Education programs for Ethnic Populations in Massachusetts
UMass Extension—Agriculture and Landscape Program
May 30, 2006
Massachusetts has also experienced a strong increase in ethnic groups in recent years. Latinos are the largest ethnic minority in the state with 7.3% of the population, outnumbering African-Americans (6.5%). Asians represent 4.5 % of the total population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Massachusetts has the largest population of Portuguese-speaking people in the United States. This population comprises people from Portugal, the Azores, Cape Verde, and a growing Brazilian population, estimated by the Brazilian Consulate in Boston to be at least 250,000. This increase in ethnic diversity has brought an explosion in the amount of ethnic foods consumed in the United States in the last 20 years. A 2002 marketing study of the US supermarket industry found that Hispanics, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans account for 37% of all supermarket sales (Grow with America, 2002). This trend represents tremendous opportunities for Massachusetts growers.
The ethnic population in the Northeast has undergone substantial change in the last few decades. Asians, Latinos, and Arabs alone represent more than 10% of the general population in the Northeast (US Census 2000). In New York City, approximately 60% of the students in public schools have at least one foreign-born parent. For the first time since its establishment, non-Latino Caucasians are a minority in Boston. This growing population diversity, combined with the increased interest they have generated from more traditional restaurant and supermarket buyers previously unfamiliar with the new offerings, is an opportunity for the local growers to expand and re-direct production.
Concurrently the Green Industry, a significant segment of the agricultural industry in the highly urbanized state of Massachusetts, is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled labor. This service sector includes grounds managers and landscape contractors. Ethnic populations are becoming an important component of the labor force for these companies.
Current projects conducted by UMass Extension’s Agriculture and Landscape program include:
- Educational programs on production and marketing information for crops popular among Brazilian, Asian, African and Hispanic groups
- The development and maintenance of a web site that provides information on agricultural crops that can be grown in the Northeastern United States. The emphasis is on crops that are popular among ethnic groups living in this region and can be grown in this region. These include vegetables, herbs, and some fruit. This site is organized according to the countries in the world. One reason for this organizational structure is that many ethnic groups will be concentrated in one area or neighborhood. For example, in Holyoke Massachusetts, more than 75% of the customers at the farmers' market are Puerto Rican. In this case, a grower who sells at this market would want to check out the crops under "Puerto Rico".
- UMass Extension has also published "Producing and Marketing Vegetable Crops for Ethnic Markets"
 a report to learn more about how to identify ethnic groups in markets and the types of crops used in various cuisines
- Workforce development programs to teach horticultural skills to Spanish speaking workers. The following workshops was attended by 130 Spanish speaking people
UMass Extension Weed ID Workshop offered in Spanish!
El taller de la Identificacin de las Malas Hierbas Ofrecido en espaol por la Extensin de UMass Dia 28 de Julio, 2005 (July 28)- Elm Bank, Wellesley, MA
Correct weed identification is an important first step in the development
of an effective weed management program. Using a classroom presentation,
potted weed herbarium and weed walk, UMass Extension Specialist Randy
Prostak and Pedro Perdomo from Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension will help participants enhance their identification skills of broadleaf and grass weeds. The workshop will be given in English by Randy and
translated by Pedro. Feel free to bring a weed or two to identify. The
workshop will be held rain or shine (lunch not provided),
9 am - 3 pm.
La identificacin correcta de la malas hierbas es un primer paso
importante en el desarrollo de un programa eficaz de el control de las
malas hierbas. Usando una presentacin en la sala de clase, coleccin de las
malas hierbas en maceta, y las malas hierbas en el paisaje, el
especialista de la Extensin de UMass Randy Prostak y Pedro Perdomo de la
Extensin Cooperativa de Rutgers ayudaran a los participantes a mejorar sus
habilidades de la identificacin de las malas hierbas de hojas anchas y
tipo zacate. El taller ser presentado en ingls por Randy y traducido al
espaol por Pedro. Sintase libre de traer una o dos malas hierbas para
identificar. El taller sera llevado a cabo llueva o haga sol (almuerzo no
proporcionado), 9 - 3 P.M.
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