Agriculture Commons^™

An Exploratory Guide To The Work, Efficacy & Potential Of The Usda-Natural Resources Conservation Service In Vermont Through The Perspectives Of Nrcs Staff, Ellen L. Friedrich

Food Systems Master's Project Reports

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is the largest provider of conservation incentives payments in private agricultural working lands in the United States. This transdisciplinary and action orientated report is an exploratory guide to the work, efficacy, and potential of the USDA-NRCS in the Vermont context through the perspectives of NRCS staff. The report is built around themes identified from semi-structured interviews conducted with seven NRCS-Vermont staff members. Interviews explored a variety of different topics including natural resource & environmental concerns in Vermont, barriers to conservation and sustainable agriculture, the …

Results Of The 2022 Vermont Farmer Conservation & Payment For Ecosystem Services Survey. Vermont Payment For Ecosystem Services Technical Research Report #3a, Alissa C. White

Reports and Policy Briefs

This survey was commissioned by the Vermont Soil Health and Payment for Ecosystem Services Working Group (VT PES Working Group) to gather farmer input on the development of payment for ecosystem services (PES) in Vermont for agriculture. In particular, the survey was intended to help set appropriate levels of compensation for participation in a soil health PES program, although additional information was gathered in the survey to inform the development of a new incentive program. The VT PES Working Group has explored the potential for a performance-based soil health PES program that would compensate farmers on the basis of environmental …

2020 Hemp Flower Plant Spacing X Planting Date Trial, Heather Darby, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. Hemp is a crop of historical importance in the U.S. and re-emerging worldwide as a popular crop as it is sought out as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. Hemp that is grown for fiber, grain oil, or as an intended health supplement contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). When hemp is grown to produce cannabidiol (CBD) as an intended health supplement, CBD concentrations are relatively high, with concentrations ranging between 8-15%. Hemp for CBD production is grown more intensively, similar to vegetable …

2020 Cool Season Annual Forages Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension’s Northwest Crop and Soils Program evaluated the performance of cool season annual forages planted in monoculture. In the Northeast, cool season perennial grasses dominate pastures and hay meadows that farmers rely on. Often times during the fall months, the perennial pasture will decline in yield and quality. The addition of cool season annual forages into the grazing system during this time may help improve the quality and quantity of forage and potentially extend the grazing season. With the range in species available, it is important to understand the yield potential, quality, and growth …

Seeds Of Resilience: Learning From Covid-19 To Strengthen Seed Systems In Vermont, Ali Brooks, Carina V. Isbell, Daniel Tobin Ph.D., Travis Reynolds Ph.D., Eric Bishop Von Wettberg Ph.D., David Conner Ph.D., Evie Wolfe

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Seeds are central to crop-based production systems, yet in the United States seeds have been largely overlooked in both research and local and regional food systems initiatives. This report seeks to address the gap in seed-related research by assessing current strengths and vulnerabilities of Vermont’s seed systems. In particular, the findings presented in this report illuminate how seed systems can maintain function in the face of external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can apply the lessons learned toward building resilience for an uncertain future due to factors such as climate change. Despite the turmoil caused by …

2020 Perennial Grass Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Catherine Davidson, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2019, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program initiated a trial evaluating forage yield and quality of an array of cool season perennial grass species and varieties planted in monocultures. The grass species selected were Kentucky bluegrass, meadow brome, meadow fescue, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, and timothy. The 2020 growing season was the first full season after establishment for these stands. These stands will continue to be monitored over multiple years to evaluate yield, quality, survivability, pest resistance, persistence, and other characteristics that will help identify the most suitable forage species and varieties in our region over …

2020 Summer Annual Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Warm season grasses, such as sudangrass, and millet can provide quality forage in the hot summer months, when cool season perennial grasses enter dormancy and decline in productivity. The addition of summer annuals into a rotation can provide a harvest of high-quality forage for stored feed or grazing during this critical time. Generally, summer annuals germinate quickly, grow rapidly, are drought resistant, and have high productivity and flexibility in utilization. The UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted this variety trial to evaluate the yield and quality of warm season annual grasses.

2020 Organic Spring Wheat Crosses Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Henry Blair

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The goal of this project is to develop new spring wheat varieties that are suited for organic management in Northeast soils and climatic conditions. Most commercially available varieties are developed in regions with climates, soils, and management techniques that are very different from northern New England. These modern varieties are also genetically homogenous and inbred for uniformity, sometimes resulting in rapid breakdown of genetic resistance to local diseases. Eight crosses were developed by Dr. Stephen Jones of Washington State University, including crosses of two varieties bred by famed Vermont botanist and wheat breeder Cyrus Pringle. Of these varieties, a number …

2020 Hemp Flower Variety Trial, Heather Darby, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of Cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and re-emerging worldwide importance as medical providers and manufacturers seek hemp as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. Hemp grown for all types of end-use (health supplement, fiber, and seed) contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Some hemp varieties intended to produce a health supplement contain relatively high concentrations of a compound called cannabidiol (CBD), potentially 10-15%. The compound CBD has purported benefits such as relief from inflammation, pain, anxiety, seizures, spasms, and …

Vermont Seed Saver And Producer Survey: 2020 Summary Report, Susanna Baxley, Carina Viola Isbell, Daniel Tobin

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

This report summarizes findings from a 2020 survey of seed producers in the state of Vermont. This survey, which was part of a larger research project aimed to characterize Vermont seed systems, aimed to identify areas of opportunity and concern for seed producers across the state. Data collected include types and valued characteristics of planting material produced from food crops in the state, information on motivations, challenges, and preferences that non-commercial and commercial seed producers perceive in their production of planting material, sourcing and distribution of planting material, forms of exchange that exist between seed producers and the community, and …

Making Hemp Choices: Evidence From Vermont, Jane Kolodinsky, Hannah Lacasse, Katherine Gallagher

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Hemp's reemergence in the United States' economy presents an opportunity for a new category of sustainable product choice for consumers. This study fills a gap in knowledge about which consumers are currently aware of or choosing hemp products using the theory of choice alternatives and a statistically representative survey from a top ten hemp producing US state. Findings reveal high levels of consumer awareness and consideration of hemp products in general and a smaller evoked/choice set. Cannabidiol products appear most often in our sample's choice set; we examined these specifically. Other hemp products also appear, including clothing and textile, personal …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Local Food System: Early Findings From Vermont, Emily H. Belarmino, Farryl Bertmann, Thomas Wentworth, Erin Biehl, Roni Neff, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected people worldwide, disrupting food access and security. To understand how food systems and security are impacted during this pandemic, an online survey was launched in Vermont from March 29th - April 12th, 2020 (less than a week after the Governor’s Stay Home/Stay Safe order). A total of 3,219 Vermonters responded, and nearly half provided written comments in response to open-ended questions about worries or general remarks. This brief summarizes survey findings and respondent comments relevant to the local food system, specifically local farms and direct-to-consumer sales, home food production, foraging, hunting, and fishing. …

Steam Treated Grains Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski, Hillary Emick

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Locally grown grains, such as wheat and barley, are in high demand in the Northeast for both livestock feed and human consumption. One major challenge that grain growers encounter is infection by fungal diseases, such as loose smut and the infection of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Loose smut appears on grains as “smutted grain heads”, which are filled with spores that appear black or brown. The spore masses replace the grain heads, so that fewer or no viable kernels are left for harvest. Smutted heads are caused by the fungal pathogen genus Ustilago. Ustilago nuda commonly infects barley, while …

Industrial Hemp Fiber Variety Trial, Heather Darby, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and reemerging in worldwide importance as manufacturers seek hemp as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. The fiber has high tensile strength and can be used to create a variety of goods. Hemp fiber consists of two types: bast and hurd. The bast fiber are the long fibers found in the bark of hemp stalks and are best suited for plastic bio-composites for vehicles, textiles, rope, insulation, and paper. The hurd fiber …

Organic Soybean Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated yield and quality of short season organic soybean varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. Soybeans can be grown for human consumption, animal feed, and biodiesel. As farmers look to reduce feed costs or diversify markets, soybean acreage across Vermont is increasing. Local research is needed to identify varieties that are best adapted to this region. In an effort to support and expand the local soybean market throughout the northeast, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crop and Soils (NWCS) Program established a trial in 2020 …

Milkweed Production Trials, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a plant native to North America and has recently become the focus of conservation programs, as Milkweed is the sole food source for declining populations of Monarch butterfly larvae. Milkweed (Image 1) has long been a foe of agricultural operations and as a result, populations have been on the decline throughout the United States. To increase the abundance and scale of conservation plantings of milkweed, the Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS) has developed an incentive program to compensate landowners for establishing perennial monarch habitat including planting milkweed. Landowners in northern Vermont have a …

Corn Cropping Systems To Improve Economic And Environmental Health, Heather Darby, Lindsey Ruhl, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, UVM Extension’s Northwest Crops & Soils Program continued a multi-year trial at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT to assess the impact of corn cropping systems on overall health and productivity of the crop and soil. Management choices involving crop rotation, tillage, nutrient management, and cover crops also make differences in the long term. Yields are important and they affect the bottom line immediately and obviously. Growing corn with practices that enhance soil quality and crop yields improves farm resiliency to both economics and the environment. This project evaluated yield and soil health effects of five different corn …

Forage Oat Seeding Rate Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension’s Northwest Crop and Soils Program evaluated the performance of forage oats planted at various seeding rates. In the Northeast, cool season perennial grasses dominate pastures and hay meadows that farmers rely on. Often times during the fall months, the perennial pasture will decline in yield and quality. The addition of cool season annual forages, such as oats, into the grazing system during this time may help improve the quality and quantity of forage. To maximize fall forage yields, farmers want to know if they should increase seeding rates. To determine if higher seeding …

Soybean Cover Crop Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program investigated the impact of various cover crop mixtures on the subsequent soybean crop’s yield and quality at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. Soybeans are grown for human consumption, animal feed, and biodiesel and can be a useful rotational crop in corn silage and grass production systems. As cover cropping expands throughout Vermont, it is important to understand the potential benefits, consequences, and risks associated with growing cover crops in various cropping systems. In an effort to support the local soybean market and to gain a better understanding …

Long Season Corn Silage Performance Trials Summary, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Long season corn (96-111 day relative maturity) silage hybrids in Alburgh, VT

Planting Date: 05-14-20

Harvest Date: 09-21-20

Sare Interseeding Cover Crops In Corn Silage Cropping Systems, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With increasing focus on minimizing environmental impacts from agriculture, farmers are looking for strategies that are good for farm and environmental viability. Cover cropping is one strategy that has been promoted to help farms improve soil health and minimize soil and nutrient losses to the environment. However, with a short growing season it is often difficult to get an adequate cover cropping following corn silage harvest. Therefore, farmers are interested in using interseeding techniques to establish cover crops into an actively growing corn crop. Being successful with this practice will likely require changes to other aspects of the cropping system …

Interseeding Cover Crops Into Wide-Row Corn Silage, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

There has been increased interest in interseeding cover crops into corn. Cover cropping is a way to prevent soil erosion, maintain and/or improve soil nutrients, improve soil aggregation, prevent nutrient loss from runoff, and increase water retention. Such soil improvements can promote conditions that add resiliency to a crop, especially considering extreme weather patterns that may affect yields. Interseeding can be beneficial by providing year-round ground coverage and maximizing a short growing season by interseeding early to allow for full cover crop growth. It can be difficult to grow a successful cover crop, given other demands from a farm operation …

Vermont Organic Silage Corn Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted an organic silage corn variety trial in 2020 to provide unbiased performance comparisons of commercially available varieties. To determine varieties that are best suited to this production system and our region’s climate, we evaluated 9 commercially available organic corn silage varieties. It is important to remember that the data presented are from a replicated research trial from only one location in Vermont and represent only one season. Crop performance data from additional tests in different locations and over several years should be compared before making varietal selections.

Integrating Cover Crops And Manure Into Corn Silage Cropping Systems, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With increasing focus on managing environmental impacts from agriculture, farmers are looking for ways to manage nutrients efficiently on their farms without sacrificing crop productivity. Cover cropping and no-till crop production are strategies that have been promoted as methods that help retain nutrients on farms and minimize losses to the environment. However, integrating these practices into the cropping system requires changes to other aspects of the system. For instance, manure management becomes more difficult when using no-till production methods as the timing or method of application may need to be altered to fit appropriately into the new production system. Farmers …

Vermont Non-Gmo Corn Silage Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Luke, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated yield and quality of six non-GMO corn silage varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. To successfully transition to growing non-GMO corn, farmers are looking for more information on non-GMO varieties that are available and perform well in our region. While the information presented can begin to describe the yield and quality performance of these non-GMO corn silage varieties in this region, it is important to note that the data represent results from only one season and one location.

New York And Vermont Corn Silage Hybrid Evaluation Program, Joseph Lawrence, Allison Kerwin, Thomas Overton, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hybrid evaluation of multiple environments helps in decision making and expands the reach of this type of data to more farmers. Cornell, UVM, and seed companies collaborate to provide this robust evaluation. Hybrids were either entered into the 80-95 day relative maturity (RM) group (Early-Mid) and were tested at two locations in NY (n = 38; VanLieshout Farm in Albion and the Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro) and one location in VT (n = 38; Borderview Farm in Alburgh) or were entered into the 96-110 day relative maturity group (Mid-Late) and were tested at two locations in NY (n = …

Heirloom Hulless Spring Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Henry Blair, Hillary Emick

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

There is an interest amongst the Northeast grain industry in hulless barley (also known as naked barley) for specialty food markets. The addition of a specialty grain, such as hulless barley, can support local farm viability by diversifying crop rotations and revenue streams. Unlike malting barley, hulless barley is free threshing. This means the hull easily separates from the grain kernel during harvest and cleaning, producing whole grain barley for human consumption. Because it is whole grain, hulless barley has higher flavor and nutritional value than pearled barley which goes through an abrasion process to remove the hull and bran. …

Organic Spring Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Henry Blair, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the locavore movement, craft breweries and distilleries are interested in sourcing local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics such as low protein content and high germination. Depending on the variety, barley can be planted in either the spring or fall. Both two- and six-row barley can be used for malting. In 2020, UVM Extension in collaboration with the Eastern Spring Malting Barley Nursery (ESBN) testing network, conducted a spring malting barley trial to evaluate yield and quality of 26 varieties. Some …

Oat Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Oats (Avena sativa L.) have a long history of production in the Northeast. Although most oats are planted for a cover crop or forage, grain oats are a potential revenue source for farmers. According to the 2017 census, about 80 acres of land in Vermont is cultivated for oat grain production, with an average yield of 1956 lbs. ac^-1. With the exception of hull-less varieties, oats need to be de-hulled before they can be used for human consumption and even further processing is required to make oatmeal, steel cut oats, or oat flour. Since 2009, the University …

Winter Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Henry Blair, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With the development of a robust localvore movement and the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in sourcing local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics, such as moderate protein content and high germination rate. Winter barley has not been traditionally grown in the Northeast due to severe winterkill. However, newly developed varieties and a changing climate have encouraged our team to investigate this crop for the area. In 2019-2020, UVM Extension’s Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted a winter barley trial to evaluate the yield, …