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INVESTIGATOR: Reed, D.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
N F O INC
528 BILLY SUNDAY RD STE 100
AMES, IOWA 50010

TRAINING, DEVELOPING, AND MENTORING BEGINNING ORGANIC DAIRY AND FEED PRODUCERS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Though consumer demand has skyrocketed for organic milk in recent years, there is a domestic undersupply of organically-certified dairies and organic grain farms to supply feed for organic cows. A number of critical barriers face organic producers, a significant number of whom are beginning farmers; education, training and technical assistance is greatly needed to reach this target audience. National Farmers Organization will expand its demonstrated success of its 2015 development grant to achieve the overall project goal of helping beginning farmers enter into organicdairy/grain production and to improve the success and sustainability of current beginning farmers relevant to this grant program's purpose. plans to achieve this goal include providing a dynamic educational program consisting of seminars and mentoring, reaching a total of 900 begionning organic dairy and grain producers over three years. Objectives include increasing the knowledge, skills and tools of beginning producers as they relate organic production , marketing and business and finacial management. Participants include UMN Center for Farm Finacial Management, OFARM, OCIA, L&K Enterprises, MOFC,KOP, The Assure Group and Optimum Service Group

OBJECTIVES: The goals for this project are 1. to create 36 new farms in the 12 state areas over the next 36 months. 2. Increase total number of organic dairy and feed producers in the area by 60 over the next 36 months. 3. Increase the value of sales of beginning farmer participants in the mentoring program by 10%. 4.Increase the number of beginning farmers who improve their business and production practices in 25% of the participants. 5. Reach 900 beginning organic dairy and feed grain producers during the 36 month period. 6. Mentor 120 beginning organic dairy and feed grain producers during the 36 month period.

APPROACH: The project's main overall long-term goals are to help beginning farmers enter into organic dairy and feed grain production and to improve the success and sustainability of beginning organic dairy and feed grain producers. To achieve these goals the following methods will be used:Host 12 educationallseminars in six states per year for a total of 36 seminars throughout the project period.Directly mentor beginning farmers through extended one-on-one visits on beginning farmers operationsMake crisis management available to the mentees on matters oforganic certification, risk management, and herd healthOn-Farm practical events twice a year on mentor's farmsPersonal communication with project staff and experts made available to participants by phone, email, and/or in person

PROGRESS: 2016/08 TO 2019/08
Target Audience:The program reached 200 beginning farmers who attended 13 educational seminars. There were also 60 attendees who did not meet the definition of a beginning farmer as they had been farming more than 10 years. Many of thoise who did not meet the definition were parents of the beginning farmers. Of those attending 174 identified as grain producers. 84 identified as Dairy producers. 100 identified as currently being conventional producers. 84 identified as certified organic producers. 82 identified as "other" than grain or dairy. 57 (28.5%) of the beginning farmers were women. 36 (18%) identified as Veterans. Changes/Problems:At ther beginning of the program and during the original application for the grant there was demand for organic production of dairy that exceeded the available supply. By the end of the 3 year period production and availability of organic dairy in the United States had matched and in certain products and geographical areas supply actually exceeded the demand. Thus convincing beginning farmers that producing organic milk was harder to accomplish than it was at the beginning of the program. Because of the geographical distance the program covered including 12 states, the development of the mentoring portion of the program was more difficult than anticipated. Even though the projects funding under the grant has come to an end, national Farmers continues to work with the attendees and those wishing to establish a mentoring relationship. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Education on the value of crop insurance was provided. 51 of the attendees indicated that they purchased crop insurance following their participation in the program. Education on the value of marketing plans was provided. 45 attendees developed a formal marketing plan following their participation in the program. 84 attendees stated that hey have a better understanding of farm financial management following their participation in the program. 171 of the attendeesreported that they have a better understanding of organic farming methods and practices followint their participation in the program. 138 attendees stated that they had a better understanding of how to become certified to farm organically. 79 attendees expressed that they have a better understanding of crop insurance options. The most popular topics, per attendee input, included soil health, organic certification and marketing. Per survey results the most highly rated topics related to organic processes, soil health and financial management. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Resultsof the program are available on the RVS system clearing house site provided by the Center for Farm Finacial Management at the University of Minnesota. Results are also available from the National Farmers Organization and have been disseminated to the board of directors of National Farmers. Final Assessment of the project is available from Siny Joseph, Ph. D. and Greg Stephens, M. S., M. L. S. of Kansas State Polytechnic. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

IMPACT: 2016/08 TO 2019/08
What was accomplished under these goals? The desired outcome of this FarmStarts program was to train and educate 900 beginning organic feed and grain producers. Data collected shows 857 beginning farmerswere trained over the course of 3 years. The plan included hosting educational workshops in 12 states, namely South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, kansas and Minnesota. The objective of conducting 36 workshops was successfully acomplished. Overall the total number of attendees 1,150, far exceeded the expectations. The underrepresented groups/minorities in attendance comprised of 324 women and 97 veterans. Some criteria such as improvements in business practices , increase in value of sales, increase in number of participantsfarming and organic farming as a result of attending the workshops, could not be determined because it takes a couple of years for the farmers to implement decisions and actually see outcomes of their decisions. The comments of participants largely summarize the workshops as an educational and enriching experience with the potential to improve farming practices.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2016/08 TO 2019/08
No publications reported this period.

PROGRESS: 2016/08/15 TO 2017/08/14
Target Audience:Had a total of 350 Beginning Farmers who attended 10 different one day seminars held in seven different states. Participants received education on such topics as organic certification, organic marketing, risk management using crop insurance, soil health, animal well being, and financial matters. Changes/Problems:At time grant was applied for there was a large demand for additional organic milk and organic feeed production. Since that time, although the demand by consumers for organic products continues to grow, there is a temporary over supply of organic milk on the market. Projections show that this is a temporary situation and demand will continue to increase, but at a slower rate than was anticipated at the time the grant was applied for. While the demand for organic feed grains has continued to increase, imports of organic grain from Eastern European countries is affecting the markets for domestically produced organic grains. We have added education regarding the production of non-GMO milk and grain to our program as an interim step in producing and marketing organic production. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Held 10 full day seminars across seven states attended by a total of 350 beginning farmers I organic field day 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?Complete development of an online "Ask the Expert" forum. Hold an additional 13 full day seminars. Match beginning farmers with mentors. Assist attendees with financial planning, risk management, orgainic certification and marketing plans.

IMPACT: 2016/08/15 TO 2017/08/14
What was accomplished under these goals? Reached 350 beginning organic dairy and feed grain producers. mentoring activities with 5 beginning farmers Held 10 full day educational seminars in 7 different states. Assisted 1 beginning farmer with marketing of organic grain Assisted one beginning farmer transition from conventional dairy farming to organic dairy farming Assisted one beginningfarm family obtain a new market for their organic milk production.

PUBLICATIONS: 2016/08/15 TO 2017/08/14
No publications reported this period.