Grants and Contracts Details
Description
High tunnel production has grown in Kentucky since 2012. However, many growers still struggle with production challenges that are more commonly observed in high tunnel systems, such as soil salinity, appropriate fertilizer use, and season extension. Because high tunnels are still relaively new, many Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents do not have the experience or information to properly assist high tunnel growers. The objecive of this project is to better capacitate CES agents with acurate information and useful skills needed to better support the current and future high tunnel growers in their communities. A training series specific to high tunnels will be provided through the University of Kentucky (UK). Agents from UK and Kentucky State Univesiy (KSU) will be invited to participate in the two-year training series. UK extension specialist will provide research-based information and resources, as well as instructions for hands-on experience in six different training sessions. Instruction and learning will happen both in the classrom and the field. Experienced growers will attend each training session and share their experiences with the agents and provide feedback to specialists after each training. Although the agents are the audience for the trainings, the ultimate audience is the growers who the agents will serve in their counties. Agents will be surveyed in order to assess each training session's impact and evaluate whether changes to future sessions are necessary. At the 2021 completion of the training series, agents will be expected to lead a high tunnel-related training supervised by the project director.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 4/1/19 → 3/31/22 |
Funding
- University of Georgia: $64,304.00
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