Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: · UTPA University community, including students, faculty and staff · Local area farmers, especially those interested in transition to organic agriculture · Agricultural stakeholders, including consumers, extension agents, producers, processors, vendors, certifiers, in Texas and subtropical US, · Other universities interested in integration of education, research and extension efforts, especially in organic/sustainable agriculture. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? · Recruited and hired one research associate to manage research and collaborative efforts with Co-PI’s. Dr. Carlo Moreno began as a full time Post-doctoral Research Scientist in January 2014 and is committed 100% of time and effort to the SOAR program · Recruited 2 undergraduate students for research internships to conduct short-term stakeholder driven research projects. Mr. Ricardo Marez and Ms. Heather Hernandez began with the SOAR program in January 2014 and will continue as undergraduate interns through to their expected graduation in December 2014. Both students received a USDA-NIFA-ORG SOAR scholarship of $3500 in the spring 2014. · Recruited one qualified masters student into UTPA’s Department of Biology to conduct long-term stakeholder driven agroecological research during project period. Ms. Savannah Rugg has been accepted into the program and will begin as a full time MS student in Fall 2014. · Engage UTPA students in carrying out practical field research aimed at answering real-world problems faced by organic and transitioning producers. Students are currently working on four projects: (1) a survey of insect fauna in organic-certified kale production; (2) a comparison of the effectiveness of flame-weeding and hand weeding; (3) an exploration of 6 different heirloom tomato varieties that are both heat- and disease tolerant, i.e. appropriate for cultivation in south Texas; and (4) a comparison of the effectiveness of 4 different summer cover-crop treatments to suppress weed pressure. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Wide dissemination of SOAR progress: a. On October 15, Dr. Racelis spoke at an event at the UTPA Farmers Market Workshop (sponsored by NIFA-FMPP) highlighting our programs objectives. Several farmers were in attendance that eventually participated in our November stakeholder meeting. b. Robert Maggiani (NCAT) spoke about organic farming at three annual meetings: the Texas Certified Market Association (in Seguin, TX), Texas Olive Oil Growers’ Association (in San Antonio, TX), and Fort Bend Vegetable Growers (in Rosenberg, Texas). *Not funded through this SOAR project. c. On January 31, Dr. Alex Racelis was invited as a guest speaker in a panel arranged by NCAT at the Texas Organic Farmers and Grower’s Association Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. d. NCAT staff met with senior managers from H-E-B Grocery (on April 3, in San Antonio) and Whole Foods (April 17, in Austin). Among other topics of discussion, NCAT made them aware of our SOAR partnership and efforts to increase organic production in Texas. e. SOAR partnership with Plantation Produce referenced in a GO TEXAN insert in this April 6-13 week’s edition of THE PACKER. f. On April 30, NCAT hosted a reception in San Antonio for members of the National Organic Standards Board. The SOAR program was showcased among attendees. g. SOAR program was highlighted in a USDA Strikeforce Taskforce visit to UTPA May 11. h. Invited presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America meeting (held in August 10-15, 2014 in Sacramento CA) highlighting the SOAR program. Presentation is part of an Organized Symposium titled “Agroecology and its Application”. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? · Annual meeting with farmer/grower partners to held in late September to disseminate research advances and redefine research questions to pursue during the 2 discrete growing seasons in south Texas · Continue to participate in the co-generation of agricultural knowledge with core group of organic or sustainable growers in south Texas · Work closely research associate to manage research and collaborative efforts with farmer partners and NCAT. · In December 2014 recruit new undergraduate students for research internships to conduct short-term stakeholder driven research projects. · Retain masters student (Savannah Rugg) who will conduct long-term stakeholder driven agroecological research as part of MS thesis. · Continue to engage UTPA students in carrying out practical field research aimed at answering these questions and solving real-world problems faced by organic and transitioning producers. · Add a strong experiential learning component focused on organic agriculture and agroecology to the Biology program at UTPA. · Give students a deep and meaningful experience that includes making a positive impact on agriculture, the economy, and the environment in South Texas. · Raise awareness by students, faculty, and community members, of the ecological benefits of organic farming, including its benefits for biodiversity. · Increase awareness by Texas crop producers about organic requirements, certification, marketing, processing facilities, enterprise budgets, and production methods. · Broadly disseminate research results to producers, educators, and agency staff via publications (in both English and Spanish), videos, webinars, and workshops. · Increase usage by Texas specialty crop growers of the free resources and technical assistance ervices available through NCAT’s ATTRA Project and San Antonio-based office. · Continue with evaluation of all project activities for their impact on knowledge, behavior, and attitudes. · Evaluate the suitability of this educational model for replication in other places. · Continue to foment and build interdisciplinary partnership between UTPA and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
· A key outcome of the November 20 meeting was the identification of critical research questions for organic and transitioning farmers in South Texas. This was accomplished through interviews and surveys of local farmers and growers. · Through a participatory process (largely voluntary from the farmer) we’ve identified a core group of organic or sustainable growers in south Texas interested in participating in the identification of research gaps. This list includes certified organic growers such as Plantation Produce (Mission, TX), Hilltop Gardens (Lyford, TX), as well as transitioning growers such as Yahweh Farms (Harlingen, TX), Gracia Farms (San Benito, TX), and Terra Preta Farms (Edinburg TX). · Recruited and hired one research associate to manage research and collaborative efforts with Co-PI’s. Dr. Carlo Moreno began as a full time Post-doctoral Research Scientist in January 2014 and is committed 100% of time and effort to the SOAR program · Recruited 2 undergraduate students for research internships to conduct short-term stakeholder driven research projects. Mr. Ricardo Marez and Ms. Heather Hernandez began with the SOAR program in January 2014 and will continue through to their expected graduation in December 2014. · Recruited one qualified masters student into UTPA’s Department of Biology to conduct long-term stakeholder driven agroecological research during project period. Ms. Savannah Rugg has been accepted into the program and will begin as a full time MS student in Fall 2014. · Engage UTPA students in carrying out practical field research aimed at answering real-world problems faced by organic and transitioning producers. Students are currently working on four projects: (1) a survey of insect fauna in organic-certified kale production; (2) a comparison of the effectiveness of flame-weeding and hand weeding; (3) an exploration of 6 different heirloom tomato varieties that are both heat- and disease tolerant, i.e. appropriate for cultivation in south Texas; and (4) a comparison of the effectiveness of 4 different summer cover-crop treatments to suppress weed pressure. · Provide technical support to participating stakeholders a. In early April we provided technical assistance to Hilltop Gardens, which experienced severe insect damage by army worms and aphids. b. We also provided technical assistance to Terra Preta Farms, who had severe impacts by rabbits and crop losses due to leaf-cutter ants. c. Provided technical assistance via NCAT to Plantation Produce in terms of the organic certification of their processing plant. · Add a strong experiential learning component focusing on organic agriculture and agroecology to the Biology program at UTPA through the establishment of 8,000 sq ft. research and teaching garden on campus. No NIFA funds were spent on the construction of the garden, although grant funding was used as an impetus for such as space on campus. However, it is mentioned here since the garden will undoubtedly direct attitudes of students toward awareness of issues and careers in agriculture and is an example of UTPA ‘s co-investment in programs such as these. Part of the campus garden will be certified organic, and will be used for research in this program. · Begun preliminary evaluation of project activities for their impact on knowledge, behavior, and attitudes toward sustainable and organic agriculture at UTPA. This is done in close collaboration with Mr. Al Kurki, evaluation specialist at NCAT. a. Campus survey at UT-Pan American (including questions about organic food and the ecological benefits of organic farming) ran for about a month and ended on April 25. A total of 512 responses were collected. b. As part of Earth Week at UTPA, NCAT partners offered a booth at the Student Union, coordinated with the campus Office for Sustainability, and provided information about organic farming as part of Earth Week activities on the UT-Pan American campus. · Launched a new interdisciplinary partnership between UTPA and the National Center for Appropriate Technology. UTPA and NCAT have met several times to discuss and plan our methods, and have spoken by phone at least once a month for periodic updates. · Wide dissemination of SOAR progress: a. On October 15, Dr. Racelis spoke at an event at the UTPA Farmers Market Workshop (sponsored by NIFA-FMPP) highlighting our programs objectives. Several farmers were in attendance that eventually participated in our November stakeholder meeting. b. Robert Maggiani (NCAT) spoke about organic farming at three annual meetings: the Texas Certified Market Association (in Seguin, TX), Texas Olive Oil Growers’ Association (in San Antonio, TX), and Fort Bend Vegetable Growers (in Rosenberg, Texas). *Not funded through this SOAR project. c. On January 31, Dr. Alex Racelis was invited as a guest speaker in a panel arranged by NCAT at the Texas Organic Farmers and Grower’s Association Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. d. NCAT staff met with senior managers from H-E-B Grocery (on April 3, in San Antonio) and Whole Foods (April 17, in Austin). Among other topics of discussion, NCAT made them aware of our SOAR partnership and efforts to increase organic production in Texas. e. SOAR partnership with Plantation Produce referenced in a GO TEXAN insert in this April 6-13 week’s edition of THE PACKER. f. On April 30, NCAT hosted a reception in San Antonio for members of the National Organic Standards Board. The SOAR program was showcased among attendees. g. SOAR program was highlighted in a USDA Strikeforce Taskforce visit to UTPA May 11. h. Invited presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America meeting (held in August 10-15, 2014 in Sacramento CA) highlighting the SOAR program. Presentation is part of an Organized Symposium titled “Agroecology and its Application”.
Publications
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