CSREES Awards $5 Million For Small Farm Research

The USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) funded 15 integrated research, education and extension projects totaling $5 million for small and mid-sized farms. These projects, funded through CSREES’ National Research Initiative, were eligible for up to $500,000 for two to four years of support.

“Opportunities and Constraints to Rural Development: Exploring the Linkages Between Small Farms and Rural Communities in the Southeast Region.” The grant will focus on developing methods to identify the most important linkages between farms and rural communities in the Southeast.

“Forestry and Community: Creating Local Markets for Local Resources.” This project examines the relationship between poverty, forestry and construction in the South.

“Identification and Assessment of Emerging Opportunities and Threats for Small Farms in Arkansas and Tennessee.” A grant will assess and evaluate the future business environment of small farms.

“Differentiating Small Farm Produce Offerings Through Nutritionally Superior Cultivars, Marketing and Extension Programs.” A multidisciplinary approach that links changing consumer needs to farms regarding health benefits of food products.

“Enhancing Small Farm Prosperity: An Integrated Research, Education and Outreach Program for Niche Pork Production.” This proposal is to address challenges with niche pork production by examining herd health issues in economic and biological terms.

“The Ethical Attitudes and Proclivities of Farmers.” This project will examine the effects of economic realities on ethical choices, including business management, adoption of technology, environmental stewardship, treatment of animals, etc.

“World Crops: Opportunities Created by Ethnically Diverse Communities.” This proposal will integrate research and extension efforts to understand the interactions between the economic and social opportunities and threats affecting small and medium-sized farms marketing ethnic crops.

“Mapping Local Food Systems Potential in New York State: Spatial Modeling of an Emerging Opportunity for Small Farmers and Local Consumers.” Consumer needs affecting farmer understanding of regional food production will be evaluated using GIS and modeling.

“Improved Farm Profit with Farmland Protection and High Value Crops.” This project will identify indicators associated with farmland preservation methods and the use of high value crops for farm profitability.

“Total Assessment Tool for Farmland (TVAL-FARM): Geospatially Quantifying Market and Non-Market Worth.” This project integrates research, teaching and extension and links benefits of farming with rural development.

“Evaluating Environmental and Economic Consequences of Multiple-Use Management of Agricultural Lands in the Northern Great Plains.” Multidisciplinary approach will evaluate the economic and environmental consequences of agricultural land management alternatives in the northern Great Plains.

“An Extended-Season Berry Production and Marketing System to Enhance Viability of Small Appalachian Farms and Rural Communities.” This project will study the impact of widespread adoption of unique full-season berry production and marketing systems.

“Enhancing the Prosperity of Small Farms and Rural Agricultural Communities: The Role of Industry Clusters.” Comparing alternative systems, this project will study the role of industry clusters formed around commodities, agricultural practices, social or ethnic networks and disadvantaged farmers.

“Sustaining Small Farms and Rural Communities: The Role of Women Farmers.” This project will assess ways to improve women’s sustainable agricultural production efforts that are financially profitable.

“Promoting Non-Traditional Alternative Enterprises for Small Farmers.” This grant project will explore and evaluate the introduction of non-traditional production enterprises to enhance economic performance and profitability for small farm operations.

CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. For more information visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov.

Contact Information

Jennifer Martin

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Contact via E-mail