Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Heritage Organic Dry Farming Safety Training Program technical assistance will help with providing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and sustainability of local food networks in the South Carolina and South East Region. Working with beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged producers with these demonstration plots and providing technical assistance to take the good agricultural practices into the field and the markets will: 1) increase the quality of production for farmers and producers; 2) assist the socially disadvantaged producer's farmer's cooperative to expand their presence and markets profitability. The proposed project, "Heritage Organic Dry Farming Safety Training Program" will allow SCF Organic Farms to achieve that goal by coordinating a solid, well-trained network of small, sustainable growers with the skills and resources to meet long-term, growing demand for healthy, local farm produce among people of all income levels. SCF's Strategies for achieving that Primary Goal with the proposed grant are the 7 Tasks offering the technical assistance most needed by the farmers and community it serves: Task (1) Complete an Organic Production System Plan Workshop detailing the steps to organic certification;(2) Conduct Mobile Produce Distribution Workshop for using methods to distribute produce more efficiently. (3) Food and Safety Compliance Workshop introducing farmers to GAP certification to help increase safety in small farms production (4) Conduct Seed Saving Technique Workshop for an increase in produce production and varieties. (5) Conduct Produce Packaging and Labeling Workshop with focus increasing shelf life, marketability and traceability. (6) Conduct Farm Tool and Supply Safety Identification Workshop to demonstrate how to properly use, clean and store farm tools and supplies. (7) Conduct Perennial Workshop using methods to produce plants that are low maintenance and produce every year such as asparagus, turmeric, ginger, grapes, blueberries and etc. The above are the technical assistance that will be provided by SCF-Organic Farms, Ltd to assist participants who enroll in the Heritage Organic Dry Farming Safety Training Program.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
SCF Organic Farm's Mission is to educate farmers and customers about the benefits of vegetables and fruits grown with organic, heritage, dry-farming methods, and to increase production and consumption of that produce among farmers and customers of all income levels in the State of South Carolina. SCF's Vision is to see its communities transformed by a vibrant, healthy, local food economy using low-cost, forgotten skills previous generations survived and thrived on. SCF's Primary Goal is to transform a small group of limited resource farmers into a large group of profitable farmers, producing healthy, local produce that is affordable to all South Carolina residents and beyond. The proposed project, Heritage Organic Dry Farming Safety Training Program will allow SCF Organic Farms to achieve that goal by coordinating a solid, well-trained network of small, sustainable growers with the skills and resources to meet long-term, growing demand for healthy, local farm produce among people of all income levels. SCF's Strategies for achieving that Primary Goal with the proposed grant are outlined here, offering the technical assistance most needed by the farmers and the community it serves. SCF-Organic Farms, Ltd provides technical assistance in building partnerships, providing services and being at the forefront of economic stability and viability to sustain future growth of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Project Methods
SCF- Organic Farms, Ltd has identified the need for technical assistance for socially disadvantaged producers in the rural areas of Sumter, South Carolina. SCF- Organic Farms, Ltd. 7 Tasks are as follows: Task (1) will do an Organic Production System Plan Workshop detailing the steps to organic certification by surveying socially disadvantaged producers and identify what their farms need to meet the standards for the National Organic Program (NOP) regulatory program. Farm information will be compiled and a plan of action will be determined and implemented by (consultant) and SCF members/patrons will participate in the study. Task (2) will do a Mobile Produce Distribution Workshop to increase distribution of produce more efficiently by identifying networks such as local farmers markets, CSA, food retailers, food wholesalers, food hubs, processors and other distribution methods to increase producer to consumer relationship. Workshop will be completed by SCF Cooperative and Eastern Carolina Organics. Task (3) looks to strengthen and expand the agriculture production capabilities of new and socially disadvantaged producers by teaching Food and Safety compliance in the state of South Carolina and South East. Such as adding GAP certification training in workshop will focus on heritage farming and its practices on other organic farms, as well as universities tours, and agricultural conferences to gain insights on new and innovative ideas for the organic farmer will be completed by SCF Cooperative and (key personnel) project consultant. Task (4) will do a Seed Saving workshop for new and socially disadvantaged producers on how to save seeds more effectively and reducing operating costs by using heritage organic methods. Workshop will be completed by SCF Cooperative, (consultant) and Heritage Organic Farmers. Task (5) will do a workshop for new and socially disadvantaged producers on Produce Packaging and Labeling Workshop will focus developing effective solutions for labeling produce and packaging produce to increase shelf life and freshness. Workshop will be completed by SCF Cooperative and Eastern Carolina Organics.. Task (6) will do a Farm Tools and Supplies Safety Identification workshop for new and socially disadvantaged producers to identify for what their purpose are, how the farms tools can be used for cultivation and how to properly clean tools and supplies. Workshop will be completed by SCF Cooperative, and (consultant). Task (7) will do a workshop on Perennials such as such asparagus, berry bushes, herbs, fruit trees, grapes and nut trees. Establishing techniques on how to plant, transplant, prune, harvest and store perennials. Workshop will be completed by SCF Cooperative and Heritage Organic Farmers.