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Projects of the Kansas Rural CenterWater Quality Projects
The Kansas Rural Center has a long history of exploring water quality and quantity issues in Kansas, seeing a clear link between how we farm and environmental protection and resource sustainability. Nearly all sustainable agricultural practices benefit water quality and the environment. From our Sustainable Farming Project in the 1980’s to the current Clean Water Farms Projects, KRC has sought to establish good models of low cost, management intensive farming practices, that protect water quality and the farmer or rancher’s profitability. Since 1995, with funding from U.S. EPA 319 Nonpoint Source Funds through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, KRC has been able to offer cost-share and planning assistance to Kansas farmers and ranchers willing to adopt clean water farming practices in vulnerable watersheds. Other projects focus on water quality benefits of grazing systems, and on related research topics such as feedlot management.
Clean Water Farms-River Friendly Farms Project In January 2005, the Clean Water Farms Project launched the third phase of its now 10 year old effort to promote adoption of clean water farming practices in high priority watersheds in Kansas as the Clean Water Farms-River Friendly Farms Project: State WRAPS Focus. Since 1995, (with funding from U.S. EPA 319 Nonpoint Source Funds through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,) the Clean Water Farms Project has successfully established good models of clean water farming easily adopted by other producers, putting over 80 demonstration projects on the ground, and reaching hundreds of other producers with workshops, farm tours, and presentations. A key lesson learned early in the project was that producers must have a clear understanding of the problem or threat to water quality, and a plan and means of setting priorities for addressing the problems. In partnership with Kansas State University, the Kansas Rural Center developed the River Friendly Farm Plan—an environmental assessment to help farmers evaluate their farms or ranches and develop a plan for addressing problems. Phase two of the project (Clean Water Farms- Whole Farm Planning, 2000-2004) focused on helping producers use this self-environmental assessment (River Friendly Farm Plan) to establish priorities. CWFP then helped producers develop whole farm action plans, and offered cost-share to eligible producers to implement some part of that plan, as well as helped them to identify other resources. Today, the project still assists farmers in completing the RFFP environmental assessment of their farm or ranch using the River Friendly Farm Plan notebook. Once the farmer completes the assessment, he/she is eligible for the $250 incentive payment for its completion. An approved action plan also allows the farmer to apply for up to $5,000 in cost-share assistance to implement items in the action plan. In addition to continuing to work
with individual farmers and ranchers in high priority watersheds
across the state, the new project will focus on helping individual
farmers and ranchers in newly established Watershed Restoration
and Protection Strategy areas (WRAPS). We'll also work with
community leaders in the new WRAPS areas. WRAPS is the
state's new framework for ensuring stakeholder involvement in the
assessment and action planning process to protect or restore
entire watersheds.
Grazing Management Project
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Coordinator: Dan Nagengast, nagengast@earthlink.net
The Kansas Rural Center has a long history of advocacy on energy issues, dating back to the 1980s. However, with the recent turn towards renewable energy, KRC has undertaken various projects that seek to put wind turbines on the ground, assist rural communities with understanding the issues around wind energy development and advocate for more aggressive policies that will allow rural communities to develop the maximum amount of wind. Click here for more information. |
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Sustainable
Food System Projects
The Rural Center supports a number of projects designed to
move agriculture towards local and regional food systems that
emphasize community, nearby markets, and the self-generation of
local economies through farmer and processor livelihoods, all
based on sustainable farming practices.
Farmers
Market Nutrition Programs
Coordinator: Dan Nagengast, nagengast@earthlink.net
KRC has organized a broad coalition of horticultural producers, churches, social service agencies, child and nutrition advocates and hunger advocates to try and establish two different farmers’ market nutrition projects. The Department on Aging successfully completed the third year of the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program in the summer of 2005, providing seniors with coupons redeemable for fresh produce at markets. KRC continues to advocate for a similar WIC program for nutritionally at-risk mothers with infants and small children..
Grow Your
Farmers’ Market Project
Coordinator: Mercedes Taylor-Puckett,
localfoods@earthlink.net
or 785-840-6202
Farmers’ markets have grown dramatically across Kansas. Farmers’ markets serve many functions including helping farmers’ incubate new enterprises and value-added products. Farmers’ markets are businesses. Like any other business, farmers’ markets will benefit from business planning.
KRC provides a free facilitation service guiding farmers’ markets in developing a business plan. The Wallace Genetic Foundation funds the “Grow Your Farmers’ Market” project.
You may download a descriptive brochure by clicking on this link.
You can also download a publication written by the Kansas Rural Center on "Starting a Seasonal Open-Air Market in Kansas" at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/s140.pdf (678K file)
Kansas State University maintains a directory of Kansas Farmers' Markets at: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/farmersmarkets/
The Kansas Food Policy Council
Coordinator: Dan
Nagengast,
nagengast@earthlink.net
http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/kfpc.html
The primary objective of the Kansas Food Policy Council (KFPC) is to bring together a diverse group of public and private sector stake holders to examine food systems in the state. The KFPC makes policy recommendations regarding ways in which the food system and related practices can be improved to enhance the health of the Kansas population, strengthen local economies and market opportunities, improve coordination and efficiency, protect the environment, and reduce hunger and food insecurity.
The KFPC operates throughout Kansas under the sponsorship of the Governor and her administration. Membership on the KFPC includes both governmental and private-sector representatives from all aspects of the Kansas food system (production, distribution, markets, and consumers). The KFPC serves as a venue for coordinating governmental and private-sector interests and activities, with efforts to be focused primarily in three areas: 1) Regional Food Systems; 2) Food Security; and 3) Human Health and the Environment. All activities are undertaken through a combination of pilot projects, broad governmental initiatives, and policy recommendations to the Governor.
Research and Education Partnerships
KRC works in partnership with a
range of institutions as well as state and federal agencies to
bring the best information to family farmers and ranchers, and
consumers. Projects include:
Heartland Sustainable
Agriculture Network
Coordinator: Mary Fund,
ksrc@rainbowtel.net or
785-873-3431
Since
1994, the Heartland Network has worked in partnership with KSU
Extension to provide seed money for farmers to organize learning
clusters that explore options such as controlled grazing, pasture
finishing, pasture farrowing, cover crops, organic farming,
complementary on-farm and on-station research, direct marketing,
and cooperative marketing. These clusters use field trips,
workshops, demonstrations, consultants, whole-farm planning and
alternative marketing to redesign their family businesses and
improve quality of life, profitability, and land stewardship.
For information about current cluster groups, go to the KRC page on the Heartland Network.
Horticultural Production Systems - High Tunnels
Coordinator: Dan
Nagengast,
nagengast@earthlink.net
KRC is cooperating with the University of Missouri, KSU and the University of Nebraska to pursue research using low-cost, plastic covered hoop houses in order to help horticultural farmers extend the growing season and increase the amount of seasonally available food in the region. Research projects are on-going as funding is found. An active web site is maintained at www.hightunnels.org
Family Farm Strategic Planning
Coordinator: Jerry Jost,
jerrytjost@gmail.com
KRC facilitates a strategic planning service to help farm families create alignment between current actions and their desired future. This strategic planning process helps you set the future direction for your farm and then chart a path to get there. This planning process allows you to adjust the farm’s direction in response to a changing environment, enables you to better focus your energy and ensures you all are working toward the same goals. The planning process involves discussion about your farm’s future; an assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to your business; setting goals in response to the fundamental decisions you face; and making a commitment to planned action steps that move you toward your goals. This service is funded by the Wallace Genetic Foundation.
The Kansas Rural Center offers this free strategic planning
service. You may download a descriptive brochure by clicking on
the link.
Public Policy Advocacy
Coordinator: Mary Fund,
ksrc@rainbowtel.net
KRC works for public policies that enhance sustainable farming practices as well as a sustainable local and regional food system. Farm bill and other related federal issues are covered in KRC’s regular newsletter, Rural Papers, and an Action Alert email information service is available. KRC monitors state legislation on an issue by issue basis as determined by its board of directors and monitors federal farm policy though its membership in the Midwest Sustainable Agriculture Working Group/Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (MSAWG/SAC).
Completed Projects
Salina Community Food System Project
The Salina Community Food System Project promoted a regional food system by coordinating area farmers to provide fresh, local food for institutional meal programs. Project activities were focused on the Meals on Wheels program at the Saline County Commission on Aging. This community food system project also worked with at-risk youth to provide training in food production, preparation and marketing.
Guided Exploration of Value Added Enterprises Project
KRC assisted individual farmers and groups of farmers in all aspects of developing successful value-added enterprises. Workshops on such topics as setting up a low cost, certified processing kitchen, and tours of KSU facilities and existing operations, were supplemented with business planning courses and outreach to farmers markets.
Antibiotic Detection and Resistance in Feedlot Management:
A
Demonstration and Education Project
Topeka Common Ground Project
The Topeka Common Ground Project was a collaboration of organizations that shared a vision of creating a local, sustainable food system in the Topeka area. Common Ground initiatives included several community and school gardens, production of organic bedding plants for farmers in an urban greenhouse, assistance with an urban-rural subscription vegetable service, provision of food to local food banks, and the development of commercial and social links between urban people and nearby farmers.
Kansas Rural Center Links
Who We Are Projects Calendar & News Policy & Advocacy Publications Wind Projects
Heartland Network Kansas Food Policy Council Clean Water Farms Project Links Home Page
© Copyright
2007, Kansas Rural Center. All rights reserved.
Questions about the KRC website may be directed to the
Webmaster.
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