Fall 1995 (v7n4)
by David Chaney, UC SAREP
A new USDA program for professional education in sustainable agriculture was initiated in 1994. Funding was made available under the 1990 Farm Bill (Title XVI, Subtitle B, Chapter 3) for each state to develop a statewide strategic plan for professional development, targeting Cooperative Extension (CE) advisors, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field staff, and other agricultural consultants (see "Western Sustainable Ag Training Program Underway," Sustainable Agriculture, Vol. 7, No. 1). SAREP coordinated this activity in California.
Our planning process centered around three focus groups, which took place in November and December of 1994 in Merced, Riverside and Davis. The purposes of these meetings were to better define the educational needs and interests of the target audiences, and identify the methods and strategies that would be most successful in meeting those needs. More than 60 individuals participated in the focus groups including CE advisors and county directors from each of CE's four regions, NRCS field staff, farmers, and representatives of several UC programs, government agencies and non-profit organizations involved in sustainable agriculture education.
Since the target audiences for the Chapter 3 program are initially CE and the NRCS, the participation of advisors and field staff from these organizations was especially important. The plan builds on the considerable expertise and ongoing work of California's CE and NRCS personnel in extending information about sustainable agriculture, and aims to enhance their work with farms, ranches and communities across the state.
Much of the discussion that took place during the planning meetings focused on enriching the educational efforts that are already underway and strengthening the programs of the many organizations and groups in California involved in sustainable agriculture education. In summary, the planning groups recommended a three-part approach that:
- builds on existing educational programs
- provides focused programs and farm tours on high priority topics and issues
- strengthens extension teams and networks addressing related problems and issues.
These components and the assessment of educational needs and interests of the target audiences are described in detail in the planning document which is available from SAREP. With the completion of this plan and its submission to the Western Region USDA-SARE program, individuals or groups from California will be better positioned to compete for funds that will help enrich educational and professional development activities.
For more information about the statewide plan contact David Chaney, SAREP, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, Tel: (916)754-8551; e-mail: dechaney@ucdavis.edu. For information about funding opportunities in this area, please see Sources of Funding, page 19, "USDA Western Region SARE/ACE Grants."
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