Progress 11/01/10 to 10/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Legislative and Regulatory Community - Examples: Provided data and impact assessments related to proposed (and ultimately adopted) revisions in the state's differential assessment ("farmland assessment") statute. Provided data and policy input during the process of developing a statewide agricultural management practice (AMP) for on-farm direct marketing (pending formal publication as a rule in 2014, the AMP clarifies right to farm protections for farm direct marketers). Continued service on the administrative agency responsible for the state'sfarmland preservation and right to farm programs. Farmers/Farm Organizations-Examples:Provided educational training meetings on agritourism marketing, farm safety and liability management. Developed website with trainingresources (training modules and videos, fact sheets, etc.) to assist Extensioneducators andfarmers with agritourism development. Delivered farmer/Extension educator training at the State Agricultural Convention. Served as "mentor" to students enrolled in the state's agricultural leadership development program. Undergraduate/Graduate Students - Examples: Co-developed and offered a new undergraduate course on agritourism and direct marketing. Provided lectures in various university departments on topics related to agriculture in urban environments, farmland preservation and other agricultural retention policies, food security/defense. Academic Audiences - Examples: Presented at professional conference. Published academic articles. General Public/Media - Examples: Conducted media interviews on agricultural retention and development issues. Fielded calls from stakeholders. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The primary professional development opportunities afforded by this project relate to agritourism programming. Specifically, Hatch-supported activities culminated with the creation of an active Agritourism Working Group within Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Advanced also in part by a grant from Northeast SARE, new training resources for farmers, Extension personnel, and agricultural service providers have been developed to support agritourism enterprise development. Resources include: evaluation tools for determining the suitability of agritourism for a farm/farm operator, farm safety guidance andevaluation tools, marketing guidance, and recommendations for managing farm-based risk and liability associated with farm visitations. Training and professional development has been advanced through in-service meetings, industry outreach meetings, and online resources. During the project period, planning fora national conference of farmland preservation program administrators and related professionals was substantially advanced. The conference will be held in May 2014 (Hershey, PA). This will be an important forum for identifying and prioritiing policy issues affecting the development and implementation of purchase of development rights (PDR) programs, affording "young" programs to benefit from the experiences of older, more mature programs. Academic research from several land grant universities will be featured. Lastly, efforts were made to havedirect engagement with farmers, industry leaders, and others (students, media, general public) with a stake in agricultural retention and development. These efforts were effectuated through formal classroom instruction (undergraduates), graduate student advisement, service as a mentor for agricultural leadership program participants, interviews with media, farm visits, and an active presence in policy discourse (service on committees, working groups, etc.). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Multiple dissemination strategies were employed to best serve the needs of target stakeholder groups. Direct, interactive forums were generally the favored mechanism for sharing program outcomes. Examples include farmer training meetings, outreach sessions with Extension educators and other agricultural service professionals, formal classroom instruction, one-on-one stakeholder (e.g., farmer) interactions, presentations to farm leadership and stakeholder organizations (e.g.,farm bureau, direct marketing associations, commodity groups, etc.). More static dissemination strategies were also employed, namely the development of online resources and project websites that allow general access to project resources and results. Summary of academic productivity (2013): 4 academic articles published (2 others are in review, 1 is accepted to be published in 2014) 1research report; 1 book chapter; 2 professional conference presentations; 1 Rutgers Cooperative Extension fact sheet; 12 invited presentations; 3 new websites/online applications; 3 training videos (a 4th is in final editing); 2 farmer and/or Extension educator training sessions. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Urbanization pressures have profoundly impacted the structure, performance, andviabilityof many U.S. farms. These effects are most pronounced inNew Jersey. Situated as the most densely populated and highly urbanized state in the Nation, New Jersey has a rich farming history and a long track record of progressive policy to sustain a vibrant agricultural industry. This project focuses on evaluating the outcomes and future issues likely to affect implementation of New Jersey's nationally recognized farmland preservation program andexamining opportunities and challenges facing farmers seeking to enhance financial sustainability through agritourism. Due to the State's position as a vanguard for issues related to the interplay between agriculture and suburban growth, lessons learned here have applicability nationally. Goal 1a: New Jersey has preserved 206,000 acres offarmlandthrough purchases of development rights. Forat least one decade,agricultural policy makers have debated whether farmland preservation is effectuating the provision of affordable farmland to farmers, particularly those seeking entry into the industry. Certain policy questions emerged, such as: "should house sizes be limited on preserved farms?"; "should future development options be attached to preserved farms to allow for limited non-agricultural uses or business flexibility?"; "should residences be subdivided off and excluded from deed-restricted farms before closing?". This Hatch-supported researchenabled collection of data on preserved farm salesand econometric analysis decomposed factors affecting the value of preserved farmland.Information on the observed impacts of housing (and house size) and future development opportunities (dubbed "exceptions" or "residual dwelling site opportunities" in New Jersey policy parlance) is now being used in policy discourse within the state and will be featured at a national PDR conference in 2014. Goal 1b: Telephone surveyresearch ascertained the experiences andopinions of preserved farmland owners in NJ, MD, and DE (leading farmland preservation states). Information was collected from 507 land owners on: uses of/investments made by preserved farms, transition and succession planning, satisfaction with the preservation decision, uses of easement monies, and unanticipated challenges associated with operating on a preserved farm.These data provided useful insights into whether preserved farmland is being actively used in commercial farming (or parked in less intensive uses) and being made accessible to existing farmers wishing to expand or new industry entrants (e.g., young farmers). This research is being infused into policy discussions through investigator service on the state farmland preservation committee. Goal 1c: Data were collected on voter support for land preservation fundingreferenda dating to the 1960s.These data are used primarily to contextualize the consistency andmagnitude of public support for farmland (and open space) preservation. Goal 2a. A Northeast regional assessment of farmers' needs was conducted to assess engagement/interest in agritourism enterprise development, as well as perceived challenges and opportunities for future growth. This research informed the development of targeted educational training materials that are responsive to these needs (Goal 2b). An example of programmatic impact is the contributions made to the development of policies (known formally as an agricultural management practice) needed to clarify the extent of protections afforded to direct marketers and agritourism operators under the state right to farm statute. Another example is the creation and co-management (with a farm direct marketing association) of a centralized, statewide marketing platform for agritourism and direct marketing farms.This website (www.visitnjfarms.org) is anticipated as a key economic development strategy for this sector of New Jersey agriculture. Goal 2b. Educational programming was developed and offered to farmers in New Jersey (see details under "Products" in this report).Primary program foci include providing guidance on marketing, farm safety and risk management. New resources have been developed and continue to be disseminated through traditional Extension venues (farmer meetings and workshops, Extension publications, train-the-trainer inservice sessions, and websites). Several hundred farmers and educators have thus far benefitted from this programming. Goal 3. This is a central function served in my capacity as an Extension Specialist for agricultural policy. I serve as a visible resource on agriculture industry information and policy for: media, individual farmers, farm leadership and commodity groups, state and local policy makers and regulators, and members of the general public. It is difficult to establish a direct and immediate nexus between research findings and policy change due to the plurality of input such processes accept, as well as the length of time generally required to implement such revisions. However, this research is contributing to several policy discussions. Examples: -Research is providing new insight into whether New Jersey's Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program is increasing the affordability and accessibility of farmland to new and young farmers. Importantly, this research is identifying issues related to program implementation (e.g., deed of easement interpretation) that may limit (or enhance) the attractiveness of deed-restricted farmland to commercials farmers. As an example, there is substantial policy debate over the types and extent of farm-based recreational and educational activities ("agritourism") that should be permissible on preserved farms. Evaluation of the extent to which this ambiguity - and other restrictions that may have been unanticipated to program participants (e.g., house size constraints or impervious cover limits) - is affecting preserved farmland owners' satisfaction with their preservation decisions is important for several reasons. It provides useful insight into landowner interest in future land enrollments in PDR programs. It also provides policy makers with insight into program refinements that are needed for PDR programs to remain relevant in light of a constantly changing agricultural industry. The latter point is evidenced by a current high-profile legislative proposal to allow limited "rural microenterprises" on preserved farms, and another bill that seeks to liberalize the range of agritourism and special events permitted on preserved farms. -This agritourism programming is featuring directly in policy discourse. For example, an empirical assessment quantified the impact of agritourism development on farm profitability and identified the farm types that are likely to benefit the most financially from this form of alternative enterprise development. This type of information moves policy discussions from a reliance on theorized or anecdotal accounts of industry benefits to one that is empirically grounded in credible science. As previously noted, Hatch-funded research has contributed to policy needed to clarify right to farm protections afforded to direct marketing/agritourism farms (a cohort comprising roughly 1/5 of NJ farms). It similarly helped to justify the substantial programming aimed at promoting visitor and employee safety on agritourism farms and managing farmers' exposure to legal liabilities. It also has generated the support necessary to develop and launch a statewide website for agritourism/direct marketing promotion (190 farms are registered). -Hatch research informed the development and passage of legislation revising the New Jersey Farmland Assessment statute (the state's differential assessment law for qualified agricultural land). Scenarios reflecting alternative revisions in the minimum eligibility criteria were simulated, demonstrating impacts on land enrollment and industry revenues.
Publications
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Brennan, M., Hochman, G. & Schilling, B. (2014) " Impact of political economy constraints on assessments of biomass energy potential: New Jersey as a case study." Book Chapter in Modeling, Optimization and Bioeconomy, edited by Alberto Pinto and David Zilberman.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Schilling, B., Sullivan, K. & Duke, J. (2013). " Do Residual Development Options Increase Preserved Farmland Values?" Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics 38(3):327-343.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Schilling, B. & Marxen, L. (2013). " Visit NJ Farms: An online resource to support statewide marketing of agritourism." Journal of Extension 51(6). Article 6TOT5. Available online: http://www.joe.org/joe/2013december/tt5.php
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Schilling, B. and Marxen, L. (2013). "Developing a customized GIS-based spatial statistics tool: An application to emergency planning and response." Journal of Extension 51(5). Article 5TOT4.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Schilling, B., Komar, S., Bamka, W. & Sullivan, K. (2013). "Conventional corn grain productions vs. corn maze production: Implications for enterprise budgeting." Journal of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents 6(1): [Available online at: http://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=209].
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Esseks. J.D. and Schilling, B. (2013). Impacts of the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program: An assessment based on interviews with participating landowners. Lincoln, NE: Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Schilling, B., Attavanich, W. & Jin, Yanhong. (June 22-25, 2013). Does agritourism enhance farm profitability? Selected paper presented at the Northeast Agricultural and Resource Economics Association Annual Meetings, Ithaca, NY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Duke, J., Schilling, B., Sullivan, K., Esseks, J.D., Gottlieb, P. & Lynch, L. (June 22-25, 2013). Do preserved farmland owners invest in agriculture or extract capital? Selected paper presented at the Northeast Agricultural and Resource Economics Association Annual Meetings, Ithaca, NY.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Schilling, B., Sullivan, K., Komar, S. & Bamka, W. (2013).Budgeting for a corn maze. Rutgers Cooperative Extension publication E343.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Extension Training for Agritourism Development website. http://agritourism.rutgers.edu/training/
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I. Farmland Preservation - Survey data derived from survey of preserved farmland owners in NJ, MD and DE were analyzed to gauge perceptions of farmland preservation program impacts on farmland values, intergenerational transfer planning, farm investments and modernization, and business adaptation. The development of a summary report to the USDA, PDR program administrators, and farmland owners was begun. A new thread of research focuses on whether PDR program participation is enhancing the economic performance (profitability) of observationally equivalent non-preserved farms. I participated in a regional roundtable of farmland preservation program administrators, at which selected research findings were discussed. I have been invited to future roundtables, as well as a regional practitioner conference being planned in 2014. I remain actively engaged in policy discussions related to PDR deed of easement issues through membership on the State Agriculture Development Committee. Several academic articles are in review (or under development) that evaluate various PDR program outcomes related to preserved farmland values, PDR participant perceptions, behavior and evaluations of farmland preservation programs. This research was selected for presentation at the 2012 meetings of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association and Northeast Agricultural and Resource Economics Association. II. Agritourism/On-Farm Direct Marketing - I participated in the development of 3 agritourism conferences in NJ (oriented to farmers, planners and local officials). Topics included agritourism marketing, liability/risk management, and evolving state policies governing agritourism enterprises. With RCE colleagues, I co-produced two video segments that communicate farm safety and liability strategies to agritourism operators. An enterprise budgeting resource was similarly developed to assist farmers with developing pro forma financial plans for new agritourism activities (e.g., a corn maze). I expanded academic scholarship in this area by developing data (in conjunction with USDA-NASS) needed to evaluate whether agritourism farms are more profitable than farms without agritourism. Despite growth in agritourism (and the associated academic literature), there has been no rigorous empirical examination of whether agritourism enhances farm profitability (while accounting for selection issues that may compound such measurements). III. Domestic preparedness/business continuity in the food sector - In 2010, I led the development of an incident annex that amended the New Jersey Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) to incorporate private sector participation and planning into emergency preparedness efforts relating to food distribution. In 2012, I participated in a NJ Food Council-led debrief with the NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and other state agencies, and private sector food firms in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy (October 2012). Featured was an evaluation of the implementation of Operation Food Distribution (and the resulting annex to the State EOP) before and after the storm. An academic paper is in the early stages of development. PARTICIPANTS: Academic Collaborators (Rutgers): Lucas Marxen, Kevin Sullivan, Stephen Komar, Jenny Carleo, Margaret Brennan, Jack Rabin, Rick VanVranken. Academic Collaborators (non-Rutgers): Samantha Rich (NC State), J. Dixon Esseks (U. Nebraska), Lori Lynch (U. Maryland), Josh Duke (U. Delaware). Partner Organizations: New Jersey Department of Agriculture, State Agriculture Development Committee (NJ), New Jersey Farm Bureau, New Jersey Food Council, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, County agriculture development boards (NJ). Individuals Under Training: Witsanu Attavanich (post doctoral associate, through Oct. 2012). TARGET AUDIENCES: General farming community; agritourism and direct marketing operators; New Jersey Department of Agriculture; New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness; county offices of emergency management (NJ); food retail and distribution operations; State Agriculture Development Committee; county agricultural development boards; Cooperative Extension faculty; popular media outlets; New Jersey legislators; local government officials and planners; graduate and undergraduate students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Farmland preservation: My research continues to be channeled directly into the policy making process, informing (for example) State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) discussions on deed of easement interpretation and preserved farm stewardship. Agritourism: Resources on risk management and farm safety are being made accessible to the growing number of farmers developing or expanding agritourism enterprises. Similarly, an on-farm direct marketing AMP (agricultural management practice) was developed to clarify right-to-farm protections available to agritourism operators. This AMP was informed by my ongoing agritourism research.
Publications
- Schilling, B. and Marxen, L. (2013 - In press). "Developing a customized GIS-based spatial statistics tool: An application to emergency planning and response." Journal of Extension.
- Schilling, B., Sullivan, K. & Komar, S. (2012). "Examining the economic benefits of agritourism: The case of New Jersey." Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems and Community Development 3(1):199-214.
- Komar, S., Brumfield, R. & Schilling, B. (2012). Developing a mission statement for your agricultural business. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet FS1172.
- Colucci, S., Rozier-Rich, S., Tomas, S., Carleo, J., Komar, S. & Schilling, B. (2012). Using social media to market agritourism. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet AG-751-W.
- Infante-Casella, M., Bamka, W., Carleo, J., Colucci, S., Furey, P., Goger, N. Komar, S. J., Marxen, L., Melendez, M., Rabin, J., Rozier-Rich, S. & Schilling, B. (2012). Results of the Rutgers agritourism conferences. Proceedings of the 96th National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference: 76.
- Kluchinski, D., Marxen, L. & Schilling, B. (2012). An assessment of farm regulation inquiries to county agricultural agents in New Jersey. Proceedings of the 96th National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference: 47.
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I. Farmland Preservation - (1) Completed survey of 500 owners of preserved farmland in New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware to gauge perceptions of farmland preservation program impacts on farmland values, intergenerational transfer planning, farm investments and modernization, and business adaptation. (2) Surveyed farmland preservation program administrators in NJ, MD, and DE (n=51) on their perspectives regarding program outcomes (particularly preserved farmland market dynamics). (3) Conducted econometric modeling of factors influencing appreciation of preserved farmland in New Jersey (based on n=325 arms-length sales recorded between 1985 and 2007). (4) Participated in review of deed of easement provisions pertaining to the adaptation of preserved farms for purposes of agritourism development. (5) Constructed unique dataset to allow for econometric modeling of the impact of farmland preservation on the economic, structural and demographic characteristics of New Jersey farms. II. Agritourism/On-Farm Direct Marketing - (1) Conducted three New Jersey-based seminars on marketing basics and the use of social media in farm marketing. Hosted as part of the national Annie's Project ("an educational program dedicated to strengthening women's roles in the modern farm enterprise"), programming was delivered to 64 women engaged in or entering farming. (2) Co-authored four Extension fact sheets on the economics of agritourism in New Jersey, farm marketing, and use of social media in agritourism. III. Agriculture in the Middle - (1) Collaborated on two presentations of New Jersey's agricultural leadership and farm bureau convention delegates focused on characterizing the importance of mid-scale, "agriculture in the middle" farms in the New Jersey farm economy, outlining key challenges faced by this cohort of farms, and conceptualizing a research plan for more fully understanding the economic, logistical, and structural issues facing these farms. IV. Farmland assessment - (1) Provided several media interviews and industry presentations on various aspect of legislative history and intent, implications of the Act for agricultural viability, and projected impacts of proposed legislative revisions. V. Domestic preparedness/business continuity in the food sector - (1) Delivered featured presentations and/or panel discussions on emergency preparedness and food sector business continuity during emergencies at the All Hazards Consortium's 2011 Regional Urban Areas Security Initiatives and Planning Workshop and meetings of the New Jersey Food and Agriculture Sector Working Group. Discussions were based on the incident annex of the New Jersey State Emergency Operations Plan (titled "Maintaining Private Sector Capabilities for Feeding Impacted Populations") which was authored for the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and New Jersey Office of Emergency Management in 2010. PARTICIPANTS: Academic Collaborators (Rutgers): Lucas Marxen, Kevin Sullivan, Stephen Komar, Jenny Carleo, Margaret Brennan, Jack Rabin, Rick VanVranken. Academic Collaborators (non-Rutgers): Samantha Rich (NC State), Stacy Tomas (NC State), Sue Colucci (NC State), J. Dixon Esseks (U. Nebraska), Lori Lynch (U. Maryland), Josh Duke (U. Delaware). Partner Organizations: New Jersey Department of Agriculture, State Agriculture Development Committee (NJ), New Jersey Farm Bureau, New Jersey Food Council, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, County agriculture development boards (NJ). Individuals Under Training: Witsanu Attavanich (post doctoral associate). TARGET AUDIENCES: General farming community agritourism and direct marketing operators, women farmers, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, County offices of emergency management (NJ), food retail operations, State Agriculture Development Committee, County agricultural development boards, Cooperative Extension faculty, popular media outlets. New Jersey legislators, and local government officials/planners PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
I. Farmland Preservation - Research was completed in 2011. Academic output is forthcoming in 2012. II. Agritourism/On-Farm Direct Marketing - Contributed research and insight into state policy formation via the NJ State Agriculture Development Committee's (1) examination of deed of easement provisions pertaining to agritourism and on-farm direct marketing (resulting in the issuance of policy guidance documents to program partners and the farming community) and (2) promulgation of an on-farm direct marketing agricultural management practices that provides legal right to farm protections for agritourism and on-farm direct marketing (draft AMP is presently in review). III. Farmland assessment - Schilling's research was instrumental in the formulation of revisions to the farmland assessment statute (presently in an introduced bill). Specifically, NJAES research outlined the impacts on land eligibility and farm industry revenues of increasing the stringency of the minimum revenue required for program eligibility (from $500 to $1000). Schilling served on the NJ Department of Agriculture's ad hoc farmland assessment committee and provided legislative testimony. IV. Domestic preparedness/business continuity in the food sector - Schilling and Marxen authored the 2010 incident annex of the New Jersey State Emergency Operations Plan outlining plans and operational protocols for ensuring private food sector continuity during emergencies. The plan's incident annex was tested during a tabletop exercise in 2011 and was operational during Hurricane Irene.
Publications
- Rozier-Rich, S., Komar, S., Schilling, B., Tomas, S., Carleo, J., and Colucci, S. (2011). Meeting Extension programming needs with technology: A case study of agritourism webinars" Journal of Extension 49(6). Accessible at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2011december/a4.php.
- Schilling, B., Sullivan, K., & Komar, S. (2012 -In review). " Examining the economic and non-market values of agritourism: The case of New Jersey." Submitted to Tourism Management.
- Schilling, B., Komar, S., Carleo, J., Rozier-Rich, S., Tomas, S., and Colucci, S. (2011). Marketing 101 for your agritourism business. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Bulletin E337.
- Schilling, B. Sullivan, K, Komar, S., and Marxen, L. (2011). The economic contributions of agritourism in New Jersey. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet E333.
- Schilling, B. and Sullivan, K. (2011). The economic impact of New Jerseys food system: A 2010 update. Rutgers Cooperative Extension Bulletin E332.
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