Source: TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY submitted to
ORGANIC FARMING PLANNING PROPOSAL FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION IN ALABAMA
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0226465
Grant No.
2011-51300-30759
Project No.
ALX-01987
Proposal No.
2011-01987
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
113.A
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2011
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2012
Grant Year
2011
Project Director
Kpomblekou-A, K.
Recipient Organization
TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
TUSKEGEE,AL 36088
Performing Department
Agricultural, Environmental and Natural Sciences
Non Technical Summary
As of 2005, more than four million acres of farmland in the United States was certified organic, which represented less than 1.0% of the total farmland. The state with the most certified organic acres of cropland was California with 220,000 acres. According to the 2010 statistics, Alabama has the least number of organic CO in the country; with only eight in 2008; only Delaware has fewer than Alabama. The US Department of Agriculture reported that high managerial costs and the uncertainty of shifting to another way of farming, limited awareness of managing organic farming systems, absence of marketing opportunities and infrastructure, and the inability to attract marketing economies remain the major reasons for the slow adoption of organic farming practices. Thus, our long-term goals are to increase knowledge and acceptance of organic farming practices in Alabama.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
70%
Developmental
10%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
5020110106050%
5021499106050%
Knowledge Area
502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
1499 - Vegetables, general/other; 0110 - Soil;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this planning proposal is to improve the state of organic production in Alabama by first identifying the challenges that producers face and second identifying potential solutions for alleviating them so as to create economic opportunities for limited-resource farmers in Alabama. The outreach objective is to organize a stakeholder's [state, federal, private, and non-government organizations (NGOs) including producer, processor, distributor and marker, and consumer groups] meeting during which we will: (1) review and evaluate research and extension efforts made and identify marketing and policy constraints on expansion of organic agriculture in the state, (2) determine farmers' primary research and extension needs, and (3) develop a priority list that ranks these constraints by importance. The outcomes of the meeting will enable us to design a common strategy that will be the backbone of an integrated proposal to be submitted to the 2012 OREI Program for funding.
Project Methods
Three land-grant universities in Alabama with support from Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network and The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/ Land Assistance Fund are proposing to hold a two-day meeting to identify marketing and policy constraints on the expansion of organic agriculture in Alabama. When funded, we will hold a preliminary meeting that involves all our partners to plan details of the meeting. Our partners will be involved in planning, inviting representatives of the organic agriculture sector, publicity, advertizing, and encouraging stakeholders to attend the meeting. This approach leverages existing resources and helps to prevent duplication of efforts.

Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12

Outputs
Target Audience: Participated in the workshop, agricultural scientists of diverse backgrounds: horticulture, soil fertility management, food science, consumer science, sociology, crop physiology and post harvest physiology, agriculture engineering, agriculture economics, biochemistry, food nutrition, weed science, and entomology with research and/or extension appointments that emphasize organic farming systems. Alabama Department of Agriculture was invited to participate as well as retailers and restaurant owners (chefs and cooks). In addition, representatives of key institutions—local school boards and administrators, hospitals, nursing homes were present. Successful organic growers and associations from Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia were present to share with us their experiences. Changes/Problems: As a result of this planning grant, researchers at the three land-grant universities in Alabama (Alabama A&M, Auburn, and Tuskegee), federal and state agencies, and producers and consumers as well as private and non-government organizations involved in organic agriculture are working together to address major marketing and policy constraints on expansion of organic agriculture in the state. The stakeholders are designing a common strategy to alleviate the constraints recognized. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We reached out to the organic agriculture sector by publicity through workshop advertisement and encouraged stakeholders to attend the meeting. This approach leveraged existing resources and helped to prevent duplication of efforts. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? At the end of this project, the following were accomplished: 1) Project goal and objectives were met; 2) Workshop activities were very successful; 3) The organic agriculture communities of the Southeast came together and worked together for a successful workshop outcome; 4) Alabama organic farming stakeholders submitted a follow-up proposal to NIFA in order to improve the stand of the organic farming industry in Alabama.

Publications

  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: BARRIERS AND CONSTRAINTS TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND CERTIFICATION IN ALABAMA