SARE Nationwide Press Releases

SARE Outreach is hiring

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:02:34 +0000

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is seeking a full-time editorial assistant to work in the SARE Outreach office located in College Park, Md. SARE Outreach is the national communications arm of SARE, a USDA-funded grants and education program.

The editorial assistant will support staff in a range of activities related to content development, management and promotion. This includes contributing to writing/editing, design and media outreach duties; and managing website content, social media activities and some aspects of the publication printing process. Other responsibilities may include management of SARE Outreach’s photo and file databases, and events calendar.

SARE Outreach’s primary objective is to translate the results of SARE-funded projects into practical information for diverse agricultural audiences, including farmers, Extension educators and researchers. Therefore, through the activities described above, the editorial assistant will identify successful research from SARE’s portfolio of 5,000 projects and synthesize it into clear, targeted messages. Over time, this person will develop strong familiarity with SARE’s portfolio of funded research.

The editorial assistant will also help staff identify and analyze new outreach opportunities, including, but not limited to, social media, digital storytelling and mobile technology. This person will also support staff in the development of data management and website systems.

For more information about the requirements of this position and to apply, please view the full description at https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/18527. Closing date is June 7, 2013.

From Apples to Milk: Vital Investments in the Sustainability of New York Agriculture

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:34:47 +0000

Rolling hills dotted with red barns and dairy cows are more than just an iconic vision of the New York countryside. Milk is the state’s biggest agricultural product, the state is one of the top producers in the country, and behind the pastoral landscapes, dairy farmers struggle every day to control costs and protect the environment.

To better ensure the long-term sustainability of New York’s dairy industry, a team of Cornell University Cooperative Extension researchers is helping farmers across the state make more efficient use of fertilizers with a suite of nutrient management tools. Improving the collection and analysis of nutrient information on the farm has led to smarter management decisions, with impressive results: Fifty four participating farmers each cut their use of nutrients by 30-50 percent, and some reported saving up to $10,000 on their fertilizer bill.

This research and education effort is benefiting large swaths of the dairy industry in New York, and SARE has supported it through four grants awarded to members of the Cornell University Nutrient Management Spear Program since 2008 (see SARE projects LNE08-271, ENE09-112, LNE11-307 and ONE12-162).

This is just one example of how SARE grants—and the long-term investment in research and education they represent—are making a big impact on key segments of New York agriculture. Others include:

Increased planting densities and the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds are posing new weed-control challenges for New York apple farmers, who are the second-largest producers of apples in the country. Supported by two SARE grants, Cornell Senior Extension Associate Deborah Breth is partnering with farmers to evaluate different combinations of ground covers and herbicide regimes, to identify the most sustainable solutions (see SARE projects ONE11-138 and ONE12-156).
High tunnels—unheated structures similar to greenhouses—have emerged as a cost-effective way for farmers to extend their growing season and on-farm income while meeting consumers’ growing demand for local food. A Cornell high tunnel team has received six SARE grants since 2004 to conduct on-farm research related to crop variety trials, pest management and other key aspects of high-tunnel production (see SARE projects ONE04-028, ONE05-046, ONE05-047, LNE07-262, LNE10-302 and ONE10-125).
Onions are one of New York’s most valuable vegetable crops, and Cornell Extension Vegetable Specialist Christine Hoepting, supported by six SARE grants since 2006, has worked extensively with onion farmers to find better ways of fighting bacterial rot, protecting soil from erosion and improving their yields (see Research Leads to Profitable, Sustainable Approaches to Onion Production).
Soil is the foundation of all agriculture, and a team of Cornell scientists has used three SARE grants in 10 years to share with thousands of New England farmers the Cornell Soil Health Test, a comprehensive tool for assessing and improving soil conditions. Most recently, Cornell researcher Thomas Bjorkman is working with dozens of farmers to show how test results can inform cover crop decisions (see projects SARE LNE03-175, LNE06-235, ENE09-110).

To learn more about SARE’s involvement in New York—including education initiatives to improve energy sustainability—visit the New York state program page of Northeast SARE. Also, consider visiting these Cornell University websites: the Nutrient Management Spear Program, the High Tunnel Team and the Soil Health Team.

Extend the Growing Season with SARE's New Collection of How-To Resources

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:26:58 +0000

With consumer interest in locally raised foods steadily growing, vegetable farmers are discovering they can add an important income stream through high tunnels—a cost-effective means to extend production and sales into the traditional off season. One Maryland farmer started using a high tunnel to raise spinach and tomatoes from early spring through late fall, and in the first three years earned an extra $32,000 at the farmers’ market.

The farmer was one of 41 in the Mid-Atlantic who built a high tunnel from 2004-2007 as part of a SARE-funded project to share knowledge about the structures and promote them as a primary tool of season extension.

High tunnels are becoming increasingly popular across the country as a way for farmers to earn more by extending the growing season in an unheated environment that typically uses less water and fewer inputs than outdoor production.

Now, in-depth information about high tunnels can be found in SARE’s new Season Extension Topic Room—a one-stop collection of dozens of guidebooks, curricula, webinars, bulletins and other how-to materials to help farmers, educators and researchers across the country implement effective season extension strategies.

Bookmark the Season Extension Topic Room now: www.SARE.org/Season-Extension.

Information products in the Season Extension Topic Room derive from SARE-funded research and education projects, and are organized according to key topic areas: Overview; Types and Construction; Variety Trials and Selection; Fertility Management; Pest Management; Water Management; Energy; and Marketing and Economics. While the Season Extension Topic Room includes extensive information on high tunnels (also known as hoop houses), some materials also address greenhouse and nursery production, low tunnels and winter storage.

Examples Season Extension Topic Room features include:

High Tunnel Specialty Crop Production in Colorado. This April 2011 webinar, presented by Colorado State University Extension and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), gives an introduction to high tunnels and addresses design considerations, summer and winter production, economics, and future research needs.
Greenhouse Energy Conservation Strategies and Alternative Fuels. This series of bulletins, curriculum materials and other resources was developed by the University of Wisconsin, and is intended for Cooperative Extension educators, college instructors and high school vocational agricultural teachers.
Organic Control of White Mold in High Tunnels. This Kentucky State University video describes two organic practices for controlling white mold—solarization and biofumigation.
Expanding Winter Harvest and Sales for New England Vegetable Crops. This website, hosted by University of Massachusetts Extension, includes information on high tunnels and low tunnels, winter storage, and strategies for marketing produce in the winter.

Recognizing the role that high tunnels can play in diversifying farmer income while meeting growing consumer demand for local food, NRCS offers grants that help pay for high tunnel construction. In 2010, its first year, the program led to the construction of 2,400 structures in 43 states in 2010.

The Season Extension Topic Room will be updated with new resources as they become available, so check back often!

Continuous-Cover Dairy Forage System for Profitability, Flexibility and Soil Health

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:33:19 +0000

Small- to mid-sized Northeast dairy farmers face increasingly challenging constraints from a limited labor supply, extreme weather events and steadily rising feed prices. As a result, farmers need a flexible, more resilient system where they can grow their own high-quality dairy forage in corn- and alfalfa-based cropping systems.

A new SARE fact sheet, Alternative Continuous-Cover Dairy Forage System for Profitability, Flexibility and Soil Health, describes such a system. One farmer increased net income $531 per acre after implementing the alternative continuous-cover forage (ACCF) system in collaboration with Cornell University Cooperative Extension researchers.

Based on soil health management and expanded rotations that include winter rye, oats, triticale and brown midrib sorghum sudangrass, the ACCF system results in forage quality and yields that are comparable to traditional cropping systems.

Download the fact sheet now.

Alternative Continuous-Cover Dairy Forage System for Profitability, Flexibility and Soil Health, free to download online, is based on a SARE-funded study in New York that brought together a cooperative team of farmers, researchers and consultants to find alternatives to the traditional crop rotation of corn silage for three or more years without the use of cover crops. The SARE project used a case study model, engaging farmers to employ the ACCF system on their farms and gathering data on soil health, crop performance, forage quality, nitrogen leaching and economics.

The ACCF system has multiple benefits for the grower: flexibility in planting and harvesting times and methods; high-quality yields; and extension of the growing season, particularly into slump periods. With its year-round soil cover and adaptability to no-till planting methods, ACCF also provides many environmental benefits: Living roots improve soil porosity and resilience against compaction; continuous cover helps reduce soil erosion and keep nutrients on the field; and soil quality is improved.

Last, but not least, ACCF also provides economic benefits. Researchers showed that ACCF can improve the bottom line by increasing milk production and potentially reducing the need to purchase supplemental grain and/or forage.

The Organic Seed Grower: A Farmer's Guide to Vegetable Seed Production

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:28:56 +0000

The Organic Seed Grower is a comprehensive manual for the serious vegetable grower who is interested in growing high-quality seeds using organic farming practices. It is written for both serious home seed savers and diversified small-scale farmers who want to learn the necessary steps involved in successfully producing a commercial seed crop organically.

Detailed profiles for each of the major vegetables provide users with practical, in-depth knowledge about growing, harvesting, and processing seed for a wide range of common and specialty vegetable crops, from Asian greens to zucchini.

Funded by Northeast SARE, the book was produced in a unique partnership with Chelsea Green Publishing and is now available for a limited time for $37.46.

In addition, readers will find extensive and critical information on topics including:

The reproductive biology of crop plants
Annual vs. biennial seed crops
Isolation distances needed to ensure varietal purity
Maintaining adequate population size for genetic integrity
Seed crop climates
Seed-borne diseases
Seed cleaning basics
Seed storage for farmers
and more . . .

This book can serve as a bridge to lead skilled gardeners, who are already saving their own seed, into the idea of growing seed commercially. And for diversified vegetable farmers who are growing a seed crop for sale for the first time, it will provide details on many of the tricks of the trade that are used by professional seed growers. This manual will help the budding seed farmer to become more knowledgeable, efficient, and effective in producing a commercially viable seed crop.

With the strong demand for certified organic produce, many regional seed companies are increasingly seeking out dedicated seed growers to ensure a reliable source of organically grown seeds for their farmer and gardener customers. This trend represents a great business opportunity for small-scale commercial growers who wish to raise and sell vegetable seeds as a profitable part of their diversified small-farm operation. Written by well-known plant breeder and organic seed expert John Navazio, The Organic Seed Grower is the most up-to-date and useful guide to best practices in this exciting and important field.

Seeking Applications for Sustainable Agriculture Search for Excellence Award

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:29:11 +0000

The National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) is now accepting applications for the 2013 Search for Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture award, which recognizes outstanding educational programs in sustainable agriculture. The award comes with a $500 honorarium and a requirement to present during the NACAA Annual Meeting/Professional Improvement Conference.

All NACAA members in good standing with their state associations are eligible to apply

Last year’s winners included University of Minnesota Extension Educator Jill Sackett, who organized an initiative to promote alternative crops; and a team led by University of Florida Extension Agent Allison Meharg that is expanding the production and marketing of specialty crops by small farms.

Sackett’s project, the Third Crop Program, involved a series of field days, presentations and publications aimed at increasing knowledge of alternative crops, with the larger goals of increasing acreage of alternative crops and improving water quality in local watersheds.

Working with partners in the Florida Panhandle, the University of Florida team focused on developing and promoting low-cost systems for extending the growing season for specialty crops, including shade houses, hydroponics and high tunnels. The team hoped to increase the number of specialty crop farmers in the area by 20 percent in 2012.

How to Apply

Applications for the 2013 Search for Excellence award are due March 15. The award, open to individuals and teams, recognizes one winner from each of SARE’s four geographic regions. All NACAA members in good standing with their state associations are eligible to apply. In the case of team entries, all team members need not be a current member of NACAA. Find complete application information online.

Winners must agree to present their educational program during the NACAA Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference. Consult event organizers for dates and location of the 2013 event.

Now Available: One-of-a-Kind, Career-Shaping Fellowship in Sustainable Agriculture

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:23:27 +0000

In 2007, Penn State Extension Educator Walter Bumgarner was among the first to participate in a new professional development opportunity that brings together Extension educators from diverse backgrounds to learn about sustainable agriculture. It turns out that the SARE/NACAA Sustainable Agriculture Fellows program has been one of the best experiences of Bumgarner's career.

"I want to tell my fellow NACAA members that their participation in the SARE Fellows program could possibly be the highlight of their career in Extension," Bumgarner says. "It has been for me and it could be for you."

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Educator Joran Viers, a 2009 Fellow, concurs, "This program has been one of the best professional development opportunities I've had, by far."

Interested? Now is the time to take advantage: The National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) is accepting applications for the 2013 Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Fellows program. The program is open to NACAA members in good standing with their state associations and with responsibility in agricultural production systems.

The Fellows program gives participants hands-on experience with sustainable agriculture and alternative farming systems, while offering meaningful networking opportunities and memorable exposure to the great diversity of U.S. agriculture.

The program accepts four Extension educators each year to participate in seminars and tours of farms and ranches over the course of two years. Selected from each of SARE's four geographic regions, Fellows are given the opportunity to visit farms and ranches in each of these regions.

In a three-day tour last year, eight Fellows visited 14 Colorado operations, including cattle and bison ranches, a dairy, a mushroom farm and an aquaponics farm. Participants weighed the roles minimum tillage, drip irrigation, organic soil-building, pest control, energy efficiency, balance trait selection and GPS can play in sustainable production systems.

During year one of the program, participants attend events with Fellows from the previous year, and mentor the new group of Fellows during year two, making the Fellowship an excellent opportunity to build lasting professional and personal relationships with peers from across the country.

"Since participating in this program, I have personally worked with some of the other Fellowship awardees on grant projects, articles and other educational programs," says Stephen Komar, a Rutgers New Jersey Cooperative Extension educator and 2009 Fellow.

Read stories about the experiences of past and current Fellows; also, check out biographies of recent Fellows.

How to Apply

Applications are due March 15. The Fellows program is open to NACAA members in good standing with their state associations and with responsibility in agricultural production systems. Find complete eligibility and entry details online.

Building a Better System with No-Till and Cover Crops

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:26:23 +0000

It all began in 2002 with a $6,500 SARE grant and the seed of an idea. Today, that idea has grown into hundreds of research projects around the country and a new, effective tool that farmers are using to improve soil quality, weed management and the bottom line.

The tool is the roller crimper, a drum with blades mounted to the front- or back-end of a tractor that is used to roll down, crimp and kill cover crops, creating thick, weed suppressing mulch. Today, the roller crimper is a common sight on land-grant university research plots, according to Jeff Moyer, director of farm operations at the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Penn., who conceived of the tool and has led in-depth research on its use, including that first grant.

The crimper, while not a fix-all, has shown many advantages, including using 40 percent less energy than cultivating or spraying; reducing erosion; retaining moisture; and allowing for more flexibility, since roll downs do not need to be timed to dry conditions.

Tim Bock, who runs a 100-acre certified organic farm outside Kutztown, has tried the roller on more than 20 acres for another SARE-funded project. After two years of success, he plans to completely switch his soybean production to rolled rye. “The results have been outstanding,” Bock says. “I’ve really reduced my weed pressure and drastically reduced the number of trips across the field. I eliminated a complete tillage cycle.”

This research is only one example of how SARE is at the forefront of supporting the innovative producers, educators and researchers who are making cover crops one of the most indispensable cost-saving tools in the soil-health toolbox. SARE grantees all over the country are discovering the immense benefits of integrating both cover crops and conservation tillage into farming operations. For example:

On his Montana dryland farm, Jess Alger used a 1999 SARE grant to compare no-till wheat grown with a black medic cover crop to a conventional wheat system. In two years of trials, below-average precipitation led to losses in both systems, but he lost considerably less on the no-till field: a combined $11.46 per acre, as opposed to $75.90 per acre on the conventional field.
Virginia Tech researcher Ron Morse used a 2004 SARE grant to lay the groundwork in a newly researched area: using no-till and cover crops in organic broccoli and cabbage production. While encountering many challenges, Morse had many encouraging results that have informed subsequent research, including that no-till cabbage yields were 41 percent better than with conventional tillage.
After being approached by organic farmers interested in adopting no-till, Ohio State University researchers used a 2004 SARE grant to compare soybean yields resulting from various combinations of cover crops and no-till termination methods, including roller crimpers and mowers. The researchers found that no-till could work: There was no significant difference in yields between these no-till treatments and conventional tillage practices.

This only scratches the surface of the hundreds of research and on-farm demonstration projects SARE has supported on cover crops in the last 25 years. To discover more, and to find practical tools and guides, visit SARE’s Cover Crops Topic Room.

About this series

The SARE Cover Crop Series highlights 25 years of SARE-supported research on cover crops. Tools and information are available on: selection and management; economics; establishment; rotations; soil and fertility management; water management; pest management; and no-till. Visit the Cover Crops Topic Room for more information.

Ohio Farmers, Educators Do More with Cover Crops and No-Till

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:39:18 +0000

In western Ohio, farmers and agricultural educators are making a compelling case that cover crops and no-till will get you more from less: Requiring less fuel, less machinery, fewer chemical inputs and less acreage, these ecological farming practices lead to improved profitability, better soil health, more jobs, improved environmental stewardship and a better quality of life.

Jeff Rasawehr, a Celina, Ohio, farmer who is among those leading by example, estimates he has improved his net profitability by $200 per acre since switching from conventional farming to using cover crops and no-till eight years ago.

“This is a whole different approach,” says Rasawehr, who grows corn, soybeans and wheat on 2,000 acres. “Less of all the things we’ve been told we need to do—less tillage, less chemicals—makes for more profitability, more quality of life.”

On the matter of quality of life, his reasoning is this: By improving his profitability so significantly, he has found he can afford to downsize strategically. This not only gives him less farm work to do, it potentially frees up more acreage for young farmers. “I tell people you don’t need to be farming the whole county to make a decent profit.”

In 2009, Rasawehr received a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant to test the role of various cover crop species in nutrient cycling and weed management. Through this experience, he decided to launch a cover crop seed business, Center Seeds, which today employs four full-time staff and others part time (a second business, Sustain Seeds, services gardeners). This year, Center Seeds sold seeds and offered management information for 30,000 acres nationwide, and Rasawehr expects business to increase to 100,000 acres in 2013.

Rasawehr, Ohio State University Extension Educator James Hoorman and others are making a big difference in local watersheds also. Supported by a 2008 SARE grant, Hoorman studied the role of cover crops and no-till in protecting water quality. He found that a rye cover crop can tie up as much as 70 percent of the soluble N and 20 pounds per acre of the soluble P in a manure application.

This matters for the nearby Grand Lake St. Mary’s, which supports a $160 million tourism industry that is in doubt because of algae blooms and hypoxia caused largely by nutrients leaving farms. Through extensive outreach, Hoorman helped boost the use of cover crops in local watersheds to 20,000 acres in 2011, including 9,300 acres in the Grand Lake St. Mary’s watershed, or 21 percent of the watershed. This was a major reason why, in 2011, the lake’s problem with toxic algae showed signs of diminishing, Hoorman says.

This story only scratches the surface of the hundreds of research and on-farm demonstration projects SARE has supported on cover crops in the last 25 years. To discover more, and to find practical tools and guides, visit SARE’s Cover Crops Topic Room.

About this series

Breaking Costly Pest Cycles with Cover Crops

outreach@sare.org (Andy Zieminski) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:21:01 +0000

Thomas Jefferson and George Washington sang the praises of buckwheat. Today, the broadleaf grain is gaining new popularity as a powerful weed-suppressing cover crop because of its quick establishment and dense growth: In the Northeast, vegetable farmers are rediscovering how to manage buckwheat effectively, thanks to Cornell University research that demonstrated a well-established stand of buckwheat eliminated 98 percent of summer weeds.

The Cornell team, supported by a 2005-08 SARE grant, also developed a definitive, 18-page Buckwheat Cover Crop Handbook that outlines important management strategies. Based on their surveys and outreach, the team estimates that by 2008, their efforts had helped 3,000 farmers use buckwheat successfully on a combined 18,000 acres in vegetable production.

Buckwheat also shows promise in integrated pest management because its prolific flowering attracts beneficial insects. In South Carolina, farmer Daniel Parson is using a 2010 SARE grant to determine whether a buckwheat cover crop can help him control the invasive, highly destructive stink bug.

These projects are only two examples of how SARE is at the forefront of supporting the innovative producers, educators and researchers who are making cover crops one of the most indispensable cost-saving tools in the soil-health toolbox. SARE grantees all over the country are discovering cover crops’ dynamic and vital role in managing weeds, diseases and insects. For example:

University of Hawaii Extension specialists, partnering with local farmers, used three SARE grants to promote farmer adoption of sunn hemp as a cover crop by demonstrating its ability to suppress weeds and parasitic nematodes. They have found sunn hemp also promotes beneficial nematodes and microarthropods that aid in nutrient cycling. They have produced a video and two fact sheets.
In ongoing research supported by a 2010 SARE grant, University of Illinois researchers are investigating the role cover crops play in suppressing root and foliar diseases in soybeans. Testing a variety of cover crop species, the research team is finding early evidence that rye may aid in disease suppression.
In a 2008-11 project, University of Maryland Extension specialists helped one nursery farmer save $115 per acre per production cycle by planting a fescue cover crop between rows, which reduced the number of times he had to mow to control weeds. The team’s goal was to explore how to better use cover crops in nursery production.