful, easy to use, and wished it would have been available earlier in the spring when the Mississippi River flooded. As the result of the significant flooding damage to agricultural commodities from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, the project team decided to share the draft resource nationally. The resources including data input instructional information were distributed by the Farm Service Agency to each state FSA office. The material was forwarded to the ANR leader in each state affected by flooding. Additionally, the same material was distributed through the EDEN network to the Point of Contact for EDEN in each state and territory. Several states further distributed the draft material within their state to each County Extension office. Comments from pilot testing, and from Stakeholder-advisory/ review team members were considered and modifications were adopted. An instructional use presentation is being developed. Final design, the instructional presentation, and national promotion and distribution are in the final stages of development. Multiple agricultural agencies are aware of the project and are waiting for the release of the final material. PARTICIPANTS: A Community of Interest of EDEN Delegates and ag agency representatives with expertise in agricultural crops, animals, and facilities have developed training and related forms to be used by those charged with assessing disastrous event damage to agriculture commodities and facilities to determine a more scientific manner to assess damage, estimate yield reduction, and estimate economic loss. The COI team gathered existing scientific data on assessing damage to crops, animals, and facilities from disastrous events such as frost and freezing, flooding, drought, wind, hail, insects and diseases, and wildlife damage. These resources have been used to collect and utilize accurate data to help determine county, state, and national disaster declaration status for agricultural producers and individual loss. The project team has benefited by having a representatives of FSA and the animal health industry on the team to provide critically important advice on the process and product. FSA is the designated agency with responsibility to perform damage assessments and submission of damage report forms. Developed by Cooperative Extension faculty and staff from: DAVE FILSON, Extension State Program Leader-Animal Sciences, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, The Pennsylvania State University; TOM BALL, Governmental Training Officer, Center for Governmental Training and Technology, Mississippi State University Extension Service; THOMAS M. "TOMMY" BASS, Livestock Environment Associate Specialist, Montana State University Extension; STEPHEN C. BROWN, PH.D., District Agriculture Agent, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Alaska Fairbanks; MICHAEL R. BUSH, PH.D., Extension Entomologist, Interim County Director, Washington State University/ Yakima County; SCOTT COTTON, CPRM , Extension Educator - (Livestock, Range and Youth), Unit Leader - Dawes County Office , Vice Chairman, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition , University of Nebraska, Lincoln Extension; MIKE HUNTER, Field Crops Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County; MARILYN M. SIMUNICH, DVM, DIPL. ACVPM, Director, Animal Health Laboratory, Division of Animal Industries, Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture. And, FSA representative participating with the project team: REBECCA CSUTORAS, Program Chief, USDA, Pennsylvania State Farm Service Agency. Additional expertise as REVIEWERS has been solicited from faculty and staff from Land-Grant institutions who have national recognition for their work in crops, animals, or agriculture facilities, including entomology, plant pathology, agronomy, horticulture, animal science, engineering, and economics as it relates to damage assessment, yield reduction and economic loss. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary audience that will utilize this training and these educational resources are the representative from local agencies who are tasked to assess agricultural damage, estimate yield reductions, and estimate economic loss from disastrous events. Agencies included are Extension, FSA, NRCS, FS, RMA, County Conservation District, and the Emergency Management Agency. When agricultural commodities or agricultural facilities sustain damage as the result of a disastrous event, local review teams are expected to inspect and review the extent of damage, and determine the economic loss from the disaster. Information gathered by local teams can be shared through the USDA Farm Service Agency, Cooperative Extension; the local emergency management agency, or other interested entities. This Ag Damage Assessment Form and instructions is intended to provide a standardized method for individuals who are responsible for determining the extent of damages to agricultural commodities and structures. Local, third-party, independent damage assessment may be done by representatives of Farm Service Agency; APHIS; Cooperative Extension; the local Emergency Management Agency; other local, state, federal agencies; or by insurance company representatives. Regardless of the intended use of agricultural disaster loss information, the approach used by this Ag Damage Assessment Form can provide rapid and accurate information to the assessment process of determining agricultural damages and economic losses. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The team of SME's has met weekly for 17 conference calls of 30-45 minutes in length. During those calls, the previous weeks work was reviewed, new material was reviewed, and the collective comments of the work team were implemented. Notes of each call discussion are captured and circulated. Comments from reviewers were shared. Current agricultural disaster assessment efforts and issues were discussed. Revised assessment forms, instruction s, and cover sheets were refined. Stakeholder-advisory/reviewers have repeatedly commented on the value and usefulness of a simple, yet thorough, data input form to document the assessment and determine the economic value of the agricultural losses. Geographic variations, inclusion for every possible agricultural commodity that could potentially receive damage from a disastrous event, have created a comprehensive approach for ag damage assessment and economic damage determination. Sources for determining the value of agricultural losses have been identified and referenced in training materials. Initial review from pilot test indicates that the material is needed, easy to use, accurate, and informative for anyone doing agricultural damage assessment and economic loss determination. The project is not completed. The work or the project continues to be developed and refined through a no-cost, time extension. Professional designers are improving the quality of the resource. Instructional material is being developed and will be utilized when the resource is announced and promoted nationally through a variety of stakeholder networks and web resources. Following release and national distribution of the resource, evaluations will be gathered and the results collated and recorded. Anticipated completion of the project is December, 2011.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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