Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching Assessing the Sustainability of your Farm.
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Transcript of Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching Assessing the Sustainability of your Farm.
Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching
Assessing the Sustainability of your Farm
Sustainability Criteria
Based on practices, not long term
The Food Alliance
ATTRA Beef Sustainability Check Sheet
The Food Alliance
Portland, Oregon Evaluation Criteria for
application to be farmer members of TFA.
Originally set up for fruit and vegetables growers, has expanded to include livestock and direct seeded crops (wheat, etc.)
www.thefoodalliance.org
TFA Certification – meeting the standards
Fixed standards – a list that all farms must comply with
Whole farm standards – general operating procedures and practices related to four specific topics
Specific product standards – relate directly to production of your crop or animal
TFA: Whole Farm Standards for TFA: Whole Farm Standards for CertificationCertification
•Reducing Pesticide Usage
•Soil and Water Conservation
•Safe and Fair Working Conditions
•Wildlife Habitat Conservation
Areas that are rated for reducing pesticide usage:
The inspector rates the category from 1 - 4 based on observations and talking to grower
Crop Rotation rating levels 1-4
Level 1 - direct-seed fields are not rotated
Level 2 - direct-seeded fields are in two-crop rotation with a fallow period
Level 3 - Direct seeded crops are in a three-crop rotation, moisture permitting, with at least two of three crops direct seeded.
Level 4 - As per level 3, and rotations do not include a chemical fallow. All crops in rotation are direct seeded.
Cover Crops rating levels 1-4
Level 1. Not planned, planted, or managed
Level 2. Not used on a regular basis, but
are used at different times during the crop rotation
Level 3. Are planned, planted, and
maintained on a regular basis. Cover crops are used for specific purposes and grower can relate why.
Level 4. As per Level 3, and cover crops are part of the farm’s regular crop rotation.
How the TFA assessment system works
Combination of practices provide the relative sustainability index for the farming operation.
Requires a minimum of 75% (or average of 3 out of 4 total points) on whole farm standards and specific product standards to be eligible.
National sustainable farming information center
ATTRA provides technical assistance to farmers, Extension agents, market gardeners, agricultural researchers, and other ag professionals in all 50 states.
http://www.attra.org
ATTRA’s
Beef Farm Sustainability Checksheet
Designed to stimulate critical thinking in planning a beef cattle operation.
Revolves around farm management, use of resources and quality of life.Used to assess operations’ strengths and weaknesses.
Categories for ATTRA checksheet
I. Inventory of Farm Resources and ManagementII. Cattle and Forage Program
A. Herd Health and reproductive management
B. Breeding, genetics and selection program
C. Nutrition Management
IV. Farm Goals
III. Farm Management
A. Records
B. Farm Planning
C. Marketing
V. Assessment of Individual Pastures
VI. Assessment of Soils
VII. Assessment of Watershed
(Categories for ATTRA checksheet, continued)
How does the checksheet work?
Worksheets are meant to be worked on with an extension educator or technical advisor who can coach the producer through the questions.
Example - Farm Goals As you consider the goals of your farming operation,
are you:
1) Examining your livestock
production program, to make
it more cost effective?
2) Assessing the soil, plant,
and water resources?
3) Analyzing your marketing program and the diversity of
products available?
4) Evaluating your quality of life from a family and
community perspective?
Example - Soils Assessment
1) Do you have considerable
variation of productivity level
and nutrient level within
pastures?
2) Would a change in fencing allow better use of pastures
based on the productivity of the soils?
3) Are any of your erosion problems due to a lack of water
flow control, lack of adequate cover or lack of infiltration?
USDA - SARE
Example - Watershed Assessment
1) Do you have buffer zones adjacent to riparian areas?
3) Do you time your fertilizing or spreading of
manure/compost to prevent runoff of nutrients?
2) Considering your whole farm as a watershed, do
nutrients which contribute to poor water quality leave
your farm?
MS clipart photo
Summary
There are criteria for sustainable practices
Each farm and cropping system has its own set of parameters and tools.
Based on a set of progressive steps towards a goal
Credits
Presentation developed by Cultivating SuccessTM : Sustainable Small Farms Education.