News Archive
CFAES and AMP Now Accepting 2017 Applications for Warner Grants
Posted on January 19, 2017 by admin
The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Sustainable Agriculture Team and Agroecosystems Management Program (AMP) are offering interdisciplinary grants to promote on-farm research in sustainable agriculture. This program is made available through the Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Endowment Fund established specifically for on-farm research in sustainable agriculture related to crop (agronomic and horticultural) and animal production systems, that are ultimately intended for human consumption.
Sustainable agriculture is characterized by a state of balance between:
- Practices and values that promote environmental stewardship and conservation of resources
- Long-term economic viability of farms and rural communities, and
- Preservation of the quality of life for farm families and support for rural communities.
Research is intended to identify and publicize sustainable agricultural practices and systems that are profitable, socially responsible, energy efficient and improve water quality and other environmental concerns relevant to Ohio farmers.
Grant Program Description
Eligible Recipients:
Proposals must come from OSU CFAES faculty and extension personnel as principal investigators. Interested farmers, graduate students, and members of agricultural or environmental organizations are strongly encouraged to contact OSU faculty and extension agents in their communities to suggest or initiate collaborative research projects. A mandatory criterion is collaboration with farmers who are identified in the proposal.
Eligible Activities:
The program objectives are to research the profitability, energy efficiency, social consequences and environmental soundness of sustainable agriculture practices and production systems. Also, the program aims to help farmers solve problems on their own farms, possibly applying those principles to other farms as well. Grants may include, but are not limited to the following areas:
- Enterprise diversification using traditional and non-traditional crops and livestock
- Cover crops and crop rotations to improve nutrient efficiency and conservation
- Conservation tillage and weed management, especially in the context of sustainable farming systems
- Integrated pest management systems for insects, weeds and diseases
- Livestock production and manure management systems
- Nutrient, pesticide and sediment management systems that reserve water quality
- Growing for and accessing greater marketing opportunities including season extension, direct marketing, adding value and on-farm storage handling of products
Project Funding:
Grant awards are available to maximum of $5,000 to fund supplies, transport costs, services and labor. Recent awards have been in the $2,000 – $4,000 range. Funding is distributed through the OSU principal investigator, and is transferred to the OSU investigator’s chosen account as a reimbursement for documented project expenses.
Grants are for a single year, with a final report expected by December 29, 2017. Eligibility for future funding is dependent upon submission of a final report for any previous grant. Proposals for ongoing research on the same topic will be considered with no special status over other proposals, and the team should clearly describe progress on previous work and how the new proposal is for a new and independent set of objectives. Warner Grants may provide seed funding for multiyear research proposals to state, federal or other programs, and assistance from AMP will be available for development of such proposals if they are built on Warner Grant projects and results.
Proposals are due Monday, March 6, 2017
The entire proposal must be saved as a single pdf file and emailed to Jennifer Harrison, AMP Graduate Administrative Assistant, harrison.497@osu.edu. An electronic signature will be accepted, or the signed cover page can be faxed to (330) 263-3686.
For more information view our Warner Grant page and the 2017 Warner RFP Final Form .
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10th Annual Stinner Summit Registration
Posted on September 13, 2016 by admin
10th Annual Stinner SummitThank you for your interest. This year's summit is now over. Please check back for updates on what was achieved!
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Posted on August 12, 2016 by admin
The Agroecosystems Management Program will host the 10th Annual Stinner Summit at the Stratford Ecological Center in Delaware, Ohio on October 14th, 2016.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Stinner Summit, we will be increasing the available funding for a limited number of collaborative projects. Participants will be asked when they register for the Summit to propose ideas for collaboration that address one or more of the key areas of agroecology such as: soil and water quality, social cohesion in agricultural communities, food security, incorporating biodiversity in agriculture, and energy efficient agriculture. We’ll use the ideas submitted as a springboard to a limited number of project ideas that participants will be encouraged to explore, consolidate, and find ways to work together on as the summit progresses. Registration is now open. Be ready to propose ideas that could capture the imagination and collaborative spirit of all attendees!
For more information on past summits, please visit AMP’s Stinner Summit Page here.
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Scholarship Opportunities for Stone Barn Young Farmers Conference
Posted on August 2, 2016 by admin
Every December, hundreds of beginning farmers from across the United States gather at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York to learn from agricultural luminaries, peers, and advocacy organizations at the Young Farmers Conference. On December 7-9, 2016, Stone Barns Center will host the 9th annual Young Farmers Conference, providing participants with access to inspiring keynotes and unique workshops that address soil science, technical skills, agricultural policy, farm business management, conservation and more.
Stone Barns Center offers a limited number of scholarships to this year’s conference, for farmers who otherwise would not be able to attend. To apply for a scholarship, click here. The application process closes at 5:00 pm on August 20.
More information on the upcoming and previous conferences can be found here.
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Call for Applications: U.S. Borlaug Fellows in Global Food Security Program
Posted on August 18, 2015 by admin
The U.S. Borlaug Fellows in Global Food Security graduate research grant supports exceptional graduate students who are interested in developing a component of their graduate research in a developing country setting and in collaboration with a mentor from an International Agricultural Research Center (IARC) or a qualifying National Agricultural Research System (NARS) unit. U.S. citizenship is required, and applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. graduate program at the time of application. A list of previous recipients is here.
Applications are available at the program website.
Application Deadline: Monday, November 9, 2015
Informational webinar for the Application process for US Borlaug Fellows in Global Food Security
An informational presentation will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 2:00 pm Eastern. Please see the link below to register for this Webex.
Questions may be sent to borlaugfellows@purdue.edu.
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October 16th: Register Now for the 9th Annual Stinner Summit!
Posted on July 15, 2015 by admin
The 9th Annual Stinner Summit will be held in the Bromfield Barn at Malabar Farms on October 16th from 8:30AM to 4:00 PM. To register visit our registration page here.
For more information on previous Stinner Summit, please visit our Stinner Summit Page here.
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Posted on July 12, 2015 by admin
The Liberty Prairie Foundation seeks a dynamic and versatile professional to fill the new position of Farm Business Development Center Director and Farm Manager. Major responsibilities include the management and development of the Farm Business Development Center incubator program and oversight of all aspects of our certified organic, sustainably managed farm.
The Liberty Prairie Foundation is a 501c(3) private operating foundation located in Grayslake, Illinois. The Foundation is recognized as a leader in developing and supporting innovative programs that build and strengthen our local food system while enhancing the natural landscape. The Foundation is headquartered at the 100-acre certified organic Prairie Crossing Farm, a working organic farm nestled inside the Prairie Crossing conservation community in Grayslake.
The Foundation has several established programs of its own and provides leadership and financial support for food system, land conservation and preservation, transportation, and civic engagement in our region. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.libertyprairie.org.
Since 2005, the Foundation has launched 15 farm businesses through its Farm Business Development Center—an incubator program for beginning farmers. This program provides beginning farmers with affordable access to land, infrastructure, equipment, and a positive learning environment that helps them develop the entrepreneurial skills, farming knowledge, and market networks needed to become successful professional farmers. For more information about the FBDC, click here and for more information on the positon, click here.
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TP Organic December 1st and 2nd Organic Innovation Days
Posted on July 6, 2015 by admin
On the 1st and 2nd of December, TP Organics will organize the Organic Innovation Days. One of the main aims of the event is to demonstrate the innovation potential of the organic food and farming sector. TP Organics therefore launches a call challenging farmers, researchers and companies to propose innovative solutions to one of the following needs of the organic sector:
- Innovative technologies for pest management in organic cropping systems
- New organic food processing concepts and technologies
- New business models of value addition at the local level
These are three priority topics identified by the TP Organics Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. You find the full description of the needs below.
After a pre-selection of the submitted innovations by the TP Organics Secretariat, a TP Organics member will be asked to select the most promising one. The proposer of the selected innovation will be invited to present it at the Organic Innovation Days. A lump sum will be provided to cover travel costs. All innovations submitted will be promoted through the website of TP Organics.
Send your innovation to info@tporganics.eu. Deadline is 6 September.
Description of topics
- Innovative technologies for pest management in organic cropping systems
This topic calls for innovative technologies that reduce labour requirements for the control of weeds, diseases and pests in organic farming. Such technologies should be affordable for farmers, and adapted to the small-scale and diverse fields typical of organic agriculture. Examples of technologies include systems that differentiate between crops and weeds making automated, selective mechanical weeding possible, or alternative methods for physical pest control as well as improved technology for monitoring and forecasting pest and disease outbreaks. There is a special interest in ICT tools that make monitoring field operations more easily. However, all kind of technologies that contribute to more efficient and feasible non-chemical weed, pest and disease control in organic cropping systems and so help to reduce production costs are encouraged to apply.
- New organic food processing concepts and technologies
Most of consumed food, even if organic, is processed. Organic consumers expect that the technologies used to process this food preserve the high quality of organic food and have low environmental impact. However, up to now, only few specific organic processing technologies have been developed and there is no clear guidance on how to select the most appropriate technologies. This topic calls for examples of innovative organic processing technologies. It should be explained what decision criteria have been used to select or develop these technologies. The proposed criteria should fit in a standardised framework for evaluating technologies that has the potential to be scaled-up. The proposed technologies should lead to improved quality of processed organic products, increased competitiveness of the organic food processing sector, reduced environmental impact and increased consumer confidence.
- New business models of value addition at the local level
The rural economy depends strongly on the possibility of adding value to agricultural products. Especially for small farms, the option of further processing the raw materials they produce is a key factor in their competitiveness. On-farm or local processing has been combined successfully with organic production, meeting the growing demand for high quality local food among European consumers. However, it remains a challenge for the farmers involved to make the best decisions regarding product concepts, business and cooperation models, labour dynamics, and investments, while still maintaining consumer confidence. This topic calls for successful business models of organic food processing and marketing at local level. These business models should contribute to greater success for individual business development, especially for small-scale farmers, and strengthen rural development.
A full description of the call and a program for the event can be found here.
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Cooperative Opportunities in the Ohio Fish Farming Industry Program at Kent State on June 13th
Posted on May 22, 2015 by admin
The Cooperative Development Center at Kent State University is putting on a program June 13 that focuses on issues facing the fish farming industry in Ohio, including farm management, production, feed costs, quality assurance, pond management, market potential, and related topics. Key to the program will be discussion by a panel of experts, including Chris Weeks of Michigan State, related to the possibility of creating a “Fish Farm Coop” in East Central Ohio. Facilitated discussion will include an overview of cooperatives, examples of success stories, and examples of how a cooperative amongst fish farmers could help overcome industry issues and help lead to sustained growth of the industry in Ohio.
Ohio is the number one Hybrid Blue Gill producing state in the country, number two for Yellow Perch, and number four for Large Mouth Bass. And, Ohio has an abundant supply of hard water producing a far superior fish than any other state. Ohio is better situated to supply major markets than any other state. Major markets include New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto. These markets are in need of many millions of pounds of Hybrid Blue Gill and Large Mouth Bass year round.
The program will be facilitated by Roy Messing, Director of the Cooperative Development Center at Kent State. Participants will have an opportunity to interact with the facilitator and panelists, ask questions, and voice their opinion about the viability of a Coop as well as significant issues related to the industry in general. The program is designed to be highly interactive.
Registration and Program Location
Register online by clicking the following link: https://conted.tusc.kent.edu/CourseStatus.awp?&course=15UPTR1036A
or by calling 330-308-7434. The program will be held in the Science and Advanced Technology Center on the Kent State Tuscarawas Campus, Room 126. There is no charge for attendance. Registration and coffee at 9 a.m. Program begins 9:30 a.m.
Program Sponsor
The program is sponsored by the Economic Development and Finance Alliance of Tuscarawas County, Harry Eadon Jr., Executive Director.
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Recipients of the 2015 Warner Grants Announced
Posted on April 27, 2015 by admin
The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Sustainable Agriculture Team and Agroecosystems Management Program (AMP) are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Warner Grants for Sustainable Agriculture. These grants are made available through the Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Endowment Fund established specifically for on-farm research in sustainable agriculture related to crop (agronomic and horticultural) and animal production systems.
Sustainable agriculture is characterized by a state of balance between:
- Practices and values that promote environmental stewardship and conservation of resources
- Long-term economic viability of farms and rural communities
- Preservation of the quality of life for farm families and support for rural communities.
Research is intended to identify and publicize sustainable agricultural practices and systems that are profitable, socially responsible, energy efficient and improve water quality and other environmental concerns relevant to Ohio farmers. Proposals are submitted by OSU faculty and extension personnel in collaboration with farmers.
More information about the program can be found at: amp.osu.edu/warner-grants
The recipients of the 2015 Warner Grants for Sustainable Agriculture are:
Farm-centered Evaluation of OMRI-approved Microbe-containing Products Advertised as Enhancing Vegetable Crop Growth
Project Leader: Matt Kleinhenz
Producers: Mike Anderson, David Benchoff, Chester Bowling, Adam Welly
This proposed research would partner with four organic vegetable growers in evaluating four distinct commercially available microbe-containing products (MCPs) advertised to enhance vegetable plant growth, particularly in its early stages. Through this work, the project aims to strengthen an emerging university-grower framework for evaluating MCPs. In partnering with OEFFA to establish the framework, we aim to prepare organic growers to evaluate (including in onfarm testing), select, use and share their experiences with MCPs more effectively.
Evaluation of the Effect of Humic Acid Application on the Yield and Quality of Alfalfa Forage
Project Leader: Rory Lewandowski
Producer: Virgil Gasser
The goal of this study is to determine if the applications of foliar applied humic acid products alone and in combination with fish fertilizer can increase yield and/ or forage quality compared to conventional commercial fertilizer application. If humic acid is able to increase either the yield or quality of the forage this will provide a lower cost and environmentally friendly alternative input compared to commercial synthetic fertilizer. Another goal of the study is to determine if application of the humic acid product provides increased protection or plant resistance from the alfalfa weevil and leafhopper.
Maximize Continuous No-Till Sustainability with Cover Crop Blends and Zeolite
(year 2 of a 3 year project)
Project Leaders: Rafiq Islam and Randall Reeder
Producers: David Brandt, Brandts Family Farm
The goal of this study is to evaluate the potential of a combination of continuous no-till, multi-functional cover crop blends and Zeolite for enhanced agroecosystem services, including economic crop yields, weed control, C sequestration, compaction alleviation, soil health and farm productivity. The researchers expect that with such an approach, farmers will be able to reduce the cost of inputs and operations (plowing, fertilization and herbicides) and generate more income by incorporating multi-functional cover crop blends and Zeolite in continuous no-till corn-soybean-wheat rotation.