Progress 09/01/19 to 04/12/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this program are Veterans who are living in Arizona or the Southwest (defined as AZ, Nevada, and New Mexico). Outreach to these Veterans was completed through social media campaigns, email promotions, radio broadcasts, paper flyers, and participation at Veteran-specific in-person networking events. Participants had to fill out an application and submit a DD214 if they were interested in applying. After reviewing their application, the project team would set up a short virtual video interview with the potential participant. This was a chance to get to know the participant, identify their goals, and identify if those goals line up with the goals of the program. Participants need to be interested in agriculture in any form. So far, most participants have been interested in starting small farm operations, either on rural property or out of existing homes and yards in urban areas. There is no background experience requirement, so participants have had a range of backgrounds with many participants being new to growing food or farming. Feedback for the program has been extremely positive. Comments gathered from anonymous surveys include: I'm very impressed and grateful for the quality information that is being presented to us free of charge. The ability to communicate and be taught by Professors from some prestigious Universities free of charge is kinda hard to believe. OMG! All of it. I very much appreciate the scope of this program and the intentions to move us forward towards a positive vocational and entrepreneurial prospect. This program transforms the best of the military mindset and trainings into a force of good for the community. The hands in classes are valuable! I love the solar, greenhouse, and hydroponic growing classes. I enjoyed the farm tours! I love the internship opportunities The program's flexibility allows for a wide range of people to participate and to choose exactly what kind of courses to complete and events to attend. Participants have also been developing a stronger network together, gathering outside of events and helping each other complete farm tasks. So far feedback suggests that the program has been appropriately tailored to the target audience. Changes/Problems:A major change in approach throughout this program was coordinating farm internships for individual participants, as opposed to group internships. Coordinating between several participants' schedules as well as host farms' schedules proved to be too challenging. Instead, participants were allowed to complete internships with farms individually. This allowed participants to really adjust it to their schedule. For instance, one participant spread out her internship throughout several weekends. Another internship split his into two separate weeks. All interns completed 5 full days on farms, but this extra degree of flexibility allowed the program to maintain a high level of accessibility. Another large change was shifting the outreach efforts at the beginning of the program. This program began in earnest essentially as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began. The original plan for outreach was to attend in-person networking events, present to groups, and meet Veterans in-person. This became impossible as all these events were cancelled for the following 2-3 years. Outreach efforts shifted virtually, with a robust social media presence and email outreach campaigns. There were also several zoom presentations to Veteran groups, and mailed flyers to VA offices throughout the state. Over time, more in-person events began to occur, but the project team has found that the online presence has been the most effective for recruiting participants. As time goes on, the social media efforts will only improve as more people like and subscribe the Facebook and Instagram pages. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Provision of agricultural, food, and green business training opportunities and professional development to Veterans is the primary goal of this program. This is accomplished through online curriculum, hands-on workshops, tours of innovative farm operations, farm internships and apprenticeships, and one-on-one professional planning and development. For specific dates and activities that provided training and professional development, see the above report on project task accomplishments. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There is an active VAEAP Facebook group where events and updates are shared with followers. The page has 331 followers and events and flyers for the program are regularly boosted through the page. In addition, flyers and promotional material are regularly sent to agencies and Veteran focused organizations for distribution to their members. There was also a 6-month underwriting contract completed with KAWC, a radio station in Yuma, AZ, to tell more people about the program and recruit participants. The project team continously completed outreach efforts throughout this program to share the results of the program as well as recruit more participants. Efforts included attending in-person events, printing promotional materials for Veteran organizations to have available or distribute, consistent social media efforts, and connecting with more Veteran friendly businesses and organizations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Active Outreach and Veteran Engagement Established social media presence. Facebook page has 299 likes with 331 followers Paper flyers were printed and mailed to every VA office in Arizona to be displayed in waiting rooms. Project team members had booth at the 2021 Military/Veteran Woman's Expo in Sierra Vista on 10/31/21. Flyers for the program were handed out and participants recruited Project team members presented on the VAEAP at the 34th Annual Southwest Indian Agricultural Association Conference on 03/23/22. The conference had 150 attendees from all over the southwest. It was a great opportunity to connect with Native ranchers and farmers Sofia Montes of AATech presented to the Kino Veteran's Workforce Center on 03/29/22 and Arizona State University's Upward Bound program on 05/31/22. These organizations work directly with Veterans and now refer potential participants to the program The project team completed the process to be a BeConnected AZ partner. BeConnected is a resource for Veterans that connects them with services and Veteran focused organizations all over the state. The VAEAP is now listed as a partner and is included on their database. The BeConnected staff is also aware of the program and refers Veterans who may be interested to the program. Facilitate the Veterans' Connections to USDA, Cooperative Extension, Veterans Affairs, and Other Agencies UA Coop Extension project team makes an effort to share with the participants what resources are available Ongoing: network with Veteran specific agencies to facilitate outreach for the program and connect participants with additional resources Conduct Needs Assessments Virtual needs assessment was developed and distributed. It was not an effective tool at reaching Veterans as there were very limited responses. Engaging with Veterans through social media and at in-person events has been much more successful Build a Virtual Collaborative Network for Job Referral/Placement The project team has connected with 11 separate businesses through this program as internship hosts and farm tour hosts. The relationship with these organizations is ongoing and is laying the foundation for the virtual collaborative network Develop the Curriculum for Classroom Training UA Professors have completed the online curriculum. All 33 courses are uploaded to the private VAEAP YouTube page - included in "Other Products" Provide Classroom Training Participants complete online classes when they are able. They reach out to the UA professors to set up office hours and discuss topics in more detail. Even though classes are recorded, participants are aware that the professors are available and willing to connect to further discuss any class topic. In addition to the online courses, throughout the program there were 12 in-person, hands-on learning opportunities provided to participants. These were opportunities for them to learn about particular topics directly from the professors and apply their skills in workshops developed by the professors or other professionals. Develop the Apprenticeship Training Programs There are currently 7 host farms in Arizona. They are: Avra Valley Growers (Marana) Merchant's Garden (Tucson) North Leupp Family Farms (Leupp) Painted Desert Regional Food Hub (Flagstaff) Gila River Farms (Sacaton) Rosebird Farms (Kingman) Steadfast Farms (Mesa) The project team developed a report for participants to complete while they do their internship. It includes a daily diary for the five days, as well as a short essay reflecting on their experience and what they learned Host Apprenticeship Program at the Model Training Sites As of 03/31/2023 there have been 12 participants who have completed internships at the host farms. The team will continue to connect participants with internship opportunities Field Trips/Farm Tours Promoting Innovative Technologies and Practices 10/23/21: 6 participants and Dr. Ursula Schuch completed tours of the Arizona Worm Farm and the All Season Wholesale Growers plant nursery. 03/05/22: 8 participants and Dr. Schuch attended a tour of BKW Farms in Marana, AZ 04/27/22: 6 participants attended a tour of Steadfast Farms in Mesa, AZ 05/21/22: 4 participants attended a tour of Arizona Worm Farm 06/11/22: 6 participants attended a tour of Rattlebox Farms in Tucson, AZ 02/18/23: 5 participants attended a Tractor Workshop at a participant's farm in Maricopa, AZ Sustainable Business Assistance 05/10/22: Sofia Montes of AATech met with participant Odell Chalmers to discuss farm business plan. A draft was completed in June, 2022 05/18/22: Sofia Montes and Kate Cheney of AATech met with participant Kristil Hightower to discuss farm/agrotourist business plan 07/15/22: Sofia Montes spoke with participant Peter Dahm on the phone to discuss financing opportunities for farm infrastructure 07/19/22: Sofia Montes met with participant Jerry White to develop feasibility study. Draft completed 08/22. 08/10/22: Sofia Montes met with Jerry White to discuss loan options for his farm 01/12/23: Sofia Montes met with Peter Dahm to discuss a business plan for a grant application. Business plan completed in Feb 2023. 03/07/23: Sofia Montes met with Robert Berg to discuss a business plan. Business plan completed in April 2023 Grant Assistance AATech worked with AVG, a Veteran owned small farm, to develop an application for the 2022 USDA Value-Added Producer Grant AATech worked with Scott Sossaman, a Veteran with a family farm in AZ, to develop an application for the 2022 USDA Value-Added Producer Grant. This grant was awarded. Program Meetings/Communications 09/19/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen (PDDP), Jing Luo and Sofia Montes (AATech), Ursula Schuch and Edward Franklin (UA), Bruce Laird (AVG), Kevin Fort (RBi) RBi 10/17/20 Meeting- In attendance: Jonathan McLane (VRM), Jing Luo and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird 11/21/20 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird 01/09/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch, Edward Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird 04/24/21 Meeting- This meeting was focused on host farm internships/apprenticeships, and host farmers from Gila River Farms and Merchant's Garden LLC were in attendance in addition to the project team. In attendance was Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Ashton Inskeep and Sofia Montes (AATech), Ursula Schuch, Edward Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird, and Kevin Fort 06/19/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Ashton Inskeep and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch and Edward Franklin, Kevin Fort 08/07/21 Meeting- In attendance: Bruce Laird, Kevin Fort, Allegra Mount and Jing Luo, Edward Franklin and Ursula Schuch 10/04/21 Meeting - In attendance: Dr. Ursula Schuch, Kevin Fort, Bruce Laird, and Jing Luo and Sofia Montes 12/11/21 Meeting - In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Bruce Laird, Ursula Schuch, Dr. Edward Franklin, Kevin Fort, and Jing Luo and Sofia Montes 06/25/22 Meeting - In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Bruce Laird, Ursula Schuch, Kevin Fort, and Sofia Montes 01/14/23 Meeting - In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Ursula Schuch, Bruce Laird, Kevin Fort, Sofia Montes, Jin Luo 02/11/23 Meeting - In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Robert Masson, Edward Franklin, Ursula Schuch, Jing Luo, Sofia Montes
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this program are Veterans who are living in Arizona or the Southwest (defined as AZ, Nevada, and New Mexico). Outreach to these Veterans was completed through social media campaigns, email promotions, radio broadcasts, paper flyers, and participation at Veteran-specific in-person networking events. Participants had to fill out an application and submit a DD214 if they were interested in applying. After reviewing their application, the project team would set up a short virtual video interview with the potential participant. This was a chance to get to know the participant, identify their goals, and identify if those goals line up with the goals of the program. Participants need to be interested in agriculture in any form. So far, most participants have been interested in starting small farm operations, either on rural property or out of existing homes and yards in urban areas. There is no background experience requirement, so participants have had a range of backgrounds with many participants being new to growing food or farming. Changes/Problems:The program began in 2019 and shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began. This delayed the program and changed many activities from in-person to virtual. The project team therefore used less of the budget than anticipated, resulting in the need for a no-cost extension, which was approved by NIFA in July, 2022. The project team hopes to apply for 2023 AgVets funding, and we are aware that the current program needs to be closed out in order to be eligible. Therefore we are focused on closing out this grant successfully and applying for additional funding. We have established a network of organizations, individuals, and businesses that support the vision of having more Veterans in agriculture. There are many lessons that we have learned throughout this program that we are eager to apply in the future. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Provision of agricultural, food, and green business training opportunities and professional development to Veterans is the primary goal of this program. This is accomplished through online curriculum, hands-on workshops, tours of innovative farm operations, farm internships and apprenticeships, and one-on-one professional planning and development. For specific dates and activities that provided training and professional development, see the above report on project task accomplishments. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There is an active VAEAP Facebook group where events and updates are shared with followers. The page has 316 followers and events and flyers for the program are regularly boosted through the page. In addition, flyers and promotional material are regularly sent to agencies and Veteran focused organizations for distribution to their members. There was also a 6-month underwriting contract completed with KAWC, a radio station in Yuma, AZ, to tell more people about the program and recruit participants. The project team will continue outreach efforts to share the results of the program as well as recruit more participants. Efforts will include attending more in-person events, printing promotional materials for Veteran organizations to have available or distribute, expanding social media efforts, and connecting with more Veteran friendly businesses and organizations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Our goals for the next reporting period is to continue serving our current participants. We hope to close out this program by Spring of 2023 in order to apply for the next round of AgVets funding. This will allow us to continue building our network of producers, businesses, organizations, and individuals that can be resources to Veteran agricultural producers, as well as expand the program and continue to work with Veterans all over Arizona and the southwest.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This is a shortened version to meet the word limit. An extended version with more detail is available upon request. Active Outreach and Veteran Engagement Established social media presence. Facebook page has 281 likes with 316 people followers Paper flyers were printed and mailed to every VA office in Arizona to be displayed in waiting rooms. Project team members had booth at the 2021 Military/Veteran Woman's Expo in Sierra Vista on 10/31/21. Flyers for the program were handed out and participants recruited Project team members presented on the VAEAP at the 34th Annual Southwest Indian Agricultural Association Conference on 03/23/22. The conference had 150 attendees from all over the southwest. It was a great opportunity to connect with Native ranchers and farmers Sofia Montes of AATech presented to the Kino Veteran's Workforce Center on 03/29/22 and Arizona State University's Upward Bound program on 05/31/22. These organizations work directly with Veterans and now refer potential participants to the program The project team completed the process to be a BeConnected AZ partner. BeConnected is a resource for Veterans that connects them with services and Veteran focused organizations all over the state. The VAEAP is now listed as a partner and is included on their database. The BeConnected staff is also aware of the program and refers Veterans who may be interested to the program. Facilitate the Veterans' Connections to USDA, Cooperative Extension, Veterans Affairs, and Other Agencies UA Coop Extension project team makes an effort to share with the participants what resources are available Ongoing: network with Veteran specific agencies to facilitate outreach for the program and connect participants with additional resources Conduct Needs Assessments Virtual needs assessment was developed and distributed. It was not an effective tool at reaching Veterans as there were very limited responses. Engaging with Veterans through social media and at in-person events has been much more successful Build a Virtual Collaborative Network for Job Referral/Placement The project team has connected with 11 separate businesses through this program as internship hosts and farm tour hosts. The relationship with these organizations is ongoing and is laying the foundation for the virtual collaborative network Develop the Curriculum for Classroom Training UA Professors have completed the online curriculum. All 33 courses are uploaded to the private VAEAP YouTube page - included in "Other Products" Provide Classroom Training Participants complete online classes when they are able. They reach out to the UA professors to set up office hours and discuss topics in more detail. Even though classes are recorded, participants are aware that the professors are available and willing to connect to further discuss any class topic. 10/09/21: Dr. Ursula Schuch led 6 participants in a hands-on propagation workshop at the UA Agricultural Campus in Tucson, AZ 01/27/22: 5 participants attended a virtual curriculum discussion session with Dr. Schuch and Dr. Franklin. 03/19/22: 7 participants and Dr. Schuch attended a Hoop House workday at a participant's farm 03/29/22: The project team hosted a networking event in Tucson, AZ. There were 5 participants who attended 04/09/22: A solar and horticulture workshop was held at the Maricopa Ag Center by Dr. Schuch and Dr. Franklin. There were 9 participants 05/27/22: A drone mapping workshop and small farms cost estimator workshop was held by Dr. Franklin and Mr. Trent Teegerstrom. There were 5 participants 07/16/22: Irrigation installation workshop was held at a participant's farm. 4 participants attended with Dr. Schuch. 08/06/22: Dr. Schuch and Bruce Laird of Avra Valley Growers hosted a workshop on plant propagation in Phoenix, AZ. 8 participants attended 08/20/22: Paris Masek of the AZ Department of Ag hosted a "Good Handling Practices/Good Agricultural Practices" workshop in Phoenix, AZ. 8 participants attended and received GHP/GAP certifications at the end of the workshop. 09/10/22: A bed prep and planting workshop was held at a participant's house. 4 participants attended with Dr. Schuch Develop the Apprenticeship Training Programs There are currently 7 host farms in Arizona. They are: Avra Valley Growers (Marana) Merchant's Garden (Tucson) North Leupp Family Farms (Leupp) Painted Desert Regional Food Hub (Flagstaff) Gila River Farms (Sacaton) Rosebird Farms (Kingman) Steadfast Farms (Mesa) The project team developed a report for participants to complete while they do their internship. It includes a daily diary for the five days, as well as a short essay reflecting on their experience and what they learned Host Apprenticeship Program at the Model Training Sites As of 09/30/22 there have been 9 participants who have completed internships at the host farms Field Trips/Farm Tours Promoting Innovative Technologies and Practices 10/23/21: 6 participants and Dr. Ursula Schuch completed tours of the Arizona Worm Farm and the All Season Wholesale Growers plant nursery. 03/05/22: 8 participants and Dr. Schuch attended a tour of BKW Farms in Marana, AZ 04/27/22: 6 participants attended a tour of Steadfast Farms in Mesa, AZ 05/21/22: 4 participants attended a tour of Arizona Worm Farm 06/11/22: 6 participants attended a tour of Rattlebox Farms in Tucson, AZ Sustainable Business Assistance 05/10/22: Sofia Montes of AATech met with participant Odell Chalmers to discuss farm business plan. A draft was completed in June, 2022 05/18/22: Sofia Montes and Kate Cheney of AATech met with participant Kristil Hightower to discuss farm/agrotourist business plan 07/15/22: Sofia Montes spoke with participant Peter Dahm on the phone to discuss financing opportunities for farm infrastructure 07/19/22: Sofia Montes met with participant Jerry White to develop feasibility study. Draft completed 08/22. 08/10/22: Sofia Montes met with Jerry White to discuss loan options for his farm Grant Assistance AATech worked with AVG, a Veteran owned small farm, to develop an application for the 2022 USDA Value-Added Producer Grant AATech worked with Scott Sossaman, a Veteran with a family farm in AZ, to develop an application for the 2022 USDA Value-Added Producer Grant. This grant was awarded. Program Meetings/Communications 09/19/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen (PDDP), Jing Luo and Sofia Montes (AATech), Ursula Schuch and Edward Franklin (UA), Bruce Laird (AVG), Kevin Fort (RBi) RBi 10/17/20 Meeting- In attendance: Jonathan McLane (VRM), Jing Luo and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird 11/21/20 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird 01/09/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch, Edward Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird 04/24/21 Meeting- This meeting was focused on host farm internships/apprenticeships, and host farmers from Gila River Farms and Merchant's Garden LLC were in attendance in addition to the project team. In attendance was Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Ashton Inskeep and Sofia Montes (AATech), Ursula Schuch, Edward Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom, Bruce Laird, and Kevin Fort 06/19/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Jonathan McLane, Ashton Inskeep and Sofia Montes, Ursula Schuch and Edward Franklin, Kevin Fort 08/07/21 Meeting- In attendance: Bruce Laird, Kevin Fort, Allegra Mount and Jing Luo, Edward Franklin and Ursula Schuch 10/04/21 Meeting - In attendance: Dr. Ursula Schuch, Kevin Fort, Bruce Laird, and Jing Luo and Sofia Montes 12/11/21 Meeting - In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Bruce Laird, Dr. Ursula Schuch, Dr. Edward Franklin, Kevin Fort, and Jing Luo and Sofia Montes 06/25/22 Meeting - In attendance: Mark Sorensen, Bruce Laird, Dr. Ursula Schuch, Kevin Fort, and Sofia Montes
Publications
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Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this program is military veterans in the southwestern region of the United States. Participants during the last reporting period included 16military veterans largely located in or near the Arizona cities of Tucson and Phoenix. These Veterans connected with the program largely through Facebook and email after seeing outreach efforts. Participants come from varied backgrounds and have a wide range of goals, including managing small farms, becoming more self sufficient, and exploring businesses in agricultural technology. The overarching goal of this program is to increase the number of military Veterans pursuing successful careers in food, agricultural and green industry sectors through a comprehensive, hands-on, and immersive training program offered at four Arizona farms/food hubs and several nursery and landscape operations. The program will also increase the Veteran's access to Federal, local, and/or private grants/loans by providing grant application/administration assistance. In addition, the program intends to offer therapeutic healing to Veterans through farming, animal caring, and green industry practices. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Provision of agricultural, food, and green business training opportunities and professional development to Veterans is the primary goal of this program. This is accomplished through online curriculum, hands-on workshops, tours of innovative farm operations, farm internships and apprenticeships, and one-on-one professional planning and development. For specific dates and activities that provided training and professional development, see the above report on project task accomplishments. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There is an active VAEAP Facebook group where events and updates are shared with followers. The page has 170 followers and events and flyers for the program are regularly boosted through the page. In addition, flyers and promotional material are regularly sent to agencies and Veteran focused organizations for distribution to their members. There was also a 6-month underwriting contract completed with KAWC, a radio station in Yuma, AZ, to tell more people about the program and recruit participants. The project team will continue outreach efforts to share the results of the program as well as recruit more participants. Efforts will include attending more in-person events, printing promotional materials for Veteran organizations to have available or distribute, expanding social media efforts, and connecting with more Veteran friendly businesses and organizations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project team will continue working to develop and expand the curriculum. This includes not only completing the curriculum under the three current categories of Horticulture, Agribusiness, and Solar Technology, but expanding to include other topics participants are interested in. This will be done by inviting guest lecturers for virtual class series from a variety of backgrounds and expertise. In addition, the hands-on component of the program will continue through in-person workshops throughout the state, farm and green business tours, and of course the internship program for participants at several host farms in Arizona. Outreach efforts will continue to try and recruit participants. The project team is hopeful these efforts can include attending in-person events that are Veteran specific to try and reach more people. The extensive outreach events that were planned for in the first year of this program were not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the project team was able to pivot to virtual outreach efforts, in-person outreach will allow for a more well-rounded approach. Finally, the project team will work closely with the independent evaluator as well as current participants to assess and troubleshoot the existing VAEAP. It will be important to identify weakpoints or areas that need improvement in the program and address them. This willincrease participants as well as limit drop outs. The project team is committed to developing a program that meets the needs of AZ Veterans and provides a wide range of support.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Task 1 Subtask 1.1: Active Outreach and Veteran Engagement Established social media presence. A Facebook group and a project web page are live. The Facebook page has 145 likes and averages about 3 posts per week, with 170 people following the page. Mr. Jonathan McLane of Veterans Rescue Mission (VRM) has been engaging Veterans in his community. Members from the program team appear monthly on Mr. McLane's radio show, "Common Good", which airs on KVOI. The project team completed outreach to a list of 84 different Veteran focused organizations in Arizona. Sofia Montes from AATech presented virtually to many organizations including Arizona State University's Upward Bound program (01/28/21, and 03/31/21), and the Veteran Mental Health Council of Southern Arizona (01/13/21). Subtask 1.2: Facilitate the Veterans' Connections to USDA, Cooperative Extension, Veterans Affairs, and Other Agencies Members of the project team are part of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and make an effort to share with the participants what resources are available. There is ongoing work to network with Veteran specific agencies to facilitate outreach for the program and connect participants with additional resources. Subtask 1.3: Conduct Needs Assessments A virtual needs assessment was developed and distributed. There are 16 responses. The project team will continue to disseminate the needs assessment virtually and in-person to gather more results. Subtask 1.4: Build a Virtual Collaborative Network for Job Referral/Placement The project team has been connecting with privately owned farms, businesses, and organizations. The collaborative network will continue to grow organically as the program further develops. Task 2 Subtask 2.1: Develop the Curriculum for Classroom Training Professors at the University of Arizona (UA) have developed online curriculum. All courses are uploaded to the private VAEAP YouTube page participants have access to. Recordings for all curriculum is expected to be completed by 12/31/21. Available courses are viewable on the YouTube pages included in "Other Products." Subtask 2.2: Provide Classroom Training 10/7/21: Dr. Ursula Schuch led 7 participants in a hands-on workshop in drip-irrigation system design and installation at the VRM. 06/05/21: Dr. Edward Franklin led a workshop for 6 attendees on Solar Technology at the Maricopa Agricultural Center in Maricopa, AZ. 07/10/21: Dr. Franklin held a Drone Technology Demonstration Workshop for 6 participants at Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, AZ. 08/28/21: Dr. Franklin and Dr. Schuch hosted a workshop for 6 attendees on Rainwater Harvesting at the UA Agricultural Campus in Tucson, AZ. A propagation workshop by Dr. Schuch is planned for 10/09/21, at the UA Agricultural Campus in Tucson, AZ. Subtask 2.3: Develop the Apprenticeship Training Programs On 04/24/21, prospective host farms were invited to meet with the project team over Zoom. The team outlined the host farm internships and described the goals of the program. There are currently 6 host farms in Arizona. Subtask 2.4: Host Apprenticeship Program at the Model Training Sites Summer of 2021, 2 VAEAP participants completed apprenticeships at AVG and Merchant's Garden LLC. Each participant returned an essay about their experience. The project team uses these essays to guide program development. The project team is currently working with participants to assign additional apprenticeships in the fall of 2021. Subtask 2.5: Field Trips/Farm Tours Promoting Innovative Technologies and Practices On 03/27/21 and 04/10/21, participants visited AVG in Marana, AZ and learned how to install hoop houses. There 10 and 8 attendees, respectively. On 07/17/21, the program held a tour for 12 attendees of Merchant's Garden LLC, an urban farm that produces leafy greens hydroponically in Tucson, AZ. A tour of All Seasons Wholesale Growers and the Arizona Worm Farm, both in Phoenix, AZ, has been scheduled for 10/23/21. ?Task 3 Subtask 3.1: Sustainable Business Assistance The project team is assisting Scott Sossaman, a Veteran with a family farm in AZ that is interested in developing a malting facility to complete a feasibility study. Participants that complete their internship are eligible for sustainable business assistance. Currently, two participants are scheduling discussion sessions with mentors. Subtask 3.2: Grant Assistance Apex Applied Technology is coordinating with AVG, a Veteran owned small farm, to develop an application for the 2022 USDA Value-Added Producer Grant to explore a mobile hemp fiber processing unit. Task 4 Subtask 4.1: Program Meetings/Communications 09/19/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen from the Painted Desert Demonstration Projects (PDDP), Jing Luo and Sofia Montes from AATech, Ursula Schuch and Edward Franklin from the UA, Bruce Laird from AVG, Kevin Fort from RBi. Primary discussion: finalization of the curriculum framework, outreach activities to begin participant recruitment, among others. 10/17/20 Meeting- In attendance: Jonathan McLane from the Veteran Rescue Mission, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes from AATech, Ursula Schuch and Trent Teegerstrom from the UA, Bruce Laird from AVG. Primary discussion: finalization of the curriculum framework, outreach activities to begin participant recruitment, creating a network of host farms. 11/21/20 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen from the PDDP , Jonathan McLane from the Veteran Rescue Mission, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes from AATech, Ursula Schuch and Trent Teegerstrom from the UA, Bruce Laird from AVG. Primary discussion: onboarding of the first participant cohort, promotion of workshops at the Veteran Rescue Mission. 01/09/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen from the PDDP , Jonathan McLane from the Veteran Rescue Mission, Jing Luo and Sofia Montes from AATech, Ursula Schuch, Edward Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom from the UA, Bruce Laird from AVG. Primary discussion: orientation for the first cohort, scheduling spring workshops at AVG. 04/24/21 Meeting- This meeting was focused on host farm internships/apprenticeships, and host farmers from Gila River Farms and Merchant's Garden LLC were in attendance in addition to the project team. In attendance was Mark Sorensen from the PDDP , Jonathan McLane from the Veteran Rescue Mission, Ashton Inskeep and Sofia Montes from AATech, Ursula Schuch, Edward Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom from the UA, Bruce Laird from AVG, and Kevin Fort from RBi. 06/19/21 Meeting- In attendance: Mark Sorensen from the PDDP , Jonathan McLane from the Veteran Rescue Mission, Ashton Inskeep and Sofia Montes from AATech, Ursula Schuch and Edward Franklin from the UA, Kevin Fort from RBi. Primary topics included summer events for the program. 08/07/21 Meeting- In attendance: Bruce Laird from AVG, Kevin Fort from RBi, Allegra Mount and Jing Luo from AATech, Edward Franklin and Ursula Schuch from the UA. Primary topics included development of workshops for summer/fall. Subtask 4.2: Program Evaluation and Control Designed and deployed a survey and evaluation tool that solicits feedback from participants and coordinators of hands-on events, demonstrations, workshops, and group projects. Designed and deployed a survey and evaluation tool that solicits feedback from participants and instructors of classroom based learning. Developed and deployed a tracking system used to monitor participant progress in the program. Subtask 4.3: Data Management and Federal Reporting The first annual report was prepared and submitted to NIFA on 08/08/20. The second annual report was prepared and submitted to NIFA in October, 2021. Subtask 4.4: Information Sharing and Program Closeout The project team has a conference presentation planned for 10/29/21 to the Southwest Indian Agricultural Association and other partners in Tucson, AZ.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The project team has developed needs assessments for both green businesses and employers as well as Veteran participants. At this time, the needs assessment has been sent to a small selection of individuals who can assist in feedback of the needs assessment before a final version is widely distributed. Eight different employers have receivedthe business needs assessment, while nine Veteran participants have been received the Veteran needs assessment. The project team has begun outreach to different Veteran centered organizations in Arizona in the hopes of reaching potential participants. The project team has developed a list of84different organizations that we will have meaningful contact with bySeptember 30, 2020.Meaningful contact means getting a response, whether through email or phone, and getting follow through with outreach efforts. We will be sending the program fact sheet and flyer through email, and will be offering to mail hard copies of the flyer to organizations with active bulletin boards or areas to display flyers. We hope to compile a list of potential participants and encouragethem to engage with the program through the social media and to fill out an application form. The project team has also developed a social media presence for the program. The facebook page for the Veterans Agriculture Education and Apprenticeship Program can be found at https://www.facebook.com/VAEAPSW. At this time, the page has 76 likes and 84 followers. There is also an Instagram page where content can be cross-posted. The project team has begun developing informational videos on the program and promotional content that will be posted on the social media pages. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to impact Veteran outreach efforts. Attending Veteran groups and events will be more difficult now as many of these events have been cancelled. However, the Project Team is making an effort to complete outreach through Veteran organizations, as well asonline through surveys and social media. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
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?The goals for the Project Team over the next yearare as follows: Complete outreach to Veteran organizations Continue receiving completed needs assessments from both Veterans and Employers Enroll the first round of participants. Begin sessions of modular curriculum Attend at least 2 Veteran events and reach out to interested Veterans Provide sustainable business assistance to 2 Veteran-owned businesses Develop apprenticeship training curriculum for each host site Develop a training and workshop schedule for year 2
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement:The overall goal of this project is to provide Veterans with hands-on and immersive training in agriculture and other green businesses. It has been important for the project team from the beginning to develop this program in a way that is accessible, useful, and beneficial to participants and employers/host farms alike. Therefore, the project team has dedicated the first period of this program to engaging with Veterans and employers and assessing their needs and the ways this program will meet those needs. The project team has been working closely with Veterans and Veteran-focused organizations and has developed a thorough needs assessment for potential participants. The project team has also been reaching out to farms, plant nurseries, landscapers, and others who would benefit from having a better trained workforce. A needs assessment for employers/farms has also been developed and distributed. The results from the needs assessments for both Veterans and employers will shape the development of the program and curriculum. The project team has also established a project management website to track the program and identified evaluation methods. This will ensure that the program is on track and that grant requirements are being met. This project has been organized into four different tasks, with each subtask pertaining to a listed objective. The activities completed within each task are summarized below. Task 1 Outreach, Veteran Engagement and Needs Assessments Subtask 1.1: Active Outreach and Veteran Engagement (Obj. 1) A social media presence was established for the project. An active Facebook group, an Instagram page, and a project web page are live. The Facebook page has 76likes and averages about 3 posts per week. A project logo was developed as a tool to promote the program. A project fact sheet was developed as a tool to promote the program. Mr. Jonathan McLane of Veterans Rescue Mission has been engaging Veterans in his community and gauging interest and receiving feedback as the project develops. A list of 84 different Veteran focused organizations in Arizona was developed, and the project team is working to complete outreach to these organizations bySeptember 30, 2020.Meaningful contact is key, whether by phone or email, and will result in follow through with outreach efforts. We will send them the program fact sheet and flyer through email, and are offering to mail them physical copies of the flyer to be displayed on bulletin boards or other display areas. Subtask 1.2: Facilitate the Veterans' Connections to USDA, Cooperative Extension, Veterans Affairs, and Other Agencies (Obj. 5) No action yet. Subtask 1.3: Conduct Needs Assessments (Obj. 1) A needs assessment for Veteran participants was developed. A pilot run of the needs assessment is in progress, after which feedback will be considered and a final version will be widely distributed. An employer focused needs assessment was developed in order to understand what green and agricultural businesses are looking for in trained employees. A pilot run of the needs assessment is in progress, after which feedback will be considered and a final version will be widely distributed. Subtask 1.4: Build a Virtual Collaborative Network for Job Referral/Placement (Obj. 4) No action yet Task 2: Classroom and Apprenticeship Trainings Subtask 2.1: Develop the Curriculum for Classroom Training on Farming, Ranching, Green Industry, and Agribusiness Development (Obj. 2) The project team has begun developing the modular curriculum that will be used throughout the program. The program has classes on a wide range of agricultural sciences, as well as personal finance, business management, and solar technology.The feedback from the needs assessments will assist in further tailoring it to both Veterans' and employers' needs. Subtask 2.2: Provide Classroom Training (Obj. 2) No action yet Subtask 2.3: Develop the Apprenticeship Training Programs (Obj. 2) No action yet Subtask 2.4: Host Apprenticeship Program at the Model Training Sites (Obj.2) No action yet Subtask 2.5: Field Trips/Farm Tours Promoting Innovative Technologies and Practices (Obj. 3) No action yet Task 3: Direct Technical Assistance Subtask 3.1: Sustainable Business Assistance (Obj. 6) AATech assisted Avra Valley Growers, LLC, in an application for USDA's AMS Corona Virus Food Assistance Program. The application as submitted on May 1, 2020. Subtask 3.2: Grant Assistance (Obj. 6) No action yet Task 4: Program Management (Obj. 1-6) Subtask 4.1: Program Meetings/Communications A kickoff meeting for the program was held onNovember 2, 2019.Attendees were Dr.Mark Sorensen from STAR School, Dr. Jing Luo and Mrs. Sofia Montes from Apex Applied Technology (AATech), Dr.Ursula Schuch, Ed Franklin, and Trent Teegerstrom from the University of Arizona, Mr.Kevin Fort from RBI, Mr. Bruce Laird and Mrs. Nichole Simpson from Avra Valley Growers, LLC, and Mr. Jonathan McLane fromVeteran Rescue Mission. A phone conference meeting was held onJanuary 18, 2020in order to discuss the status of the project. The participants were Dr. Mark Sorensen from STAR School, Dr.Jing Luo and Mrs. Sofia Montes from AATech,and Dr.Ursula Schuch and Ed Franklin from the UA. A second project meeting was held onFebruary 8, 2020.The attendees wereDr.Jing Luo and Mrs. Sofia Montes from Apex Applied Technology (AATech), Dr.Ursula Schuch, Ed Franklin, andTrent Teegerstrom from the University of Arizona, Mr.Kevin Fort from RBI, Mr.Bruce Laird from Avra Valley Growers, LLC, and Mr. Jonathan McLane fromVeteran Rescue Mission. A third project meeting was held onMarch 28, 2020, through Skype. The attendees were Dr. Mark Sorensen, Dr. Jing Luo, Mrs. Sofia Montes, Dr. Ursula Schuch, Dr. Ed Franklin, Dr. Trent Teegerstrom, Mr. Kevin Fort, and Mr. Bruce Laird. A fourth project meeting was held onJune 27, 2020,through Zoom. The attendees wereDr. Mark Sorensen, Dr. Jing Luo, Mrs. Sofia Montes, Dr. Ursula Schuch, Dr. Ed Franklin, Mr. Kevin Fort, Mr. Jonathan McLane, and Mr. Bruce Laird. A fifth project meetwing was held onAugust 15, 2020,through Zoom. The attendees wereDr. Mark Sorensen, Dr. Jing Luo, Mrs. Sofia Montes, Dr. Ursula Schuch, Dr. Ed Franklin, Dr. Trent Teegerstrom, Mr. Jonathan McLane,and Mr. Bruce Laird. Subtask 4.2: Program Evaluation and Control Mr. Kevin Fort has developedthe evaluation methods for the program, including identifying the milestonesand developing a program management website for the project team. Subtask 4.3: Data Management and Federal Reporting The first financial report was completed and submitted in February 1, 2020. Subtask 4.4: Information Sharing and Program Closeout? Dr. Ursula Schuch and Dr. Trent Teegerstrom attended the NIFA Farmer Veteran Stakeholders Conference onNovember 17-19.They presented an overview of the program and attended presentations of other AgVets Programs.
Publications
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