Center for Profitable Agriculture Quarterly Progress Report

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Helping Farmers Develop Value-Added Enterprises Center for Profitable Agriculture Quarterly Progress Report INSIDE THIS ISSUE Progress Report 60, April 2013 Message From The Director.

. Page 3 Status of Value-Added Beef Activities... Page 3 Boot Camp Workshops Connect with Farmers Market Vendors Across the State.. Page 4 Holland to Provide Leadership to Implementation Team.

Page 5 Update on UTIA Local Foods Summit/Efforts. Page 5 Reports Completed on Tennessee Sheep and Hog Numbers.. Page 5 Leadership Changes with TDA Market Development Partners.

1 Helping Farmers Develop Value-Added Enterprises Center for Profitable Agriculture Quarterly Progress Report INSIDE THIS ISSUE Progress Report 60, April 2013 Message From The Director.. Page 1 Organizations Collaborate to Study Tennessee Agritourism. Page 2 Center s Annual Report Shows 2012 Another Great Year. Page 3 Search Initiated for Marketing Specialist.. Page 3 Status of Value-Added Beef Activities... Page 3 Boot Camp Workshops Connect with Farmers Market Vendors Across the State.. Page 4 Holland to Provide Leadership to Implementation Team..... Page 4 Welcome to Tiffany Howard... Page 4 Holland Completes LEAD Page 4 Kim Martinez Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with the Center for Profitable Agriculture. Page 5 Update on UTIA Local Foods Summit/Efforts. Page 5 Reports Completed on Tennessee Sheep and Hog Numbers.. Page 5 Leadership Changes with TDA Market Development Partners. Page 5 Successful Webinar Series Wraps Up... Page 6 Number of Establishments Permitted by TDA Food and Dairy Section... Page 6 A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Implementation of our Value-added Beef initiative continues to make up a large portion of the workshops we are offering, the publications we are preparing, and the consultations we are providing. In some respects, we ve just scratched the surface. We continue to develop information and plan educational programs for an increasing number of folks that are considering developing or expanding a value-added beef enterprise. We appreciate the collaboration of a large number of colleagues who are involved in leading the initiative. We also appreciate the large number of Extension agents and farmers who are supporting the initiative in various ways. To date, there have been 33 value-added beef workshops and educational programs presented to more than 930 cattle producers and value-added beef marketers. Recently, a sample of workshop participants was surveyed four months after participating in a workshop. They were asked to rate their before and after knowledge of key topics that were taught during the educational sessions. Participants reported an average increase of 289 percent in knowledge gained. This figure was recorded using a 10-point scale where the average level of knowledge before the workshop was a 2.4 and after was 7.2. The workshop knowledge ranged from a 0 before to a 10 after. The post-workshop evaluation also revealed that 10 percent of participants have begun to market meat direct to consumers or market live animals for custom harvesting. The number of animals finished for direct marketing ranged from two to 30 with an average of 4.8 head per year. All of the 1 P age

participants surveyed indicated that the information presented in the workshop improved their knowledge about meat marketing and the average level of usefulness of the information reported on a

Organizations Collaborate to Study Tennessee Agritourism Agritourism may be better known by the general public as a trip to Christmas tree farm, corn maze or pick-your-own strawberry patch, but for

Megan Bruch, marketing specialist with University of Tennessee Extension s Center for Profitable Agriculture, says that farmers involved in agritourism are like any other business CEOs; they need

To obtain a more current view of agritourism in Tennessee, several organizations are collaborating on a study of the state s agritourism businesses.

2 participants surveyed indicated that the information presented in the workshop improved their knowledge about meat marketing and the average level of usefulness of the information reported on a 10-point scale was 6.8. Organizations Collaborate to Study Tennessee Agritourism Agritourism may be better known by the general public as a trip to Christmas tree farm, corn maze or pick-your-own strawberry patch, but for farmers, agritourism is a method to add value to farm resources, generate additional revenues, sustain farms and enhance rural economies. Megan Bruch, marketing specialist with University of Tennessee Extension s Center for Profitable Agriculture, says that farmers involved in agritourism are like any other business CEOs; they need up-to-date information to make the best business decisions possible for their operations. To obtain a more current view of agritourism in Tennessee, several organizations are collaborating on a study of the state s agritourism businesses. We are in the process of conducting a survey of agritourism operations throughout the state to gather data and create a new snapshot of Tennessee agritourism, said Rob Holland, director of the Center for Profitable Agriculture. This study would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of industry partners including the Tennessee Agritourism Association, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit Mid America and the Tennessee Farm Bureau. The study is being conducted by UT Extension specialists and researchers in the Center for Profitable Agriculture and the UT Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The study will provide a report of the current state of Tennessee agritourism as well as implications and conclusions for the industry s future. It will also provide data that will be used in future educational outreach programs offered by the center. An accurate view of the state of the industry will allow individual businesses to make informed decisions in their planning and development and it will help state and industry leaders with policy development and resource allocation, Holland said. Bruch agrees. The last in-depth study of Tennessee agritourism was conducted almost 10 years ago. That study found that the 325 agritourism operations surveyed generated $21 million in total sales. Much has changed since then, and a new study will provide a current view of the size, scope and impact of agritourism in Tennessee. It will also offer an updated view of needs farmers may have for education and other services, she said. Results of the study will be posted on the center s website when available at Those attending the Agritourism Extravaganza at Fender Farms in Johnson City, Tenn., paused to recognize the importance of the upcoming agritourism study. Left to right, bottom row: Megan Bruch (UT Center for Profitable Agriculture), Carroll Fender (Fender Farms), Pamela Bartholomew (Tennessee Department of Agriculture); back row, Tonya Keller (Tennessee Agritourism Association), Brant Crowder (Tennessee Agritourism Association), and Lou Nemeth (Agritourism Extravaganza participant. Representatives of groups supporting the 2013 Tennessee Agritourism Survey recently met at the offices of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation in Columbia. Organizations included Farm Credit Mid America, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and the UT Center for Profitable Agriculture. Shown from left to right, front row, are Mark Wilson (FCMA), Megan Bruch and Rob Holland (UT-CPA), and, back row, Mike Estes (FCMA), Lacy Upchurch and Joe Pearson (TFBF) and Matt Neal (FCMA). 2 P age

Center s Annual Report Shows 2012 Another Great Year The Center for Profitable Agriculture experienced another positive year of programming and outreach in 2012.

3 Center s Annual Report Shows 2012 Another Great Year The Center for Profitable Agriculture experienced another positive year of programming and outreach in With one vacant specialist position, the center expanded outreach efforts mostly through consultations and workshop teachings posting extremely positive program success and progress for the year. Highlights of the year for the entire center/department include: 102 educational presentations were made to 3,250 participants from 54 counties. 39 farm visits were conducted in 33 counties. 1,573 direct contacts were made through our departmental educational exhibit being featured at 14 trade show events. 3,097 people were consulted with through , phone and direct mail. 3 new Extension educational publications were completed: PB 1802 A Farmer s Guide to Pick-Your-Own Operations PB 1805 Basic Regulatory Considerations for Retail and Non-retail Meat Sales in Tennessee PB 1806 Sales Tax in Tennessee on the Purchase and Sale of Farm Products 10 new educational fact sheets were published. 10 funding proposals were awarded to the center for a total of $394,149 in new funding. 6 other departmental reports and publications were developed. 9 news articles were prepared for state-wide distribution and 44 newsletters and nine program promotion brochures were created. Search Initiated for Marketing Specialist The search for the center s vacant marketing specialist position is well under way. The Committee is chaired by Megan Bruch and consists of John Campbell, UT Extension Central Region, Tiffany Howard, UTIA Advancement, Hal Pepper, Center for Profitable Agriculture, Dan Strasser, Tennessee Farm Bureau and Anthony Tuggle, UT Extension Rutherford County. Interviews will be scheduled in the coming weeks. Status of Value-Added Beef Activities Currently, there are 246 members of the Tennessee Value-added Beef Google Group. Members on this list receive periodic blasts with information about educational programs and value-added beef information. In addition, 99 people are signed up to receive links to join the center s value-added beef webinars. To date, 109 participants have joined live webinar viewings. Archived versions of the webinar sessions, slides and evaluations for webinars are all posted online at A survey of Tennessee consumer preferences for local beef is being developed. The goal is to acquire 1,000 completed surveys for this study. The survey is being developed and implemented collaboratively between the center and the Agriculture and Resource Economics department. The information learned from the study will help Tennessee value-added producers analyze the market for local beef and develop more effective marketing strategies. 3 P age

Boot Camp Workshops Connect with Farmers Market Vendors Across the State During February and March, 274 farmers market vendors, managers and leaders participated in educational workshops in six

Tammy Algood, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Janie Becker, UT Extension Rutherford County, Hal Pepper, Center for Profitable Agriculture, and Margarita Velandia, UT Extension Agriculture and

They provided presentations on effective signage, using words and wardrobe to communicate, understanding sales tax, connecting with the customer, using market-wide electronic payments, understanding

Tim Cross announced that Rob Holland would be providing leadership to one of Extension s strategic plan implementation teams.

4 Boot Camp Workshops Connect with Farmers Market Vendors Across the State During February and March, 274 farmers market vendors, managers and leaders participated in educational workshops in six locations across the state. Workshops spanned the state in Bolivar, Dresden, Spring Hill, Cookeville, Knoxville and Kingsport. Tammy Algood, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Janie Becker, UT Extension Rutherford County, Hal Pepper, Center for Profitable Agriculture, and Margarita Velandia, UT Extension Agriculture and Resource Economics made-up the teaching team. They provided presentations on effective signage, using words and wardrobe to communicate, understanding sales tax, connecting with the customer, using market-wide electronic payments, understanding consumers and insurance. Holland to Provide Leadership to UT Extension Implementation Team In February, UT Extension Dean, Dr. Tim Cross announced that Rob Holland would be providing leadership to one of Extension s strategic plan implementation teams. During 2013 and 2014, Holland will be leading a team of folks that will be focusing on enhancing gifts, grants and fees. The team currently consists of Holland and nine other team members: Gayle Bowman, Lynn Brookins, Justin Crowe, JC Dupree, Debbie Hurst, Tom Looney, Michelle Parrott, Nancy Rucker and Scott Stewart. The team will be studying ways to manage grants and contracts at the county and regional level, revising the faculty incentive program guidelines, developing guidelines for extramural funding, developing reporting systems for extramural funding, and looking at opportunities for endowed and distinguished positions. Welcome to Tiffany Howard In January, faculty and staff at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill welcomed Tiffany Howard to the main office. Tiffany joins UTIA as director of advancement with the UTIA Office of Institutional Advancement. Tiffany comes to UTIA after more than five years with the Tennessee Farm Bureau in Columbia where she served as associated director of commodities and coordinated the Tennessee Farm Fresh program. Folks in the Center for Profitable Agriculture worked closely with Tiffany when she spearheaded Tennessee Farm Fresh. Welcome Tiffany! Holland Completes Lead 21 In February, Rob Holland completed and graduated from Lead-21. Lead-21 is a national leadership development course for those in leadership roles at land grant institutions across the country. The course consisted of experiential learning exercises and on-site training in Indianapolis, Kansas City and Washington DC. Holland participated in various small group exercises and role-playing with colleagues from LSU, Fort Valley State in Georgia, University of Florida, Oregon State, Fort Peck in Montana, and Ohio State. Lead-21 includes individual leadership assessment and organizational leadership development. 4 P age

Kim Martinez Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with the Center for Profitable Agriculture Kim Martinez recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the University of Tennessee and the Center for

5 Kim Martinez Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with the Center for Profitable Agriculture Kim Martinez recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the University of Tennessee and the Center for Profitable Agriculture. Kim joined the center in November 2002 as principal secretary and currently serves as Administrative Specialist II. Mr. Dan Wheeler, former director of the center, joined the celebration by presenting Kim with a plaque to mark the occasion. Kim joined the center when it relocated to Spring Hill at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center. She joined the center after working in the Maury County School System. Congratulations to Kim on this 10-year milestone. We look forward to the next 10 years working with her! Update on UTIA Local Foods Summit/Efforts On the heels of the first UT Institute of Agriculture Local Foods Summit in December, two UTIA colleagues have been named to provide leadership for a multi-state regional local foods initiative and to progress local foods efforts for UTIA. Margarita Velandia of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Ann Berry of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences will be joining the local foods system initiative that is being launched as a regional effort through the Southern Risk Management Education Center. We look forward to working with Drs. Velandia and Berry. Reports Completed on Tennessee Sheep and Hog Numbers Two reports were recently completed for the center by colleagues in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Both reports focused on historical trends, data, farm numbers and livestock inventories one for Tennessee hog industry and the other for the sheep industry. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues on these reports and we also appreciate the support from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The reports are available on the CPA website. Industry Brief: Tennessee Hog Industry Industry Brief: Tennessee Sheep & Lamb Industry Leadership Changes with TDA Market Development Partners During February, Joe Gaines retired from his position as assistant commissioner and head of Tennessee Department of Agriculture Market Development. We in the center have had a close relationship with Joe for the past 15 years and we wish him well in his retirement. We will also miss working with Dan Strasser in the post he has held at TDA for the past 8 years. We wish him well and look forward to working closely with him in his new role at the Tennessee Farm Bureau. More recently, Ed Harlan was named assistant commissioner with TDA to head up the efforts in market development. We look forward to continuing our close work and collaboration with TDA, Ed Harlan and market development. 5 P age

Participants heard from various speakers on topics ranging from market opportunities to regulatory concerns and financial analysis to product claims.

6 Successful Webinar Series Wraps Up During March, the center wrapped-up an 11-session webinar series that began in October. The series provided on-line learning for participants interested in value-added beef. The sessions took place on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from October to March. Participants heard from various speakers on topics ranging from market opportunities to regulatory concerns and financial analysis to product claims. This webinar series was spearheaded by Megan Bruch and was our center s first involvement with webinar technology for program delivery. The sessions were funded in part by support from U. S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Southern Risk Management Education Center. Number of Establishments Permitted by TDA Food and Dairy Section The following is an updated listing of the number of establishments permitted and inspected by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Food and Dairy Section of Regulatory Services. Type of Establishment December Retail Food Food Manufacturing Food Warehouses Tobacco-only Stores Domestic Kitchens Farm Egg Producers Farm Meat Producers Custom Slaughter Deer-only Processors Farm Dairies Dairy Processors Wineries Distilleries Center for Profitable Agriculture P.O. Box 1819, Spring Hill, TN Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating. UT Extension provides equal opportunities 6 P age

IN THIS ISSUE... A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

IN THIS ISSUE... A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Center for Profitable Agriculture Helping Quarterly Farmers Develop Progress Value-Added Report Enterprises IN THIS ISSUE... Progress Report 71, January 2016 A Message From the Director. Page 1 Summary