Agricultural Education
Soybeans for Food
We continued to spearhead Penn State Cooperative Extension efforts on Edamame research and education out of our office. Edamame are vegetable soybeans that are harvested in the pod when the pod and soybeans are fully developed, but still green. Our goal is to develop a local, direct market business and wholesale business that can start to take over market shares from Edamame shipped into the US from China. There are five major distributors here in the US that are distributing Edamame from China all over the country. It is being sold in restaurants and restaurant chains (ie: MacDonald’s and TGI Friday’s) as an appetizer in the shell, in salads, and in mixed vegetables as a shelled product. It is sold in many of our major grocery store chains, and you will find it on the shelf at Wegmans, Giant, and Weis locally, sold both in the pod, shelled, and sometimes roasted. Just this year, they are distributing to schools since our school lunch program has decided to incorporate Edamame in to the menu as a healthy source of protein and energy.
Historically, any product produced in the states has been done on small acreage, harvested by hand, mostly organic, and direct marketed. To date, in the US, the drawbacks have been: being able to harvest Edamame mechanically and finding varieties that can be harvested mechanically with little bruising and being able to get most of the product out of the field. Also, getting herbicides labeled for use on Edamame. This is what is needed to get the wholesale business started on a large scale, here in the US. Once we have mastered these drawbacks, we are looking to partner with a major processor, distributor, and marketing company that will contract production from farmers in Pennsylvania and possibly other states and do the harvesting much like Hanover does with snapbeans.
Currently, in our research, we have several varieties of Edamame that can yield easily two ton per acre in the pod. That translates to a retail value of $18,000 to $24,000 per acre. Since our farmers produce soybeans all the time, they would not have to retool or change anything to get into this business.
Market Value Breakdown: Edamame soybeans are sold as a processed product, either frozen or refrigerated in the pod or shelled. Conventional or Organic, the retail price is the same. Edamame is sold in 8 oz. to 16 oz. packages or packaged with other products like a vegetable stir fry mix. The 8 oz. packages retail for $3.69. With that retail price in mind, I did some figuring using a conservative harvest estimate of 4,000 lbs of Edamame soybeans in the pod/acre and a wholesale price of $1.50/8 oz. unit. I split the wholesale price, so $1.00 goes to the processor/distributor/marketer and $.50 goes to the producer. The estimated gross for the processor would be 8,000 units/acre X $1.00 or $8,000/acre or $4,000/ton and for the producer that gross would be 8,000 units/acre X $.50 or $4,000/acre or $2,000/ton.
Here is what Penn State Cooperative Extension is doing to support our business development goals:
Variety and Plot Research: We have been doing variety research at Rock Springs for seven years to identify varieties that produce a large, sweet soybean, with high yields, and good disease resistance. We have six varieties, including three late maturing varieties (two of which are experimental) in replicated plots this year. We are doing herbicide tolerance research on these same six varieties. We have found that our pre-emergence herbicide treatments work very well for weed control with no damage to the crop. We are summarizing that research and sharing the results with the herbicide manufacturers in the hope that they will put Edamame on their herbicide label for use. In 2008, we worked with Syngenta Corporation, the manufacturer of Dual Magnum herbicide, and were able to get a special need permit for its use on Edamame.
Harvest Research: Penn State Cooperative Extension has been working with Hanover Cannery and Wade Wolfe, a local farmer in Centre Hall, for three years planting strip trials and harvesting both commercial and experimental varieties mechanically with Hanover’s Snapbean harvester. As a result, we have identified five commercial varieties and two experimental varieties that can be harvested with less than 5% bruising and less than 10% left in the field. We are meeting with a local seed producer and supplier to start plans to produce some of these commercial varieties locally. Seed is very expensive and ranges from $15 to $40 per pound.
Processing, Distribution, and Marketing: We are trying to identify a company (hopefully Hanover, since we have a relationship with them on research and they are a local company) that will take what we harvest and process it through the plant as a pilot project. We are prepared to plant several acres of Edamame in order to have enough to process.
Support of Local Direct Market: Three hundred pounds of three commercial varieties that we harvested in our mechanical harvest research trial this year were given to a local direct market (Tait Farms) for distribution to their clients at their store and farmers markets. These were distributed with the factsheet we have developed at no charge in an effort to promote client appreciation and familiarization with the product. The factsheet was distributed to over 1,000 consumers, producers, and potential buyers in 2008. The educator provided seed, the fact sheet, and advice to 14 small producers.
Field and Forage Crops
· In 2008, 383 clients participated in 6 program activities on field and forage crop production.
- 18 farms participated in a Legume and other Cover Crop Research Project covering 445 acres.
· 65 clients participated in two cover crop and forage crop workshops.
o 100% of 12 who responded to our evaluation, indicated they had a 25% greater understanding of forage crop practices (Timing of harvests, soil health relationship to forage quality, establishment of high quality forage in hay and pasture, and reproductive dairy health relationship to forage quality).
o They also plan to implement the knowledge gained in the above practices within 6 months.
o 89% of these respondents plan to incorporate cover crops into their crop rotation and pasture system as a result of these workshops.
o Thirty Two farmers took part in a Cover Crop Workshop in November 2008. Eight responded to an evaluation indicating they increased their knowledge on cover crop practices, purpose, economics, and improvements made to soil health and quality by a range of 14% to 57% dependent on the practice.
o 50% of these 8 respondents plan to implement a cover crop practice learned at this workshop within six months.
· There were more than 300 participants that attended sessions held at our three Central Pennsylvania Crops Conferences. A total of 218 producer registrations were accounted for with 93 evaluation responses or a 43% response rate. The evaluation response accounted for a total of 18,642 acres.
o Ninety Seven percent of 93 responses were happy with the quality of the information.
o Ninety Eight percent of 93 responses indicated that they learned something new as a result of attending the conferences.
o Participants were asked to indicate whether they planned to implement a practice as a result of information received in the workshops presented. Here is the response rate for each workshop of those that plan to implement a practice: (N = the number that responded to the evaluation for attending that workshop)
§ Dairy and Crop Economics- 77% of N=56, Weather Impacts on the 2008 Growing Season- 84% of N=62, Crop Insurance- 78% of N=51, Generate $1,000/Acre for Corn or $300/Bushel of Apples- 78% of N=32, What’s New in Weed Control- 100% of N=25, Alfalfa Pest Management and Teff Grass- 89% of N=44, Switchgrass and Other Native Warm Season Grass Management- 90% of N=31, Pesticide Safety at the Farmstead and in the Field- 97% of N=37, Sprayer Maintenance and Calibration- 98% of N=42, Managing Cover Crops and Weed Control in No-Till- 93% of N=27.
§ A biodiesel fuel making workshop was held with Piedmont Bio-fuels on the Penn State Campus in May 2008. There were 30 participants. We pressed oil from soybeans and used that to make biodiesel fuel.
Pesticide Applicator Training
§ Extension staff presented at one meeting besides the Crops Conferences to a total of 75 participants including 12 Amish. The location was Penns Valley High School. The meeting was sponsored by Penns Valley Young Farmers. Fifty Four participants responded to an evaluation for a 72% response rate representing 8,753 acres.
o As a result of attending the Training:
o 75% of 29 respondents, realized a profit of $500 to $1,000
o 82% of 34 respondents, reduced pesticide use by 10% to 30%
o 72% of 54 respondents, use Personal Protective Equipment
o 80% of 54 respondents, use the label to make decisions of what pesticide to apply
o 83% of 54 respondents, read the label before applying a pesticide.
§ Responses indicated a gain in knowledge from attending topics:
o 89% of 44 respondents, gained knowledge on pesticide Safety and Toxicity
o 80% of 50 respondents, gained knowledge as a result of attending presentations on Sprayer Maintenance and Calibration, Soybean Pests, Late Blight on Tomato, and Downy Mildew on Pumpkin.
o Snapbean Virus Updates presentation increased the knowledge for 87% of 47 respondents.
o 92% of 48 respondents, increased their knowledge as a result of attending the presentation: Using Beneficial Insects to Control Insect Pests in the Barn.
§ 24% of 44 respondents, plan to implement a practice in less than six months as a result of attending the presentations underlined above.
Pasture Management
· In 2008, A Pasture Workshop was held at the Corl/Johnson Farm in Pine Grove Mills, PA. There were 42 participants, 16 responded to our evaluation for a 38% response rate accounting for approximately 700 acres.
o As a result of the workshop, the 16 participants who responded to the evaluation increased knowledge by the following percentages in the following subject matter areas:
§ 31% increased knowledge in soil quality.
§ 50% increased knowledge in forage quality.
§ 44% increased knowledge in nutrient management.
§ 19% increased knowledge in fencing and watering systems.
§ 32% increased knowledge in nitrogen contribution from legumes in pasture.
§ 37% increased knowledge on the management of Sorghum-Sudan Grass for pasture.
o 93% plan to implement practices learned in the areas of knowledge gained within six months.
Local Foods Network
· A local food system business plan was developed based on percent of sales and presented to the Local Food System Development Advisory Council. Upon hearing the presentation the council decided not to implement the business plan because the startup costs were at least $150,000 and the commitment on the part of buyers and producers probably wasn’t there.
· The greatest impact was the knowledge gained by the educators and the advisory council and the ending of this program as a priority program for Extension in Central PA.
Dairy
Agriculture is one of the largest industries in the Central Region with annual farm production valued in excess of $150 million. Educators use the team approach to deliver research based information to dairy producers of the Central region and the state of Pennsylvania. As educators, we believe that we can better serve the producer by using a variety of people that bring multiple areas of expertise. Through our educational programs, we hope to increase the profitability and productivity of these farms.
The Huntingdon County extension office is the operating headquarters of the “Central Region Dairy News”, 8046 issues were distributed to dairy producers in seventeen counties on a bi-monthly basis, covering a variety of topics. Currently, the newsletter is featuring articles written by the Central Region Dairy Team.
A total of 52 individual farm visits were made covering the following issues: milk quality (12), reproduction (18), animal housing and cow comfort (5), calf and heifer health (8), and overall animal health issues (9).
As a dairy educator, I am involved with a “Dairy Profit Teams” in Centre, Huntingdon, Snyder and Mifflin Counties. These teams meet on a bi-monthly basis to provide assistance to the producer on management practices. A team consists of the regional dairy educators, a local veterinarian, a nutritionist, and a loan officer. As a team, we work together to help the producer make decisions that will increase his/her production and profitability.
A statewide dairy program, “Penn State PA DAIRY TOOL” has been implemented into the regional dairy program. The dairy team has used the PA Dairy Tool, to help identify priorities for change on a dairy farm. It has also been used to help the producer begin a process to eliminate the most costly bottlenecks and increase profitability of the dairy operation. A requirement of the Dairy Profit Teams is to have a PA Dairy Tool analysis done on the farm, to identify problem areas.
Examples of workshops held within the Central Region:
A “Using Beneficial Insects for Fly Control” presentation was given at all three Central Pennsylvania Crops Conferences as well as a number of other pesticide education training sessions.
Huntingdon County hosted two different groups of Middle Eastern visitors that are interested in agriculture in the United States. We spoke to these groups about the PA Dairy Tool and also took them on tours of local dairy farms. As a result of the interaction with producers, the visitors are able to take back to their country different management techniques that are used here in the Central Region.
Two “Milking Schools” were offered in Centre and Snyder Counties to dairy producers. These schools were designed to educate the producer on proper milking techniques and prepping procedures. As a result of the schools, the farms implemented the use of a CMT paddle as well as reported decreased milking time.
A number of pasture walks were offered in the Central Region. These workshops provide the producer with information on forage quality, harvesting, cover crops, pasture management, body condition scoring, and cross breeding. The dairy team will continue with this project throughout the 2009 program year.
Two workshops focusing on the fundamental elements of basic reproduction were presented during the summer. These workshops contained a hands- on aspect and the producers were able to work with reproductive cadaver tracts. There were a total of 11 farms represented at these workshops and 100% of participants showed an increase in knowledge of reproductive anatomy (N=8). This workshop is being repeated throughout the Central Region during the 2009 program year.
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