NRCS, SARE Cooperate to Create Farmer-Run Research Groups in New England

In 2001, when NRCS Connecticut state conservationist Margo Wallace realized a growing interest among farmers in her State and throughout southern New England in conducting research, she decided to put EQIP money behind a fledgling idea. Recognizing the importance of farmer-led research based on her observations and experiences in Europe, Wallace helped initiate the Farmer Research Group Network, which, as the name implies, is farmer-led and driven, with $73,000 in EQIP funds from the Educational Assistance provision of the 1996 Farm Bill.

Further supporting the initiative, SARE awarded the project with a $167,660 Research and Education grant later that year to advance the development of research groups and, consequently, the working relationships among farmers, scientists, and agriculture service providers.

Today, the Southern New England Farmer Research Group Network links farmers with similar interests and provides technical assistance and scientific expertise via NRCS, Cooperative Extension and nonprofit organizations. The research group’s mission was developed by Walter Smith, Water Quality Coordinator of NRCS-Connecticut, Tom Morris of the University of Connecticut and Sue Ellen Johnson of the University of Connecticut and the New England Small Farm Institute,

Working in small groups, farmers in the network identify environmental concerns and design research projects to ferret out potential solutions. For example, one group of farmers is conducting field trials to study differences between corn silage fertilized with hen manure and commercial fertilizer. With the help of scientists in the network, the farmers designed and conducted field trials to compare corn production between the fertility sources on four farms. In 2002 they observed no differences, in 2003 hen manure applications resulted in greater silage yields, and in 2004 research results varied farm to farm. Most significantly, while hen manure is not recommended for most fields in the region due to high soil phosphorous accumulations and potential for over-application of nitrogen, the project stimulated a new discussion about the efficacy – and potential problems – of hen manure among farmers, scientists and agency professionals.

Five farmer-led research groups scattered across southern New England continue to investigate areas of concern, from how to prevent nitrogen leaching from field stacked manure to the practicality of vacuum-packed grass silage to whether applying a fish emulsion bio-stimulant will improve crop yields. As in the hen manure project, all projects are designed by small groups of farmers who also conduct the trials and share results.

The cornerstone of the network is the development of research projects by the farmers. “The network empowers farmers,” says Sue Ellen Johnson, network coordinator, who is also a consulting scientist for some projects. “It nurtures ideas from the farmers and allows them to solve their own problems.”

Through the farmer-driven research, farmers are learning to answer their own conservation questions. Adds Johnson, “Farmers are aware of environmental problems and they want to protect natural resources to protect their farms.”

The Farmer Research Group Network is growing and wants to continue to provide farmers in southern New England with the resources to conduct research. Active farmer research groups will continue their projects in 2005, and new research groups may form in the coming months.

Visit the NRCS Connecticut Web site.

About SARE
Since 1988, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide grants program. The program, administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, USDA, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems and natural resources.

NRCS field office professionals frequently collaborate on SARE-funded projects and are valuable partners to the SARE program. NRCS staff serve on SARE’s national Operations Committee, on regional Administrative Councils, on state committees and are actively engaged as technical advisers and collaborators on SARE-funded research grants around the U.S. 

For more information, visit the SARE website or for more information about the regional SARE programs, click on the region area of the map below.

Your contact is Diana Friedman, SARE research associate, at 301-504-6422, or dfriedman@sare.org.