Progress 12/01/14 to 11/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) consists of aspiring farmers seeking a career in dairy and livestock farming and/or a pathway to farm ownership. In addition, DGA's audience includes current dairy farmers seeking to transition out of farming or grow their operation by investing in the next generation. Among aspiring dairy farmers are people of all ages (current Apprentice ages range from 19 to 53). They include students, people seeking a second career, women, veterans, herdsmen, farm managers, and farm workers. As of January 2018, DGA has 140 approved Master Dairy Graziers in eleven states (Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts Missouri, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin), an increase from 61 in the first year of this project. The program has 43 active Master-Apprentice pairs (up from 24), 17 Journey Dairy Graziers (up from 11), and more than 260 Apprentice Candidates (up from 73) who have applied for an Apprenticeship on the website. Out of 43 current Apprentices, 16 are women, one is a person of color, and three are veterans. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Apprentice training The Apprenticeship itself consists of 4,000 hours of training over a period of two years. Of these hours, 3,712 hours are employment and mentoring under an approved Master Dairy Grazier. A comprehensive DGA Training Manual (or "Job Book") lays out the competencies that must be met in order to own and operate a managed-grazing dairy farm, providing a blueprint for the mentoring process. The other 288 hours are related instruction designed to enhance on-farm training. Related instruction includes: Courses in Pasture Management, Milk Quality, Herd Health, Dairy Nutrition, Soils, Nutrients & Composting, and, added in 2017, a Farm Financial Management course. Peer Discussion Groups, Pasture Walks, Conferences, and Networking Opportunities Holistic Management goal setting course During the period of this project, more than 40 Apprentices received the following training: 53,000+ hours of on the job training 1800+ hours of related classroom instruction 670+ hours of informal workshops, pasture walks and field days 420+ hours of individualized coaching from their DGA Education Coordinator Apprentices graduate to certified Journey Dairy Grazier status, receive additional support services as they advance in their career, and have the option of eventually becoming Masters and taking on Apprentices themselves, thus fostering a culture of mentoring within the dairy industry. Master professional development The relatively small scale dairies that are the core of DGA's clientele often rely primarily, if not exclusively on family labor. Many of these producers have never employed a full-time employee on their farms and don't have experience with interviewing, hiring, and managing employees. To address this identified need for training and resources, DGA has initiated a professional development program to assist Masters in hiring and managing Apprentices. These materials include short tip-sheets and worksheets on various employee management topics including assessing and selecting candidates to interview, how to conduct an employee interview, "onboarding" or orientation of a new employee, and various worksheets Masters can use for comparing and rating Apprentice candidates. Additional materials that are being developed include pieces on adult learning styles, good communication best practices, and providing constructive criticism. These materials are shared with DGA Masters through "Master Discussion Groups". Each Education Coordinator schedules two or three informal gatherings for their cohort of Masters, creating a setting where, in addition to gaining mentoring skills, they can discuss issues they're facing, commiserate, and support each other. To date, DGA has conducted six Master discussion groups in 5 states for a total of 36 DGA Masters. Education Coordinator Training In addition to its core curriculum and on-farm training, DGA has developed additional trainings for staff to improve quality and consistency across multiple states. Education Coordinators receive regular guidance via a bi-weekly conference call among partners who serve all 11 states where DGA has approved Masters. In addition, an annual, three-day, face-to-face training is conducted, giving Ed Coordinators an in-depth refresher on protocols as well as professional development topics. Goals are to provide a solid foundation of "relationship management" as well as an in-depth understanding of the motivations, goals, and aspirations of participating farmers. The training is hosted by a different partner each year and part of the program is a farm tour, allowing ECs to gain a broader understanding of the dairy industry across DGA's service region. Over the course of the project, ten DGA Ed Coordinators participated in a total of 120 hours of conference call instruction (1200 person-hours) and 48 hours of face-to-face training (480 person-hours). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?DGA continues to build its online and social media presence. The new website (https://www.dga-national.org/) features news articles, case studies on graduates, partners, an events calendar, program/application information and a media kit for press contacts. The site gets between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors per week, between 40 and 60 percent of which are new visitors. Between Instagram and Facebook, DGA has more than 800 followers and is working to more strategically utilize social media platforms and Google Adwords to coincide with events and to target geographic areas where new Masters are located. In addition to social media, DGA reaches out to its audiences via print media in the form of press releases, articles, and advertising as well as through outreach events. The following list includes major events that DGA attends annually with a booth or presentation or both. In addition, local Education Coordinators attend field days and pasture walks in their area to disseminate information to currentand aspiring farmers about the opportunities provided through DGA. GrassWorks Grazing Conference UW-River Falls Spring Career Fair UW-River Falls Dairy Club Organic Farming Conference UW Platteville Career Fair UW Platteville Dairy Club UW Madison Career Fair UW Madison Dairy Club Minnesota Organic Conference Organic Valley Regional Meetings in WI, MN, MO, PA, NY, ME, VT Missouri Grazing Conference Heart of Wisconsin Grazing Conference Wisconsin FFA Convention Missouri FFA Convention MN Association of Ag Educators Conference WI Association of Ag Educators Conference Missouri Grazing Conference Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Ag Conference Healing Our Waters Conference World Dairy Expo What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Issues addressed The objectives of this project were to obtain registration of DGA as a national program housed under the United States Department of Labor-Office of Apprenticeship, to strengthen the DGA program by developing and providing additional services for program participants, and to support development of DGA in Missouri as a template for state-by-state expansion. Impact on Target Audience DGA's audiences are aspiring and experienced dairy farmers. During this grant period, we experienced a 130% increase in approved Masters, a 240% increase in Apprentice candidates and a 100% increase in hired Apprentices. The program has given the Apprentices engaged in the program a significant opportunity to gain farming skills and it has given participating Masters the opportunity to identify and train a successor to transfer their farming operation to or to train a management level employee. Project Objectives and Outcomes 1) Establish DGA as a national program. Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship was established as an accredited Wisconsin Apprenticeship in June of 2012. With this 2014 BFRDP grant, DGA staff have been able to establish DGA as a National Apprenticeship as of February of 2015, able to operate in any state. DGA has expanded significantly, with partner organizations in four states and approved Masters in 11 states. Program Director Laura Paine and other staff have standardized program delivery to facilitate effective communication between Masters and Apprentices, and to track participant progress through the Apprenticeship. Since 2014, DGA has partnered with Cornell University (NY), Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Missouri Extension, University of Maine Extension, and Wolfe's Neck Farm (ME). DGA staff work closely with partner organizations to ensure quality and consistency of programming while respecting local expertise and meeting needs of their audience. The result is improved organizational capacity, improved services, and a protocol for continued expansion. 2) Strengthen DGA in Wisconsin by providing additional services for program participants. Education Coordinators. This project allowed DGA to leverage funds to hire four Education Coordinators (EC) in Wisconsin and Minnesota (with additional funding from The Brookby Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, and an NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant). Each of DGA's five partners has assigned a staff person to serve as EC for their state(s). The addition of on-the-ground staff has tremendously improved the capacity of DGA to serve the needs of participants. Each Master-Apprentice pair is assigned an EC, who makes monthly farm visits to provide guidance, facilitate communication, and address any concerns. The EC also organizes group education events for their Apprentice cohort. Robust website database. With BFRDP support, DGA built a new website/database at https://www.dga-national.org/ to maintain Apprentice records as required by the Department of Labor and provide an interactive portal for participants. As the program expands, the website has dramatically improved matching outcomes and tracking capacity of participant progress. Master Professional Development. DGA and partners have begun developing resources to train our trainers (Master Dairy Graziers) in the skills they need to be good teachers and mentors. These materials are available on the DGA website as well as shared via peer-discussions organized by ECs for their cohort of Masters. The sessions include formal discussion of professional development topics such as adult learning styles. They also provide opportunities for participants to share specific issues they're dealing with and for their peers to help brainstorm solutions. 3) Support the development of DGA in Missouri as a template for state-by-state expansion. In response to interest from dairy farmers in Missouri, DGA initially hired a prominent agriculture teacher and dairy farmer, Duane Kaiser, as Missouri Education Coordinator. In 2016, he notified DGA that he was too busy to serve as EC. DGA reached out to colleagues at the University of Missouri and has since built a relationship with the MU Extension Dairy program to provide an Education Coordinator and general support for the Apprenticeship. We have learned that soliciting collaboration with an in-state partner has numerous benefits. The following steps have allowed DGA to build a strong foundation in new states. • Assess the character of the dairy community/industry in the interested state. Using Census of Agriculture data, DGA has identified states that have larger populations of grazing based dairies, allowing us to identify areas where there is potential interest. These farms tend to cluster primarily in New England, the Great Lakes states and the Midwest. • Identify local partners, assess their capacity to deliver the program, and compatibility of organizational missions. The success of DGA depends on having people on the ground locally, both to recruit Masters and Apprentices and to provide facilitation of Master-Apprentice pairs. Partner organizations bring to the table local knowledge of the farming community as well as their relationships with other organizations. • Train local Education Coordinator to provide services to program participants. DGA Education Coordinators are key to making the program function effectively. Each Education Coordinator is responsible for program outreach and recruitment of Masters in their areas, facilitation of Master-Apprentice pairs, and providing group education opportunities for both Masters and Apprentices. DGA trains each new EC in DGA procedures and facilitation skills. We work with partners to secure funding for the program. Bi-weekly conference calls among all ECs and administrative staff and an annual three-day training help maintain good communication among partners to provide high-quality, consistent program delivery. • Monitor and assess program development and outcomes. DGA is in constant communication with administrative partners to guide program development in those states. Additional monitoring takes place via periodic surveys of both Masters and Apprentices as well as exit interviews with Masters and Apprentices whether or not they complete the program. Evaluation results DGA conducted Master and Apprentice evaluation surveys to assess the impacts of this BFRDP project. Results highlights are summarized below. Apprentice surveys (selected results of 21 responses) 1) Apprentice goals: by far the top goal of Apprentices participating in DGA is to own and operate their own dairy farm (67%), followed by the goal of gaining the skills to own and manage a livestock (not necessarily dairy) farm (43%). 2) Most valuable aspects of the program: Apprentices rated as most valuable: 1) the work experience on-farm, 2) the assistance of the DGA Education Coordinator, 3) communication between Master and Apprentice, and 4) teaching by the Master. 3) Ratings of specific components of the program (scale of 1 = low to 5 = high). On-farm training: 100% rated it a "4" (33%) or a "5" (67%) Related instruction classes: 71% rated it a "4" (53%) or a "5" (18%) Informal peer-learning opportunities: 81% rated it a "4" (43%) or a "5" (38%) Master surveys (selected results of 38 responses) 1) What is working well for Masters. Top responses were 1) finding a high-quality employee/Apprentice to help on the farm (77%) and the support of their Education Coordinator (68%). 2) What they need. When asked how DGA could do to support their participation in the program, responses included 1) provide financial incentives (57%), 2) provide opportunities to get together with other Masters (50%), 3) provide professional development for Masters (33%), and provide assistance in identifying and interviewing Apprentice candidates (33%).
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Paine, Laura. 2017. Training the Next Generation of Land Stewards. General session presentation for the Quivira Coalition annual conference. November 15-17, 2017. Albuquerque, NM.
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Progress 12/01/15 to 11/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship consists of current dairy farmers seeking to transition out of farming or grow their operation by investing in the next generation and aspiring dairy farmers seeking a pathway to farm ownership. Among aspiring dairy farmers are young people, students, women, veterans, hired hands, herdsmen, farm managers, and farm workers. As of Novemebr, 2016, DGA has 85 approved Master Dairy Graziers in nine states: Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The program has 30 active Master-Apprentice pairs, 11 Journey Dairy Graziers, and more than 100 Apprentice Candidates who have applied for an Apprenticeship on the website. Out of 30 current Apprentices, six are women and three are veterans. Changes/Problems:Nationwide DGA has 85 approved Master Dairy Graziers in nine states: Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The program has 30 active Master-Apprentice pairs, 11 Journey Dairy Graziers, and more than 100 Apprentice Candidates who have applied for an Apprenticeship on the website. Significantly, however, since 2015, milk prices have fallen to historic lows, leaving even highly efficient managed-grazing based dairy farmers with little excess income to consider hiring an Apprentic. The farmer stipend through this BFRDP grant has been important for Masters who are suffering low prices. DGA is conducting more targeted outreach in all states among certified organic farmers and is providing additional support for Masters who are already approved. Organic farmers, who earn a premium for their milk, are often in a better position to commit to an Apprenticeship, either bringing an existing employee through the program or hiring a new employee. DGA is partnering with Organic Valley/CROPP to provide additional financial incentive to OV farmers who participate in DGA. Organic Valley is also helping with outreach efforts. DGA provides all approved Masters with financial planning services so that they can make the best decisions for their farming operation and can better prepare for long term goals. DGA has also initiated Master discussion groups, where Masters can learn from one another, sharing experiences and insight about everything from hiring, retaining, and managing Apprentice/employees to the economics of transitioning to organic to transferring the farm to an Apprentice. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Apprenticeship itself consists of 4,000 hours of training over a period of two years. Of these hours, 3,712 hours are employment and mentoring under an approved Master Dairy Grazier. A comprehensive DGA Training Manual (or "Job Book") lays out the competencies that must be met in order to own and operate a managed-grazing dairy farm, providing a blueprint for the mentoring process. The other 288 hours are related instruction designed to enhance on-farm training. Related instruction includes: Courses in Pasture Management, Milk Quality, Herd Health, Dairy Nutrition, and Soils, Nutrients & Composting Peer Discussion Groups, Pasture Walks, Farming Conferences, and Networking Opportunities Holistic Management and Professional Development Training Each Master-Apprentice pair is assigned a local Education Coordinator, who monitors the mentoring relationship and provides educational support and on-farm technical services. Apprentices not only gain skills, knowledge, and experience but also develop relationships with Apprentices and Masters in their cohort as well as with other dairy farmers, agricultural professionals, and service providers in the local community. Apprentices graduate to certified Journey Dairy Grazier status, receive additional support services as they advance in their career, and have the option of eventually becoming Masters and taking on Apprentices themselves in this unique farmer training program. In addition to its core curriculum and on-farm training, DGA has developed additional trainings for staff as well as participants to improve quality and consistency across multiple states. - Education Coordinators training workshop DGA is most effective when cohorts of Master-Apprentice pairs are provided with support services from a local Education Coordinator. This in-person contact is crucial to the successful establishment of the program in a new area. In July of 2016, DGA hosted a three-day intensive training for 11 Education Coordinators from six states. Goals were to provide a solid foundation of "relationship management" as well as an in-depth understanding of the motivations, goals, and aspirations of participant farmers. The first day of the training was a workshop on the topics of personality styles and good communication, adult learning styles and coaching, and managing conflict. A panel of DGA Masters shared information on their goals for participating in the program. Over the next day and a half, trainees visited the farms of five DGA participants, highlighting a range of types of farms and stages of involvement in the program. • Adapted or online/remote related instruction that meets DOL requirements in each state As of Fall semester 2016, all DGA related instruction coursework is available to Apprentices in all states in an online format with the exception of the Holistic Management goal setting class. This class works most effectively as an in-person group workshop. Program Director Paine is the instructor for this class and arranges for the two-day workshop to be held in each state whenever there are two or three Apprentices needing to take the class. The onsite visit allows DGA administration to meet Masters and Apprentices in the new states and utilize the trip to work with the local EC to strengthen the program. • Teaching modules for educational enhancements (state-level, organic, financial, etc.) As DGA grows and expands into new states, the program has gained awareness of differences in educational needs both among farmers within a state and between states. The Related Instruction structure has enough elective hours to allow for the flexibility needed to adapt the program to meet these needs. Each EC has the capacity to incorporate workshops and other group educational activities into their programs to allow Apprentices to gain knowledge in specialized areas. For example, organic transition was the topic of an Apprentice pasture walk in north central Wisconsin and the Missouri EC offered a three-day course in artificial insemination of dairy cattle for Apprentices and other interested parties. DGA has also recognized the need for more formal training in financial management. DGA has worked with partner, Northcentral Technical College, to develop a special 36 hour online financial management course for Apprentice and is awaiting approval from US Department of Labor before incorporating this class into Apprenticeship requirements. Currently it can be taken on a voluntary basis. • Master professional development The relatively small scale dairies that are the core of DGA's clientele often rely primarily, if not exclusively on family labor. Many of these producers have never employed a full-time employee on their farms and don't have experience with interviewing, hiring, and managing employees. To address this identified need for training and resources, DGA has begun creating materials to assist Masters in hiring and managing Apprentices. These materials include short tip-sheets and worksheets on various employee management topics including assessing and selecting candidates to interview, how to conduct an employee interview, "onboarding" or orientation of a new employee, and various worksheets Masters can use for comparing and rating Apprentice candidates. These materials are made available to approved Masters via the DGA website. DGA Education Coordinators will be trained on these materials so that they can coach Masters as they go through the hiring process. Additional materials that are being developed include pieces on adult learning styles, good communication best practices, and providing constructive criticism. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?DGA continues to build its online and social media presence. The new website (https://www.dga-national.org/) features news articles, case studies on graduates, partners, an events calendar, program/application information and a new media kit for press contacts. The site gets between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors per week, between 40 and 60 percent of which are new visitors. Between Instagram and Facebook, DGA has more than 800 followers and is working to more strategically utilize social media platforms and Google Adwords to coincide with events and to target geographic areas where new Masters are located. Group Leaf, LLC is a public relations firm based in Hudson, WI that has experience in traditional journalism as well as marketing and public relations. Group Leaf has been retained to improved effectiveness of online and print advertising campaigns, to coordinate media outreach at trade shows and conferences, and to help DGA get more press in conventional Ag media as well as general national media outlets, like the WallStreet Journal, USA Today, and New York Times. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the final year of this project, DGA will continue providing comprehensive training and services to program particpants in states where it is currently active (Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin) and will look toward expanding into Michigan and Ohio, where farmers have already expressed interest. DGA will also work to strengthen group learning activities for both Apprentices and Masters. When the program began in Wisconsin in 2010 there was a robust grazing community that received funding support through the Grazng Lands Conservation Initiative for pasture walks, field days, and conferences. Initially, DGA required Apprentices to particpate in local educational events as part of their related instruction. But that funding is no longer available and so DGA has stepped to host some of the events that had formerly been organized by local Resource Conservation Districts. Several Masters have hosted pasture walks that were not only available to Apprentices and other Masters but also to the general public. In the final year of the project, DGA will beging to more formally integrate thi type of activity into the program. In addition, to ensure long-term sustainability as a standard career pathway for aspiring dairy farmers, DGA is exploring the possiblity of becoming an accredited educational institution and bring all related instruction classes that are currently administered and taught by educational partners (North Central Technical College and University of Wisconsin) in house. This will give DGA more control over course content and scheduling and ensure quality, consistency, and access for participants in all states.To do this DGA needs to become accredited in order to retain status with the Department of Labor, which requires accreditation for related instruction providers. Accreditation would mean that DGA could charge a modest tuition for classes (for which Apprentices could access GI Bill and Federal Student Aid funding), qualify for Department of Education grant funding, and may even at some point be a line item in state or federal education budgets. The goal with accreditation would be to move toward making DGA a permanent part of the educational fabric of the United States.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship has expanded significantly since its training program became a National Apprenticeship under the Department of Labor-Employment and Training Administration in February of 2015. Interest is strong among producers and agricultural organizations to bring formal Apprenticeship into the dairy industry in several states. In response, DGA has brought on a Program Director, Laura Paine, to manage growth and establish standardized protocols for delivering the program to new areas. Paine has degrees in Biology and Horticulture and extensive experience in adult education. She worked previously in Ag Extension and as Grazing and Organic Ag Specialist for the Wisconsin Department for Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. She is also a certified instruction for Holistic Management International, which she teaches as part of the DGA course curriculum. With Paine on board, the DGA staff has worked over the past year to develop and standardize program delivery, to facilitate effective communication between Masters and Apprentices, and to track participant progress through the Apprenticeship. DGA has entered into and/or strengthened partnerships with Cornell University and SCNY Regional Extension in New York, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture in Pennsylvania, University of Missouri and UM-Extension in Missouri, and Wolfe's Neck Farm in Maine. DGA staff members work closely and in a collaborative spirit with Ed Coordinators and representatives of partner organizations to ensure quality and consistency of programming while at the same time respecting local expertise and meeting needs of local participants.The result is improved organizational capacity, improved services for in all states, and a general protocol for continued expansion. In general, these steps have been taken to build a strong foundation for DGA in new states. • Assess the character of the dairy community/industry in the interested state Targeting states with large populations of grazing-based dairies. The vast majority of grazing-based dairies are relatively small (under 200 cows). Using the federal Census of Agriculture, DGA has identified states that have larger populations of grazing based dairies. These farms tend to cluster primarily in the Great Lakes states and DGA has targeted the region from Minnesota east to New England as a key area for growth. Additional states, such as Missouri, are selected based on the presence of a relatively large number of grazing-based dairies within a localized region and a strong interest in the program. • Identify local partners and assessing their capacity to deliver the program The success of DGA depends on having people on the ground locally, both to recruit Masters and Apprentices and to provide facilitation of Master-Apprentice pairs. Partner organizations in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture), New York (Cornell University and Extension), Maine (Wolfe's Neck Farm and Extension), and Missouri (Extension) bring to the table local knowledge of the farming community as well as their relationships with other organizations. • Train local Education Coordinator to provide services to program particpants DGA Education Coordinators are the local staff that are key to making the program function effectively. Education Coordinators are responsible for program outreach and recruitment of Masters in their areas, facilitation of Master-Apprentice pairs, and providing group education opportunities for both Masters and Apprentices. Ideally, each Education Coordinator has a cohort of six to ten Master-Apprentice pairs within a reasonable distance. In reality, as DGA grows into new areas, the pairs tend to be spread out pretty far. DGA currently has three part-time Education Coordinators in Wisconsin, and one in each of the other states: Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maine. Each Education Coordinator works for DGA between 10 and 20 hours a week. Most of our Education Coordinators have extensive backgrounds in Dairy Science, including the hands-on experience of running their own dairy farms. This in-depth knowledge allows them to be effective and credible in their work with the Masters. What we didn't realize initially was how important "people skills" would be in the Ed Coordinator role. The Master-Apprentice relationship on a working dairy farm is much more intimate than a typical employer-employee relationship, and as such, can be fraught with interpersonal challenges. We have found that we needed to build skills in areas of adult learning styles, good communication, and conflict management to be effective in the coordination role. As a result, DGA has developed a training program to provide Ed Coordinators the additional tools they need to effectively facilitate Master-Apprentice relationships. • Monitor and assess program development and outcomes DGA is in constant communication with administrative partners in Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maine to guide program development in those states. In addition, DGA's Education Coordinator communication structure with the Program Director allows for additional opportunities for monitoring and guidance throughout the six states where we currently have Masters and Apprentices. This ongoing monitoring allows us to stay on track for meeting recruitment goals. Additional monitoring takes place via periodic surveys of both Masters and Apprentices as well as exit interviews with Masters and Apprentices as they complete the program or if the Apprenticeship is terminated prior to completion. Finally, our recently initiated Master Discussion groups allow DGA to capture verbal feedback from Masters on the program. These discussion groups are set up as closed meetings among Master 'cohorts' or groups of Masters within a local region. Facilitated by DGA staff, discussion topics include employee management issues, how to be a good mentor, feedback on the program, and what additional materials and resources they need. We have conducted Master Discussions in Wisconsin and Minnesota to date and have discussion planned for New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri over the winter.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Drew Votis Case Study: Building A Dairy From An Impossible Dream https://www.dga-national.org/Case-Studies/Building-A-Dairy-From-An-Impossible-Dream
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nate Peplinski Case Study: Learning Ways To Strengthen The Bottom Line https://www.dga-national.org/Case-Studies/Learning-Ways-To-Strengthen-The-Bottom-Line
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Progress 12/01/14 to 11/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience consists of current dairy farmers seeking to transition out of farming or grow their operation by investing in the next generation and aspiring dairy farmers seeking a pathway to farm ownership. Among aspiring dairy farmers are young people, students, women, veterans, hired hands, herdsmen, farm managers, and farm workers. In the past four years, three women, two veterans, and several farm laborers have entered the program. Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship has worked with the U.S. Department of Labor on an Affirmative Action Plan to increase outreach among socially disadvantaged groups, including Latino farm workers. Latino immigrant worker are an essential part the dairy industry nationwide. Those who have legal status, want to stay in the country, and are seeking to become independent dairy producers represent a potential pool of highly qualified Apprentices. DGA will work with state agencies to improve efforts to reach underserved populations as the program grows. Farm placement, however, cannot be guaranteed as it is the responsibility of Masters to hire Apprentices. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?DGA is a comprehensive employment and training program in managed grazing dairy production. It consists of 4000 hours over a period of two years. Of these hours, 3,712 hours are employment and mentoring under an approved Master Dairy Grazier. A comprehensive DGA Training Manual (or "Job Book") lays out the competencies that must be met in order to own and operate a managed-grazing dairy farm, providing a blueprint for the mentoring process. The other 288 hours are related instruction designed to enhance on-farm training. Related instruction includes: Formal courses in Pasture Management, Milk Quality, Herd Health, Dairy Nutrition, and Soils, Nutrients & Composting Peer Discussion Groups, Pasture Walks, Farming Conferences, and Networking Opportunities Holistic Management and Professional Development Training Each Master-Apprentice pair is assigned a local Education Coordinator, who monitors the mentoring relationship and provides educational support and on-farm technical services. Apprentices graduate to certified Journey Dairy Grazier status, receive additional support services as they advance in their career, and have the option of eventually becoming Masters and taking on Apprentices themselves in this unique farmer training program. DGA currently has 61 approved Master Dairy Graziers, primarily in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and has begun to expand into Iowa, Maine, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. The program has 22 active Master-Apprentice pairs, 8 Journey Dairy Graziers, and more than 30 Apprentice Candidates awaiting placement. 2015 Summary Total Masters in 2015: 61 Approved in 2015: 31 Hired an Apprentice: 20 Left/retired: 2 Total Apprentices in program in 2015: 24 Graduated: 1 Graduating in 2016: 6 Graduating in 2017: 13 Dropped: 4 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?DGA reaches out to communities of interest via its website (https://www.dga-national.org/), FaceBook, and print media in the form of press releases, articles, and advertising as well as through outreach events. In 2015 DGA reached hundreds of farmers, students, and supporters by staffing a booth and/or giving a presentation at: GrassWorks Grazing Conference UW-River Falls Spring Career Fair UW-River Falls Dairy Club Organic Farming Conference UW Platteville Career Fairy UW Platteville Dairy Club UW Madison Career Fair UW Madison Dairy Club Minnesota Organic Conference Organic Valley Regional Meetings in WI and MN Missouri Grazing Conference Central WI River Graziers Annual Meeting Heart of Wisconsin Grazing Conference Wisconsin FFA Convention Missouri FFA Convention MN Association of Ag Educators Conference WI Association of Ag Educators Conference Missouri Grazing Conference Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Ag Conference Healing Our Waters Conference World Dairy Expo In addition, local Education Coordinator attend field days and pasture walks in their area to disseminate information to current and aspiring farmers about the opportunities provided through DGA. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In 2016 DGA will be focused developing administrative procedures and support for full implementation of the program in Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. At least one Education Coordinator will be designated to serve program participant in each state. In MO there are five new Apprentice-Master pairs pending and, because of limited availability of current EC, a different (or additional) part-time staff person may be required. In NY and PA, partner organizations (Cornell University and Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture), which bring resources, expertise, and established networks to the table, will allow for a more expansive and durable process. In the case of PASA, which is a multi-state organization, the partnership may accelerate the expansion process into additional states. In each partnership, DGA will register all participants from each state with the U.S. Department of Labor, ensure that all requirements in the DGA National Standards are met, and provide ongoing oversight and administrative guidance.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1) establish the DGA as a national program housed directly under the United States Department of Labor-Office of Apprenticeship Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) was established as an accredited state-level Wisconsin Apprenticeship with the U.S. Department of Labor in June of 2012 and "dairy grazier" became legally recognized as an apprenticeable occupation. In 2013, DGA was incorporated as an independent organization and received nonprofit status the following year. Over the course of several months in 2014, DGA staff worked closely with agency representatives at the U.S. Department of Labor-Employment and Training Administration (DOL-ETA) to develop the standards and supporting documents to establish DGA as a National Apprenticeship--and attained that status in February of 2015. As a National Apprenticeship, DGA can now operate in any state without going through the process of developing and registering a state-level Apprenticeship. 2) strengthen DGA in Wisconsin by providing additional services for program participants DGA has hired three Education Coordinators (EC) to provide educational and technical support services in central, eastern, and western Wisconsin (with additional funding support from The Brookby Foundation and an NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant as well as BFRDP). Each EC is responsible for the following activities within their geographic area of the state: conduct targeted outreach for quality Apprentices and Masters monitor on-farm employment, training, and mentoring, coordinate related instruction for Apprentices, provide professional development training and technical assistance, and facilitate the transition to an equity earning situation and ownership The addition of on-the-ground support staff has tremendously improved the capacity of DGA to serve the needs of program participants. Each Master-Apprentice pair is assigned an EC, who is a grazing specialist and agriculture educator in the local community. The EC makes monthly farm visits of the program to provide guidance, facilitate communication, and address any concerns. The EC also organizes peer-to-peer discussion groups around production and management issues for Apprentice cohort, which helps to build relationships and enhances learning. Since implementing additional staff support, the number of Master-Apprentice pairs in WI has increased from four to eleven with two additional pairs pending. DGA has hired Laura Paine as Program Director to provide oversight and administrative support for ECs and participants. The new website/database at https://www.dga-national.org/ has improved matching outcomes and tracking capacity of participant progress: Masters record training hours, compensation, and teaching time ECs records farm visits and discussion groups Program Director uploads DOL documents and records formal coursework DGA is also initiating Master Dairy Grazier discussion groups that will help to clarify professional development needs. Because approved farms vary in scale, their employee needs/experience also vary greatly. Some Masters are very experienced and successful managers and will be able to provide insight and share best practices with those who have little or no experience managing someone who is not a family member. 3) support the development of DGA in Missouri as a template for state-by-state expansion DGA hired former Extension agent, Duane Kaiser, to be its Missouri Education Coordinator and to provide the same services to participants in that state as the ECs are delivering in Wisconsin. Kaiser is well connected and well-respected in the grazing community but has limited time to devote to the program. Missouri currently has seven approved Masters and one Master-Apprentice pair with five other pairs pending. The strategy in MO of hiring one person as a contract EC to develop DGA in a new state is beginning to produce results but may not be the best model for state-by-state expansion. DGA is pursuing a different strategy in Pennsylvania and New York, where it is partnering with Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) and Cornell University, respectively. This approach has the advantage of increased administrative, outreach, and fundraising capacity that can accelerate program outcomes. Because DGA is already a National Apprenticeship with a legally established curriculum and program structure, it can be implemented in any state. The process for working with partner institutions is now being developed.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
"Building a Dairy from an Impossible Dream" by Raylene Nickel (2015)
New case study on Journey Dairy Grazier Drew Votis who had earned a degree in biology and environmental sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay before deciding he wanted to become a grazing based dairy farmers. Drew completed his two year Apprenticeship with Master Dairy Graziers Jim and Tammy Schreiner of Athens, Wisconsin. He built equity in cattle while learning to keep costs low and manage cattle for optimum health. He now lives and farms in central Wisconsin with his wife Ashley and their new daughter Amelia. Full case study is available at https://www.dga-national.org/
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