The Agroforestry Academy: A Crash Course to Educate Natural Resource Professionals and Develop the Knowledge Infr

1. Alley Cropping Forest Farming Riparian Buffers The Agroforestry Academy: A Crash Course to Educate Natural Resource Professionals and Develop the Knowledge Infrastructure Silvopasture Windbreaks

2. Experience over 25 years has taught us that multiple “doors” lie between the promise and the reality of widespread agroforestry adoption and utilization • It is essential to identify the doors (e.g., culture, tradition, knowledge gaps, science, risk, funding, policy) • And do the work to open them The “Get Smart” Analogy

3. Where is all the Agroforestry? • Significant advances made in the science and practice of agroforestry over the past 25 years. • However, on-the-ground application of agroforestry practices has lagged. • Exception: USDA government subsidized windbreaks and riparian buffers. • Creating greater awareness of agroforestry’s benefits (financial and ecological) will lead to: • Increased acceptance and adoption of agroforestry, • Result in increased financial security, • Enhance environmental protection for all classes of farmers, ranchers, forest owners, and communities.

4. Background Issues – Knowledge Infrastructure • The Knowledge Infrastructure for Agriculture • Huge information network supporting the landowner • Commodity groups (Farm Bureau, Corn and Soybean Growers Assns, Cattlemen, etc.) • Agribusiness (e.g., Cargill, ADM, Monsanto, seed and equipment dealers), Certified Crop Advisors (thousands) • NRCS/FSA assistance widely available • Land Grant University research, education and extension • USDA funding programs – abundant in supply • Farm Bill safety net to offset losses

5. Background Issues – Knowledge Infrastructure An Uphill Battle • The Knowledge Infrastructure for Agroforestry • Paper thininformation network supporting the landowner • No agribusiness or commodity group support • No Land Grant support in research, education or extension • No network of “advisors” • No USDA research $$$, no policy support • No tradition, no culture • High financial risk, no farmer safety nets • No value given to non-market environmental benefits

6. Chestnut Training Program “Graduates” Chinese Chestnut – Pumpkin IntercropNapton, MO

7. Chestnut Training Program “Graduates” Chinese Chestnut – Winter Wheat IntercropNapton, MO

8. Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA), 1935 • USDA Soil Conservation Service, 1935 (Dustbowl and CCC) • University of Guelph, (1st NAAC), 1989 • Iowa State University, Riparian Buffers, Bear Creek, 1990 • NAC (Center for Semi-Arid Agroforestry), 1990 (USFS/NRCS) • Cornell University, Center for the Environment, 1993 • AFTA, Association for Temperate Agroforestry, 1993 • University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Windbreaks • UMCA, University of Missouri, 1998 • 1890 AF Consortium • CINRAM, University of Minnesota, 1998 (???) • Virginia Tech, Forest Farming, (www.extension.org/forest_farming) • NC State University, Forest Farming (NCHerb.org) • Mid-American Agroforestry Working Group (MAAWG), 2009 • *List not intended to be complete, others have been involved over time (PENN ST, U of KY, ORE ST, U of FL, U of GA, ARS in W. VA and ARK, …) *Key Organizations Supporting Development of the Knowledge Infrastructure for Agroforestry

9. Tree Crops for Energy Co-production on Farms, 1980, S.E.R.I. • Agroforestry Systems Journal, 1982-present • Proceedings of North American Agroforestry Conferences, 1989 – 2013 • Agroforestry: An Integrated Land Use Management System for Production and Farmland Conservation, 1994, SCS • Proceedings from the Specialty Forest Products/Forest Farming Conference, 1998, CINRAM • Agroforestry in the United States, Research and Technology Transfer Needs for the Next Millennium, 2000, AFTA • Conservation Buffers: Design Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways, 2010, NAC • Using NRCS Technical and Financial Assistance to Establish Elderberry, 2011, UMCA • USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework, 2011-2016 • Financial Decision Support Tools, 2011, UMCA • Training Manual for Applied Agroforestry Practices, 2013, UMCA • Handbook for Agroforestry Planning and Design, 2013, UMCA • Agroforestry: USDA Reports to America, FY 2011–2012, 2013 Key Publications Supporting the Development of the Knowledge Infrastructure (list not inclusive)

10. Agroforestry Adoption – 4 P’s • To achieve agroforestry adoption will require: • Partnerships • Programs • Professionals • Peer-to-Peer Learning • The Agroforestry Academy is based on: • An established partnership – MAAWG • Funded by a program – NCR-SARE PDP • Designed to train professionals who will • Be involved in follow on Peer-to-Peer Learning

11. Agroforestry Academy - PartnershipsMid-American Agroforestry Working Group (MAAWG) MO, NE, IA, MN, WI PIs Michael Gold: University of Missouri, Center for Agroforestry Mihaela Cernusca: University of Missouri, Center for Agroforestry Diomy Zamora: University of Minnesota Jeri Neal: Iowa State University, Leopold Center, MAAWG Shibu Jose: University of Missouri, Center for Agroforestry Larry Godsey: Missouri Valley College (formerly MU Center for Agroforestry) Richard Schultz: Iowa State University Richard Straight: USDA Forest Service, National Agroforestry Center Dusty Walter: University of Missouri (formerly Center for Agroforestry) Andy Mason: USDA Forest Service, National Agroforestry Center (Director) Richard Warner: University of Minnesota, Green Lands Blue Waters Other Trainers Bruce Wight: USDA NRCS National Forester (retired) David Shelton: University of Nebraska John Munsell: Va Tech Doug Wallace: USDA NRCS National Agroforester (retired) Mark Kennedy: NRCS Missouri Farmers - 2013 Nicola McPherson: Ozark Forest Mushrooms, MO Dan Shepherd: Shepherd Farms, MO Terry Durham: Eridu Farms, MO Fred Martz Martz Family Farm, MO

12. Agroforestry Academy - ProgramMAAWG via NCR-SARE PDPProject Goal and Objectives • Goal • To achieve on-the-ground adoption of agroforestry • Objectives • Create a regional agroforestry knowledge network • Train a core group of individuals who deal with land management issues and/or interact with farmers and landowners. • Facilitate collaboration among researchers, extension personnel, crop advisors, practitioners, diverse disciplines, departments and colleges, and different agencies and organizations.

13. Agroforestry Academy – ProfessionalsTrain-the-Trainer • Agriculture and Natural Resource professionals • Univ. Extension personnel • USDA NRCS, and FSA field staff • University faculty (1862, 1890, 1994 - regional Colleges or Universities) • Sustainable agriculture /permaculture leaders including USDA SARE staff • Conservation groups (especially w/tree or forest missions e.g., Trees Forever) and similar organizations from MO, IA, MN, NE, WI • Certified Crop Advisors • Soil and Water Conservation District personnel • Farm Bureau, Farmers Union • Others

14. Agroforestry Academy – Approach • Updated agroforestry training manual. • Created new Handbook for Planning/Design. • MAAWG/NAC, 3 new agroforestry case studies • Monthly teleconference planning meetings w/project team (MAAWG coordinated). • Conduct Agroforestry Academy. • Organize and conduct week long “Train-the-trainer” Agroforestry Academy, 2013 and 2014. • Classroom presentations, field visits to practitioners’ farms, and a “hands-on landowner case study” group project exercise, with field visits focused on agroforestry planning and design.

15. MAAWG Project Outputs - 2013 • Awarded SARE PDP grant to hold Agroforestry Academy • Updated agroforestry training curricula • Release and distribution of the updated 2013 Agroforestry Training Manual; and • New Handbook for Agroforestry Planning and Design. • New agroforestry case studies. • One Agroforestry Academy per year, 2013 and 2014. • First Academy completed, August 2013 • Spin off trainings including other regions • A total of 27 professionals from 7 states trained during the 2013 Academy . • Online learning community network for academy participants and graduates. • Recorded workshops will be available online, UMCA website. • Online directory of agroforestry professionals and practitioners (in process). • Regional inventory of on-the-ground applications of agroforestry practices (biggest challenge).

16. Dan Shepherd, Pecan Orchard, Alley Cropping Controls Value Chain Terry Durham, Eridu Farms, Elderberries, Creating Industry, Value Added MU Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center, Chestnut Production Images from the 2013 Academy Dr. Andy Mason, Agroforestry Academy Classroom Sessions Lincoln Univ., Busby Farm Goat Silvopasture, Control Invasives, Reduce Fire Risk

17. Post Academy Evaluation and Feedback • Participants very satisfied with Academy. • Overall quality rated excellent = 71%, good = 29%. • Topics covered (4.58), content (4.56), organization (4.56) and time for discussion (4.12) all received high marks (on a 1-5 point scale). • Top rated aspects of Academy (5 pt scale) were: • farm visits (4.6), silvopasture (4.48), • alley cropping (4.2), training manual (4.09), • forest farming/windbreaks (4.08), • Handbook (4.05), case study (4.0).

18. N=27 Agroforestry Policy Silvopasture Practices Creating an Agroforestry Plan Marketing Agroforestry Products Post Academy Evaluation and Feedback Agroforestry Extension & Outreach Tax Considerations / Incentives Forest Farming Scale: 1 (nothing), 2 (very little), 3 (some), 4 (quite a bit) and 5 (a lot) • Major gains in subject matter knowledge

19. Post Academy Evaluation and Feedback • 100% indicated that they benefited from information about agroforestry practices • 96% motivated to continue learning about agroforestry and to disseminate information about agroforestry • 92% motivated to get their organization more involved in agroforestry • Important benefits from academy participation • the network of participants and trainers • resource materials for future use

20. First International Elderberry Symposium, 2013, MU/UMCA • Living Snow Fence Cost Calculator, 2013, Univ. of MN • Windbreak Financial Decision Tool, 2013, NAC/UMCA • Training Manual for Applied Agroforestry Practices, 2013, UMCA • Handbook for Agroforestry Planning and Design, 2013, UMCA • Agroforestry Case Study: Chestnuts at Red Fern Farm,2013, MAAWG/NAC • Agroforestry Case Study: Elderberries at East Grove Farm,2013, MAAWG/NAC • Agroforestry Case Study: Silvopasture at Early Boots Farm,2013, MAAWG/NAC • Agroforestry: USDA Reports to America, FY 2011–2012 In-Brief,2013, USDA NAC MAAWG / NAC / UMN / UMCA Outputs - 2013 Supporting the Development of the Knowledge Infrastructure

21. Summary – Agroforestry Academy Helping to Develop the Infrastructure • Widespread adoption and use requires multiple, integrated, deliberate and opportunistic approaches including the 4 P’s (Partnerships, Programs, Professionals, Peer-to-Peer Learning) • achieved through: • trained educators (certified agroforesters, online MS and graduate certificate, agroforestry academy) • active partnerships, networks • top down support (government-$-policy) and bottom up (landowners and key organizations) • high tech (research breakthroughs) and high touch (one-on-one, peer-to-peer outreach) • market driven approach to conservation • targeted funding to develop specialty crop industries with detailed financial information to cut risk

22. Topics for Our Afternoon Session The Future of Agroforestry • Locally led conservation initiatives • Small watershed scale (Cover Crop Champions -NWF, Farm Link) • More work on finances, marketing, markets, co-ops • More work on “the science behind the practices” • Requires supporting policy changes and funding • More trained professionals to promote AF • More case studies with real world examples • More partnerships, linked “communities of interest” • ---------------------------------------------------------------------- • ? How to scale-up agroforestry outreach ? • ? Role for distance education to bring AF knowledge to a larger audience ? Absolutely yes. • ? What kind of educational/outreach materials do we still need ?

23. Questions? / Comments…