Extension Today

Cooperative Extension staff are no strangers to the art of grant writing. They seek external funding to build existing program capacity or to establish new initiatives. This year, Alabama Extension staff at Alabama A&M University (AAMU) received funding to empower youths and families.

Heirs’ property
Family members may inherit land (heirs’ property) passed down by a deceased relative who did not enter probate court. While the family may use the property without a deed or title, without proving ownership, they are ineligible for federal loans, foreclosure protection and other services.

The Saving the Family Property: Heirs’ Property Prevention, Resolution and Land Use project helps to prevent land loss, resolves title issues and educates families about generating income from inherited land. This project, in partnership with Faulkner University’s law school, is led by Danielle Rudolph, site director of the Virginia Caples Lifelong Learning Institute.

Ag Career Readiness
With a shortage of agricultural professionals and a nudge from AAMU leadership to engage in more agricultural initiatives, the Ag Career Readiness initiative arrived on time. This program will train at least 10 4-H ag career teens to raise awareness about agriscience-related careers. The youths will collaborate with ag professionals from Saputo, a top dairy producer, and other companies in Alabama. Alabama 4-H Youth Development Specialist Angela Williams leads the Ag Career Readiness program.

Alabama Extension at AAMU also received grants to address financial literacy, health, small ruminants and climate change.

The Alcorn State University Extension 4-H Youth Development Program provides the 4-H Healthy Habits healthy living program to empower Mississippi youths to make proactive and healthy choices. It also helps youths develop positive attitudes toward healthy living and encourages them to make important health-related decisions.

4-H Youth Health Ambassadors delivered an eight-week program in local schools and communities, offering sessions on nutrition, cooking, mindfulness, physical activity and gardening. Youths aged 9 to 13 received a kit that contained supplies for the weekly activity. These programs focused on nutrition and healthy eating, mental and emotional wellness, and physical well-being.

As a result of 4-H Healthy Habits programming, youths improve their knowledge about healthy lifestyles and are better equipped to make healthy living decisions for a lifetime. This program has been conducted in 13 counties in southwest Mississippi, reaching 15,800 children, youths and families. For additional information, contact Manola C. Erby, youth specialist, at mcerby@alcorn.edu.

In a significant stride toward fostering equity in agricultural support, the Central State University (CSU) Extension Community and Economic Development (CED) team has been awarded an $80,000 grant under the Growing Equity Partnership. This initiative aims to bolster the capacity of 20 partner organizations, providing vital business technical assistance (BTA) to underserved farmers and ranchers.

Mark Rendleman, CED program leader with CSU Extension, expressed enthusiasm about the grant, stating, "This funding will enable CED educators to continue providing essential support to underserved farmers, ultimately enhancing their resilience and success in the agricultural sector."

The four-year grant will create a catalyst for the CED team to allocate resources toward existing or new initiatives that support underserved farmers. With the grant resources, CED educators will facilitate BTA education sessions, focusing on building resilient businesses, financial literacy, market access, risk management and more.

The Growing Equity Partnership is committed to expanding access to BTA among a diverse range of underserved farmers and ranchers, including those who are socially disadvantaged, have limited resources, LGBTQ+, veterans and farms serving local and regional markets in impoverished areas.

Through collaborative efforts and targeted support, CSU Extension and its partners are poised to make significant strides in promoting equity and opportunity within the agricultural community. To learn more about CSU Extension's CED team, contact Rendleman at mrendleman@centralstate.edu or (937) 376-6088.

Each year, the horticulture Extension specialist of Delaware State University (DSU) Small Farms Program (SFP) hosts at least four workshops related to plant propagation. This spring, DSU hosted The Green Thumb group and farm school participants. This hands-on program event is popular with Delaware Master Gardeners and sometimes includes Delaware State students taking the formal plant propagation class. The program has become more popular post-COVID-19 as more members of the community engage in gardening. The program reaches out to summer youth camp participants in a bid to involve the younger generation in gardening. On average, up to 100 adults and 40 youths learn aspects of plant propagation from these workshops, each year.

Springing life with the warming of weather, leafing trees and peeping flowers are a joy for every plant lover. After the winter, the thought of starting more plants in readiness for the season sends a glow on their faces. Getting the young generation interested in gardening could better start with plant propagation activities.

Impacts on participants

• Gain skills in propagation techniques.
• Gain propagation skills on methods of propagating their favorite plants.
• Learn about the essence of vegetable grafting.
• Save money by starting more plants for their gardens.
• Give more plants as gifts.

In the face of climate change, plant propagation workshops provide a great chance to talk about crops with enhanced resilience to harsh conditions. There is an opportunity for extended growing seasons, and there are crops that could be introduced. Urban gardeners, unlimited resource growers and producers of ethnic vegetables get an opportunity to exchange ideas and possibly seeds.

There is mounting evidence that farming is no longer sustainable for small farms. Recent data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture indicates another 10% decline in the number of farms in this category. There is an urgent need for interventions that can make farming a profitable venture for small farms. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) at Florida A&M University (FAMU) addresses this need by recruiting and training socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to become successful. Clientele involves limited resource farmers, ranchers and military veterans who aspire to become farmers.

Driven by the realization that farming solutions are complex, the program is designed to address self-identified farmers’ goals. FAMU utilizes a strategy that incorporates "in-house" resources, consultations, partnerships and collaborations to provide farmers with a rich learning experience. The most recent addition to their strategy is an apprenticeship system that compensates beginning farmers and ranchers for the time spent being trained at the facility that best suits their long-term farming goals.

To date, more than 200 beginning farmers and ranchers have benefitted from the program. Within the past year alone, 30 certificates of completion were awarded for financial literacy and 25 for produce safety training. More than 80% of the farmers indicated that the training would be beneficial. Although reported income gains have only been modest, the vast majority of farmers indicate that they now feel more comfortable applying for farm loans, and several have secured licenses for operating small agribusinesses. For more information, contact Gilbert Queeley at gilbert.queeley@famu.edu.

Woodie Hughes Jr., Fort Valley State University’s assistant Extension administrator state 4-H program leader, became the first African American male 4-H program leader to be recognized as a National 4-H Trailblazer in the history of the National 4-H System. For more than 20 years, Hughes has made an impact through 4-H across Georgia and beyond. During his tenure, the 4-H leader has secured more than $12 million in external funds.

Fort Valley State University’s Wal-Mart Foundation 4-H Healthy Habits
Amount: $110,000
Impact: 3,609 youths served their community at the Village Community Garden in Sylvester, Georgia, where they learned 4-H healthy habits through ongoing 4-H Healthy Living Outreach Education. Also, more than 500 households received fresh produce from the Village Community Garden for free annually.

Fort Valley State University 4-H Tech Changemakers
Amount: $42,000
Impact: 4-H Youth Ambassadors and the 4-H Tech Changemaker Youth Ambassadors reached 323 adults with 6 hours of training in internet safety, searching and applying for jobs online, social media safety and responsible behavior guidelines for the internet.

Fort Valley State University Positive Youth Development 4-H Mindfulness
Amount: $50,000
Impact: Engaged more than 200 Chattahoochee Hills 4-H Charter School students and their parents about the importance of being mentally healthy through mindfulness education.

1890 Region 4-H Program Leaders Multistate Youth Innovators Empowering Agriculture (YEA) USDA-AFRI
Amount: $7,850,000 ($475,000 subaward as a part of a seven multistate initiative)
Projected Impact: FVSU’s 4-H program plans to serve a minimum of 60-100 new 4-H youths annually through 4-H College and Career Readiness Outreach Education and 4-H mentoring programming.

Agriculture in Kentucky is composed mostly of small-scale farms. The average farm size in Kentucky is under 100 acres. Many of these small-scale farms and farms owned by minority or socially disadvantaged producers face a host of unique challenges. Kentucky State University’s (KSU) Small Farm Program focuses on the needs of small, socially disadvantaged farmers and underserved communities and provides support. The Small Farms Program is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2501 Program and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension State Model Program.

Over the past year, the Small Farms Team at KSU conducted 10 "Third Thursday Thing" trainings, covering a variety of relevant topics, including small ruminant production, farmers markets and local foods, aquaculture and aquaponics, irrigation water testing, farmer resources and funding opportunities, the International Pawpaw Celebration, Organic agriculture and more.

Bimonthly workshops at the Bluegrass Stockyards educational center helped many small-scale minority Beef Cattle farmers improve the management and sustainability of their operations. KSU hosted the 25th annual Small, Limited Resource and Minority Farmers Conference with 196 participants. More than 30 additional workshops and educational meetings were conducted in local communities across the Commonwealth.

Overall, the Small Farms team was able to collectively assist more than 2,800, including approximately 50, socially disadvantaged farmers who received personalized assistance through the farm visits. These efforts helped increase their income, decrease losses, promote efficiency and improve their overall operations and quality of life. These efforts also led to building networks, collaborating and establishing relationships that allowed them to work together.

The Langston University Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, supported by a subaward from the 1890 Land-grant Universities Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness and Quality of Life (NHWQL), is spearheading the project "Enhancing Nutrition Education in Underserved Communities through a Mobile App."

Led by Dr. Carlos Alvarado, Dr. Tiffany Williams and Mr. Ralph Grayson from Langston University, in collaboration with Dr. Eunice Bonsi from Tuskegee University, this initiative aims to equip individuals in underserved communities with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed decisions about their nutrition and overall well-being.

At the heart of this endeavor lies a commitment to understanding the specific needs of the communities we serve. Langston University's research team of senior computer science students conducted an initial survey with Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) participants to obtain insights that will help them tailor a mobile application to their unique needs. Collected information will be used to develop an accessible and engaging app.

A significant portion of participants (44%) actively seek health information online or through discussions, underscoring the importance of digital platforms in disseminating vital knowledge. Moreover, an overwhelming majority (675) emphasized the need for culturally relevant nutrition apps, highlighting the significance of cultural sensitivity in educational interventions.

The desired features identified by participants underscore the multifaceted nature of their nutritional needs. With 94% expressing interest in easy recipes, 67% seeking healthy choice tips and an equal percentage desiring exercise tracking capabilities, it is evident that the app must encompass an array of functionalities to cater to varying preferences and requirements.

Dr. Homero Salinas-Gonzalez of Lincoln University Cooperative Extension (LUCE) leads a groundbreaking initiative to educate farmers on estate planning and heirs’ property through sponsored workshops by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The goal is to prevent land loss among current and future generations of small farmers across the United States. The absence of a written will often leads to unfair property distribution, a common issue among small-scale farmers nationwide. Salinas-Gonzalez conducts free workshops across Missouri, providing essential knowledge to farmers on safeguarding their land and properties. These workshops delve into historical land ownership practices and offer detailed guidance on legal steps to protect against land loss.

Recent sessions covered topics such as heirs’ property essentials, prevention strategies and resolution for heirs’ property owners aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of estate planning, tax laws and related legal matters. By empowering farmers with crucial knowledge and resources, this initiative seeks to reduce the risk of land loss and preserve the agricultural heritage of America for generations to come.

Kathleen Liang, Ph.D., W.K. Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at North Carolina A&T State University, has received a $20,000 grant from a division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to study the growth, use and marketability of medicinal crops.

“The overall objective is to test different varieties of popular specialty crops that have been used to improve health outcomes, especially for those dealing with chronic illness, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol,” Liang said. “This program is really unique in that it will expand the varieties of crops people know how to grow beyond the traditional. In North Carolina, we know about sweet potatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and so on. But through this program, my colleagues and I can help farmers look into new opportunities that have not been explored or promoted in the past.”

The one-year project, funded by the agency’s New and Emerging Crops Program, will allow Liang to conduct field trials, using organic and conservation practices, for such specialty crops as bitter melon, specialty gourds and specialty radishes. Then, she will establish a guide for their production, including market assessments, and hold workshops, field days and tours.

The Agriculture & Natural Resources unit (AgNR) of Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) Extension, in partnership with BCarbon and the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development (USBCSD), was awarded a $600,000 grant from the Bia Echo Foundation to assist with the development of a minority-oriented carbon credit development cooperative.

Generally speaking, smaller, minority-owned farms will have difficulty participating in the carbon market. Measured carbon data is essential for the carbon market but expensive to develop. It requires technical expertise, in addition to financing, which may exclude or deter small acreage landowners from participating. To date, the grant leaders have met with three forest owners in East Texas to gauge actual needs in terms of education and resources.

BCarbon has taken the lead in developing a series of 2-3-minute videos that will be used in future programming by PVAMU agents and specialists to explain carbon credits and the carbon market. The USBCSD has been in talks with potential carbon credit buyers to assess their needs. The lessons learned about organizational structure, carbon accounting and landowner engagement would provide a foundation for future project expansion.

South Carolina State Public Service and Agriculture is bolstering small farm producers’ food safety technical capacity in South Carolina through a U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-funded project.

Under the expert guidance of Dr. Willette M. Crawford, director of the Center for Food Safety and Health, the NIFA Food Safety Outreach Project aims to significantly impact farmers by providing training to increase their knowledge of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations.

During her tenure at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Crawford helped to develop the food safety policies and practices to which farms that grow, harvest, pack or hold produce typically eaten raw must adhere. Upon completing the training, participating farmers can pursue Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification through USDA-paid grant funding and be eligible to sell their produce to restaurants and retail grocery stores.

The three-year project includes training provided by Crawford and SC State 1890 Extension ag agents, including conducting mock audits of farmer participants’ operations and helping farmers craft custom food safety plans and associated records. For more information about the NIFA Food Safety Outreach Project, contact Crawford at (831) 238-9808 or wcrawfo2@scsu.edu.

The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s JAGcation Summer Camp is a two-week experiential learning camp for middle and early high school students.

The capacity-building grant-funded program is gearing up for its third year of providing hands-on agricultural activities to youths in animal science, entomology, food science, nutrition, plant and soil sciences, and public health, among other topics.

JAGcation’s goal is to ignite awareness and knowledge within youths about potential careers in the food, agricultural, natural resources and human sciences fields. Through a hands-on, experiential approach, this camp is not just a summer pastime but an avenue for knowledge expansion, career exploration and personal development. The JAGcation Summer Camp is set to embark on a continued odyssey of discovery, growth and profound impact, firmly positioning itself within the promising landscape of youths and agriculture’s future.

This year, JAGcation will hold two sessions. Phase I will be open to youths aged 9-11 from June 17-28, and Phase II for youths aged 12-15 will be held from July 15-26. Both sessions will be held on Southern University’s campus. For additional information about JAGcation, contact Si-Arah Jones at siarah_mccray@suagcenter.com.

Dr. Aliyar Cyrus Fouladkhah, founding director and associate professor of the Public Health Microbiology program has secured more than $4.8 million of competitive extramural grants as project director and co-director since 2015. These funding supports have enabled his program to make substantial and unparalleled opportunities for students and advisees and impactful deliverables for stakeholders.

His students and advisees have received more than 50 research awards and scholarships. So far, three advisees of the program have secured faculty positions in Tennessee and Georgia. Peer-reviewed research and outreach publications about his program have reached numerous stakeholders, including an infectious diseases and climate change article that has reached more than 134,000 stakeholders.

Applied research of Fouladkhah's group has been featured in several events, including the Yale Food Symposium and Harvard Just Food? conferences. He has also presented his research group's work as an invited speaker for several agencies, including the National Board of Public Health Examiners, the Yale Young Global Scholar program and the Public Health Institute of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In recent years, Fouladkhah has received several recognitions, including the 2023 USAID Service of the Year Award, the 2022 Outstanding Service Award from Yale Alumni Association and the 2022 Distinguished Industrial Scientist Award of Tennessee Academy of Science. In addition to supporting local stakeholders, his program has held global food safety and public health workshops in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica and South Africa. For more information about his program, visit https://publichealthmicrobiology.education/.

The Tuskegee University Black Belt Marketing and Innovation Center (BBMIC) began as an endeavor to address the overarching need for both economic opportunities for agricultural producers and greater availability of fresh produce by developing a produce research facility, aggregation center and processing incubator located in Selma, Alabama. The 18,000-square-foot BBMIC serves underserved farmers in the surrounding area by operating as a transformational research center, providing access to equipment for value-added processing, meeting space for training and office space for Extension professionals. The facility has an inline washing conveyor, sorting tables, grading tables, vacuum packaging equipment, pea shellers, greens spinner and cold storage.

Over the coming months, the Tuskegee University Carver Integrative Sustainability Center (CISC) will partner with farmers and non-profits to host conservation demonstrations and value-added workshops to help farmers extend the shelf life of produce and enter new markets. These workshops and food systems connections activities increase and diversify market opportunities for socially disadvantaged farmers.

Since the opening of the center, about 24,480 servings of collard greens, kale, peas, peppers, turnip greens, okra and mustard greens have fed Black Belt community members through eight market streams, including one wholesale distributor, two food banks, three farmers markets, one church and direct home delivery to the elderly. The refrigerated truck dedicated to the BBMIC is an essential piece of equipment for distributing pallet quantities of produce.

On-farm and regional infrastructure is another key piece of Black Belt food system development. This year, Tuskegee University partnered with the Heart of Alabama Food Bank to re-grant $50,000 to 19 recipients across the region.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is establishing climate-smart agriculture educational centers on campus and at the UAPB Farm in Lonoke, Arkansas, according to Dr. Tomekia White. The “UAPB Discovery Farm Educational Centers” will be a means of attracting underserved undergraduate students, as well as children and youths, to careers in agriculture.

Funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program, the centers will be used to train students and local producers in water conservation and other environmental practices. More than $1.2 million was awarded to support the project.

“With climate change continuing to affect agriculture, farmers must be educated on climate-smart practices to stay productive and profitable and help our environment,” White said. “It is also imperative that we attract our youths, especially in underserved communities, to be more involved because they have the potential to be future leaders and address these timely issues.”

The program activities will strengthen Extension and education efforts to provide resources for historically underserved farmers, teachers, youths and undergraduate and graduate students within local communities. The initiative includes establishing a Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) junior chapter in conjunction with local high schools, as well as the launch of an agriculture-based summer camp.

The Urban Farmer Mentoring Program will connect local farmers with “mentor farmers” who can assist in implementing climate-smart practices on farmer's private land.

Small-scale and underserved farmers on the Delmarva Peninsula, extending to the Mid-Atlantic, have benefited significantly from projects led by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Extension’s Small Farm Program. Under the signature initiative Improving Farmers Access to Resources and Management Solutions, competitive 2501 Program funding was secured through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement.

Along with an annual Small Farm Conference, the grant supports activities such as educational bus tours for farmers to explore new income opportunities.

“Despite the challenges farmers face today, there are strategies and alternative methods for increasing farm profit,” said Berran Rogers Jr., coordinator for the Small Farm Program at UMES. “Diverse farming operations are chosen to show participants unique marketing approaches aimed at helping them work directly with the customer, improving their bottom line. Hearing success stories firsthand shed light on potential marketing opportunities for them.”

Some of the focus areas tours have highlighted include direct marketing, value-added products, agritourism, specialty crops, sustainable farming practices, woodland opportunities and natural conservation.

UMES Extension is undertaking a new addition to the projects under the grant renewal, IFARMS 2.

“Access to farmland is the No. 1 barrier preventing a new generation of growers from entering the field, especially among socially disadvantaged audiences,” Rogers said. “To address these inequities, the Small Farm Program is establishing a farm incubator training program on Maryland’s Eastern Shore."

UMES’ IFARMS projects are part of the 615 grants totaling more than $194 million funded by the 2501 Program from 2010-23.

West Virginia State University Extension has received funding for the Activating Assets in Coalfield Communities project. The program is part of the NTAE grant program supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and administered through a partnership between Oklahoma State University and the Extension Foundation (EXF). The project's primary objective is to provide financial assistance to Extension programs that align with the USDA's strategic goals and priority program areas.

The pilot community for this project is Kimball, West Virginia, which has faced economic challenges due to the decline in coal production in recent years. However, the town has unique assets, including the National Coal Heritage Area, Elkhorn Creek and the Hatfield McCoy Trail system, that can attract visitors and boost the local economy.

The Coalfield Communities program is a community-led, asset-based development model that empowers residents and stakeholders to create positive change using sustainable strategies. The project aims to help Southern West Virginia communities create viable community-building and economic growth plans that are community-led and flexible in their approach.

The program will support participants as they identify new, unexplored or unexpected problem-solving routes. The project's success can help these communities sustain themselves and grow in the post-coal era. The program partners, including WVSUE, NCHA and Hatfield McCoy Trails, have collaborated with these communities for nearly a decade and share an appreciation for the unique heritage and recreation in Southern West Virginia.