Grow Your State Program Nancy G. Creamer

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Grow Your State Program Nancy G. Creamer J.
Paul Mueller
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NC Sustainable AG Task Force

• 1991- SA Task Force formed (Extension Issues
  Programming)
• 1992 Task Force Reports to Deans and Directors
• 1994 CEFS Dedicated
• 1996 Programming begins with dedication of
  grass-based dairy

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Composition of NC Sustainable AG Task Force

• NCSU Departments (11)
• NC Cooperative Extension
• Asst. Ag. Program Leader
• N. C. A.T. State University
• Ag. Extension Agents, (3)
• County Extension Directors, (2)
• Farmers (4)
• Commodity Organizations (2)
• NGOs
• Rural Advancement Foundation, International
• N. C. Farm Stewardship Assoc.
• N. C. Environmental Defense Fund
• Conservation Council of North Carolina
• Farmer
• Hinton Rural Life Center
• Agencies
• N. C. Department of Agriculture
• Soil Conservation Service
• N. C. Farm Bureau Federation

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1992 White Paper Summary

• Establish a North Carolina Sustainable
  Agriculture Research and Education Center that
  is a cooperative effort representing a broad
  coalition of groups and organizations with a
  stake in the future of North Carolina
  agriculture.
• Build strong cooperative and interdisciplinary
  teams including farmers, farm advisors and
  researchers to plan, conduct and review
  sustainable agriculture research and
  demonstration projects.
• Integrate sustainable agriculture concepts into
  academic curricula of the College.
• Reassign research and extension personnel to
  concentrate on sustainable agriculture programs.

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The Center for Environmental Farming Systems
(CEFS)
The Center for Environmental Farming
Systems (CEFS)
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CEFS a Collaborative Partnership
NC DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CONSUMMER SERVICES
NC AT STATE UNIVERSITY
NC STATE UNIVERSITY
NCSU
NCDA
CEFS
NC AT
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CEFS Units

• Farming Systems Research
• Small Farm
• Beef
• Grass-based Dairy
• Alternative Swine
• Organic

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Farming Systems Research Unit

• 81 hectare long-term study Comparison of 5 systems

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Farming Systems Research Unit
81 hectare long-term study Comparison of 5 systems
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(No Transcript)
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Small Farm Unit
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Organic Research Unit

• Agronomic crops primarily
• Cover crops
• Statewide Organic Grain Program

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Pasture-based Dairy

• Rotational grazing
• Cross breeding
• Seasonal Production
• Calf management
• Fly control
• Dung beetle ecology
• Optimal stocking rates for supplementation

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Pasture-based beef unit

• Cross-breeding for heat tolerance
• Pasture finishing
• Fate of nutrients in pasture soils
• Stand life of pasture plantings
• Year-round planned forage system
• Controlled grazing management

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Alternative Swine Unit

• Hoop houses
• Antibiotic-free herd
• Future projects
• Outdoor farrowing
• Outdoor pig production
• Pasture management

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Extension Taking results to growers

• Farmer field days
• Extension agent training
• Farm conferences

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Internships and Apprenticeship Programs

• Summer internships
• 3-month plus apprenticeships

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Moving Forward

• Lessons Learned
• Diversifying funding and support
• Reaching broader constituents
• From place-based to program-based
• Farm-to-Fork and Community-based food systems

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Lessons Learned

• Had a solid base of University support, but all
  program funding came from grants.
• Easy to start new programs, difficult to keep
  them going.
• Had good support from traditional clientele, but
  average NC citizen didnt know anything about us.
• Cant deal with just production systems research.
• We need us all in order to make this shift.

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Diversifying Funding and Support..

• Initiated Board of Advisors in 2006.
• Initiated Friends of CEFS organization.
• Initiated Sponsorship Program.

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Reaching Broader Constituents

• Seasons of Sustainable Agriculture Workshop
  Series
• 36 this year

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Reaching Broader Constituents

• Small Fruit Production
• Making the Web Work for your Farm business
• Maintaining Breeding Flocks for Pasture Poultry
• Twilight Tours
• Organic Grain Production
• Gastrointestinal Parasite Control
• Gardening with Kids
• Community-Based Food Systems
• Fueling the Farm
• Bugs in the Garden
• Why Buy Local

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Reaching Broader Constituents

• Fall Festival
• 1000 participants
• Educational displays
• Kids activities
• Farmers market
• Food

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Reaching Broader Constituents

• Annual Lecture
• Farm-to-Fork Picnic

                                                  
                                                  
                                                  
                                  
"Forgotten" 17th century breads, made with grains
from Anson Mills and baked ina wood-burning
oven, were on the menu at the first annual Farm
to Fork Picnic.
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From Place-Based to Program-Based

• Become a formal Center of the University
• Broaden partnerships
• Associate with other College programs for more
  synergy and coordination
• Conduct statewide programming

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NC Choices A CEFS Farm to Fork Initiative
A resource for sustainable pork production in
North Carolina.
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NC Choices production, markets, infrastructure,
farmer support, consumer education, business
development
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Direct marketing projects
Community supported agriculture at the Research
Triangle Institute
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Community-Based Food Systems

• Wayne County Local Food Initiative Broad
  coalition is putting together a food council and
  projects that span from new market development,
  youth entrepreneurial initiatives, and new farmer
  support. Several grants and projects in process.