A Transformative Partnership between Socially and Historically Disadvantaged Farmers, 1890 Land Grant Institutions, and Walmart

Ensuring a sustainable future for socially and historically disadvantaged farmers (SHDFs) remains a central mission of many 1890 land grant universities. As major corporations adopt socially responsible and sustainable policies they are exploring new partnerships, including those with the aforementioned farmers and institutions. This article explores the opportunity presented by the partnership between Tuskegee University and Walmart during 2011, 2012, and 2013 that focused on assisting SHDFs to work together to expand their produce marketing opportunities to include large commercial retailers. This article provides perspective for the articles that follow in this issue of the Professional Agricultural Workers Journal (PAWJ). The articles focus specifically on microirrigation and solar powered pumps, integrated pest management, farm and food safety certification, challenges of forming the new cooperative, the role of Black women farmers, and progress made by the Sustainable Agriculture Consortium. Key Words: Sustainable Agriculture, Agricultural Cooperative, Small Farmers, Corporate Sustainabilit

Assessing The Impact of Cluster Farming Initiatives on Small and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers, Ranchers, and Forestland Owners: A Case of The Southeastern Region of The United States

Farming in clusters is an economically viable practice to sustain small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers and forestland owners with their agricultural operations. The objectives of the study were to strengthen the capacity of clientele on cluster farming and to lower production and marketing costs by sharing input costs. Clusters were created and interventions were provided by project partners through several activities, including workshops, meetings, field days, loans, and materials/equipment. The results showed that 29 clusters involving 224 farmers, and 14 cooperatives involving 410 farmers were formed and strengthened. The number of farmers participating in workshops, training programs, field days, and meetings were, respectively, 4,921, 3,095, 1,426, and 1,285. The results also revealed that 190 producers received access to farm loans, mobile and stationary cold storage facilities, and marketing materials. Additionally, 930 farmers strengthened their knowledge and skills, and changed their behavior due to the implementation of the cluster farming approach

Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Launched

The Walmart Initiative was designed to provide technical support to train at least 200 farmers on best practices in marketing produce to larger companies and corporations like Walmart. This support was provided through specialized training, workshops, informational group meetings, and overall awareness of market opportunities. The specialized training included Food Safety Standards and Food Safety Certification requirements, effective production techniques, harvesting, grading, packaging, refrigeration/cold chain requirements, transportation, fiscal responsibility, financial management, record-keeping, and insurance and product liability. As part of a five state initiative, Tuskegee University identified and assisted in the formation of the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative comprised of members from several regions throughout the State of Alabama. The Cooperative received training necessary to understand the importance of farmers working together, internal management and controls, sharing of knowledge, resources and experience, doing business at higher volumes/quantities, and operating at a higher level of quality assurance; thus, improving marketing opportunities. Key Words: Cooperative, Produce Marketing, Small Farmers, Walmart Initiativ

The Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Today

Abstract The Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project was designed to provide technical support to train at least 200 farmers on best practices in marketing produce to large companies such as Walmart. Activities included specialized training, workshops, and informational group meetings, and overall awareness of market opportunities. The specialized trainings included food safety standards and food safety certification requirements, efficient production techniques, harvesting, grading, packaging, refrigeration/cold chain requirements, transportation, fiscal responsibility, financial management, record-keeping, and insurance and product liability. As part of the process, Tuskegee University assisted with the formation of the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative, which is comprised of members from Central and South Alabama. Cooperative training included the benefits of farmers working together; internal management and controls; sharing of knowledge, resources and experience; doing business at higher volumes/quantities, and operating at a higher level of quality assurance; thus, ensuring the improvement in marketing opportunities. Keywords: Cooperative, Produce Marketing, Small Farmers, Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Projec

Assessing the Impact of the Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project on the Household Economy of Small and Limited Resource Farmers in Alabama

Abstract This study focused on the impact of the Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project, an agribusiness opportunity for small and limited resource farmers in rural Alabama. The Project provided a package of programs that strengthened the farmers’ entrepreneurial capacity and secured a market with Walmart for contracted produce. The study applied the triangulation approach to collect field data, and conducted a case study using quantitative and qualitative tools to measure socioeconomic and environmental impacts. The results revealed that the target group benefitted enormously, as desired variables, namely, family income; technical knowledge; agribusiness entrepreneurial skill; leadership quality; factor productivity; direct, indirect, and induced impacts; and employment in the community, changed positively. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Household Economy, Small and Limited Resource Farmers, Walmart Initiativ

A TRANSFORMATIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SOCIALLY AND HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, 1890 LAND GRANT INSTITUTIONS, AND WALMART

Ensuring a sustainable future for socially and historically disadvantaged farmers (SHDFs) remains a central mission of many 1890 land grant universities. As major corporations adopt socially responsible and sustainable policies they are exploring new partnerships, including those with the aforementioned farmers and institutions. This article explores the opportunity presented by the partnership between Tuskegee University and Walmart during 2011, 2012, and 2013 that focused on assisting SHDFs to work together to expand their produce marketing opportunities to include large commercial retailers. This article provides perspective for the articles that follow in this issue of the Professional Agricultural Workers Journal (PAWJ). The articles focus specifically on microirrigation and solar powered pumps, integrated pest management, farm and food safety certification, challenges of forming the new cooperative, the role of Black women farmers, and progress made by the Sustainable Agriculture Consortium

Assessing the Diversity and Composition of Bacterial Communities across a Wetland, Transition, Upland Gradient in Macon County Alabama

Wetlands provide essential functions to the ecosphere that range from water filtration to flood control. Current methods of evaluating the quality of wetlands include assessing vegetation, soil type, and period of inundation. With recent advances in molecular and bioinformatic techniques, measurement of the structure and composition of soil bacterial communities have become an alternative to traditional methods of ecological assessment. The objective of the current study was to determine whether soil bacterial community composition and structure changed along a single transect in Macon County, AL. Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla throughout the soils in the study (ranging from 42.1% to 49.9% of total sequences). Phyla Acidobacteria (37.4%) and Verrucomicrobia (7.0%) were highest in wetland soils, Actinobacteria (14.6%) was highest in the transition area, and Chloroflexi (1.6%) was highest in upland soils. Principle Components Analysis (relative abundance) and Principle Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) (Unifrac weighted metric) plots were generated, showing distinction amongst the ecosystem types through clustering by taxonomic abundance and Unifrac scores at 3% dissimilarity, respectively. Selected soil properties (soil organic carbon and phosphatase enzyme activity) also differed significantly in transition soil ecosystem types, while showing predominance in the wetland area. This study suggests that with further study the structure and composition of soil bacterial communities may eventually be an important indicator of ecological impact in wetland ecosystems