Progress 04/15/14 to 04/14/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences are small, limited-resource, women, veteran, and minority farmers. The project personnel developed, evaluated, and taught diversified methods of farming and different methods of evaluating the farms' resource base. These data were used in recommending and evaluating diverse farm enterprises. The research component collected data and evaluated diverse, relatively new to Kentucky, farm enterprises. The researchers evaluated enterprises that are suitable to diverse audiences, minority farmers, and farmers in Appalachia. They evaluated different systems of production. They also introduced and evaluated GPS systems suitable for small farmers. The U.S. Census of Agriculture and Kentucky's NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) state office were used in the surveys, evaluation, and source of secondary data. Another target audience were the Kentucky State University graduate and undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment. Changes/Problems:The major problem was identifying and obtaining the appropriate secondary data. Face-to-face meetings with data collectors helped identify the problems and alternative sources of secondary data. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training programs for farmers included the 2016 (224 participants), 2017 (184 participants), and 2018 (194 participants) Small Limited- Resource/Minority Farmers Conferences; one Kentucky State University Small Farm Sustainable Agriculture Field Day (378 participants); and 12 county Extension meetings and demonstrations. Training opportunities also included one-on-one and indirect contacts. University students were taught about GPS systems through demonstrations at MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences) club meetings. High school students from Kentucky and Tennessee were introduced to GIS systems. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The information gained was taught to small farmers through workshops and conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: A GIS database of farmers in southcentral Kentucky and Appalachia was initiated, primarily with African-American farmers. Objective 2: Several causes of underproduction were identified. These included the lack of labor available in some locations and the farm family's dependence on off-farm jobs. Local markets were often lacking; however, Kentucky has made a major effort to develop farmers markets across the state for horticultural and value-added products. The returns per investment are low for many of the traditional enterprises and the tobacco markets are not stable, which has made the farmers more interested in diversification. Objective 3: Geospatial models were developed and evaluated for the targeted farm groups and locations. Objective 4: GIS and web-based educational programs have been developed and initiated. Objective 5: Many educational programs and conferences were offered to educate the small farmers.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Mishra, B., Gyawali, B.R., Paudel, K.P., Pouydal, N.C., Simon, M.F., Dasgupta, S. and Antonious, G. 2018. Adoption of sustainable agriculture practices among farmers in Kentucky, USA. Environmental Management. 62(6):10601072.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Rice, C. and Gyawali, B. (2019). Farmers and Issues of Food Security: From the Farm to the Consumer. Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG), Little Rock, AR, January 25-26, 2019.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Rice, C. and Gyawali, B. (2019). Navigating Agricultural Opportunities for Education, Financial Assistance and Training: Socially Disadvantaged Grant (SDG) - Reaching Out to Underserved Females and Minorities. 15th Annual National Land-Grant Diversity (NLGD) Conference. Hebron, KY, February 7-8, 2019.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Rice, C. and Gyawali, B. (2019.) Farmers Perception of Food Security (Safety). Southern Rural Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Birmingham, AL, February 3-4, 2019.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sariyildiz, O., Gyawali, B., Pomper, K., and Cristan, R. (2018). Geospatial habitat characterization of bush honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, and native plants in the understory of a northcentral Kentucky forest. Biological Invasion (in review).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Rice, C. (2018). Socially Disadvantaged Groups Underserved by USDA: Funding Opportunities through USDA and Programs Managed by the Sub-Levels. Small Limited Resource Minority Farmers Conference, Frankfort, KY, June 20, 2018.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Mishra, B., Sandifer, J. and Gyawali, B. (2019). Urban heat island in Kathmandu, Nepal: Evaluating relationship between NDVI and LST from 2000 to 2018. International Journal of Environment. 8(1): 17-29.
- Type:
Books
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Shrestha, T., Gyawali, B. and Shrestha, P. (2018). Commonwealth of Kentucky Land Cover Change Mapbook (1992-2011), Kentucky State University College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment, KYSU-000070, Frankfort, KY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Gyawali, B. and Poudyal N. (2018). Surface Mining, Subjective Well-being, and Public Perceptions on Environmental Change in Kentuckys Appalachia: Exploring Relationship using Survey Data. American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 14, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sariyildiz , O. and Gyawali, B. (2018). Research and Extension Activities of Kentucky State University in Eastern Kentucky for Life Quality Improvement. Annual Shaping Our Appalachian Region Meeting. Pikeville, KY. August 31, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Gyawali, B. and Poudyal, N. (2018). Studying of Community Perspectives on Environmental Hazards of Coal-mining and Success of Reclamation Efforts in Eastern Kentucky; Mining Exploration International Conference, Las Vegas, NV, September 5-9, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Mishra. B. and Gyawali, B. (2018). Change in Net Primary Productivity of Parcel Land in Logan and Breckinridge Counties in Central Kentucky. American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 13, 2018.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Shrestha, P. and Gyawali, B. (2019). Land cover change and forest fragmentation in heavily coal-mined areas: A case study in Feds Creek-Levisa Fork watershed in eastern Kentucky. Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing (in review).
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Rice, C. Identifying Small Farmers Perceptions of Food Security . Thesis Defense. Kentucky State University, Frankfort, Ky.
|
Progress 04/15/17 to 04/14/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Small-scale, limited-resource, and minority farmers in Kentucky. This includes former coal miners, Appalachian farmers, African American farmers, farmers in the StrikeForce and Promise Zones, women, beginning, and veteran farmers. Changes/Problems:We could not accomplish all objectives as stated in in the grant proposal during the project period due to a number of reasons beyond the control of the project team. A major issue was related to the access to the survey data at the USDA/NASS office and the expiration of permissions to access the survey data. We had thought that the survey data would be made available for remote access and could be brought to the KSU lab for further analysis. The NASS office did not allow us to bring data from its office in Louisville to KSU. It took longer than expected to conduct background checks and obtain permission to access the data. We have requested a second one-year no-cost extension of the project until March 2019 to accomplish all project objectives and publish manuscripts, Extension, and outreach materials. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project provided partial support for the project team salaries and travel expenses for attending conferences and workshops. The project also provided partial assistantships to two graduate students to conduct thesis research. The PI and students received support to attend professional society meetings and present research papers and to network with other scientists and faculty for developing collaborative grants. Dr. Gyawali participated in five professional development training workshops and over a dozen professional conferences during the reporting period. Ms. Laura Rogers attended professional development programs on queen bee rearing, pollinators, and advanced photography. Mr. Louie Rivers, Jr., Dr. Johnnie Westbrook, Dr. Courtney Owens, and Ms. Birch attended the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD) held at the Hyatt Hotel in Crystal City, VA (April 3-5, 2017) with approximately 350 individuals in attendance. The PI (Dr. Simon) was continuously involved in outreach Extension activities, organizing the KY small farm conference, SSAWG, and other meetings as well as serving on SARE and USDA/NIFA proposal review panels. Co-PI Gyawali has been continuously collaborating with faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Louisiana State University, and University of Tennessee-Knoxville for developing multiple USDA/NIFA- and NSF-funded grants, five of which are currently active, as well as analyzing survey data. Dr. Gyawali advised six graduate students and three undergraduate students during the reporting period. For their thesis and experiential research project. Dr. Marion Simon (PI) and Dr. Gyawali (Co-PI), and a graduate student Ms. Cynthia Rice were recognized by the Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA) for their professional service, teaching, and graduate student papers, respectively. Dr. Marion Simon received the Tuskegee University Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) Outstanding Service Award and Mr. Louie Rivers Jr. received the 1890 AEA Outstanding Extension Agricultural Professional award and the Association of Public and Land Grant University's (APLU) National Outstanding Extension Professional Award. Multiple students and small-scale farm agents presented over a dozen papers and posters at the Southern Rural Sociological Society (SRSA) annual meeting in Jacksonville, FL; the Kentucky Academic of Science (KAS) in Murray, KY; the Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals (KAMP) annual meetings in Louisville, KY; and other meetings. Co-PI Gyawali's graduate students (Cynthia Rice, Bijesh Mishra, Jarod Jones, and Oguz Sariyildiz) received multiple awards for their posters and paper presentations. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project team was involved in various dissemination and outreach activities by engaging in discussions with many small-scale farmers during informal forums of the annual Small Farmers Conference and KSU's Third Thursday Thing meetings, professional conferences, (SRSA, PAWC, SSAWG, SOAR, KAS), and presentations of graduate student thesis results at conferences (please see the products section for the topics of presentations made at different conferences). Mr. Jeremy Sandifer demonstrated drones during the KY Annual Small Farm conference and at the Agribusiness workshop in Prestonsburg, KY. Ms. Cynthia Rice and Mr. Jeremy Sandifer participated in the SOAR annual meeting in Pikeville, KY and shared the project outcomes and geospatial products with the conference participants. Two manuscripts are in the final stages of internal review for submission. The team has also given oral and poster presentations at professional conferences, workshops, the Third Thursday Thing, the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG), SARE, the Professional Agriculture Workers Conference (PAWC) at Tuskegee University, and the Southern Rural Sociology Association (SRSA) conferences to share the results of this research and Extension experience. Other major workshops, field days, and presentations were: Ms. Laura Rogers organized and taught 22 workshops on bee- keeping, honey production, feral hogs, queen bee production, pastured poultry, and women in agriculture concerns; Mr. Edwin Chavous conducted the "2017 Minority/Risk Management Program Annual Cooperative Extension Update" in Stanford, KY (45 participants; May 11, 2017) and he hosted a field day at Logan County about manure and cover crops in a program (40 participants); Mr. Austin Wright hosted the 1st Annual Hemp Field Day (55 participants; May 19, 2017); The Third Thursday Thing had 795 participants during the project period; the 20th Anniversary of The Third Thursday Thing had 45 presenters and participation was about 650; A presentation was made to Vietnam Veterans at the Harold R. Benson Research & Demonstration Farm (90 veterans present; April 22, 2017); The KSU Small, Limited-Resource/Minority Farmers Conference was held November 14-16, 2017 (246 participants with participants from 61 counties and nine states); Mr. Austin Accession No. 1002650 Project No. KYXSimon03 Wright worked with nine KSU professionals and Dr. N. Dawson of Russellville, KY to develop the Russellville Urban Garden Project (450 students present for the meeting); Dr. Marion Simon, along with 22 KSU staff, students, and farmers, attended the 49th Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) at Tuskegee, AL (128 participants). Mr. Louie Rivers, Jr. presented "Working with the 1890 Institution" at the 2017 AgrAbility National Training workshop held in Knoxville, TN (28 participants; March 8, 2017). Mrs. Laura Rogers presented a poster at the 1890 Research Directors Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (83 participants; April 3, 2017). Mr. Louie Rivers, Jr., escorted Mr. Earl Gay and Clark Gay to the 2017 AgrAbility National Training workshop held in Knoxville, TN (March 20-23, 2017) with approximately 245 individuals in attendance. They also attended the "What to Expect When Working with Vocational Rehabilitation" session with 48 participants. The project team organized an Alternative Agribusiness and land management workshop in reclaimed lands in Prestonsburg, KY during the reporting period (145 participants). The project team, KSU small farms program staff, and invited guest speakers from NRCS, Fish and Wildlife service, USDA/RD, and KSU finance and business professors provided presentations about use of online resources, drones, farm record keeping, taxes, farm management, alternate solar energy, and cost-share programs. The grant funds were also used to purchase computers, software, and data. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have requested a second one-year no-cost extension of the project until March 2019 to accomplish all project objectives and publish manuscripts, Extension, and outreach materials. A full-time research assistant will be hired using the remaining salary funds to complete all objectives and prepare Extension materials. A contractual agreement will be arranged for a collaborator (Dr. Krishna Paudel, Professor of Agricultural Economics) to assist the project team to accomplish objective 3 and develop spatial econometric-based alternative land management models and prepare 3 additional manuscripts as well as train students and small farm agents about the economics of farm management and sustainability. Other activities to be pursued in the next reporting period are: publication of at least three manuscripts, including one from the graduate student's thesis; develop outreach and Extension kits for use of geospatial data and maps for sustainable farm management and share with stakeholders via website; update the small-scale farms geodatabase; attend conferences and professional development workshops; organize training and workshops; develop a web-interactive model for farm management; host two sessions (one at the Third Thursday Thing and another at the KY small farm conference) to educate participants about use of online resources, maps, geospatial data and drone images for sustainable use of farm resources, marketing, and precision agriculture. Small farm agents will be trained on the use of geospatial data, the Global Positioning System (GPS), and online maps to educate farmers when they make one-on-on visits with farmers in their service counties. A final evaluation of the project will be conducted by an external evaluator. The research outputs will be also submitted to the eXtension Communities of Practice.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1. We have been updating and geocoding addresses of small-scale farms/farmers in central Kentucky to establish regular contacts and address their farm management needs. We compiled geographic and farm attributes of about 500 farm addresses. These are regular attendees of our Third Thursday Thing Sustainable Agriculture Workshop series and KY annual small farm conferences. Some addresses did not match geocoding data. Some farmers are deceased, and some properties were divided and sold or rented, causing address mismatches. Ms. Cynthia Rice, a graduate student, has been updating this information in the database. The census database of the NASS/USDA, compiled over the last 30 years, shows that the change in average number and the average size of farms have opposite trends. The data show that average size of farms has increased since 1982 from 140 acres/farm to 169 acres/farm, whereas the number of farms in Kentucky declined from 101,642 to 77,064 resulting in a loss of about 25,000 farms from the business within the 30-year time period. The average age of farmers in Kentucky is increasing. This shows farmers from the same age-group are involved in farming for a long period of time. There are relatively small numbers of operators among all, principle, second, and third categories of farmers that belong to the below-35 years age group. The average number of acres of land operated by the survey respondents was 169 acres, which is very close to the average (167 acres) reported by the 2012 U.S. Agriculture Census. Objective 2. Thishas been addressed initially by conducting focus group discussions followed by surveys of 1000 Kentucky farmers and producers. Results from the focus group were reported in the earlier annual reports. The responses related to the "Farm Efficiency" section of the survey have not been completely analyzed due to expiration of the permission of the Co-PI and the graduate student to access the survey data at the NASS office in Louisville. During the project period, Bijesh Mishra, a graduate student, was primarily involved in the farm diversification and sustainability sections of the survey to prepare his thesis. Mr. Mishra successfully presented his thesis and graduated in May 2017. He is currently working on finishing his manuscripts for publications. We are planning to hire him for a few months to continue to work on analyzing remaining data from the survey, including the farm efficiency section of the survey, with the anticipation that a second one-year no-cost extension of the project will be approved. We have requested NASS grant renewed access to the data for the Co-PI, Buddhi Gyawali, and Bijesh Mishra, a research assistant, at the NASS office in Louisville. We were told that it might take 4-5 months for their background checks and renewal of the permission. Therefore, we need to request a second one-year no-cost extension to complete this objective. The response rate was very low for the questions related to farm efficiency. The preliminary descriptive statistics of the questions related to farm efficiency indicate that farmers spend a significant percentage of gross income on expenses related to mortgage/loan and farm equipment payments, cost of fertilizers, lime, and soil conditioners. The farmers have reported that agricultural practices are labor intensive. They spend an average of 116 hours/week as paid labor and about 40 hours/week as operational labor in their farm. They intend to hire labors who are already trained. Regarding the farm diversification questions, as a part of improving their farm income, the majority of farmers think that they have already diversified their farms since they grow row crops, livestock, and maintain habitats for wildlife; some farmers retain limited patches of timbers in a few parts of Kentucky. They reported that farmers would change production to a different crop if it were more profitable. The overwhelming majority of respondents stated that diversification is not an easy decision to make. It costs more in terms of farm inputs and it requires learning new skills. Farmers opined that in order for family farms to survive and become sustainable, they look for support in niche markets to help keep their input costs low. Primarily, their understanding of diversification is more inclusion of livestock and timber harvesting on their land. We will explore factors that affect diversification decisions by using regression analysis and report results next year. Mr. Bijesh Mishra completed his thesis "Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices among Kentucky Farmers" in May 2017. His study investigated whether and how various factors related to farm or farmer characteristics influence the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. A negative binomial regression model was fitted to the survey data. The thesis results suggest that adoption rates of sustainable agriculture practices varied significantly among agricultural districts in Kentucky. Farmers who grow row crops, have irrigation facilities, and are in favor of crop diversification were significantly more likely to adopt sustainable agriculture practices than their respective counterparts. Similarly, having a college education and participation in the Tobacco Buyout Program were also positively and significantly related with adoption of sustainable agriculture practices among Kentucky farmers. In contrast, lack of adequate knowledge about sustainable farming and unfamiliarity with technology was significantly and negatively related with the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. Mr. Mishra is currently working on finalizing a manuscript to submit to a peer-reviewed journal. Objective 3. Thishas not been completed due to lack of adequate time for the graduate student to visit the data lab in the USDA/NASS office in Louisville within the reporting period since he was busy completing his thesis. He will continue to work on this objective this year. In the meantime, when Mr. Mishra was busy with his thesis, we hired a research assistant in January 2017 to work on this objective, but her application for permission to access data took longer time than we expected and she resigned. We plan to analyze farm efficiency and land use change data reported in the survey in the extended period of this grant. A collaborator (Dr. Krishna Paudel, Professor of Agricultural Economics, from Louisiana State University) will assist the project team to analyze the data and develop land management models. He will visit KSU in March/April and in June2018 to analyze the efficiency data. Objective 4. A map book was developed during this project period. This book includes land cover change maps for 52 counties in Kentucky that have high numbers of small-scale farms. This book has been helpful for undergraduate research, education, and outreach use. Presentations and demonstrations related to the use of online resources, maps, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) were conducted by graduate students and the project team in several different occasions at the Third Thursday Thing workshops, the KY Small Farms Conference, and other occasions. A few private visits with landowners were made by Jeremy Sandifer to map their property using drones. Additional geospatial data, maps, web-interactive information, and educational mapping kits will continue to be developed in the extended period of the project. Objective 5. Thishas been achieved via KSU's small farm and outreach program through regular meetings, workshops, conferences, and one-on-one visits with farmers on an as-needed basis. Four (4) small-farm agents have been continuously involved and working closely with small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (please see the list of presentations and professional and training activities section for details).
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Shrestha, P., Gyawali, B., Sandifer J., Acharya, B., Shrestha, T., Mishra B., Sariyildiz, O. (2017). Land Cover Change and Forest Fragmentation in Pike County, Kentucky. Presented at the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, April 5-9, 2017, Boston, MA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Mishra, B., Gyawali, B., Simon, M. (2017). Exploring Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Kentucky using Poisson Regression Model. Presented at the Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) Research Symposium, April 1-4, 2017, Atlanta, GA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Mishra, B., Gyawali, B., Paudel, K., Poudyal, N. C., Banerjee, B. (2017). Assessing Farm Sustainability and Operators Interest in Farm Diversification in Kentucky. Presented at Southern Agriculture Economics Association 49th Annual Meeting, Mobile, AL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Mishra, B., Gyawali, B., Simon, M. (2017) Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Kentucky. Presented at the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSWAG) Conference, Lexington, KY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Mishra, B., Gyawali, B. (2016). Geographical Distribution and Clustering of Sustainable Agriculture Technologies in Kentucky. Presented at the Kentucky Academy of Science 104th Annual Meeting, November 4-5, 2016, Louisville, KY. (Second Place Winner in the Graduate Research Oral Presentation Award).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Simon, M., Gyawali, B., Mishra, B. (2016). Farm Diversification for Strengthening of Small Farmers in Kentucky. A grant report presentation along with PIs in the Project Directors meeting during the 7th National Small Farm Conference in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B., Simon, M., Rivers, L. (2017). Small Farms: Alternatives to Meet New Challenges from Changing Climate Conditions. National Small Farms Conference Proceedings, January 2017.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Shrestha, P., Sharma, R., Gyawali, B., Carlisle, E., Hopkins, D. A Pilot Study to Explore the Possibility of Combining Field and Remotely Sensed data for Agricultural Resource Management. SSRG International Journal of Agriculture & Environmental Science (SSRG-IJAES). 4(4):105-108.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Gyawali, B., Shrestha, P., Sandifer, J., et al. Coal-mining, reclamation and microclimate variation: A geospatial perspective in understanding human-environment relationships in Kentuckys Appalachia. Presented at Association of American Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Gyawali, B., Mishra, B., Simon, M. Farm Succession and Future of Farming in Kentucky. Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) Research Symposium, April 2, 2017, Atlanta, GA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B., Sandifer, J. Geographic Information Systems in Agricultural Production: Use of Story Maps, Map Books, and Other Benefits of GIS. Association of 1890 Research Directors (ARD) Research Symposium, April 2, 2017, Atlanta, GA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Gyawali, B., Turay, A., Sandifer, J., Rice, C. Economics of Small Farms and Online Resources. Kentucky Small Farms Conference, November 15-17, 2017, Frankfort, KY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Gyawali, B., Simon, M., Poudyal, N. (2018). Community perceptions on surface mining, reclamation impacts and trust on public entities in the Eastern Kentucky. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B. (2018). Farmers and Food Security Perceptions. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Rice, C. (2018). Food security and the small Farmer's Place in Food Security. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Chavous, E., Jewell, T., Simon, M., Rivers, L. (2018). Developing Networks for Diversity. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Skelton, S., Simon, M., Jewell, T. (2018). A Diversity of Farmers have built networks because of pastured poultry enterprises. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Jewell, T., Simon, M., Skelton, S. (2018). Kentucky's Local Food Systems-African American Beginning Farmers are Taking a Lead Role. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Rogers, L. (2018). Motivation of regrowth. Presented at the 49th annual meeting of Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA), Jacksonville, FL, February 2-6, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics: (STEM): A Whole New Field To Be Outstanding In. Presented at GEOINT 2017, Tuskegee, AL, July 24-26, 2017.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B., Sandifer, J. Shelby County Kentucky State University Serving the Community: Education and Outreach in the Appalachian Region. Presented at Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) Annual Summit, August 4-5, 2017, Pikeville, KY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B., Sandifer, J. Shelby County Land cover change and implications for small farmers in a small farm-dominant county in adapting strategies for food security/climate change. Presented at Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals, September 7, 2017, Louisville, KY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B. Small Farmers Place in Food Security. Presented at Southern Sustainable Agricultural Working Group, January 19-20, 2018, Chattanooga, TN.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Mishra, B. (2017). Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices among Kentucky Farmers and their perceptions about farm sustainability.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Mishra, B., Gyawali, B., Poudyal, N., Simon, M. (2018). Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices among Kentucky Farmers.
|
Progress 04/15/16 to 04/14/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Small-scale, limited-resource, and minority farmers in Kentucky. This includes former coal miners, Appalachian farmers, African American farmers, farmers in the StrikeForce and Promise Zones, women, beginning, and veteran farmers. Changes/Problems:The Objectives need to be completed and will require additional time. A request for a no-cost extension for 1 year has been made. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been numerous opportunities to educate farmers and professionals about the results of the research project. At the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working group conference, a poster was presented to some 1,200 farmer participants from across the southern region (January 27-28, 2017, Lexington, KY). Presentations were made at the Kentucky Small, Limited-Resource/Minority Farmers Conference, including farmers, university professionals, and USDA agencies (November 16-18, 2016, Frankfort, KY; 252 participants); the Kentucky SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region) Conference attended by farmers and professionals (June 5, 2016); the Kentucky Academy of Science, which is composed of university faculty and students from across Kentucky (November 14, 2015, Highland Heights, KY); the Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals Meeting (October 12, 2015, Owensboro, KY); and the 7th National Small Farm Conference (September 19, 2016, Virginia Beach, VA). Presentations were also made to university professionals at the 2016 and 2017 Southern Rural Sociology Association Annual Meetings (San Antonio, TX, February 5-9, 2016 and Mobile, AL, February 5-6, 2017, respectively). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Finish the Objectives, particularly those related to the completion of the GIS training Objective, and submit information to the eXtension Communities of Practice.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Additional focus groups were held in the Kentucky Highlands Promise Zone, Kentucky StrikeForce Zone, and at the Kentucky State University "Third Thursday Thing" (a monthly sustainable agriculture workshop targeting small farmers, beginning farmers and agricultural professionals) to determine the state of small-scale farms in Kentucky and the extension and research needs of different targeted groups. Numerous professional papers and posters were submitted and accepted. Most of the data has been analyzed, but the analysis is not completed. Objectives 1 and 2 are completed. Objective 3 is near completion. Objective 4 is undergoing development and has not been completed. Objective 5 is currently underway. A one-year, no-cost extension has been requested in order to complete Objectives 3, 4, and 5.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Farmers, Maps, and Online Resources: Information for Today's Farmers. Presented at the Kentucky Small, Limited-Resource/Minority Farmers Conference, November 16, 2016, Frankfort, KY
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rice C., Gyawali B.7 Coal Counties and Remedial/Reclamation Transformation of Surface Mined Land to Original or Better Than Original Condition. Kentucky Academy of Science, November 14, 2015. Highland Heights, KY
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Telling Farmers What They Want To Know With Story Maps A method to get Training & education to a Dispersed Audience. Kentucky Academy of Science, Louisville, KY
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
GIS in the Life of a Small Farmer Extension Training, Hopkinsville, KY
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Rice C., Gyawali B., Mishra B. Kentucky State University: A World of Exploration at Your Fingertips 7th National Small Farm Conference, September 20-22, 2016, Virginia Beach, VA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
The Kentucky State University AFRI Small Farm Project, Virginia Beach, VA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
"Educating Small Farmers, Workshops to help you get started: Small Farms: Alternatives to Meet New Challenges from Changing Climate Conditions, 7th National Small Farm Conference, Virginia Beach, VA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Rice C., Gyawali B., Mishra B. Bridging the Road to Success for the Small Farmer. 7th National Small Farm Conference, September 20-22, 2016, Virginia Beach, VA
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rice, C. Sandifer J., Gyawali B. Parcel Data and its value to Farmers. Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals Conference, October 13, 2015, Owensboro, KY
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rice C. Storymaps as an educational tool. Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals Conference, October 18th, 2016, Covington, KY
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rice C., Gyawali B. Developing a tool to assist farmers in new crops to deal with changing weather and social conditions. Kentucky Association of Mapping Professionals Conference, October 13, 2015, Owensboro, KY
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B., Sandifer, J., Bates, K., Simon, M., and Rivers, L. Climate Change and the Farmers New Reality. Southern Rural Sociology Association Annual Meetings, February 5, 2017, Mobile, AL
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Rice, C., Gyawali, B., Sandifer, J., Bates, K., Simon, M., and Rivers, L. Using GIS to Create Map Books for Farm Planning and Development. Southern Rural Sociology Association Annual Meetings, February 5, 2017, Mobile, AL
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Progress 04/15/15 to 04/14/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is small farmers and minority farmers who are contemplating farm diversification.The farmers educatedwere mostly located in the Promise Zone and the Strike Force Zone in Kentucky, however, they covered some 60 counties and 12 states. Changes/Problems:Although 1,000 surveys were distributed, the response was low to the mailed surveys. This will followed-up by telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews, and facilitated fact finding sessions. It was determined by USDA-NASS and the collaborators that the numbers would suffice for the research. The Extension educational programs targeting diversification are planned throughout Kentucky State University's Cooperative Extension Program's service area. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The Extension component involved four (4) multi-county workshops and one (1) statewide conference. In Russell County, KY (Strike Force Zone), some 35 participants from three (3) counties discussed the need for sustainable agriculture, new crops and enterprises, small farm management, and the production of honeybees. In the Promise Zone, Jackson, KY, a multicounty workshop with some 76 participants from five (5) counties was given on sustainable agriculture, honeybee production, and pastured poultry enterprises. One multicounty workshop was held in an African American church in Lincoln County (Strike Force Zone) with 65 participants, 90% African American and women farmers, on USDA Agencies, farm diversification, beef cattle, forages and hay production, and human health. One (1) workshop on diversification was held in Christian County with participants from two additional counties. The 55 participants were 80% African American. The Small, Limited-Resource/Minority Farmers Conference, statewide and held at Kentucky State University, had 176 farmer participants, 70% African American, 45% women, and 75% minority farmers from 55 counties and 12 states provided educational programs on alternative crops and enterprises, farm diversification, USDA programs, human health, the results of the survey, and farm management and marketing. At the 2016 Southern Rural Sociology Association's Annual Meetings, the Kentucky State University staff presented 7 selected papers and one (1) selected poster. The publications are forthcoming and will be listed in the next report. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Theresearch survey was followed by four multi-county Extension conferences to educate farmers. Presentations and selected papers were given at the Southern Rural Sociology Association's Annual Meetings to research and Extension professionals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Provide numerous Extension educational meetings on farm diversification, particularly directed toward minority farmers and former coal miners in Appalachia. Report the publications and presentations that were developed as a result of this project. Continue the research program and its tie-in to Extension. The Extension component involved three (3) multi-county workshops and one (1) statewide conference. In Russell County, KY (Strike Force Zone), some 35 participants from three (3) counties discussed the need for sustainable agriculture, new crops and enterprises, small farm management, and the production of honeybees. In the Promise Zone, Jackson, KY, a multicounty workshop with some 76 participants from five (5) counties was given on sustainable agriculture, honeybee production, and pastured poultry enterprises. One multicounty workshop was help in an African American church in Lincoln County (Strike Force Zone) with 65 participants, 90% African American and women farmers, on USDA Agencies, farm diversification, beef cattle, forages and hay production, and human health. The Small, Limited-Resource/Minority Farmers Conference, statewide and held at Kentucky State University, had 176 farmer participants, 70% African American, 45% women, and 75% minority farmers from 55 counties and 12 states provided educational programs on alternative crops and enterprises, farm diversification, USDA programs, human health, the results of the survey, and farm management and marketing. At the 2016 Southern Rural Sociology Association's Annual Meetings, the Kentucky State University staff presented 7 selected papers and one (1) selected poster. The publications are forthcoming and will be listed in the next report.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
A survey was administered to small and minority farmers across Kentucky to 1,000 farmers using the stratified sampling method. A total of 206 farmers responded to the mailed survey, 456 farmers were interviewed by telephone, and 338 farmers were inaccessible. Farm owners numbered 272 while 104 rented their farms. The average size farm was 815.18 acres, ranging from 0 to 15,390 acres. Farmers reported hay crops (N = 142) as the most cultivated crops, followed by corn (N = 90), soybeans (N = 65) and tobacco (N = 43). Less reported crops included barley (N = 2), sweet sorghum, energy cane, switch grass and miscanthus. Wheat was reported by many farmers. Although 23 farmers reported having vegetables, only 14 farmers reported total acres of vegetables grown which averaged 10.39 acres (0.25 to 40 acres per farm). Of 236 farmers reporting, 182 had livestock with (N = 143) farmers reporting beef cattle, equine (N = 40) and poultry (N = 30). The average number of beef cattle was 139.35 (1 to 3,000 with a median of 130). Though only 12 farmers reported dairy cows, their average number (Mean = 469.08) was relatively high with a wide range (Min = 2 and Max = 2,500). The average number and range were high for poultry (Mean = 72,908.13) and range (Min =2 and Max = 500,000). Other livestock reported by surveyed farmers were bees, swine, sheep, and goats. Of 219 respondents, 106 said they were in favor of diversification to: increase their net farm income (N= 76), keep the farm in the family (N = 57), continue farming (N = 56), reduce income risks (N = 45), provide year-round income (N =40), provide family employment (N = 35), for soil improvement and sustainability (N = 32), and to reduce labor inputs (N = 26). Farmers were interested in adding 'alternative grains and field crops' (N = 31) and 'industrial, energy and non-food crops' (N = 14) as new enterprises in the future to diversify their farms, plus medicinal and culinary herbs, seeds and plant breeding, native plants and ecofriendly landscapes, heirloom and ethnic fruits and vegetables, post-harvest handling and processing, and ornamental and nursery crops. Sixty-two (62) farmers agreed that "A farm cooperative is needed to help market new products" whereas 22 did not agree. The respondents felt that tobacco is cheaper to produce, takes less inputs than other products, and the return on investment is higher. Almost all the respondents did not think that there was an alternative to tobacco farming. Farmers were asked to rate the sustainability of their farms based on five different indicators of sustainability: Local Ecosystem Sustainability (168), Global Ecosystem Sustainability (161), Social Sustainability (159), Social Acceptability (159), and Food System Sustainability (158). More than 100 farmers rated all indicators either 4 or 5 with ratings of 3, 4, or 5 were given by more than 135 farmers for each indicator. When asked if they see barriers to farming sustainably, of 191 farmers, 1/3 said 'yes' and 2/3 said 'no'. A total of 201 farmers when asked if they experiment on their farms, 1/4 said 'yes' and 3/4 'no'. Of 198 respondents, 60 said they have problems that can be solved through scientific research, but 138 farmers said they do not. Farmers reporting the use of renewal energy were ethanol (N = 42), biodiesel (N = 33), solar panels (N = 10), and geothermal energy (N = 9). Lack of knowledge about renewable resources was the main reason for not adopting renewable energy sources, followed by no grants or loans available, no credit or rebate provided by the government, no local installer, and/or no local vendor available. Primary sustainable agriculture practices used included manure distribution as fertilizer, reduction in the use of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizer, controlled grazing, cover cropping or green manure, crop and livestock diversification, sprayer calibration and application accuracy, conservation tillage, farm machinery adaption, improved water management, and land reform to reduce soil erosion. The results of 199 respondent farmers concerning their optimism on the future of farming, 175 farmers rated farming's future to be '5 or above', 104 farmers rated it '8 or above', and 30 farmers rated it a '7' on a scale of 10. Related to farm efficiency, responses were low. Expenses related to commercial fertilizer costs, livestock purchase, fuel expenses, feed and veterinarian services, other expenses of farming (such as insurance, taxes, etc.), machinery costs, farmland values, and labor used were the major concerns. Farmers were asked about concerns regarding the future of farming in Kentucky. Farmers were less concerned about climate change, biodiversity losses, resource conservation, health related concerns, market structure, land degradation, irrigation water availability, lack of cooperative extension systems, and lack of diversification on farms, but they showed high concern for the cost of energy, high cost of inputs, and not enough return on investment. Related to succession, the majority of the farmers rate farm succession highly in reducing their own labor and reducing their ownership in the business. For family farms to survive and be sustainable, respondents feel that we need to find and support niche markets such as organics and CSA's (community supported agriculture) to help keep input costs low. Overall findings lead to these statements: Farming is a business, not an entitlement. Farm owners and operators must take the lead and develop their own business. The majority were in favor of conducting marketing and advertisement activities in a group to sell products by attracting buyers. Of the 210 farmers reporting, 22 had not completed high school, 87 had completed their high school degree, 37 had attended some college, 43 had their college degrees, and 21 had graduate or professional degrees. Of the 160 farmers reporting their spouses' education, 17 had not completed high school, 51 had high school degrees, 21 had attended some college, 42 had college degrees, and 29 had graduate or professional degrees. Of the 199 farmers reporting their income status, 44 reported annual farm incomes of $9,999 and under, 57 reported annual farm incomes of $10,000 - $49,999, 28 farmers reported annual farm incomes of $50,000-$99,999, 27 reported annual farm incomes of $100,000-$249,999, 17 reported annual farm incomes of $250,000 - $$99,999, and 26 reported annual farm incomes above $500,000. The majority of the farmer respondents (112 out of 205 respondents) reported they did not receive any payments from federal/state programs. For those receiving government payments, 64 farmers reported payments received of less than $5,000 and 14 farmers reported payments of $5,000 to $9,999. Of the 219 farmers, 161 received income from agri-tourism or recreational services. The majority of the respondents were Caucasian.
Publications
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Progress 04/15/14 to 04/14/15
Outputs
Target Audience: Small farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, limited resource farmers, women farmers, and beginning farmers throughout Kentucky, including those in Strike Force and Promise Zone Counties. Changes/Problems: The first graduate student will present the thesis defense in May of 2015. The targeted 400 surveys was not reached; however, it was determined that the 325 surveys that were received and analyzed weresignificant. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Graduate students have had the opportunity to present at the Southern Rural Sociology Association Annual Meeting; numerous farmer workshops have been held. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? To date, the preliminary information from the focus groups has been shared with the Southern Rural Sociology Association through a presented paper and poster and through two producer workshops in Kentucky. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The second survey will be completed and results from both surveys completed, compiled, and thesis results published. Theses results will be developed into educational models, GIS and econometric models, for educating small farmers and for use by small farmers on their operations. Extension educational programs, field days, and workshops will continue. Farmers and Extension educators will be trained on the educational and econometric/GIS models, so they can be used by small farmers.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This Progress Report focuses primarily on Objectives 2 and 5. Objective 2 will generate the information needed from which to develop the databases and models described that will be developed in Objectives 1, 3 and 4. Objective 2 result follow. Two focus group discussions were conducted. The first focus group was held during the Kentucky State University Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference on November 20, 2014 with a diverse group of small farmers from across Kentucky, including those from Strike Force Zone Counties. A second focus group was conducted with a diverse group of farmers on December 1, 2014 at Kentucky State University, again including small farmers from Strike Force Zone Counties. These focus groups were used in designing the two research surveys. The first survey was administered by a Master of Science student in the winter of 2015 with partial, 25%, funding, during the entire period. This survey was administered to 325 small farmers primarily in central Kentucky, but also included farmers from the Promise Zone and Strike Force Zone Counties. The student's thesis research focused on the assessment of the participants' use of computer-based technology for farm management. The student presented a selected paper on this research at the Southern Rural Sociology Association's Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, February 2, 2015. The student's thesis defense, and peer reviewed publication, will be forthcoming in 2015. The second survey will be administered by a Masters of Science student beginning in July of 2015. The survey questionnaire is in the process of acquiring IRB approval and will be subcontracted through USDA-NASS. This survey and thesis research will focus on farm diversification, productivity, and sustainability using GIS and spacial econometric models. Eight hundred farmers from Kentucky's 120 counties will be surveyed, including those from Strike Force Zone and Promise Zone Counties. Objective 5 is an ongoing Extension function, that of educating limited-resource, women, socially disadvantaged, beginning, and underserved small farmers on farm diversification, entrepreneurship, productivity, viability, sustainability and resilience of small farms. There were 7,543 direct individual Extension contacts with a diverse group of small farmers from across Kentucky. Of these, 822 people attended The Third Thursday Thing workshops to study farm diversification through sustainable alternative enterprises, and 329 attended local workshops, field days and demonstrations on farm diversification. Indirect contacts numbered 3,739. Included in the educational activities were small farmer bus tours to the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (Mobile, AL), the Federation of Southern Cooperatives (Epes. AL), the Kentucky State University Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference which is the largest gathering of African American farmers in Kentucky, eleven The Third Thursday Thing workshops, and eight workshops and field days, with six located in the Strike Force Zone and the Promise Zone Counties.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
J., Rosny, B., Gyawali, and Simon, M. (2015). The Use of Computer Technologies by Small Farmers in Central Kentucky. Presentation, February 2, 2015, Atlanta, GA. Abstract forthcoming in Southern Rural Sociological Association, Volume 1, 2015, Proceedings of the Annual Meetings, 2015.
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