Our Work
Outreach & Extension
2022
- Hosting 2nd, 3rd cohorts of SPI-AMP
- Hosting on-farm demonstration events
- Mesquite Field Farm (Nixon), 6 attendees
- S3 Legacy Ranch (Luling), 21 attendees
- Garcia Street Urban Farm (San Antonio), TBD
- Farmshare Austin (Austin), TBD
- 2022 Southern Family Farmers & Food Systems Conference (Aug. 7-9)
- Business, Finance & Marketing sessions
- Research & Technology tracks
- Awarded 33 scholarships; 73% SDFRs, 97% BFRs, 27% veterans
- Published "Evaluating Success Factors and Challenges Among Small-Scale Agricultural Producers: A Texas Case Study" in Journal of Rural Social Sciences
2021
- Welcomed first full-time staff member
- Published "What Makes a Small Farm Successful? A Review of Success Factors, Needs, and Challenges" in Journal of Extension
- Launched SPI-AMP and hosted bookkeeping classes for 1st cohort
- 2021 Southern Family Farmers & Food Systems Conference (Aug. 8-10)
- "Small Farm Marketing Strategies & Tools" pre-conference workshop
- Technology track
- Research track
- & dozens of other sessions
- Awarded 81 scholarships; 60% SDFRs, 86% BFRs, 14% veterans
- Awarded a Cooperative Agreement with NRCS-Texas to demonstrate and research conservation practices on urban/small-scale farms (RReSEED)
2020
- Sponsored TOFGA's Annual Conference (Jan. 16-18)
- Utilizing FSA Loans Workshop
- Fecal Egg Counting Workshop
- (3) research papers submitted for publication
- 2017-19 needs assessment data analysis finished
- Conducted webinars
- FSMA Exemptions for Small Producers (Jan.)
- Value-added Processing Decisions for Small Producers (March; cancelled due to COVID-19)
- 2020 Farm & Food Leadership Conference (Aug. 6-8)
- Awarded SPI-AMP from USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement
2019
- On-boarded graduate student and research associate
- Graduate student awarded SSARE grant to expand needs assessment work statewide
- Established partnership with FARFA and CHFS
- 2019-20 Advisory Team meeting
- Sponsored participants for NCAT's Wholesale Readiness Training(s)
- 2019 Farm & Food Leadership Conference (Aug. 11-13)
- Implementing SNAP Incentives at Farmers' Markets (workshop)
- Practical Financials: Maximizing Your Farm Capital (workshop)
- Dozens of conference sessions
- Awarded 100 scholarships to small historically undeserved producers (82 claimed)
- Parasite Detection Workshop (Nov.)
- Research paper(s) in progress
- Needs assessment and outreach ongoing
2018
- Awarded TSSSP from NIFA NLGCA program
- Awarded InSPIRE from USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach
- 2nd annual Small Producers Conference (Aug. 13-15)
- Formation and meeting of SPI Advisory Team
- Needs assessment ongoing
- Outreach growing
2017
- Conducted 8 webinars for small producers
- 1st annual Small Producers Conference (Aug. 14-16)
- Started needs assessment, website, social media, contact list
2016
- Awarded Rural-V grant from USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach