SARE AND EXTENSION: TIPS FOR OUTREACH SSARE State Coordinator Training SSAWG, Mobile, AL Candace Pollock, PR Coordinator

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Part of the SARE mandate is to train ag agents in sustainable ag The training component was officially named PDP PDP funds support sustainable ag training Through state coordinators in each state Competitive projects Workshops/activities/other programs. Your Role as a State Coordinator is to Integrate the Concepts of Sustainable Ag into Daily Outreach and Extension Practices.

WHERE TO START REVIEW SARE STATE COORDINATOR GUIDE Familiarize yourself with the SSARE State Coordinator Guide Incorporate guidelines in Outreach efforts What’s available at your land grant university? Sustainable ag curricula Extension Education and Outreach strategic goals Will include marketing and communications New technologies Professional development Evaluation techniques

Outreach strategies EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION

HOW CAN I PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AG? MARKETING SSARE Grants PDP On-Farm Producer Grant education workshops Provides better understanding of proposal process SARE logo out-Us/Southern-SARE-Logo COMMUNICATIONS SARE publications Books Bulletins, Fact sheets Web; Topic Rooms Social media Videos Collaboration SSARE PR Coordinator Local media Land grant communicators

DELIVERING PROGRAMS: Educating Others About SARE

Use your ag expertise and incorporate sustainable ag practices at such events as workshops and field days. Speak or exhibit at conferences in your state Use SARE Outreach pubs as a resource tool in teaching/educating: Pubs Flash Drive Remember your land grant strategic plan Submitting a grant? Incorporate outreach/communicatio ns in your proposal Educating others? Refer to technology training, ex. Lynda.com Use those technologies in your training: webinars, Youube, etc. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS

EXTENSION REPORTS EVALUATING YOUR EFFORTS

WHAT YOU CAN INCLUDE IN REPORTS Impact statements: What was the problem or issue? What was done to address the issue? What was the impact of the efforts? Testimonials/success stories Photos/infographs Data visualization Ex. Wordle Assessments: Data and analytics Social media; Google Methods toolbox: Surveys Focus groups

RESOURCES

LEARN MORE  Think about publishing grant-funded projects  Ex. NACAA – NCR-SARE Cover Crop Project: Farmer-Cooperator Movement and Agronomic Practices  eXtension Learning Opportunities:  SARE Fellows Program  Refer to university learning opportunities  Seek out organizations that post learning opportunity webinars  Ex. ACE – Association for Communication Excellence

THANK YOU! Candace Pollock PR Coordinator James Hill Limited Resources/Minority Outreach Specialist