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Responding to Demand for Sustainable Agriculture

Responding to Demand for Sustainable Agriculture. Julia W. Gaskin Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator Crop & Soil Science Dept College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. Why Sustainable Ag?. NRC 2010 Report – “Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21 st Century”

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Responding to Demand for Sustainable Agriculture

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  1. Responding to Demand for Sustainable Agriculture Julia W. Gaskin Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator Crop & Soil Science Dept College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

  2. Why Sustainable Ag? • NRC 2010 Report – “Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century” • Feeding increasing world population • Limits on natural resources that support ag • CAES 2020 Strategic Plan strengthening goal • Sustainable food production systems • Increased public interest in “local food” and agriculture

  3. What Do I Do? • Public Service Associate 2008 • 80% Extension • 20% Research • Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator • State Co-Coordinator for USDA SARE Professional Development Program

  4. Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator • Respond to needs identified by public or county agents • Work with CAES faculty to develop programs or research to meet those needs

  5. Sustainable Agriculture Website & Newsletter Soils and Soil Quality Management Intensive Grazing Organic Production Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conservation Tillage Nutrient Management Pollinators Local Foods/Marketing

  6. Organic Production Systems • County agents receiving more questions about organic • Extension not perceived as responsive to this clientele • Obtained grant funding from Southern SARE to form Sustainable and Organic Production Team

  7. Sustainable & Organic Production Team • Agents from each district to serve as resource (UGA and FVSU) • Seven in-service trainings • Given scholarships for conferences • Example – Cover Crop Nitrogen Management Workshop • N cycle, using cover crops for N, how to predict N release • 18 Extension Agents, 10 NRCS personnel • Agents report used information: • Answer client questions (64); • In regular county programming (3); • In consultation with farmers (33); • Delivered new programming (1)

  8. Organic Production Systems • Major update of “How to Convert an Inorganic Fertilizer Recommendation to an Organic One” • Organic Fact Sheet that client receives when check organic crop code on soil test submission • Working with Drs. Cabrera and Kissel to incorporate data from organically managed soils and alternative cover crops into MinImob N prediction model

  9. Food Safety for Small Farms • Worked with Food Science, FACS and obtained multi-state USDA National Integrated Food Safety Initiative Grant • Developed checklist, factsheets, curriculum and videos for farmers and farmer’s market managers

  10. Food Safety for Small Farms

  11. Food Hubs • Georgia Sustainable Agriculture Consortium • UGA, FVSU, GA Dept of Ag, Farm Bureau, Georgia Organics

  12. Food Hubs Baseline survey identified: - 8 organizations - 11 projects Farmers needs assessment survey - 220 responses - 72% small fruit & vegetable growers - Strong interest in working together, cooling facilities, marketing & sales help Farms Responding to Needs Assessment Survey

  13. Current Research and Extension Grant- Funded Projects • Cool season organic vegetable rotation – Southern SARE • Cover crop management • Soil quality evaluation – Active C and PMN with routine soils analysis • Leading extension efforts • Incorporating sunflowers in organic grain rotation – Southern SARE • Soil quality and extension subcontract from USDA ARS

  14. Other Current Research - Biochar • Pyrolysis of biomass to produce energy (bio-oil and syn-gas) • Charred by-product returned to soil to sequester C • Potential benefits – increased yields, CEC, water holding capacity, microbial biomass • Evaluating effects in Ultisols of SE Pine chip biochar Poultry litter biochar SEM

  15. Other Current Research - Biochar • Effect of low-temperature pyrolysis conditions on biochar for agricultural use. (Gaskin et al. 2008. ASABE 51:2061-2069) • Feedstock had greatest influence on nutrient content, but nutrient increased with increasing pyrolysis temp • Effect of peanut hull and pine chip biochar on soil nutrients, corn nutrient status, and yield. (Gaskin et al. 2010 Agronomy Journal 102(2): 623-633) • No effect on yield • Impact of two different biochars on earthworm growth and survival. (Liesch et al. 2010. Annals of Env. Sci. 4:1-9) • Poultry litter biochar caused earthworm mortality at rates used for C sequestration • Pine chip biochar not different from control • Influence of biochar on nitrogen fractions in a Coastal Plain soil. (Schomberg et al. 2012. J. Environ. Qual.) • High ash biochars caused NH4-N volatilization of applied fertilizer

  16. Thanks! Julia Gaskin Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator Crop & Soil Science Dept. University of Georgia www.SustainAgGA.org

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