Assessing the Assessing the Sustainability of your Sustainability of your

FarmFarmSustainable Small Acreage Sustainable Small Acreage

Farming and RanchingFarming and Ranching

Cinda Williams, UI Extension 2005Cinda Williams, UI Extension 2005

Sustainability CriteriaSustainability Criteria

Based on practices, not long termBased on practices, not long term

– The Food AllianceThe Food Alliance

– ATTRA Beef Sustainability Check SheetATTRA Beef Sustainability Check Sheet

The Food AllianceThe Food Alliance

Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon Evaluation Criteria for Evaluation Criteria for

application to be application to be farmer members of farmer members of TFATFA..

Originally set up for Originally set up for fruit and vegetables fruit and vegetables growers, has growers, has expanded to include expanded to include livestock and direct livestock and direct seeded crops (wheat, seeded crops (wheat, etc.)etc.)

www.foodalliance.org

TFA: Evaluation Criteria for Direct-Seeded Cropping Systems in the Pacific

Northwest

Farm Planning Disease/Nematodes

Soil/Water Conservation Weeds

Cultural Practices Vertebrate Pests

Crop Nutrition Weather/Crop Monitoring

Pesticide Applications Continuing Education

Insects/Mites Human Resources Checklist

Cultural Practices

Site preparation Seed selection

Rotation Seedbed

preparation

Crop selection Seeding rates

Green bridge Harvest

Residue Management Storage

Crop Rotation

Level 1 - direct-seed fields are not rotated

Level 2 - direct-seeded fields are in two-crop rotation with a fallow period Level 3 - Direct seeded crops are in a three-crop rotation, moisture permitting, with at least two of three crops direct seeded.

Level 4 - As per level 3, and rotations do not include a chemical fallow. All crops in rotation are direct seeded.

Weed Management - Wild Oats

Level 1 - Herbicides are applied on a routine basis.

Level 2 - Manager can identify Wild Oats, fields are monitored, treated only if thresholds are exceeded and all treatments are accurately timed for maximum effectiveness.

Level 3 - As per level 2, and cultural controls are also used. If Wild Oat infestations become severe, field harvested for hay or used for forage.

Level 4 - Cultural controls as per level 3, and if herbicides are needed, apply only those with Caution label.

Weed Management - Wild Oats

How the TFA assessment system works

Combination of practices provide the relative sustainability index for the farming operation.

Requires a minimum of 70% of points to be eligible.

Also a human resource questionnaire - focuses on the labor, farm safety, community involvement, and goals and vision for the future.

National sustainable farming information center

ATTRA provides technical assistance to farmers, Extension agents, market gardeners, agricultural researchers, and other ag professionals in all 50 states.

Http://www.attra.org

ATTRA’s

Beef Farm Sustainability ChecksheetDesigned to stimulate critical thinking in planning a beef cattle operation.

Revolves around farm management, use of resources and quality of life.

Used to assess operations’ strengths and weaknesses.

Categories for ATTRA checksheet

I. Inventory of Farm Resources and ManagementII. Cattle and Forage Program

A. Herd Health and reproductive management

B. Breeding, genetics and selection program

C. Nutrition Management

IV. Farm Goals

III. Farm Management

A. Records

B. Farm Planning

C. Marketing

V. Assessment of Individual Pastures

VI. Assessment of Soils

VII. Assessment of Watershed

(Categories for ATTRA checksheet, continued)

How does the checksheet work?

Worksheets are meant to be worked on with an extension educator or technical advisor who can coach the producer through the questions.

Example - Farm Goals As you consider the goals of your farming operation,

are you:1) Examining your

livestock production

program, to make it

more cost effective?

2) Assessing the soil,

plant, and water

resources?3) Analyzing your marketing program and the

diversity of products available?

4) Evaluating your quality of life from a family and

community perspective?

Example - Soils Assessment

1) Do you have

considerable variation of

productivity level and

nutrient level within

pastures?

2) Would a change in fencing allow better use of

pastures based on the productivity of the soils?

3) Are any of your erosion problems due to a lack

of water flow control, lack of adequate cover or

lack of infiltration?

Example - Watershed Assessment

1) Do you have buffer zones adjacent to riparian areas?

3) Do you time your fertilizing or spreading of

manure/compost to prevent runoff of

nutrients?

2) Considering your whole farm as a watershed,

do nutrients which contribute to poor water quality

leave your farm?

SummarySummary

There are criteria for sustainable There are criteria for sustainable practicespractices

Each farm and cropping system has Each farm and cropping system has its own set of parameters and tools.its own set of parameters and tools.

Based on a set of progressive steps Based on a set of progressive steps towards a goaltowards a goal