Outreach to Immigrant Farmers: Experiences in Missouri and with National Initiatives

1. Outreach to Immigrant Farmers: Experiences in Missouri and with National Initiatives José L. García Extension Assistant Professor and Coordinator Community Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Department of Rural Sociology University of Missouri WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

2. Latino Farm Owners • Latino Farm Ownership in the US has doubled in the last decade • There were about 90,000 Latino Farmers in the US in 2002 (including Puerto Rico) • Puerto Rico, Texas, California, New Mexico, Florida and Colorado have the largest number of Latino farmers WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

3. Latino Farm Owners • Missouri’s Latino farm population has increased 38% between 1997 and 2002 • MO’s Latino farmers are often engaged in alternative cropping and livestock systems WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

4. WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

5. WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

6. Issues for Latino Operated Farms • Latino farmers have little experience farming in the U.S. (many have less than 5 years on the farm) • USDA program participation is low • Latino farmers have not been on the farm long enough to establish long-term relationships with USDA-programs (or perhaps, there was not a concerted effort to reach out Latino farmers) WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

7. Needs of Latino Farmers There is no “one-size-fits all” answer. We need to consider: • Farm operations • Level of education • Years on the farm (and experience with S.A.) • Language preference • Cultural aspects WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

8. Information needs of Latino farmers • Sustainable Business Planning • Marketing opportunities and strategies • Financial services • Gender and generation issues • Legal and labor issues (farmworkers, family labor) WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

9. Conclusions • University Extension systems have started to connect and serve Latino farmers but there is long ways to go yet. • The financial services sector needs to create education programs targeting Latino farmers • More collaboration between private organizations and public agencies is needed to provide services to Latino farmers WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

10. http://immigrantfarming.org/ The National Immigrant Farming Initiative (NIFI) WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

11. Integrating Research and Extension WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

12. Obstacles to the Integration of Research and Extension • Disconnect between researchers and extension educators • Lack of commitment on both sides to integration • Apparently, research and outreach do not share a common goal • Little applied/participatory research WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

13. Ideas to Increase Integration • Research not only “on” but also “with” Latinos/as • Collaboration between researchers and extension educators (for instance establishing joint teams) • Integrating Latino research and Latino outreach needs to be part of a larger research-extension integration effort WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

14. Ideas to Increase Integration • Use research findings to develop extension programs and services for the Latino/a and Immigrant farming community • Extension has to feed the research agenda on Latinos in agriculture • Extension is (should be) the link between University resources and the Latino community WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia

15. More ideas • Extension educators need to be involved in research projects • Provide cultural competency training opportunities to educators, professionals in agriculture, and researchers. • Educate the larger community including administrators, leaders and decision-makers. • Partnerships at local, regional and state level WSU - Extension conf. 03/7/07 - Garcia