EXPANDING THE POSSIBILITIES: - The University of Tennessee
EXPANDING THE POSSIBILITIES: - The University of Tennessee
EXPANDING THE POSSIBILITIES: - The University of Tennessee
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FOREWORD<br />
ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION TEAM<br />
Gary Bates, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Plant Sciences<br />
Megan Bruch, Marketing Specialist,<br />
Center for Pr<strong>of</strong>itable Agriculture<br />
David Butler, Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Plant<br />
Sciences<br />
Faith Critzer, Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Food<br />
Science & Technology<br />
P. Michael Davidson, Head & Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Food Science & Technology<br />
Neal Eash, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science<br />
(BESS)<br />
Sarah Eichler-Inwood, Research<br />
Associate, Plant Sciences<br />
Lee Ellis, Research Associate, East<br />
<strong>Tennessee</strong> AgResearch & Education<br />
Center (ETREC)<br />
Doug Hayes, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Biosystems<br />
Engineering & Soil Science<br />
Rob Holland, Director, Center for<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>itable Agriculture<br />
Shasta Hubbs, Former Extension<br />
Assistant, Center for Pr<strong>of</strong>itable<br />
Agriculture<br />
Kim Jensen, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Agricultural &<br />
Resource Economics<br />
Amy Ladd, Former Extension Assistant,<br />
Center for Pr<strong>of</strong>itable Agriculture<br />
Jaehoon Lee, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science<br />
Brian Leib, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science<br />
Bill Lively, Service Supervisor, Organic<br />
Crops Unit (OCU), ETREC<br />
David Lockwood, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Plant<br />
Sciences<br />
Kim Martinez, Administrative Assistant,<br />
Center for Pr<strong>of</strong>itable Agriculture<br />
Fiona McAnally, UT Farmers Market<br />
Manager, Plant Sciences<br />
David McIntosh, Research Associate,<br />
Plant Sciences<br />
Katheryne Nix, UT Farmers Market<br />
Event Coordinator, Entomology &<br />
Plant Pathology<br />
Bonnie Ownley, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Entomology<br />
and Plant Pathology<br />
Hal Pepper, Value-Added Financial<br />
Analysis Specialist, Center for<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>itable Agriculture<br />
Mary Rogers, Postdoctoral Researcher,<br />
Plant Sciences<br />
Carl Sams, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Plant Sciences<br />
Dana Saywell, Former Organic<br />
Extension Specialist, Plant Sciences<br />
Hannah Schrum, Former Organic<br />
Extension Assistant, Plant Sciences<br />
Bobby Simpson, Director, East<br />
<strong>Tennessee</strong> AgResearch & Education<br />
Center<br />
John Skinner, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Entomology<br />
and Plant Pathology<br />
Brandon Smith, Former Assistant<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Plant Sciences<br />
Jane Howell Starnes, Research<br />
Associate, Agricultural & Resource<br />
Economics<br />
Bobby Terry, Former Light Equipment<br />
Operator, OCU ETREC<br />
Heather Toler, Research Associate, Plant<br />
Sciences<br />
Margarita Velandia, Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Agricultural & Resource Economics<br />
Forbes Walker, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science<br />
Michael Wilcox, Former Associate<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Agricultural & Resource<br />
Economics<br />
Michael Wilson, Research Associate,<br />
Entomology and Plant Pathology<br />
Annette Wszelaki, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor,<br />
Plant Sciences<br />
Qixin Zhong, Associate Pr<strong>of</strong>essor, Food<br />
Science & Technology<br />
As you read this report that outlines the many accomplishments <strong>of</strong> the Organic and Sustainable Crop<br />
Production Initiative, it becomes very clear that this initiative has been a driving force in advancing<br />
knowledge <strong>of</strong> organic production at the local, state and national levels. As interest in local, organic food<br />
production has increased, the initiative has played a crucial role in providing Tennesseans with practical<br />
science based information on this topic. Thousands <strong>of</strong> individuals in all 95 counties <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tennessee</strong> have<br />
been reached through hundreds <strong>of</strong> educational events and thousands <strong>of</strong> direct contacts. Since this joint<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tennessee</strong>/<strong>Tennessee</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture Initiative began in 2007, the number <strong>of</strong><br />
certified organic farms in <strong>Tennessee</strong> has increased by 158%. We are also very proud that the efforts <strong>of</strong><br />
this team have helped the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tennessee</strong> receive recognition by the Organic Farming Research<br />
Foundation as one <strong>of</strong> six top Land-Grant <strong>University</strong> organic production programs. We congratulate this<br />
team on successfully delivering high quality, science based information on organic production, certification<br />
and marketing to producers and consumers across the state and beyond. We also thank the <strong>Tennessee</strong><br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Agriculture for the support to undertake this work, and we extend sincere appreciation to<br />
all the partners who have contributed to the success <strong>of</strong> this initiative.<br />
Tim L. Cross, Dean UT Extension<br />
CONTENTS<br />
Robert T. Burns, Assistant Dean, UT Extension<br />
GRADUATE STUDENTS<br />
Sarah Broughton, Former Graduate<br />
Student, Plant Sciences<br />
Matt Bruns, Former Graduate Student,<br />
Biosystems Engineering & Soil<br />
Science<br />
Constance Marie Hugo, Former<br />
Graduate Student, BESS<br />
Kathryn Allen<br />
Elias Attea<br />
Jess Blackwell<br />
Ryan Bolcar<br />
Josh Cantrell<br />
Kelly Corum<br />
BJ Delozier<br />
Kirsten Eisele<br />
Sarah Elias<br />
Bobby Evans<br />
Jessica Gates<br />
Wendy Jones Bruns, Former Graduate<br />
Student, Biosystems Engineering &<br />
Soil Science<br />
Jeff Martin, Graduate Student, Plant<br />
Sciences<br />
Grant McCarty, Former Graduate<br />
Student, Plant Sciences<br />
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANTS AND INTERNS<br />
Tim Grant<br />
Emily Hennelly<br />
Nora Hutchison<br />
Mechelle Kneidinger<br />
Andrea Menendez<br />
Alex Mindermann<br />
DJ Mitchell<br />
Philip Moore<br />
Tiffany Morrison<br />
Liz Newnam<br />
Jordan Norton<br />
Jonathan Moss, Former Graduate<br />
Student, Agricultural & Resource<br />
Economics<br />
Gitika Shrivastava, Former Graduate<br />
Student, Plant Sciences<br />
Daniel Priddy<br />
Ann Ramsey<br />
Becca Smith<br />
Dara Smith<br />
Mary Clare Smith<br />
Alexandra Spaulding<br />
Javier Vargas<br />
Clint Wayman<br />
Brenna Wright<br />
Initiative Summary:<br />
Building the Foundation<br />
Introduction<br />
Development <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Tennessee</strong><br />
Organic Production Network<br />
Building Relationships Across <strong>Tennessee</strong><br />
Regional Organic Partnerships<br />
Organic and Sustainable Crop Program<br />
Producers Survey<br />
Organic Extension Publications<br />
Organic Crop Production Workshops<br />
UT Organic and Sustainable Crop Production<br />
Website and Facebook Page<br />
2<br />
4<br />
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8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
14<br />
15<br />
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UT AgResearch and Education Center and<br />
On-farm Organic Demonstration Plots<br />
Speciality Crops<br />
Forage Crops<br />
Field Crops<br />
Connecting Farmers to Buyers<br />
Evaluation <strong>of</strong> Existing Networks<br />
Enhancing Farmer to Buyer Connection<br />
Evaluating and Enhancing Value-Added<br />
Opportunities<br />
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B<br />
Expanding the Possibilities: UT-TDA Organic and Marketing Initiative<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tennessee</strong><br />
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